H^St'
Explanatory Note.
ining Magazine
PUBLISHED AT SALISBURY HOUSE, LONDON,
(INDEX TO VOLUME XXIV.
FROM JANUARY TO JUNE, 1921.
—Items in italics are name? of bDoks reviewed ; illustrated articles are denoted by asterisks (•) ; the letters (w.i.)
refer to notices of articles under the heading *' Mining Digest."
PA'".E
165
00
3S1
314
381
3S4
74
328
256
AbcssoGold Report.
Acetylene Lamps, Makers of
Akini AUuvials
Alderson, V Oil-Skalc Industry
Alignment Charts J. A. P. Gibb (m.d.)
Alum and Sulphm- at Tonopah {m.'i.)
Aluminium in Engineering J. G. A. Rbodin (m.d.)
American Smelting and Refinins; Control 266
Ammonia Process, Haber's {m.d.) 314
Ammonium Sulphate Process, Feld's (m.d.) 314
Anaconda Company's Output 329
Anaconda Electrolvtic 7inc (w.rf.) 303, 378
Andean Geology. .'. J. A. Douglas (m.d.) 318
.\nglo -Ecuadorian Oilfields 266
Anglo-Persian Oil Co. in Hungary 202
Anglo-Persian Oil Co. in West Australia 73
Anglo-Persian Oil Co.'s Concession in Ne^vfoundland 10
Anglo- Persian Oil Co.'s New Capital 202
Antimony Oxide as a Pigment Itn.d.) 121
Apatite-Magnetite Deposits of Dhalbhum, E. F. O. Murray *2ll
Apes (Trinidad) Oilfields Report . . .
Aramayo-Fraucke Dividends
Arizona Copper Co.'s Metallurgy* , (m.d.). . . .
Ashanti Goldfields Corporation
Associated Northern Blocks Report
Atkinson, J. B Cumberland Iron Ores. ... 06, 158
Aurora West United Report 383
Austral Oil Welk Co 73
Australia, Gold Stealing in 259
Australian Coal Output 289
Austrahan Gold Output 264
Australian Mineral Output, 1920 101
Bain, H. Foster, and U.S. Bureau of Mines 63
Balaghat Gold Mines Report 382
Bantjes, Exploration in . .' 135
Barytes in Westmorland V. BramaU (ni.d.). . . . 101
Bauxite in West Africa A. E. Kitson (m.d.) .... 189
Berengiiela Tin Mines Report. ... 64
Bolivia's Case for the League of Xations 102
Borlase, W. H Greenside Mine. . . . 2^1
Borneo, Petroleum in Emmons and Grnner (m.d.). . . . 2r)3
Borneo, Petroleum in J. Kewley (m.d.) 250
Boston Creek 32, 359
Bosworth, T. O Mackenzie Oilfield (m.d.).... 312
Eotsford, R. S Open-cut Mining •267
Brakpan Mines Report. . . . 320
Brakpan No. 4 Shaft 71
Brazil, Diamonds in D. Draper (m.d.) .... *372
Brcatfittjg A pp.iTOiMS, SfJf -contained R. C. Smart. . . . 348
Brisbane Letter 353
British .Mumiuium Report. . . . 256
British Aluminium's Water Power (m.d.) .... 253, 381
British America Nickel Corporation 138, 225
British .■\merica Nickel Corporation (m.d.) .... 375
British -Borneo Petroleum 265
British Columbia, Copper Mining Position in 32
British Columbia, Gold Mining Position in 32
British Columbia Output, 1920 150
British Controlled Oilfields 330
British Platinum and Gold starts Production 1"
British West Africa Co., Collapse 137
Broken Hill Associated Smelters Fire 72
Broken Hill, Position at 72, 137, 201
Proken Hill Proprietary Steel Works Closed 137
Brown, J. Coggin Indian Iron and Steel Industry *339
Building Stones J. Allen Howe (m.d.). . . . 122
Building Trades' Exhibition at 01>'mpia 295
Bullfinch Proprietary' Report 128
Bullfinch Proprietar\-. Management of 328
Eunker Hill, Electrolvtic Zinc at 74
Bunker Hill Lead-Sraelting Plant (mj.) 122
Buraia Corporation and Lead Smellers 253
Burna Corporation's Output 73
Burmah Oil New Shares 329
P.KCE
Cadmium, Separation of (m.d.) 122
Calcium (mJ.) .... 309
Calloose in Court 36, 73
Callow Process, Minerals Separation and 202
Cam and Motor Restarts 200
Camborne Geological Holiday Course . .1 f..i 194
Camborne Letter 34, 100
Camborne War Memorial 2
Camborne War Memorial Hutchin and White. . . . 359
Camp Bird -, Report 317
Canadian Institute ol' Mining and Metallurgy 19.5
Canadian Metal Output. 1920 ICO, 224, 330
Canadian Mint and Precious Metals (m.d.) .... 191
Canadian Oil Regulations , . 210
Cape Copper Report. ... 64
Cape Explosives Works Debent'ires 327
Carbonic Oxide as a Poison 324
Carbonization, Low-Temperature G. H. Thurston (m.d.).,.. 122
Cam Marth, Geology of j (m.d.) — . 1 21
Cz<s Technical Institute, Sit John 258
Cassiteritc, Flotation of /..,... (m.d.) 251
Cementation ind Vein-Filling S. J. Lett 219
Cementation at Mazoe Dam (m.d.) 122
Cementation Process, Francois H. S. Ball [m.d.). ... 59
Cementation, Repairing Lens Collieries by (m.d.), ... 117
Central Mining and Investment 324
Champion Reef Gold Report 128
Champion Reef resumes Dividends 9
Charters Towers School of Mines 322
Chemicals, Prices of 47, 109, 171 , 239, 301, 367
Chendai Consohdated Report 316
Chile. Gold Mining in L. Pitblado •27
Chillagoe seeks New Capital J)
China Clav Corporation 73
China, Quicksilver Mining in F. Trythall (m.d.) 187
Chinese Engineering and Mining Report G4
Chinese Engineering and Mining's Iron Enterprise 10
Chloridizing Roasting bv Ramen Process (m.d.) 253
City Deep ' Report 318
City Deep, New Shaft at 133
Citv Deep Shaft E. H. Clifford (m.d.) *179
Cle'nnell, J. E Estimation of Phosphoric Acid 151
' Co^il J- H. Ro..aldson 123
Coal, Flotation Process applied to (m.d.) ISO, 190, 253
Coal in Grcit Britain Walcot Gibson 62
Coal in Tasmania, Prospecting for 163
Coal, Mineral Matter in R. Lessing (m.i.) 191
Coal Output, Australian 289
Coal Washing E. Prochaska 285
Cobalt Brasses ('".rf.) 253
Cobalt Deposit near Selwvn, Queensland (m.d.) 253
Cobalt, Ontario 31, 09, 162, 225, 293. 358
Colemanite. Origin of (m.d.) 3Sl
Colorado Oil-shales imti) 314
Compressed Air for Power in Mines (m.d.) 252
Compressed Air in Mines (m.d.) 59
Compressed .A.ir, Measuring J. L. Hodgson (m.J.) 190
Congo State, Aeroplane Ser\*ice in 136
Consolidated Diamond Mines of South Africa . . . Report 255
Consolidated Langlaagtc Mines Report 318
Consohdated ^'ines Selection Dividend « 135
Consolidated Mines Selection :\Ieeting 327
Consolidated Mining and Smelting 356
Copper Assay, Fleitmann's ■. (m.d.) 253
Copper in Steel ('"■'^-) 314
Cooper Losses in Slags F. E. Lathe (m.d.) 56
Copper Mines Closed in United States « 202. 329
Copper Production, World's F. H. Hatch (m.d.\ 122
Copper Smelting in Japan : . . . (m.d.) 122
Coppers, The Porph>Ty 325
Cordoba's Property in India 264
Cornish Kaohn, Ltd 329
Cornish Tin Mines Close-down 100
Cornwall, Pumping Diitculties in 202
Contndnin in Transvaal A.h. Hall. . . . 126
Till'; MINING MAGAZINE
Costs. RcH-ords of Miiiinc A. E. Pcltit (wi.rf.).
Cotln-ll Prccioitalion Process.
.(....rf.).
PACE
la^), 101, :tsi
Crown Mines Report 31 S
Crvslallography J. H. .lordan 102
Cumberl.ind Iron Ores, Genesis of. . .,7. n. .\lkii\son ill, I'lS
A. A. lones W
I.D.Kencl.ill OH
PACE
Gold Minin? in Chile L. Pitblado ">7
Gold Outpnt of World 2, fifi
Gold. Precipit.ntion of J. H. Johnson {m.d.) 57
Gold Stealing in Anstralia 250
Golden Horse-shoe Instates Report.
Goodchild. J. H ^. . . Cumberhind Iron Ore.
J. H. Goodchild 218
Cumherlitnd. New Geolocical Survey for IHIl
Cvanide Clean up Problem W. B. Chomley (tn.rf.l !j7
Cyanide Practice, Review of A. J.nmes (iii.rf.) 122
Cyaniding in Ecuador (w.rf.) 314
DaRcafontein, Closing of 263
Daggafoutein Finances 1 99
De-aeration of Solutions H. A. White (m.d.) 190
Dc Beers adopts Crushing Plant 7
De Beers Consolidated Mines Report . . 192
Deebook Dredsing Report 12S
Deep Mines, Conditions in, Orenstein and Ireland {m.d.) 314
Desert, Adventures in the 197
Dhalbhum. Apatite Magnetite Deposits of. . .E. F. O. Murray "211
Diabase, Use of the Tenn 259
Diamonds, .alluvial in South .Mrica. F. C. Cornell (m.rf.) 59
Diamonds in Brazil D. Draper {m.d.) »372
Diamond Mines, Depression at 136
Dolcoath Mine Repqft 62
Dolcoath's Financfs 30
Dolcoath's Future '21
Dollv Varden Mine ICO
Draper, D Diamonds in Brazil {m.d.) '372
Drill-steel. Heat Treatment of ' {m.d.) 380
Drill Steels, Sharpening [m.d.) 30G
Dua (Nigeria) Tin Fieli^s Report 63
DundeeCoal Report 384
Durban Roodepoort Deep Report 317
Earth's Crust, Chemistry of (m.d.) 118
East Indian Topography . . .G. A. 1-. Molengraaf (lii.rf.) 191
East Pool and Agar ,.» Report 254
East Pool, Accident at ...j.J..L.\ 329
East Pool, Developments at '.'■ ?6
East Rand Proprietarj', Results for 1920 199
Fconomic Mineralogy T. Crook .... 220
Electric Plant at Easingfon Colliery {m.d.) 59
Electric Smelting in Sweden J. Herlenius {m.d.) .... 190
Electrostatic Deposition of Dust {m.d.) 185,191,381
Electrostatic Precipitation of Sulphuric .\nd {vi.d.) .... 190
£;v, .Vfi'arfu. Or,- Deposils of .\. C. Spencer 125
Enemy Shareholdings in South Africa 136
Esperanza Developments 10
Excess Profits Duty 131
Exploration Company Report. . . . 192
Falcon Mines, Position of 263
Falconer, J. D Nigerian Geology 'SBl
Falconer's Geological Survey of Nigeria 200, 323
Fanti Consohdated 264
Farrow's Bank. Failure of 3
Federation Tin Companv 328
Finsburv Technical College G. T. Morgan. ... 97
Fire-damp in Gold Mines {m.d.) .... 310_
Flats and Sops in Furness J. D. Kendall. . . . *145"
Flin-Flon, Mine Option on 266, 293
Flin-Flon Ore-body {m.d.) •241
Flotation Litigation 202
Flotation of Cassiterite {m.d.). . . . 251
Flotation Process applied to Coal {m.d.) 189, 190, 253
Fluor-spar in Illinois {m.d.) 191
Francois Cementation Process H. S. Ball {m.d.) .59
Fremantle Smelter Closes 264
Fremantle Trading Report 64
Fresnillo, Mining Methods at {m.d.) 380
Frontino and Bolivia Co.'s Output ■ 330
Frontino and Bolivia Gold Report. ... 64
Geduld Proprietary Mines Report .... 320
Geduld Reserves 71
Geevor Position 34, 13S
Geevor Tin Mines Report .... 102
Geldenhms Deep Report 319
General petroleum of 1 riTiidad 330
Geology oj fht Bti'.isk Empire F. K. C. Reed 31-5
Geology, Political and Commercial J. E. Spurr 286
Geology, Text-book of L. V. Pirsson 288
Geothermal Data o) lite Untied States N. H. Darton 192
Gersoppa Falls Power Scheme • 329
Giew Position '^-^t 329
Ginsberg Liquidation 136
Glencairn Liquidation 136
Glencoe (Natal) Collieries Report 384
Globe and PhoinLi! Report 256
Globe and Phcenix Metallurgy {m.d.) 308
Goch, New Report ssa
Gold and Platinum in South Chile {m.d.) 2:,3
382
•218
Goodchild, J. H., on Iron Ore 197
Gopeng Consolidated Report. . . . 316
Government Gold Minin.': .^reas Report. . . . 32(1
Gowganrta, Ontario 32, 359
Granbv Consolidated 226, 356
Graphite for Cnieihte U.w Dubs & Moses 192
Grecnawalt Sintering Process {m.d.).... 183
Greenhow Hill .5
Greenland, Development of 322
Greenside Lead Mines Interested 158
W. H. Borlase.... 281
Grcnville Position 34
Haber's Ammonia Process {m.d.) .... 314
Halberg-Ileth Gas Cleaner {m.d.) 381
H,impden Cloncurry's Position 8
Hampton Plains, Developments at 228
Hancock, R. T Physical Basis of Tin-Dressing 'SO
Helium R. B. Moore {m.d.) 191
Herb Lake Gold Deposit {m.d.).... 376
Hollinger Consolidated Gold Mines Report .... 256
Hoover, H. C, and Food Research 194
Hoover, H. C, as Secretary of Commerce 130
Huelva Sulphur and Copper Report.... 128
Hungary, .Anglo-Persian Oil Co., in 202
Hydro-electric Power in Wales {m.d.) .... 191
329
125
•132
258
'.339
130
194
322
260
'339
197
158
96
96
218
•214
191
253
264
Idris Hydraulic Tin Company
Igneous Kocks, Chemical Analysis of..H. S. Washington....
Imperial College Athletic Ground
Indian Industries and Labour, Journal of
Indian Iron and Steel Industry J. Coggin Brown. . . .
Institute of Metals, Local Sections "
Institution of Civil Engineers
Institution of Electrical Engineers
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
Iron and Steel Industry of India .J. Coggin Brown. . . .
Iron Ore and C^reenstone
Iron Ore, Cumberland .1. B. Atkinson.... 94
.\. A. Jones
I. D. Kendall
J. H. Goodchild
Iron Ore Deposits of Queensland
Iron Ores. Vampi Sound {m.d.). . . .
Iron Smelting, Electric, at Doranarfet {m.d.). . . .
Ivanhoe Position
Jantar Nigeria Report .... 63
Jantar's New Capital : S, 72
Japan, Copper Smelting in ' {m.d.) .... 122
Jarosite in Victoria {m.d.) .... 314
Johannesburg Consolidated and Coal _7
Johannesville 258
Jones. A. A Cumberland Iron Ores 96
Jos Tin Areas (Nigeria) Report 256
.{m.d.)...
Kalahari Desert, Reclaiming. . .E. H. L. Schwarz (m.rf.)
Kalgoorlie Letter
Kalgoorlie, Strike at
Kalgurli Mine Closes
Katathemiometer, Dr. Hill's
Keeley Silver Mines .
Kel5 Consolidated Amalgamation
Kelantan V. F. Stanley Lonv^
Kendall, J. D Cumberland Iron Ores
Estimation of Reserves
Flats and Sops in Fumess '
Origin or Primary Ore Deposits . . '
Kent Coalfield, Structure of {m.d.)
Kestner, P., on Removal of Gases from Water
Killifreth Mine, Geology of {m.d.)
Kingsdown Tin Mine
Kirkland Lake, Ontario 31, 100, 161, 22o, 293,
Kirkland Lake Gold Mining District {m.d.) '111, '
Kkkland Lake, History of
Kirkland Lake, Ontario 31, 100, 161, 225,
Kit Hill and Hingston Mines
Kitson, .\. E Bauxite in West .Africa {m.d.)
Kleinlontein, New Report
Knigh t Central Repor ;
Knights Deep Report
Knudsen Smelting Furnace {m.d.) ....
THE MINING MAGAZINE
-T'
PAGE
Lens Collieries bv Cementation, Repairing ("i.rf.l 'll?
Leasing, R • Mineral Matter in Coal {m.d.) 181
Lett, s! J Cementation and Vein-filling 219
Levant Position > 3^
Lever Brothers in Nigeria ^UU
Libel and Criticism '•o!
Llandarcv ■ • ; ,""■;■, r5„
Loading Minerals into Ships (m.d.) 190
Lodge Precipitation Process (m.rf.) IS.i
London University and Holland Park 2
Lonc-lv Reef Developments '2, 26B
Love 'C. R Wave-transmission Rock-drill SaO
Low V F. Stanlev Kelantan '11
/ ubricaiing and AlUrd Oils E. A. Evans 287
Luipaard's Vlei Report 62
McDeimott, W., on Labour Problems 327
Mackenzie Ri\er Oilfield 102, 203
Mackenzie River Oilfield T. O. Bosworth {m.d.) 312
Mackenzie River Oilfield J. Ness Im d.) 'SGO
Manganese C. M. Weld. ... 220
Manganes.m Peak Hilt Goldfield A. Montgomery 126
Manganese in West .\frica 26-1
Marriott, H. F., on Rand Output 324
Mason and Barry Report 315
Mawchi Mines Finances 210
Mazoe Dam, Cementation at (m.d.) 122
Mechanical Drauing, Text-book of J. E. Jagger 315
Melbourne Letter 07, 162, 229, 2S9
Melbourne Univcrsitv Metallurgical Department . .{m.d.) 59
Menzies Consolidated Gold Mines Report 63
Mercury, Estimation of A. A. Hall (m.d.) 190
Messina (Transvaal) Development Report.... 126
Melat Handbook and Statistics L. H. Quin 192
Metal Markets 41, 103, 163. 233, 295, 360
Metallic Allo\s G. H. Gulliver 382
Metals, The Low Price ol 3
Mexican Corporation '. Report. . . . 317
Mexican Gold and Silver Output 330
Jlexican Oil Problems 202
Mexican Oil Resources U".d.) 253
Mexican Position, R. T. Bayliss on 138
Mexico Mines of El Ore Report 2.56
Mexico Mines of El Oro and New Capital 10
Mever and Charlton Report 31S
Mica in Australia (m.d.) 120
Mica in Rhodesia (m.rf.) 51
Milner, H. B Oil Resources of South America *203
Mineral Industry, Vol. 28 62
Mineral Resources Bureau, Imperial 195
Mineralogy Krauss & Hunt 124
Minerals Separation v. Callow 202
Mining Manual, Skinner's 192
Modderfoniein B Report 319
Modderfontein B South-west Shaft 199
Modderfontein Deep Levels Report 320
Modderfontein Deep Reserves 135
Modderfontein East Finances 199
71
00
3S1
253
264
PAGE
Nitrate, Recovery of A . W. Allen 25-1
Norite in Manitoba (m.rf.) . 59
Northern Exploration Co.'s Report 202
Northern Exploration Notes 206
Northern Nigeria (Rauchi) and Water Power 8
Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines Report. ... 63
Nundydroog Company's Reconstruction 9
Nundydroog Output 205
. . . {m.d.)
'.'.'.{m.dy.'.'.'.
Modderfontein East. New Mill for
Modderfontein Mine, Model of
Molybdenum Ores, Separating Copper from
Mond Nickel's New Capital
Monel Metal, Physical Characteristics of. . .
Mongu Progress
Moulton, Lord, Death of 194
Mount Elliott's Position 9
Mount Lyell Labour Troubles 200, 32
Mount Lyell, Welfare Schemes at 07
Mount Monger Developments 229
201
Mount Morgan
Mount Morgan Labour Troubles
:\Iount Quamby Gold Deposits {m.d.) . . .
Murray,"E. F. O., Apatite-Magnetite Deposits of Dhalbhum.
Mysore Dividend
Mysore Results for 1920
Xamaqua Copper Metallurgy'
Nevada Consolidated, History of {m.d.) ....
Nevada Consolidated Open-cut Mining {m d.). . . .
New Brunswick Gas and Oilfields Report. . . .
New Unified Main Reef Report. . . .
Newfoundland, .^ng'io- Persian Co., in
Nicaragua. Gold Mining in {m.d.). . . .
Nickel and its L^ses P. D. Merica {m.d.). . . .
Nickel Alloys P. D. .Merica {m.d.)
Nickel Alloys high in Nickel {m.d.)
Nickel-Copper .Mlovs P. D. Merica {m.d.)
Nickel Industry, Canadian 138, 22.5,
Nigeria, Gold in
.s'igeria, Salt Deposits in {m.d.) ....
Nigerian Geology J. D. Falconer *
Ni^rian Geological Survey, Falconer's 200,
Nigerian Mines, Assistance for
Nigernn Tin Corporation
Nile-Ccngo Divide Syndicate
•211
137
201
327
380
384
383
10
253
110
381
233
314
375
328
381
331
323
264
328
Oil Coal Fuel on Railways
Oil-Drilling A. W . Davson (m.i.)
Oil, EfTect of, on Marine Life
Oil Enterprise at Wakkerstroom
Oil Geology R. A. Mills tm.d.)
Oil Geology, Roma
Oil in Great Britain
Oil in Hungary
Oil in Mackenzie River District 102,293,312,
Oil in Palestine, Boring for (m.d.)
Oil in Punjab H. Preiswerk {m.d.)
Oil in Western Canada J. Ness {m.d.). . . .
Oil on the Waters 07,
Oil Problems in Mexico
Oil Promotions in Tasmania
Oil Regulations, New Canadian
Oil Resources of Mexico (m.d.). . . .
Oil Resources of South America H. B. Milner. ...
OiUshale Industry V. .^Iderson. . . .
Oil-shales, Colorado (m.rf.) . . . .
Oil {see also Petroleum).
Ontario, Power Shortage in
Ooregum Gold Report ....
Oorcgum in Depth
Open-cut Mining R. S. Botsford....
Ore Deposits, Origin of ,T. D. Kendal!
Orenstein and Ireland, Conditions in Deep Mines, .{m.d.). . . .
Oxygen from Water, Removal of
Palestine, Boring for Oil in {m.d.) ....
Pas, The, District, Manitoba {m.d.)
Pas, The, Mandy Mine at {m.d.)
Patents Published .59,122,191,253,314;
Peace River District, Oil Surveys of
Pearls, Cultured .'
Peat Power in Germany (m.d.). . , .
Pengkalen Report
Personals 40, 101, 164 , 232, 294:
Petrographic Nomenclature, British
Petroleum and Products, Examination of, Hamor & Padgett
Petroleum, Geology of W, H. Emmons
Petroleum Geology, Field Methods of Cox and others. . . .
Petroleum in Borneo Emmons and Clruner {m.d.) ....
Petroleum in Borneo J. Kewley {m.d.)
Petroleum' in North Borneo
Petroleum, Origin of P. Carmody {m.d.)
Petroleum Production in Venezuela {m.d.)
Petroleum Spirit, Storage of A. Cooper Key
Peti-oleum, Working, by Shafts and Galleries (m.rf.)
Petroleum, World's Production of
Petroleum {see also Oil).
Philippines, Gold Mining in {m.d.). . . .
Phosphates in Pacific Islands tm.d.\ ....
Phosphoric Add, Estimation of J. E. Clc.inell
Phosphorus from Rock Phosphate {m.d.)
Pitblado, L Gold Mining in Chile
Plaline, he Duparc & Tikonowitch
Platinum and Gold in South Chile (w.rf.)
Platinum at Lizard, Search for
Platinum Metals A. D. Lurob
Plymouth Consolidated Gold Mines Report
Po'derosa restricts Output
Pondoland, Geology of Du Toit & Rogers
Porco Tin Mines Finances
Porcupine, Ontario 31, 100, 101, 224, 292,
Porkellis, Reinforced Concrete at E. Gordon {m.d.)
Porphyry Coppers
Port Pirie Fire
Postage Rates, Increase of
Potash-bearmg Dust, Electrostatic Precipitation of ()«.a.)
Potash, Refining Califomiau (m.d.). ...
Premier Gold-Silver Mine l"li
Premier (Transvaal) Diamond Minmg Report
Prestca Block A Report
Prestea Block .A Developments
Primrose, New Report. . . .
Prospecting by Electric Current {m.d.)
Pulverized Coal in Copper Furnaces • . • • •
Punjab, Oil in H. Preiswerk tm.d.)
Pyrites m Coal J- I-omax {m.d.)
Pyrites Industry of Spain C. dc Kalb {m.d.)
Queensland, Iron Ore DeposiU of '214
Queensland Railway, Proposed ............... 137
Quicksilver in Spain H. W . Could (m.rf. ... . 381
Quicksilver Mining in China F. Trylliall {m.d.) 1B7
194
314
130
200
314
353
73
202
■369
59
122
■369
194
202
162
210
253
•203
60
314
74
310
265
•267
•272
311
194
59
•241
59
381
291
322
314
316
,360
278
287
154
351
253
250
265
381
'247
352
190
210
59
314
151
59
•27
155
253
259
123
316
10
126
74
358
52
325
201
322
185
381
357
128
63
72
384
380
8
122
253
253
^
TIUC MINING MAGAZINE
Quicksilver OiUpMl in I'nilcd SUtcs
Qtiirosa Cruz Tin Mines
.(m.rf.).
PACE
. 21)6
. 59
12S
253
R.»!u.p.. (Nigeria) Tin R»Port
Kanibunn Report
Kamcn Heskow Process (iii.rf.) ■■•■ -J^
Kand Dividends (or in20 '
Uand tiold , Proposed Premiums on
Kand MininR Kesults
Rand. Strike on the • • • • ■ • ■
Randfonteiu Central • • • ■ • • Report
Randfontein Central's New Development Methods (m.d.)
Randfontein Hstates Litigation
200
261
135
317
.. '40
136, 2(X)
71,
.J. D.
Rf/r,7itory Materials : rirrchys
Reserves! Ustimation of
Rezende Mines
Rhodesia and SelfUovemment
Rhodesia Gold Mining and Investment
Rhodesia, Mic? in
Rhodesia, Miners' Strike in
Rhodesian Dividends 1920
Rhodesian Gold Output 1920
Rhodesian Government, Future of
Rhodesian Mine Strike
Rhodesian Mineral Output 1920
Rio Tin to Strike settled
Risdon P T Wave-Transmission of Power
Kendall.
. Report .
Report .
.(m.rf.).
Robinson Gold
Rock-Drill, Wave-Transmission
Rock-Drill, VVave-Transm ission .
Report.
. .P. j. Risdon
R. de H. St. Stephens
C. R. Love
•75,
Rocks under Pressure, Study of
Roma Oil Geology ■ ■ •
Roodepoort United Main Reef ,^°J\'
Roof Supports for Mines ('"•''•) "'■*
Rooiberg Minerals Position ■ ■ '
RoseD«p Report... 2oo
Roumanian
192
•91
3S3
72
•51
136
8
71
200
2(X)
71
10
'139
255
130
'139
282
359
130
353
383
3U
PAGE
Tasmania. l-:iectrolvtie Zinc in 98
Tasmania, Hydro-i-leitric Power in 2'J9
T.asmani.i, Prcspecting for Oil in 163
Tasmaniau M ineral Output ; 264
Tasra.anian Oil Promotions 162
Tehidy Minerals • 85
Tchidy Minerals Report 2a5
Tckka-Taiping Report 316
Tharsis Sulphur and Copper Report 315
This WorU of Ours J- H. Cuilc. ... 28-3
Tin Dressing, Phvsical Bases of R. T. Hancock •80
Tin in New Mexico ('"■''■! J^
Tin Mines, Cornish, Close ,■ ■ '; : ^99
Tin Mines, Quimsa Cruz ('"•■'•) 59
Tin Output, 1-ederated Malay States
Tin Price in Federated Malay States
Tin Resources of British Empire. . .
Tincroft Mine Closed
Tincroft Position
Tolima
T?:;rpl;^^h;;:::;:::::;::;:::4irm;'i65;-23;i,- m 300
Transvaal Consoli dated Land and Finance Co •s-i
Transvaal Gold Output 1920
Transvaal Smelting and Refining Co ," ' J I
Trevithick's Engines in Peru ','"■ "i' ;
Trevorite ('"•''•>
.N. M. Penzer.
. . .Report. . . .
31, 99, 161, -224, 294
9
9, 137
. 349
. 265
. 35
. 64
35S
71
71
381
312
im.d.).
n.d.) .
iconsolidkted Oilfields'' ciaim 1°' SIS
Roumanian Oil Productions .
St. Stephens, R. de H.. .Wave-Transmission Rock-Drill
Salt and G^■psum in South Australia ■ ■ • • ■
Salt Deposition. Geology <J/ A. W. Grabau
266
282
382
124
,/,L<5^ VJ — ■■ - - . , .,(^.
Salt .Manufacture in Michigan {m.a.j i Ji
San .\ntonio de Esquilache Mines ■ !■»
San Francisco Mines of Mexico Report
Santa Gertrudis Report
School of Mines, Royal, Dinner
256
317
323
aCUUUi Ul iriiijca, isuja,, *-«*..«
Scottish Water- Power ■ ■ • ■ ■ ^J'
U V.X. Metallurgical Laboratory
United States Gold Output 1920
United States, Non-Metallic Minerals in . . .
Urquhart Family and Russia ,• x V
Utah, Ore Deposits of B. S. Butler and Others ...
Van Rvn Deep ^^^°J\ ""
Vanadiferous Asphaltites of Peru '"'j'J
Vanadium in the Transvaal [m.a.)
Vancouver Island Copper Co • . ■ • • ■_■ • • ■ ■ • • • •. • ■ ■
Vancouver Letter 32, lo9, 22.), .'91,
Venezuela, Petroleum Production in .'""j' I
Ventilating Currents, Jleasuring D. Penman Dl.d.
Ventilation at \'illage Deep )'" A
Viaducts, Trestle, in Cornwall ('"■■•«•)
Vickers' and Universitv of Sheffield :"j\
Victoria, Gold Occurrences in N. R. Junner {m.d.)
Victorian Mining
Village Deep ,^°J\' ' ' '
Village Deep, \'eiitilation at ("'■'»■)
Village Main Reef, Liquidation of
Scottish Water-Power
.(m.rf.).... 381
U V, tltCl-i ui, 1.^ J ' _„
Selkirk Mountains, Topography of '«•!'■ Jif
Shaft-Lining, Concrete A. B. Parsons m.rf.
Shafts, Concrete J- H. Stoyel m.rf.
Shaft Sinking in Wet Ground -C. Walker (i.i.rf.
Share Quotations 48, 110, 172, 240,
Sheep Creek Gold Mines r'JV
SignaUing Apparatus for Mines, Granville (m.rf.).
Silesia, Conditions in E. P. Rathbone (m.rf.).
Sintering Process, Greenawalt ,' j.
Smelting Works, .\tmosphere around (m.rf.)
Sons of Gwalia Report
Sons of Gwalia, Fire i; ■ '^^ •,■,-■■ ' '
South .\merica. Oil Resources of H . B. Mimcr
South .\merican Coppe r's Litigation ■ 10
South Bukeru (Nigeria) Tin Repor . . . . 128
SouthCrofty Report.... 2oD
South Crofty Developmente ;; ' V,' V jn/ ' 'i ; ' ' ' " 'i.a
Spitsbergen Coal ■••■:■•••• v" ' '^'- "'"'''" '"'■''■' ' 'im Ofifi
Spitsbergen, Northern Exploration Co ^0^, ^w
Spitsbergen, Oxford Expedition to 10
Spitsbergen, Scottish Sj-ndicate A' • ■ ' : i?X
SpringsMines ....Report.... 820
Standardization of Mining Materials .^^. . . ^. ..... .^. . . . .^^^ J7
59
74
191
125
320
3S1
120
160
355
•247
314
121
122
2
314
290
31S
121
135
382
380
, . . . 380
. . . . 314
302, 368
2-24
. . . . 121
.... 314
. . . . ia3
. . . . 59
. . . . 316
. . . . 73
•203
200
191
127
WaibiGold R<"Port „., ,„-
Waihi Gold, Return of Capital ' .^m
Wakkerstroom Oil Enterprise ■ - • ■ :
Wales, Hvdro-electric Power in (m.rf.)
Wanlue Colliery ........ -Repo"
Washington, H. S. ... Chemistry of Earth's Crust (m.rf.)..^_. US
Wave-Transmission of Power P. J. Risdon la, las
Wave-Transmission Rock-Drill Ig j
Wave-Transmission Rock-Drill. .R. de H. St. Stephens.... 282
C. R. Love 3.-)9
Well-rioring for Water, Brine, and Oil .C. Isler ..lo
West Africa, Bauxite in A. E. Kiteon (m.rf.) .... 189
West Africa, Labour Position in *■ ^5"
West Australia, Anglo-Persian Mining Co. in '"
West Australia Wages iy" " i oa?
West Rand Consolidated Mines Report o^o
West Springs Shaft ; 'AW ' ■■ ' " r 'j\" "
White, H. -A De-aeration of Solutions (m.rf.)
Wilfley Centrifugal Pump
190
103
380
Winding Engine at Quincy Mine (m.rf.) ... . sou
TT/;*.. )3«>,,.r /Vlv T4nictiwfl *^0
Wire Ropes for Hoisting
Witbank Colliery ^f^ , ' ' '
Witwatersrand IJeep Report. . .
Witwatersrand Gold Report. . .
WoUiuter Gold Mules Report...
Statistics of Production, etc.. ., ;.„ j ,' ■ =q womuter oora :>mie>
Stope-FiUing in Indian ColUeries '«.«■) gj Wraight. E. A., on Standardization
Stope-Filling in Nova -Scotia ^- A';-- y^ ' '"jl " ' ™
Stope Survey F- P- Caddy (m.rf. .
Sub-Nigel RePo; ■ •
subsidences ui Mining, Preventmg . .(iij.d.). ,
<ulfid-Silikatschmelzlosungen ]. H. L. Vogt.
sjlphide Corporation ,^°J\'
sulphur, American Resources (m.rf. .
hulphur in South Africa • • ■ ■ ■ . -(m.rf-) •
Sulphuric Acid in the United States Wells & Fogg.
^unset-Midwav Oilfield R- ^•, ^^9^
Surveving Instruments W. H. Connell (m.rf.) .
Surve'vs, Stope F. P. Caddy (m.rf.).
Suneys, Connecting Surface and L'ndergroimd ... (m.rf.) .
380
62
252
156
63
122
115
102
61
3 SO
380
55
Yampi Sound Iron Ores . . .
Yuanmi Gold Mines
Yukon, Lead Mining in the
Yukon, Lead-silver in
.{m.d.).
.Report.
.'.'(m.rf.).
62
319
319
1'26
67
191
63
355
190
Talisman Mine to be closed
Taoganvika Concessions Report. .
Taquah' Central Mines Report. .
Taquah Mining and Exploration Report. .
9
•127
192
03
Field (m.rf.).
..(m.rf.)
(m.rf.).
230
314
Zinc and Lead Mining in Great Bnt.niu
Zinc, Electrolytic
Zinc, Electrolytic, at Anaconda
Zinc, Electrolvtic, at Bully Hill
Zinc, Electrolytic, at Bunker Hill
Zinc, Electrolvtic, at Judge Co.'s Plant [m-d.) M
Zinc, Electrolvtic, in Tasmania •,■••,""■;; q<i
Zinc, Electrolytic, Purifying H. R. Haoley (m.rf.). . . . ^|
Zinc, Lectures on ; ' 'i ', /i hil
Zirconia, Production of, Rossiter & Sanders (m.rf.). . . ./ i^
Zirconium Alloy, Cooperite ; • •>
303, 378
... 59
... 74
59
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director. Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House, London Wall. London, E.C.2.
Telephone : London Wall S93S. Telegraphic Address : Olisoclase. Codes : McNeill, both Editions.
(420. Market Street. San Francisco.
Branch Offices : \ 300. Fisher Bda.. Chicaeo
12.222. Equitable Building. New York.
Subscription
( 16s. per annum ISinele Copy Is. 6d ) inclu-
l dine postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXIV. No. 1. LONDON, JANUARY, 1921.
Price
6d.
CONTENTS.
Editorial
PAGE
. 32
Notes .
GoldOutput for 1920 ; New Year's Honours ; Libel
Suits ; Holland Park as a Site for London Uni-
versity ; Memorial to Old Students of Camborne
School of Mines ; Vickers' Subscription to the
Funds of Sheffield University ; Britons in Rus-
sia : Bank Failures.
The Price of Metals
The slump in the Metal Market continues, and base
metals are being generally sold below cost of
production owing to the collapse of market
speculations and to the lack of demand.
Conditions in West Africa
The mines in Nigeria and Gold Coast Colony are
greatly inconvenienced by shortage of labour,
caused by the competition of other industries
and also of the Government railway-building
operations.
Greenhow Hill
The Editor reviews a little book by Mr- Harold
Bruff who tells of the character and lives of the
lead miners in Yorkshire.
Review of Mining
Articles
Kelantan and its Natural Resources
... V. F. Stanley Low, M.Inst.M.M. 11
The author gives an account of one of the lesser
known States of the Malay Peninsula, and tells
of his experiences there during a recent visit.
Dolcoath's Future 21
We print herewith the reports by Mr. R. .Arthur
Thomas, maiiaeing director of Dolcoath, and by
Messrs. Bewick. Moreing & Co.. on theproposed
scheme for exploring the northern ground in
depth for tin
Gold Mining in Chile
Laurence Pitblado, M.Inst.M.M. 27
The author writes of a neglected industry, the min-
ing of low. grade deposits, which can be done
under most favourable climatic and economic
conditions.
News Letters
Toronto 31
Metal Output of Ontario: Porcupine; Kirkland
Lake ; Cobalt : Gowganda ; Boston Creek.
Vancouver, B.C
Copper Mining ; Gold Mining.
Camborne 34
Grenville : Geevor : Levant ; Giew ; Tincroft ;
South Crofty; Tehidv Minerals. Ltd ; Calloose;
East Pool &Agar; Kit-Hill & Kingston Down
Mines ; Dolcoath.
North of England 37
Lead and Zinc Mining in 1920.
Personal 40
Trade Paragraphs 41
Metal Markets 41
Statistics of Production 44
Prices of Chemicals 47
Share Quotations 48
The Mining Digest
New Development Methods at Randfontein
Central G. H Beatty 49
Mica Deposits in Lomagundi, Rhodesia
H. B. Maufe 51
Reinforced Concrete in Tin-Dressing Plant ...
Ernest Gordon 52
Connecting Surface and Underground Surveys
Joseph Eltringham 55
Copper Losses in Slags F. E. Lathe 56
Precipitation of Gold..../. Hayward Johnson 57
A Cyanide Clean-up Problem.. VV. B. Chomley 57
Short Notices 58
Recent Patents Published 59
New Books, Pamphlets, Etc.
Alderson's "The Oil-Shale Industry"
H. B. Milner 60
Pack's "The Sunset-Midway Oilfield, Cali-
fornia" H- B. Milner 61
Company Reports 62
AbossoGold; Berenguela Tin Mines : Cape Copper ; Chinese
Engineering & Mining; Dolcoath Mine; Dua (Nigeria! Tin
Fields; Fremantle Trading; Fronlino & Bolivia Gold; Janlar
Nigeria; Knights Deep; I.uipaard's Vlei Estate & Gold ; Men-
zies Consolidated Gold Mines; Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin
Mines' Prestea Block .\ ; Sub-Nigel; Sulphide Corporation;
Taquah Mining & Exploration; Tolima; Witbank Colliery:
Vuanmi Gold Nlines.
1—3
EDITORIAL
THE world's output of gold during 1920
is estimated by Sainuel Montagu & Co. at
approximately ^"70,000,000 par value, as com-
pared with ^75,000,000 in 1919, /■79,000,000
in 1918, ^88,000,000 in 1917,and /'95,000,000
in 1916. During the same years, the British
Empire'squota was ^48,000,000, £"50,000,000,
;^51,000,000, ^56,000,000, and ^^60,000,000.
There is no hope of this steady and continuous
fall being checked.
LAST month we mentioned that some of the
J shareholders in Brunner, Mond & Co.
objected to the company devoting any of its
funds to the cause of University education.
Since then similar protests have been made
in connection with the subscription of /" 10,000
by \'ickers, Ltd., to the endowment of the
University of Sheffield. Some shareholders
evidently do not appreciate the fact that in
these modern businesses with a scientific
basis a supply of high culture and education
is a prime necessity.
THE memorial to the old students of Cam-
borne School of Mines who fell in the war
IS to take the form of the purchase of a school
playing-field capable of providing accommoda-
tion for football, cricket, tennis, and hockey.
It is hoped to raise £"1,000 for this purpose.
The battle of life is still often won on the play-
ing-fields. Many of our readers will be glad to
have the opportunity for encouraging this im-
portant part of the miningstudents' curriculum,
and they should communicate with the treasurer
of the fund, Mr. Stanley B. White, at the
Mining School.
DURING the course of a libel action last
month, the Lord Chief Justice said to
the editor of the offending journal : " I am a
little impatient when I hear that these articles
are written because it is a public duty ; you did
it in the ordinary course of business." The
case was connected with an engineering prob-
lem, and the editor honestly believed that he
was exposing a public grievance. Neverthe-
less he had to pay £^500 damages. Naturally
all editors are pleased that the Lord Chief is
vacating the position to become Viceroy of
India.
AMONG the recipients of New Year Hon-
ours are Mr. Bernard Oppenheimer, of
Brighton diamond- factory fame, who has been
made a baronet; Mr. Ernest Oppenheimer, the
leading spirit in the Consolidated Mines Selec-
tion Company, the Rand Selection Corpora-
tion, and the .'\nglo-American Corporation of
South Africa, who is made a knight ; and Mr.
Henry Strakosch, managing director in Lon-
don of the Union Corporation, who is made
a knight m recognition of his services to South
Africa in connection with monetary problems.
It is also announced that a knighthood has
been conferred on Mr. H. W. A. Deterding,
managing director of the Royal Dutch Petro-
leum Company.
DISCUSSION as to the site for the new
London University buildings has been
reopened by the proposal that the Senate shall
consider the suitability of Holland Park, which
has just been advertised for sale. This site is
much larger than that in l^iloomsbury, offered
by the Government, and it is much cheaper.
It is in a quieter neighbourhood, and it is in the
heart of an admirable residential quarter.
Though not in the centre of London, it is easily
accessible from all parts by rail and omnibus,
while its close proximity to the Imperial Col-
lege, the Museums, and other educational in-
stitutions in South Kensington is a feature
much in its favour. The objection to Ken-
wood, in Hampstead, was that the means of
access were poor. Holland Park does not
suffer from this disadvantage.
LAST month Mr. E. A. Brayley Hodgetts
delivered a lecture before the Royal
Society of Arts entitled : A Retrospect of the
Personal Influence of Britons in Russia. The
influence to which the lecturer referred was
largely that devoted to the expansion of trade
and industry. Of particular interest to mining
engineers was his reference to the Urquhart
family, which we quote herewith. ' Another
benefactor of Russia was Mr. Thomas Urqu-
hart, M.Inst.C.E., locomotive superintendent
of the Grazi-Tzaritzin railway in South Russia,
who died as recently as 1904. He introduced
a method of burning oil-fuel in the Grazi-Tzar-
itzin railway, with the result that by 1884 this
form of fuel had supplanted coal over the whole
system. Mr. F. V. Urquhart was the actual
inventor of the method adopted, which he de-
scribed in a paper read before the Institution of
Mechanical Engineers. It is unnecessary to
expatiate on the benefits conferred not only on
Russia, but on the whole world by this satis-
factory practical solution of the use of oil re-
JANUARY, 1921
siduals, hitherto waste, as fuel. Another mem-
ber of this gifted family is Mr. Leshe Urquhart.
His herculean work in organizing the mining
industry of Siberia and Russia on a colossal
scale is too well known to need comment." We
take the liberty of adding Mr. Brayley Hod-
getts' own name to the list of distinguished
English engineers who have done notable work
in Russia.
SINCE writing last month on the question
" What is a Bank ? " there have been two
regrettable failures of institutions that were
not legitimately entitled to this designation.
The failure of Farrow's Bank came with
dramatic suddenness just before Christmas.
This is one of the two types of so-called
banks to which reference was made last
month. It was clearly not so much a bank
as a benefit society. Such institutions can-
not afford to pay interest on monthly bal-
ances on the scale usually adopted by them.
As for the application of funds, they are not
able to secure first-class business in competi-
tion with the big firms, and if they rely on
gilt-edged securities they are quite unable to
make good the heavy depreciation. We are
sorry for Mr. Farrow, for he did great service
in earlier days in drawing attention to abuses
in money-lending, and we are loth to believe
that there have been any irregularities in the
conduct of the bank. The leading banks have
once more advertised their willingness to take
small deposits. As regards the Post Office
Savings Bank, the weak point of this institu-
tion continues to be its refusal to take more
than ;^50 in a year and more than £2Q0 alto-
gether. After a depositor has reached this
maximum limit, he has to transfer into Con-
sols or some such security. Then his capital
begins to shrink. It is probable that the aver-
age depositor who has transferred in this way
has, during the past twenty years, lost nearly
as much capital eventually as if he had put his
money in the Cheque Bank, the Birkbeck
Bank, or Farrow's Bank. Presumably this
maximum was fixed originally at the express
desire of the regular banks, and in that case it
may be taken that the latter did not consider
business below this limit as being profitable to
themselves. With dearer money, these condi-
tions are no doubt different nowadays. Fol-
lowing the stoppage of Farrow's Bank, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in
Parliament that the question of " What is a
Bank ? " will have to be discussed and settled
in the House of Commons. When this matter
is taken in hand, it will be desirable to have the
publicly-expressed views of bankers as to the
removal of the limit on Post Office deposits.
The British-American Continental Bank, for-
merly Hannevig's, which has also failed, was
of the type which we had in mind when the
editorial last month was written, where the par-
ticular abuse to which the word was put re-
ferred rather to its application in the names
of financial houses or promoting companies
pure and simple. Such a use is just as de-
ceptive as in the other case, though it oper-
ates in different circles. Both classes of insti-
tutions will require an equally close scrutiny
whenever the House of Commons makes its
investigations.
The Price of Metals.
Since writing last month on the slump in the
price of metals, the situation has become even
worse, copper, lead, zinc, and tin all showing
further substantial falls. The price of zinc is
far below the cost of production even under the
most favourable conditions, while the prices of
the other metals are much below the average
cost. Not only are the prices low, but sales are
restricted owing to the dull times in all the con-
suming trades. Every now and then a slight
rally is observed in quotations in lead, zinc, and
tm, but it IS much to be feared that the cause is
merely bear covering. The American copper
producers have not been able to tempt con-
sumers by progressive cuts in quotations, and
stocks are accumulating. The Anaconda com-
pany is not paying its customary dividend ; as
one of the directors said, " they have plenty of
copper but no gold." Rumour has it that the
"porphyries" are considering ageneral closure.
In British Columbia the Britannia and Canada
Copper mmes have been closed, owing to the
fall in the metal, and the Granby and Consoli-
dated are severely restricting operations. The
Broken Hill mines are in an unusually unfor-
tunate position. Just as they had started work
once more, after an eighteen months' strike,
the low level of prices has made it necessary
to pause and wait for prices at which the pro-
ducts can be sold at a profit. The Electrolytic
Zinc Company at Risdon, Tasmania, has sus-
pended production, which had reached 25 tons
per day, but the construction of the plant is be-
ing continued, and the Mount Read & Rosebery
mines are being developed and the ore tested.
And many other contractions of operations
could be instanced, as a result of the slump in
prices.
Whenever a slump in metals occurs and
operations of established mines are curtailed,
proposals for the development of new proper-
THE MINING MAGAZINE
ties are not considered. Readers of the Maga-
zine often write to inquire why this should be
so, arguing that the dull times when sales of
output cannot be eflected profitably should
be devoted to what may be called dead work.
They point out that new properties are gener-
ally floated in boom days, and that by the time
there is an output the prices have reacted and
the expected profits are not realized. The an-
swer to these inquiries and suggestions is that
investment in mining operations is largely a
matter of temperament and of availability of
funds. When metal prices are high and profits
substantial, the quotations of the shares of es-
tablished companies are at a maximum. Then
the promoter and speculator sell out and have
the funds for the flotation of new propositions.
On the contrary, when times are dull the share
market is depressed, and holdings can only be
realized at a big loss, if at all. If that is so
with individuals, how much more must it be
the case with the promoting companies, who
have to take steps to prevent their balance sheets
from sufTering owing to the serious shrinkage
in the market value of their securities! It is
thus clear that only the individual who has a
long pocket mdependent of the market in min-
ing shares could possibly consider the mvest-
ment of funds in new mining ventures during
the dull times, and unfortunately such mdivid-
uals are few and far between.
Conditions in West Africa.
During the last year or two the mining com-
panies operating in the Gold Coast Colony and
in Nigeriahave found a difficulty in keeping their
native labour forces up to full requirements.
In Nigeria the companies have not only had to
stand up against the competition for labour com-
ing from other industries and from the Govern-
ment, but they also have suffered internally from
the action of a few of their members in offering
higher rates of remuneration than those gener-
ally recognized as suitable in connection with
tin-mining operations. All endeavours to ar-
rive at some concerted plan of action in this
matter appear to have failed so far. In the
GoldCoast Colony thecocoaplantationsalways
offer serious rival attractionstothe native work-
er, chiefly for the reason that the cocoaand cho-
colate manufacturer is one of those fortunate
folks who have control of their own markets
and can pass on any increase in costs to the
consumer, thus having a strong pull over the
producer of metals. A more serious compe-
tition, however, has more recently arisen owmg
to the large public works undertaken by the
Government, particularly in the way of new
railway construction and the rebuilding of old
railways. The Government gets the mines
both ways. To begin with, it is a competitor in
securing labour for its railway work, and then,
after construction is completed, it arranges its
haulage rates on such a system that they vir-
tually constitute a tax on the mines for Govern-
ment revenue purposes. At tlie meetings of
four of the West African companies held in
December, Ashanti Goldfields, Taquah, Abos-
so, and Prestea Block A, the chairmen have
drawn attention to this unfortunate position with
regard to labour, and have publicly asked the
Governor and rhose inauthorityathometotreat
their ventures, which are all sound, established
industries, withrathermore complaisance. It
may possibly be said that it is bad form to criti-
cize a Colonial Government on points directly
in connection with the critic's own interests, but
in connection with West Africa there need be
no such hesitancy in alleging that there is some-
thing wrong somewhere, for the mistakes made
in the matter of paper currency are so obvious
to every one that it is permissible to presume
a lack of infallibility on the part of those in
control. Thus every business man will back
the gold-mining companies in their appeal to
the Government authorities for fait treatment.
Whenever the question of native labour
arises in any of the British dominions, it is
necessary to remember the perennial difficulty
of treating the inferior races with reasonable
kindness and justice. The Aborigines Pro-
tection Society keeps a sharp eye open for any-
thing like slavery or forced labour. It is right
that this should be so, for otherwise a few un-
scrupulous men might bring about a relapse to
conditions prevalent a hundred years ago. On
the other hand, many dependable and unpre-
judiced observers have advocated some be-
neficent form of forced labour, for their gorge
has risen at the sight of the indolent male living
on the results of female exertions. In Tan-
ganyika Territory there appears to be some
scheme on hand for organizing native labour,
which by some people may be considered as
bordering on the "forced." Here the question
is of unusual difficulty, for the chiefs are nat-
urally harsh and false to their word, and the
German influence was in the same direction.
Mr. F. S. Joelson's book, just published, gives
a very fair statement of conditions there. He
admits that much patience will have to be ex-
ercised before a better mode of living is in-
culcated, but he sees in the natural sociability
and good humour of the native a means for
ultimate improvement. In West .Africa the
conditions under which the native lives are not
JANUARY, 1921
unfavourable, and there is only an unproved sus-
picion that the chiefs exercise undue pressure
in making their subjects work for the Govern-
ment and for theBritishcompaniesandsettlers.
Our own impression is that the West African
native is not an unwiUing worker, and that, as
regards the mines, the general question of the
treatment of inferior races does not enter into
the question at ail.
The mine managers would naturally take
steps to modify their plans whereby to reduce
the amount of labour required, if such a course
were possible. In the present case Ashanti
Goldtields is the only company that could so
rearrange the methods, and even here it is only
the metallurgical treatment that can be mod-
ified. The ore, as readers who remember Mr.
W. R. Feldtmann's article in the Magazine
for May, 1916, are aware, consists of quartz
containing free gold and auriferous sulphides
and also much graphite. The practice for the
last ten years has been to dry-crush, roast, and
cyanide. This plan was found to give a sub-
stantially higher recovery than wet-crushing,
amalgamation, and cyaniding of sandand slime,
though the cost was slightly higher. During
the last year or two the cost has greatly increas-
ed, largely owing to the higher price of wood
and of spares in the dry-crushers. It is now
consideredadvisable to rearrange the treatment
and adopt wet crushing, concentration, and
roasting and cyaniding the concentrate. In
this way there will be a great saving in wood
fuel, as a comparatively small bulk of concen-
trate will have to be roasted, instead of the whole
ore. The smaller scale of other operations
will also bring advantages in reduced costs.
Moreover, there will not be the same likelihood
of stoppages, entire or partial, owing to scarcity
of labour and fuel. 1 1 is clear that the recovery
will not be so good, but here it is probable that
the Minerals Separation process will prove use-
ful in not only increasing the extraction of sul-
phides but also in saving much of the free gold.
In fact, Ashanti Goldfields is one of the two
companies trying thisapplicationof theprocess,
as mentioned in the speech of the chairman of
Minerals Separation held last month. The re-
sult of this rearrangement of the treatment
process will be that, though the recovery will
be lower, the reduction in costs will be great
by comparison, and the profit will be improved.
Unfortunately Taquah, Abosso, and Prestea
Block A are not able to adopt modifications in
metallurgical methods, and they will have to
rely solely on theirefforts to induce the Govern-
ment to take steps to give them a steady and
regular supply of labour.
Greenhow Hill.
Greenhow Hill's in Yorkshire.
Some way from the Minster City.
The Nidd flows by on the northern side,
To the south is Wharfedale, rich and wide,
A breezier spot yoia never spied.
But when begins my ditty,
Nearly thirty years ago.
To see the miners suffer so,
Through depression of trade, was a pity.
I-ead ! .At ten or eleven pounds a ton.
It was clear that the mines could not be run
At a decent pro5t for anyone ;
So the men had to leave the ore and chats,
From fifty different raikes and flats
This fragmental parody of Robert Brown-
ing's well-known lines will serve to introduce
to our readers a little book just published en-
titled: " T'lll an' T'Oade Uns upuv Greenho',"
by Mr. Harold J. L. Brufif. If it had not been
for the foregoing introductory jingle, readers
would probably have imagined that the title
was in the Haussa or perhaps the Siamese
language. As a matter of fact it is broad
Yorkshire for " The Hill and the Old Ones up
at Greenhow."" The mining operations at
Greenhow Hill were described in the Maga-
zine for May last by Mr. W. W. Varvill, who
gave a historical account of the fortunes and
misfortunes of this old mining district, as well
as details of the present scheme for reviving
the industry. Mr. Varvill told us that this
work of resuscitation was due largely to Mr.
Harold Brufif, a resident in the neighbourhood,
who is one of the engineers of the North East-
ern Railway. The driving of an aqueduct
tunnel to supply Bradford with water from new
reservoirs in the upper part of Nidderdale had
proved the continuation of the lead formations
and veins in depth, thus warranting consider-
able capital expenditure in connection with new
mining ventures. In this little book now pub-
lished we find Mr. Bruff to be one of those few
people of position who really try to under-
stand the miners and other working men, and
to appreciate the innate goodness of heart and
honesty of purpose of the average worker. But
he does blame the miner for not being able
to regard his relationship to his work as hav-
ing influence on anything or anybody but him-
self. That the miner should work only as long
as it suits him personally is not taken as an
indication of wickedness ; but Mr. Bruff puts
it clearly to him that this attitude is the chief
obstacle to the restoration of an ancient in-
dustry. Perhaps the author will be able to
instil in the minds of the men the true econo-
mic principle.
' York : T. A. J. Waddington, Yorkshire News Office, Mans-
field Street ; price 3s. 6d. net.
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Greenhow Hill is one of the liit^liest villages
in England, and stands on the limestone moors
between the two beautifni valleys of the Nidd
and Wharfe. It is distinctly breezy at all
times, and in winter the snow-drifts are often
alarming. Yet the miners belong to the cult
of the open window, and thus escape the
tubercular and other troubles characteristic of
Cornwall and North Wales. They are also
believers in good feeding, and they looked as-
kance at the miner in their midst from Corn-
wall, who lived on tea, bread, and marge, and
grilled his mid-day rasher of bacon under the
boiler furnace, and who ultimately developed
scurvy. Many of them are characteristically
tall and strong, and Mr. Bruff, who is himself
half a Norwegian, sees in them the strain in-
troduced by settlers from among the old Norse
raiders.
The limestone in the backbone of the I'en-
nine Chain is full of underground water courses,
and both water and air ebb and flow with eerie
effect. Unexplainable noises give rise to many
ghost stories, which generally take the form of
visits from dead friends or of premonitory
warnings of disaster. The existence of piskies
or gnomes forms no part of their superstitions.
On the other hand, the eflfective reading of a
chapter of the Bible has served to allay the evil
spirit and restore courage to the miners. Some
of the ghostly appearances, however, are not
based on uncanny sounds, for candles and clogs
can be seen at times moving about, and of these
there can be no physical explanation. It is
possible that the belief in these visions has
come down from the early days of Scandina-
vian influence. For instance, the " bar-gest,"
or ghost of a bear, is a spirit that haunts the
falls in the upper Nidd, as the White Lady
haunted the falls near Melrose, according to Sir
Walter Scott in the " Monastery." Also the
" teleghaster," the being that " flees about in
t'mornins with a crooked neb," has a family
likeness to the Norwegian " deilegast," a de-
parted spirit that may easily be mistaken for
an owl.
Mr. Bruft's book contains character sketches
of many men and women thinly disguised un-
der homely names, and many of their doings
are in connection with mining operations.
Naturally the tragic events recorded have to
do with the inevitable accidents in mines, and
in all cases some act of true heroism and
thoughtfulness is recorded. Joss and Bin and
Kit and A'nt Hannah are characters such as
are found in the pages of Quiller Couch.
Many of their adventures reflect the dangers
of mining. For instance, Kit tells how he
worked in a mine where it was the custom that
one shift of men were let down 40 fathoms for
their ten hours' work and could not be brought
to the surface again until the other shift ar-
rived in due course. Many a time the air be-
came so foul that the candles went out and the
men had to grope their way in the dark to the
foot of the shaft to wait in the damp and drip-
pings for their relief in due course. The worst
of it was tliat they received no pay for these
hours of wretched idleness.
In another part of the book, 1 lenry tells how
the older and more e.xperienced men among the
miners, whohadalsothe responsibilityof mana-
gers as regards following a vein or leader, used
to sit on their clog heels underground, chewing
their bacca, and turning over in their minds
the various problems before them. To help
their cogitations they played with lumps of
clay between their palms, and it was necessary
that the clay should contain no grit, as the grit
wouldentirely discompose their train of thought.
So important was it that the clay should be
perfectly smooth, that old miners went out of
their way to obtain the best qualities, and each
man would carefully keep secret the source of
his supply.
One of the most tragic stories of the many
in the book refers to a blasting accident, where
two young miners were blown to bits. Their
fellow miners collected the remains to the best
of their ability, and placed them in coffins.
When the coffins were brought to the church
to await burial, the parson refused entrance,
because the boys had been christened by a lay
preacher, though after a long argument the re-
mains were allowed to rest in the porch over-
night. Old Joss said he did not see why there
should be such a fuss about Christians being
received into a church under such circum-
stances, when black men and real heathens
were allowed to see the sights at York Minster,
St. Paul's Cathedral, and even Westminster
.•\bbey.
Books on the human side of mining are so
scarce that when they appear they are worthy
of special attention. Mr. BrufTs book pro-
vided us with Christmas reading of the right
sort, and it can be recommended to all mining
men for perusal in the same spirit. As we
have said, it is only a small book, but it is
closely printed and full of good things. One
day perhaps Mr. BrufT will feel encouraged to
elaborate and expand, and to give illustrations
and even maps, though, of course, maps are
only a weakness of the Editor of The Min-
ing Magazine and may not be really neces-
sary.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — The general depression of
trade is becoming accentuated and the prices
of metals have fallen so low that mining opera-
tions are hardly profitable anywhere. The ex-
ception is gold mining, and here in many cases
it is only the premium that preserves the mines
from failure.
Transvaal. — The dividends declared by the
Transvaal gold mines for the latter half of 1920
are given in the accompanying table. The rise
in the gold premium and itscomparativesteadi-
ness account for a notable increase in the pro-
fits. The advance in the working cost, which
has been characteristic of the last few years,
has slackened somewhat, but expenses are still
on the up grade. Unexpected reappearances
in the dividend list are Kleinfontein and Knight
Central.
The total dividends declared by mines on the
Rand during the year amounted to ^8,3 14,300,
as compared with ^6,287,200 in 1919,
£:5,330,000 in 1918, and i:6,556.000 in 1917.
Of the total, ^"5, 185,500 came from mines in
the Far East Rand.
Brakpan
City Deep
Consolidated Langlaagte
Consolidated Main Reef
Crown Mines (10s.)
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Government .\reas
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Estate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein (10s.) — .
Modderfontein B (5s.)-...
Modderfontein Deep (5s.)
New Primrose
New Unified
Nourse Mines
Robinson Deep "A" (Is.)..
Robinson Gold (jC5)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs Mines
Sub-Nigel
Van Rvn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
VVitwatersrand Gold
Wolhuter
1st
half.
1919.
s. d.
2 6
2 0
1 0
6
6
1 6
6
3 6
10 Ottc
1 0
1 0
5 06
1 6
3
1 0
1 0
4 6
4 6§
1 0
6
2nd
half.
1919.
1st
half.
1920.
2nd
half,
1920.
1 0
10 0
4 6
6 6'
3 0
I 0
1 3
3 0
1 3
t Go old £* shares, ft On old £l shares, a Scrip distribution
equal to 16%. 6 Bonus. ♦Free of tax. .Also Scrip, c Partly
in Scrip. ? Paid in Scrip. '* On old £l shares.
The north shaft at New State Areas has cut
the reef at a depth of 3,578 ft. Here the reef
is faulted and disturbed by numerous quartz
intrusions, and the assay-value is only 1 dwt.
over 6 in. It will be remembered that the
south shaft cut the reef in October, and that
the assay- value averaged 89'8 dwt. over 18'9in.
The chairman of the Johannesburg Con-
solidated Investment Company devoted a large
part of his address at the recent shareholders'
meeting to the company's newventures in coal-
mining. The interests acquired are the Cape
and Carlchew collieries, which have been amal-
gamated as the Consolidated Collieries, Ltd.,
the Witrand and the Springs collieries, in the
Transvaal, and the Natal Cambrian and Burn-
side Central collieries, in Natal. Of these, the
collieries in the Transvaal and the Cape, and
the Natal Cambrian, are producers, but the
scale of operations can be greatly extended.
The Burnside is not yet producing. In order
to facilitate distribution of output, the com-
pany has acquired the business of J. R. Mac-
duff and Co., Ltd., and introduced new capital.
The chairman's comments on the dilatory me-
thods of the Government railways are likely to
make those in authority sit up and take notice.
The report of the Rooiberg Minerals De-
velopment Co., operating lode-tin properties
north of Pretoria, shows that the mill was closed
from May, 1919, to January, 1920, during
which time attention was devoted to develop-
ment. From the period of resumption to the
end of June, the mill treated 15,427 tons of
ore, and 12,056 tons of accumulated middlings
and tailings. The total yield of concentrates,
includingsomewon by washingalluvial ground,
was 330 tons. The Blaauwbank property re-
cently acquired has been abandoned, and a
trial is now being made on the Weynek pro-
perty. At the original mines no new ore-
bodies have been discovered lately. The profit
for the year was £1,663,, and ;f 9,000 was dis-
tributed as dividend.
Diamonds. — The De Beers Consolidated
has adopted the crushing system for its blue
ground instead of weathering, and recently
ordered gyratory crushers capable of disinte-
grating 40,000 loads per day. It will be re-
membered that the Premier company employed
crushing from the commencement, and thus
saved a considerable lock-up of capital. At
one time it was thought by many that crush-
ing would injure and break the diamonds, but
apparently this does not form an economic fea-
ture of the matter. The crushing plant at
Bultfontein has already been completed and
should start in March. The plants for the
Dutoitspan and Wesselton mines will not be
at work for eighteen months.
8
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Congo State -It is announceil iliat tlie
Union Minit-ie is adoptinp the GarredCavers
system of employing pulverized coal in the
blast in their copper furnaces, with the object
of reducing the coke consumption. Tiiis pro-
cess was described in the MAGAZINE for Sep-
tember, \'^\9.
Rhodesia — The dividends declared by
Rhodesiau mining companies during 1920 ex-
ceeded one million pounds, the figures being
nearly double those of the year before, and
more than £'300,000 higher those of 1917, the
previoushighest figures. The premium on gold
largely accounted for this increase, but asbestos
production was also an important factor.
The Cam & Motor announces the starting
of the reorganized crushing and concentration
plant. The flotation section will be at work
in a week or two.
West Africa. The labour position at the
West .\frican gold mines has become worse
lately, owing to the natives being provided with
counter-attractions in the form of Government
railway work. Reference to this matter is made
in another part of this issue. At the Taquah
mine the lode has folded upward, and it has
been followed by rises for 250 ft. Drillmg is
now in progress to locate its continuance. At
the Abosso, developments have been good re-
cently, and it is therefore disappointing to find
that, owing to shortage of labour, it has not
been possible to keep the mill going full time.
The Abosso company has recently acquired
the property of the Wassau company adjoining
on the north, and situated on the dip of the
Abosso lode.
The Goldfields of Eastern Akkim, Ltd., one
of the Tarbutt group, has issued a subsidiary
called Akim Alluvials, Ltd., with a capital of
^150,000, for the purpose of acquiring mining
rights over gold and diamond alluvial deposits
in West Africa. In the report by Mr. John
Saxton it is stated that a " shaft has been sunk
26 ft. on kimberlite in yellow ground yielding
half a carat per cubic yard at that depth."
Nigeria. — Last month we recorded that the
Jantar had absorbed the Kuru Syndicate and
Kuru South. The company has since issued
its yearly report to September 30, from which
it appears that a loss would have been made
had not a refund been received of excess pro-
fits duty previously paid. At the meeting of
shareholders the chairman said the company
had ;f 12,000 worth of tin concentrate unsold
and very little cash. As it is not possible now-
a-days to obtain the financial help customary
on such occasions, it becomes necessary to make
an issue of ^25,000 preference shares or deben-
tures in order to put the company on a sound
basis.
The Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines
is considering the ways and means of raising
the additional capital reciuired for completing
the Kwall Falls hydroelectric installation.
This plant is costing much more than origin-
ally estimated, owing to the continued advance
in the price of materials and labour. The sum
named is /" 125,000. The company already
has a large preference share issue, and has in
addition a loan of ^45,000 covered by a de-
benture, the latter having been raised in con-
nection with the hydro electric plant. It is
doubtful whether the chief shareholders would
be in a position to provide further funds by a
reconstruction, but it may be possible to raise
the money by the issue of further debentures.
.•\nother course is to postpone the completion
of the plant until the money, metal, and share
markets improve. The company has exten-
sive proved lands that can be profitably worked
by present methods. In fact the past year's
output was 100 tons greater than that of the
year before. So the policy of delay in connec-
tion with the new power plant may be the best
under the circumstances.
Australia. — Itisunfortunatethat the slump
in metal prices should come just as the Broken
Hill mines had resumed work after a prolonged
strike. The advisability of continuing opera-
tions is being seriously considered, and some
of the mines, at any rate, will close down. At
Kalgoorlie another stoppage is reported, again
owing to the lack of fire- wood. The whole
community is also upset with railway and ship-
ping stoppages.
The further rise of wages in the West Aus-
tralian goldfields, as awarded by the Arbitra-
tion Court, will have a serious eflfect on the in-
dustry. There is to be an immediate increase
of 3s. 6d. per shift in the minimum average
wage, and the machine miners' rate is advanced
4s. 6d. per shift. The working week is to be
48 hours for surface employees, and 44 hours
for underground workers. The shift in rises,
and in wet shafts and winzes, is to be 6 hours.
A fortnight's holiday on full pay is to be given
annually.
A new bill is being introduced by the West
Australian Minister of Mines relating to tribu-
ting operations. It provides that before any
royalties are deducted from the gold won, the
tributers must have received £3 per week per
man.
The Hampden Cloncurry reports a loss of
;^49,031 during the half-year ended August 31,
owing chiefly to the fact that the products on
JANUARY, 1921
hand at the beginning of the period were sold
at lower prices than the valuation. During the
half-year the yield was 2,070 tons of copper,
containing 1,152 oz. gold and 12,473 oz. silver.
All operations at the MacGregor group of
mines have been discontinued, owingtothelow-
gradeoresnot being able to stand the increased
mining costs. Since the above cable message
was received another has come to hand an-
nouncing that all operations have been sus-
pended owing to the low price of copper.
It will be remembered that the directors of
Mount EIHott gave an option on the whole of
the company's copper properties to Hayden,
Stone & Co., of Boston, who sent Mr. Edwin
S. Berry, of the firm of Yeatman & Berry, to
see if the great reserves of low-grade ores
could be worked to profit. He reported against
the project, owing to the impossibility of con-
centration, and the option lapsed. Mr. W. H.
Corbould, the company's consulting engineer,
has since brought forward a leaching scheme,
based on the practice atNewCornelia, Arizona.
The company will require a large amount of
new capital to carry out this proposal, and in
addition it will be necessary for a railway to
be built to Argylla and Mount Oxide. Rail-
way construction in Queensland is in the hands
of the Government, and as the latter cannot
raise funds easily for any purpose the outlook
for a railway is not bright.
According to the cabled report of the Mount
Morgan company for the half-year ended No-
vember, the copper unsold and in process of
refining amounted to 5,035 tons. This state
of congestion is largely due to accumulations
caused by the shipping strike and by a strike
at the Port Kembla refinery. Consequently
it is not possible to declare any dividend.
During the period under review, 172,343
tons of ore was mined, of which 106,895 tons
was concentrated, yielding 39,436 tons of con-
centrates, while the rest was sent direct to the
smelters. The smelters treated 58,868 tons of
ore and 34,396 tons of concentrates, and pro-
duced blister copper containing 3,431 tons of
copper and 52,686 oz. of gold. The company
announces participation, in association with
the Electrolytic Refining & Smelting Co., of
Port Kembla, in the formation of the Austra-
lian Fertilizers Proprietary, which has been
incorporated with a capital of ^500,000. The
refining company desired to have its own
source of sulphuric acid, and the opportunity
presented itself to start an acid works on a
large scale, using the acid in the manufacture
of superphosphates. The fertilizer works is
now in course of erection at Port Kembla, and
the first unit, with a yearlycapacity of 30,000 to
40,000 tons of superphosphate, is expected to
be completed next July.
The Chillagoe Company handed over its cop-
per properties and railway to the Queensland
Government in 1919, and now only owns the
Mount Mulligan coal areas. The shareholders
have just agreed to the' raising of new capital,
which it is expected will be at the rate of 3s.
per 10s. share, for the purpose of clearing off
its indebtedness tothe Government and of com-
pleting the coke-oven installation.
New Zealand. — It is announced that the
Talisman mine is to be abandoned, and all un-
derground plant is being withdrawn. This
mine contained rich ore in narrow veins and
made handsome profits over a series of years.
Ayear ago the reserves cametoan end,andsub-
sequent exploration by diamond-drill has not
disclosed any further deposits of value.
India. — The reconstruction of the Nundy-
droog company, to which reference was made
in the November issue, has been successfully
carried through. Shareholders have generally
responded to the call, and for the few shares
not taken up by holders there have been large
inquiries from elsewhere.
Another favourable event in the Indian
group of gold mines is the re-entry into the
dividend list of Champion Reef, which has just
declared a dividend of 4d. per 2s. 5d. share.
The last distribution was the final dividend ot
4d. for the year ended September 30, 1918.
Malaya. — In order to stabilize the local tin-
mining industry, the Government of the Feder-
ated Malay States has fixed a minimum price
of tin, the basis being 1 10 dollars per picul. It
will be remembered that two years ago the
Government took somewhat similar steps for
protecting the industry, the plan then being to
buy at the official quotation whenever there
was a difficulty of selling in the open market.
A committee has been appointed to inquire
into the cost of production of tin in the Feder-
ated Malay States.
The Government report on tin-mining in the
Federated Malay States during 1919 has only
just been published, and most of the informa-
tion is therefore rather belated. It is interest-
ing to note that 68% of the tin output comes
from mines under Chinese control, ascompared
with 74% in 1913. Also, of the 36,935 tons
of tin exported, 5,137 tons was in the form of
metal produced at native smelters, while
31,798 tons was contained in concentrates sent
to the English smelters at Singapore and Pe-
nang. The native smelters appear to have se-
cured a larger share of the ore than previously.
10
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Newfoundland. Tlie Anglo Persian Oil
Company lias received a concession from the
Newfoundland Government giving it sole right
for five years to prospect for oil in all ungranted
Crown lands. The existence of petroleum at
Parsons Pond on the west side of the island
has been known for over a hundred years.
From 1867 onward a number of projects have
been started and many wells were sunk, but
the venturers were generally short of capital,
with the result that commercial failures were
recorded. The petroleum is found at an un-
usually low geological horizon, the rocks con-
taining it belonging to the Lower Silurians.
Mexico.— The fall in the price of silver is
causing great concern among many of the min-
ing companies operating in Mexico. The direc
tors of the Mexico Mines of El Oro have de-
cided for this reason to postpone the issue of
new capital to which reference was made last
month. It will be remembered that the object
of the issue was to complete the purchase of a
second property in which the company is al-
ready largely interested.
Another favourable cable has been received
from the Esperanza mine at El Oro with re-
gard to developments on the fifth level. Dur-
ing the week ended December 31, the north
drive was extended 13 ft., in which the lode
averaged 8 oz. of gold and 105 oz. of silver over
16 in. of width.
Colombia. — .^s mentioned in last issue, the
first dredge of the British Platinum & Gold
Corporation has started work, and the second
is in course of shipment. It has been decided
to defer the placing of the contract for No. 3
owing to tne high prices asked for this class of
work. Messrs. Inder, Henderson, & Dixon re-
port that systematic prospecting of the Cimar-
ronas property has been completed. The limits
of adeep channel have been ascertained, asalso
have been those of some blocks of shallower
ground. In the deep lead it is estimated that
there are 1,828,406 cu. yd., averaging 12'265d.
per yard, and in the shallow leads 328,052 cu.
yd., averaging 17'839d. per yard, the price of
crude platinum being taken at £\2 per ounce.
It is intended now to prospect on the other
properties belonging to the company.
Venezuela. — The South American Copper
Syndicate has been engaged in litigation in the
United States owing to the New York buyers
of the syndicate's products desiring to evade
their contract. The contract was made early
in 1916 and covered the eight years from 1918
to 1925 inclusive. One of the terms was that
the buyers should provide the freight. Ow-
ing to the increased cost of freight and refin-
ing, the buying firm attempted to repudiate
its obligations under the contract. The com-
pany won its case in the court of first instance.
The buyers appealed, and the case was re-ar-
gued. News is now to hand that the company's
case is upheld by the Court of Appeal. The
judgment is of considerable importance to the
company, for it thus is able to avoid the pres-
ent heavy charges made by smelters and re-
liners.
Chile. -Owing to the low price of copper,
the Poderosa mines are reducing the shipments
of ore and work is being devoted chiefly to de-
velopment.
China. TheChineseEngineeringand Min-
ing Company is about to start an iron and steel
enterprise in Chinwangtao, the port near the
company's coal mines. The enterprise is to be
conducted jointly with the Lanchow Mining
Co., the Chinese-owned coal-mining company
that works adjoining lands and sells its coal
through the same organization. The iron mines
are near the Yang-tse-kiang, and Mr. Frank
Merricks has reported that they contain large
quantities of high-grade ore. The companies
have made a contract with the owners of the
deposit to buy four million tons of ore. Other
sources of supply are being investigated. De-
signs for a blast-furnace are in course of pre-
paration by Mr. F. W. Harbord.
Spain. — The strike at the Rio Tinto mines
has been settled, by the intervention of the
Minister of War, after lasting six months, but
there is still a good deal of unrest in various
quarters.
Roumania. — The Court of Appeal has re-
versed the decision of Mr. Justice Darling, who
awarded the Roumanian Consolidated Oilfields
the sum of ^'1,255,513 as compensation for the
destruction of their property during the war.
TheCrown contended that application forcom-
pensation should not have been made to the
British Government but to the Roumanian
Government. It must be confessed that the
attitude of the Crown and the result of the ap-
peal caused considerable surprise, for it was
always understood, as recorded in our pages in
October, 1917, that Sir John Norton-Griffiths
was sent by the British Government to destroy
the wells, and that he did so after protest from
the Roumanian authorities.
Spitsbergen. — .'Vn expedition of scientists
from Oxford University to Spitsbergen is in
course of preparation. Among their number
there will be geologists and paleontologists.
Two parties are to go out in sealing sloops in
June and July next. The expedition is to be
conducted with commendable economy.
KELANTAN AND ITS NATURAL RESOURCES.
By V. F. STANLEY LOW, M.lnst.M.M.
The author gives an account of one of the lesser known States of the Malay Peninsula,
and tells of his experiences there during a recent visit.
Kelantan and its People. — The two
least known or explored of the protected states
of the Malay Peninsula are Kelantan and
Trengganu. The states of the Malay Penin-
sula are so frequently spoken of as the ' Feder-
ated Malay States " that perhaps it would be
as well to state that only four of them are
federated. British Malaya is divided into the
British colony of the Straits Settlements (Singa-
pore, Penang, Wellesley, the Dind-dings, and
Malacca), the Federated Malay States (Perak,
Pahang, Selangor, and Negri Sembilan), and
five other protected native states (Kelantan,
Trengganu, Kedah, Perils, and Johore), all of
which acknowledge Great Britain as suzerain.
In each of the five last-mentioned states Great
Britain is represented by an " adviser " ap-
pointed froin the civil service of the Federated
Malay States ; and the native rulers of the
various states are expected to follow the advice
given by their respective ' advisers." The
Governor of the Straits Settlements is also
High Commissioner for each of the native
states, being represented in the Federated
Malay States by a Chief Secretary, who resides
at the capital, Kuala Lumpur.
There appears to be uncertainty as to the
origin of the people generally classed under the
title " Malays " who form the bulk of the popu-
lation. By many these are thought to have
come from Sumatra ; but, no doubt, many
people also came from Siam, Java, and the
neighbouring islands. The so-called Malay is
able to cultivate his land and grow rice, maize,
fruit, and vegetables ; he is a skilled boat-
builder and boatman ; he can weave silk and
cotton ; but he seldom produces an output of
any of these articles beyond the immediate
wants of himself and his family ; and so great
has been the kindness of Providence in furnish-
ing rich soil, favourable climate, abundant
fruits, and fish-teeming rivers that the life of
the ulu, or up-country, Malay is one of com-
parative calm, ease, and almost luxury. The
Malay who has not come into much contact
with members of other nations is by nature
courteously polite, but shy ; and nearly every
Malay is a born liar, who finds no shame when
his lies are exposed.
As a worker on the river, poling or paddling
his native craft, the Malay is an untiring ex-
pert, and he is also good at jungle clearing ;
but he soon tires of regular employment unless
it has something to do with engines or ma-
chinery. He is, therefore, of but little use for
work on mine or plantation unless in charge of
a launch or motor-car, of which he soon be-
comes a careful driver ; and in these depart-
ments he frequently leaves his Chinese com-
petitor far behind.
Zty'sfMi [mi *«'«3f"'™m«§ Proteciontes |~]
Map of Malay Peninsula.
Showing the Various States and Political Divisions.
Only a few of the true aboriginals — the Saki
— still remain. The Saki, as found in the
Eastern states, is, generally speaking, very shy
and holds no converse with members of other
races, be they white, black, or yellow. He
does no cultivation, but leads a nomadic life,
gaining his sustenance from roots, fish, and
birds, the last of which he brings down with
darts discharged from a blowpipe some seven
feet in length. Being a nomad he builds only
temporary shelters, coinposed of palm fronds
placed in the ground in a circle with tips in- '
clined toward the centre so as to form a low
11
12
THE MINING MAC.AZINK
shelter, in appearance like an upturned bowl.
Sometimes the palm fronds are placed in a
straight line so as to form a simple break-wind,
the inclined and overhanging tips being suflici-
ent to ward ofl'the drips from the jungle of the
heavy tropical dews. The Saki inhabiting the
banks of the Nenggiri river are said to have
become more settled. I have not come into
contact with the Nenggiri Saki ; but such
Malays as I have met who have been far up
that river have spoken of the Saki there as be-
ing well-developed men, skilful boatmen, and
good workers.
History and Goveknment. — British
Malaya is a land without history or historical
remains. Europeans have lived on the coast
for at least four hundred years ; but until 1860
there was only one w^hite man known to be
resident inland. Such development as had
taken place prior to recent years was due to
Chinese adventurers, and, in a less degree, to
the Siamese; the Portuguese and Dutch appear
to have allowed the country to lie dormant.
The time of entry of the Chinese is unknown ;
but the turn of the tide came when the British
took definite action in 1873. Almost the first
matter in the native states to receive attention
was that of state finances. By abolishing many
of the taxes on exports and by taxing the im-
portation of opium, spirits, and such like;
by charging rents for mining and agricultural
lands, and by seeing that the money so obtained
was properly expended, the financial chaos
which previously existed was straightened out
to such good effect that, as an example, the
Federated Malay States are now become
wealthy enough to make state loans to their
neighbours, and at the end of 1918 had a sur-
plus of over twelve million pounds sterling.
When, in 1903, the first British Adviser was
appointed to Kelantan, which then belonged to
Siam, he found everything political in a rotten
condition. The ruling Rajah, through the
plotting of his own family (the usual practice
in Malaya) had lost practically all power of
governing ; such taxes as it was possible to
gather were not used for the benefit of the
state ; and no accounts of expenditure were
kept. Under an agreement with Siam, Ke-
lantan in 1909 became an independent state
under the protection of Great Britain. Since
then the ruling native potentate has been
raised in dignity from Rajah to Sultan and
governs the state with the assistance of a
Council and under the advice of a resident
British Adviser.
Kota Bharu, the capital and seat of govern-
ment, has two courts, the principal one being
under the presidency of a Hnlish magistrate
and the minor one under that of one of the
Malay aristocracy. District Oflicers, ap-
pointed from the British side of the civil
service of the Federated Malay States, at-
tend to the magistracy of the country districts
and reside at Pasir Puteh and Kuala Krai.
The officers in charge of the Lands Office and
of the Survey Department are British, as are
also the Chief Police Officer and his Chief In-
spector. Most of the clerical work is performed
by nati\es from India, China, and Ceylon, as-
sisted by a fair proportion of local Malays.
The police force is composed of Sikhs and
Malays. The Sikhs are purely military police ;
all civil police work is performed by Malays
under Malay inspectors appointed by the Chief
Police Officer. All inspectors must pass an
examination in English before appointment.
There are three British doctors, and one Chi-
nese doctor holding British diplomas, who
are assisted in the various native hospitals by
trained dressers drawn from India and China.
There is no hospital accommodation for white
people except at the private hospital of the
DufT Development Company at Kuala Lebir.
Communications. — Kelantan has a coast
line of 45 miles and an area of 5,870 square
miles ; its greatest width is perhaps 75 miles.
The country is fiat along the coastal district ;
and it is said that three distinct old sea beaches
may be traced, showing the rapid encroach-
ment of the land on the sea due to the silt de-
positedbythe torrentialflow of the riversduring
the rainy season. At a distance from the sea
varying from 10 to 20 miles the land begins to
rise and then quickly becomes mountainous,
culminating on the southern boundary in
Gunong Tahan — the Forbidden Mountain —
7,186 ft. above sea level. This is about the
highest peak in Malaya. The state is well
watered throughout its length and breadth by
rivers. The main river, the Kelantan, runs
approximately north and is formed some 62
miles inland by the junction of the Galas and
Lebir rivers. The main tributaries of the
Kelantan are the Sokor and Nal rivers; but
these two are not nearly so important as the
tributaries of the Galas— the Pergau and the
Nenggiri — which enter that river some 80 and
92 miles respectively from the coast. The
Lebir has tributaries of fair size in the San,
the Sok, and the Rek.
The approach from the sea to Tumpat, the
port of Kelantan, is bad, owing to the rapid
encroachment of the land. A few years ago
the custom house was situated on a coconut-
grown island opposite the town of Tumpat and
JANUARY, 1921
13
not far from the mouth of the Kelantan river.
In those days coastal steamers on the way from
Siam to Singapore entered an eastern channel,
anchored behind the custom house, unloaded
and reloaded, and then proceeded to sea through
the western channel. Now everything has
been changed, for the monsoons have made a
low sandbank of the island which has spread
out to such effect as to have formed a lagoon
across the mouth of the river, leaving only a
small opening for the passage of launches and
lighters. The custom house and the coconuts
A railway is under construction and will
eventually connect the Siamese system with
that of the Federated Malay States by travers-
ing the length of Kelantan and making a junc-
tion at Kuala Lipis in Pahang. For carrying
out the necessary extensions in Siam to connect
with Kelantan, and also to make another such
extension on the west coast, the Government
of the Federated Malay States advanced four
million pounds sterling to Siam. For a con-
siderable time past trains have been running
fromTumpat to Tanah Merah,35 miles inland;
The Lebir River, at. a point about 78 Miles from the Coast.
have disappeared ; and steamers must anchor
outside at a distance of at least two miles from
the landing place. In the monsoonal season
Kelantan has been cut off entirely from outside
communication for three weeks or a month at
a time by the heavy seas breaking at the mouth
of the only channel available. It is difficult to
forecast what will happen unless a monsoon of
exceptional violence follows the example of
some of its predecessors and washes a new
channel or entirely removes the sand-bank,
because the lagoon which has been formed is
being filled so rapidly with silt from the river
that even the shallow-draught launches which
traverse the rivers already find it difficult to
cross the lagoon from the river mouth to the
Tumpat jetty.
and a branch line has also been completed from
Pasir Mas on this line to the border of Siam,
where a junction should have been completed
by this time with the Siamese system. It will
be eight years or more before a junction with
Kuala Lipis will be made, as there is much
tunnelling to be done between Kuala Lebir and
the Pahang border. So strange is the policy of
the Federated Malay States Government in
some things that their railway department,
which is carrying on the construction of the
line in Kelantan, states that neither passen-
gers nor goods will be carried beyond the pres-
ent terminus, Tanah Merah, until the whole
line to Kuala Lipis has been completed. Thus
will the development of Kelantan be delayed
by officialdom.
14
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Kota Bharu may be reached in six miles by
rail and ferry from Tumpat or in eleven miles
by launch or native craft. Above Kota Bharu
the Kelantan river is navigable throughout its
length at all seasons by light-drauglit launches
and lighters, as are also the Lebir for twenty
miles and the Galas for 20 miles above their
junction at Kuala Lebir, so that one may pro-
ceed upstream some 82 miles by branching off
at Kuala Lebir into either the Lebir or Galas
rivers. Beyond that distance the rivers are
broken by rocks, rapids, shallows, and sand-
banks ; and for the two months immediately
preceding the rainy season are passable for
only the lightest of native craft. During a
great part of the rainy season, when the rivers
may be expected to rise anywhere from sixteen
to thirty feet above normal level, it is practi-
cally impossible for nativecraft to go upstream,
because the flow of the river is too rapid for
oars or paddles to be effective, and there is too
great a depth of water for poling ; the thick
jungle prevents the passage of boats along the
edges of the flooded area. Therefore anyone
engaged in prospecting for gold on the upper
Galas, or for tin near the source of the Neng-
giri, could quite easily be cut off from efficient
supplies of food and mining stores for four or
five months in the year.
As Kelantan possesses only a very meagre
mileage of roads, and as these roads are only
lightly constructed and badly maintained, and
are designed to serve the flat lands mostly
planted with rice, very little development, from
a mining point of view, can be expected until
the railway has been opened, roads made, and
tracks cut to districts now practically inacces-
sible.
The census of 1911 showed Kelantan to
have a population of 286,75 1 , of which 269,000
were Malays and 10,000 Chinese.
Geology. ^Very little is known geologic-
ally of Kelantan ; and there is no work pub-
lished which deals with Malaya as a whole or
the whole of any one state. Kelantan is so
deeply covered with soil, so much of the
country is dense jungle, and the outcrops of
rocks are so few that geological examination
and prospecting for minerals are difficult mat-
ters. The main backbone of mountains, which
runs north-west to south-east down the Malay
Peninsula, is composed of granite, and there
are many subsidiary ranges east and west of
this. It is stated that the Tahan range, on the
boundary of Pahang and Kelantan, is com-
posed of conglomerates, quartzite, and shale,
while in Pahang conglomerate and sandstone
ridges are found at the foot of the main granite
range. A belt of limestone is said to cross the
peninsula from Malacca to the coast of Kelan-
tan : but the limits of this belt, if it exists, have
not been demarcated. There are many out-
crops of limestone ; and limestone hills and
cliffs, containing large caves whose floors are
deep in the guano of bats, are frequently met
with in Kelantan ; but so little survey work
and exploration have been done that the extent
of the limestone belt is at present unknown.
Even the maps which have been supplied by
the (Government have been found to be grossly
inaccurate ; and my own experience has been
that the least inaccurate maps are those which
were prepared by the Duff Development Com-
pany for its private use. The most reliable
map I was able to purchase from the Govern-
ment was, I believe, mostly compiled from one
originally made by the Duff Company, to whom
in all things relating to the opening up and
development of Kelantan the present white
population of the state owe many thanks, a
fact which many of them seem to ignore or
forget.
.Apart from thelimestones, quartzites, shales,
andconglomerates already mentioned, onefinds
clays, slates, schists, sandstones, and granites,
the last being predominant.
Mining Oper.\tions. — In spite of the
difficulties of prospecting, the Chinese appear
to have been through the country long ago ;
and at the only two places where lode-mining
is known to have been attempted — near the
Sokor river and at Kundor, near Pulai — the
surface had already been prospected and
sluiced for gold ; but the lodes there had been
allowed to remain otherwise undisturbed. In
the neighbouring states of Pahang and Treng-
ganu the weathered outcrops of such lodes as
have been found to exist there had been work-
ed, without exception, by Chinese or Siamese
in the years long gone by ; and many hold that
the most successful method of lode-prospecting
is to follow the old native workings.
As the population of Kelantan is mostly con-
fined to narrow strips along the banks of the
main rivers, and as the Malay, as a rule, is
either afraid or disinclined to go far into the
jungle, very little information is to be obtained
from them with regard to anything in the coun-
try except in close proximity to their homes ;
but it is possible that, when the country has
been opened up by the advent of the railway
and the population has become denser, further
old workings will be found which will lead to
the opening up and development of large ore-
bodies lying in country nowgiven over totigers,
elephants, and panthers.
JANUARY, 1921
15
The Duff Company spent a large amount of the Duff Company near the source of the
money in prospecting and in dredging the river Sokor river, on what are often referred to as
bottoms ; but none of its mining ventures was the galena mines. Operations were carried on
attended'with lasting success. It would appear there until 1907. While awaiting the fulfil-
that the dredges gave variable results, rich per- ment of certain business negotiations with re-
Map of the State of Kelantan.
iods of work being much interspersed with
very lean ones ; the four dredges at work seem
to have lacked efficient supervision from head-
quarters, and the gold returns to have been
most erratic.
The Author's Journeys. — A great deal
of tunnelling and shaft-sinking was done by
gard to a concession of two hundred square
miles, which was the primary cause of my pre-
sence in Kelantan, I arranged a visit to these
old mines. As the Sokor river enters the Kel-
antan river about midway between TanahMer-
ah and Kuala Lebir, I sent forward the leader
of my party to engage men and boats and meet
16
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
me at the mouth of the river. As I was on the
point of leaving Kota Hhani to join the ex-
pedition, word was sent down that the men who
had been engaged were afraid to proceed w-hen
they foimd that the expedition was to traverse
the "poison" belt-the bad man's coimtry —
where it is said that one can arrange for the
deatli of an enemy for halfa-dollar and where
most of the nati\e potions and poisons are com-
pounded. I happened to mention the matter
to the Chief PoHce Officer, who sent a party
of native poUce with me, and we proceeded
upstream, engaged new men and boats, and
started shortly after daybreak from the mouth
of the river. We took the DufTCompany'sold
route to the mine, poling up the Sokor river and
then walking six miles overland. Estimates of
the river distance were very variable, and, as be-
fore stated, the maps available very inaccurate.
However, our boat journey occupied a good
long day and a half ; and, as the river at the
time was fairly high, good progress was made
until the middle of the first day. After that
the river became a series of rapids, shallows,
sandbars, and deep pools, which meant wading
in the water a great part of the time, digging
passages through the shallows, and all hands
hauling thefiveprahuswhich formed ourmeans
of transport. It was no uncommon thing to
find the bows of one's prahu lying in ankle-
deep water, while the stern projected over the
edge of a steep bank of granite sand in a depth
of over fifteen feet of water. We reached our
river destination during the second day and
pitched camp; and our six-miles tramp next
day brought us to the deceased mining camp.
Tfiis tramp was over the old wagon road of the
Duff Company ; and, although then devoid of
bridges and much overgrown with jungle, the
track was in otherwise excellent condition.
As far as jungle growth was concerned, our
way had been made easy by an adult and a baby
elephant who had evidently traversed nearly
the whole of the road the day before and whose
beds of the previous night we passed on our
journey. Aly natives were interested, but not
afraid, when we met with the elephant tracks.
It was not until we crossed the spoor of a slad-
ang (wild buffalo) that I had difficulty with my
bearers, for the sladang is regarded as the most
dangerous animal in the Peninsula. It is a
matter of common report in the East that he
who goes out to seek sladang must keep a
watch to the rear as well as to the front, the
sladang becoming the hunter instead of the
hunted if sufficient care is not exercised.
Various tunnels into the hillsides were noted;
but all that remained of the former main engine
shaft was a jungle-covered hole and some rot-
ting timber. History relates that after the
mine had been closed, and even before the last
of the stores had been carried to the river bank,
the Malay natives had swarmed in and stolen
every bolt and piece of iron from the headgear,
even going part way down the shaft in search
of bolts, etc.
No galena could be seen on any of the old
dumps we were able to find ; but records show
that a parcel of about 57 tons was bagged and
sent to the smelters just prior to the closure of
the mine. The dumps examined showed that
the bulk of the material mined must ha\e been
of a pyritic nature, and the records also show
that 80 tons of such ore was dispatched about
the same time as the galena. One of the old
assay books discovered at Kuala Lebir showed
the large amount of exploratory work which
had been earned out, and that as the work pro-
ceeded the ground was regularly sampled and
the results carefully tabulated. Most of the
assays from the "galena deposit" show gold
and silver values only ; and some of these are
of considerable richness. For example, the
following values are taken from a width of ore
varying from two to five feet : Gold 64'8 dwt.,
silver V6 oz. ; gold 38'4 dwt., silver 2'3 oz. ;
gold 44'0 dwt., silver 4'0 oz. The following
assays are recorded from " Manson's deposit " :
Gold r6 dwt., silver 4'9 oz., lead 12'5%; gold
2'8 dwt., silver 8'2 oz., lead 36'0%; gold VS
dwt., silver 3'3 oz., and lead 14'5%. The re-
cords also mention the diamond-drilling of ver-
tical holes in the slates; but encouraging re-
sults do not appear to have been obtained. It
would seem that the whole mining proposition
at this place was killed by bad transport ar-
rangements. A road from the Kelantan river
to the Sokor mines, say, twenty miles in length,
and then extended to the Pergau river, say, an-
other five miles, would not only have served
the mines then being worked, but would have
opened up a most promising belt of country ex-
tending up to the Tomo (Siam) alluvial gold-
field. In spite of the fact that labour was con-
siderably cheaper in 1907 than it is to-day, it
cost the Duflf Company approximately £"80 to
bring a moderate-sized boiler from the mine ;
and the smaller items of machinery, weighing
from 8 cwt. to 1 ton, were contracted for at a
rate of about 3s. lOd. per cwt. The slowness
of river transport may be gathered from the
manager's statement that loaded prahus which
had left the head of the river on the Tuesday
could not be expected back before the follow-
ing Saturday.
My return down stream in our lightly-laden
JANUARY, 1921
17
prahus and with the channels dug on the up
jourrfey still availablewas comparatively rapid.
Upon another occasion I travelled on foot
from the Kelantan to the Bertang river, a trib-
utary of the Sokor, and found native mercury
in the bed of the stream for quite aconsiderable
distance in the Duff Concession. Later on I
took an expedition up the Sckor river, where I
was inforrhed that quicksilver could also be
found, for, if the metal could be found in both
rivers, it meant the probability of an extensive
mercury-bearing belt. On this occasion we
travelled up the Sokor to our old river camp,
but, the river being lower this time, we were
forced to leave our largest prahu part way up
and finish our river journey in relays. Arrived
at our destination we set out for the spot where
our guide said he had found mercury before ;
but none was to be found on this occasion, and
it turned out that our guide had not been up-
stream to the supposed spot for at least eigh-
teen years. He had with him a specimen of
galena which he said he had found in a hole 8
ft. deep some twenty-two years before, and
was much incensed because I would not go with
him to search for that 8 ft. hole which, accord-
ing to the location given by him, must have
been within the area afterward prospected and
worked by the Duff Company.
Our last night at the Sokor was somewhat
unpleasant, as the river began to rise and, hav-
ing left our largest prahu some distance down
stream, we had not sufficient carrying capacity
for the whole of our men, kit, and provisions.
We were therefore faced by a raging torrent
on one side and a jungle infested with leeches
and wild beasts on the other, and of these the
leeches were the worse, while the rain was
coming down as only it can come down in the
tropics. However, we managed to hang on un-
til daylight, when we built some bamboo rafts
and floated away on the tide of the flooded
river.
I made expeditions to other places where
tin was supposed to exist within easy reach,
but found, as a rule, only iron sands.
Just before the wet season was expected I
set out with my guide in two prahu-dowds for
the upper waters of the Galas in search of that
Golconda of Kelantan, the Kundor mines. A
prahu-dowd is the largest form of native up-
river boat ; ours were about 50 ft. long and 5 ft.
wide, having a covered-in living-room in the
centre about 14 ft. long but only 4i ft. high.
Each was poled along by four Malays under
the direction of the helmsman, who steered by
means of a long oar lashed to the stern.
Prior to setting out on this expedition I went
1—4
to Kota Bharu and asked the British Adviser
whether any of the land up the Galas river had
been granted for mining purposes. The Brit-
ish Adviser referred me to the District Officer
up-river at Kuala Krai. An inquiry from the
said District Officer received a reply that there
were no papers in his office which showed that
any of the land had been alienated for mining
and that therefore all the land was open to me ;
but he advised me to take out a prospecting
licence before starting. A Kelantan prospect-
ing licence states clearly the location of the
area to be prospected ; but, as neither my guide
A Road at Kota tinAKC.
nor 1 knew the exact location of the Kundor
mine, but were to be met by local men sixty
miles above Kuala Krai who were to take us
to the spot, it was impossible for me to take
out a prospecting licence at that moment ; but
1 agreed to send a special messenger down for
a licence as soon as I had located the old work-
ings. This I did, applying for an area of 4,000
acres. I was away with my expedition for a
month, living and travelling in my prahu, and
after having done some track-makingandopen-
ing-up of the prospect, was compelled to re-
turn on account of the serious illness of my
guide and also by the rapidly-approaching
rainy season. On my arrival at Kuala Krai
the District Officer informed me that after my
departure the British Adviser had sent him
some papers which tended to show that the
18
THE MINING MAGAZINE
land for which I had applied had already been
alienated and was not therefore available. My
protest to the British Adviser broiight the ab-
surd reply that he was inclined to think that if
I had obtained my prospecting rights before
proceeding upstream from Kuala Lebir I should
have avoided this loss of time and money.
My river journey of seventy miles from
Kuala Krai to Pulai took sixteen days; and I
had not travelled very far above the junction
of the Pergau river before the difficulties of
transport became apparent. The river had
become impassable for anything but light-
draught prahus> we encountered rapid after
rapid, up which our prahus often had to be
dragged with long ropes : and through many
rocky and sandy places we had to dig channels
for our craft.
The Chinese tow'n of Pulai, which is known
to have existed for over a hundred years, is a
great contrast to the Malay kampongs with
their jungle-constructed houses. In Pulai the
houses are two and three storeys high, the thick-
walls being constructed of a lime concrete of
rounded pebbles and river sand. The natives
mostly make their living from alluvial mining ;
but the Kelantan Government gets very little
in the way of taxation from the district, as most
of the traffic is by foot over the border into Pa-
hang. Formerly a Malay police inspector and
several police were stationed at Pulai to collect
dues ; but they are reported to have spent most
of their time in gambling, and when the bar-
racks were being burned to the ground the
Chinese residents say that the Malay police
prevented them from attempting to extinguish
the flames or salve the books and records, all
of which were lost.
The Pulai Chinese are the remnant of a
much larger population of the past. Some
hundred years ago the ruling Rajah of Kelan-
tan made over to his son the taxes on rice ;
these the Pulai Chinese refused to pay and,
when the Rajah's son came to enforce the pay-
ment, they killed him. In revenge for this a
punitive expedition was sent, with the result
that most of the Chinese were killed, the Galas
river ran red with blood, and was afterwards
blocked by rotting corpses. Only a few of the
residents escaped by hiding in the jungle ; and
those are said to be the ancestors of the present
population. I had a number of Chinese work-
ing for me at Kundor and, although only one
or two of them could speak Malay, we soon
came to an excellent understanding. I found
them a hardworking, jolly, capable crowd, and
eight of them worked my prahus down-stream
for me as far as Kuala Lebir, that being much
farther than they had ever been away from
Pulai before. •
Kundor proved to be about eight miles down
river from Pulai ; and an inspection showed
that much alluvial gold must ha\'e been won
there. The Chinese had constructed several
miles of water-races, and in some cases they
had cut these for a depth of 1 5 or 20 ft. through
the granite. The property had been worked
by a Dutchman in more recent years, and he
had done a fair amount of tunnelling and shaft-
sinking before his death. The reputedly richest
portion of the property was at the junction of
the granite and the slates, and I made arrange-
ments with the Pulai Chinese for the opening
up and repair of the old workings at the con-
clusion of the approaching wet season, only
to find on my return to Kuala Krai that the
ground was not available.
Coming down stream I stopped, inspected,
and sampled several (juartz outcrops of good
appearance with a view to a return visit at a
later date.
The occurrence of a tin lode was rumoured
on the border of Kelantan and Trengganu,
and it is possible that such lode may exist, for
in the state of Trengganu the privately-owned
Bundi tin mine is reported to have given good
returns to its owner. The neighbouring state
of Pahang gives the only other example of lode
tin mining on a large scale in Malaya. In
Pahang the Chinese and Siamese are known
to have worked the soft outcrops of at least
forty lodes. These lodes are in the slates near
the junction with the granite, into which they
sometimes penetrate. In Trengganu wolfram
veins are found in formations of quartzite,
schist, and shale overlain by clays. The veins
are worked only down to old water level, below
which the sulphides of iron, copper, and arsenic
occur. The ore, as sent away, contains 70%
of tungstic acid. Wolfram found in the Feder-
ated Malay States is associated with tin : in
Trengganu wolfram is found alone.
Alluvial tin is found in limited quantities in
Pahang, Trengganu, and Kelantan ; and it is a
surprising fact that so much alluvial tin, shed
from the range which forms the backbone of
the peninsula, should, so far, have been found
on the v.'estern side and so little on the eastern
side of the range. When it is remembered
that the Malay States have produced tin to the
value of ^180,000,000, the small proportion
obtained from the eastern states gives much
food for thought.
Rubber Industry. — One cannot remain
long in Kelantan without being impressed with
the value of the land as a rubber producer.
JANUARY, 1921
19
There is plenty of virgin jungle, good loamy
soil with good depth of humus, and light roll-
ing country with easy drainage ; there is no
great variation in temperature to affect the flow
of latex, and a reliable and generally well-dis-
tributed rainfall is assured. Growers state that
rubber trees come into bearing six months
earlier in Kelantan than in the western Malay
States. At the conclusion of my mineral ex-
cursions I explored a considerable area of the
country, finally demarcating some ten thousand
acres for rubber planting. This involved liv-
ing among the up-river Malays for a consider-
able period and the cutting of some thirty miles
of tracks and survey lines.
In clearing the virgin jungle, Malays are
generally employed, and carry out the work
most satisfactorily. The jungle, though dense,
does not carry a large number of trees of large
girth to the acre ; most of the jungle is " sec-
ondary." The Malays say that fifty years ago
the whole country was devastated by a tornado
and every tree was rased to the ground ; that
fire then got into the fallen jungle; and that
Kelantan was on fire from end to end, men and
animals being driven into the rivers by the heat
and smoke. If this statement is true — and
some of the older men say they can remember
the conflagration — the comparative sparsity of
big timber can be easily understood.
The planting of the rubber trees and all
subsequent work is best performed by Tamils,
Chinese, or Javanese, all of whom must be im-
ported from their native countries.
Rubber trees should give at least 200 pounds
of latex per acre for the first year of tapping,
increasing yearly by 50 pounds per acre. A
rubber estate should show a profit on its second
year of tapping. Of course the crop of latex
will vary with the quality of the ground and
the care bestowed upon the estate. At the
Pergau estate in Kelantan the average output
is about 415 lb. of latex per acre tapped ; but
some of the best land gives 660 lb. per acre.
Costs of production will vary with location,
nature of land, and efficiency of management.
Owing to the absence of transport facilities in
Kelantan, costs may be expected to be higher
for the time being than those in the western
states, where some of thebest estates havebeen
able to produce at as low a cost as 23, 24, and
25 cents per lb., and the average of the best is
35 cents or about 9} pence per pound. The
costs on many of the estates are, of course,
much higher than these. In Kelantan the
lowest costs are obtained at the Bagan Estate,
where rubber is produced at an all-in expen-
diture of 29 cents per pound. Owing to the
situation of the estate and the ability of the
management, Bagan is able to use Malay la-
bour in all branches of the estate work, proving
thereby an exception to general Malayan enter-
prises. The Taku Estate of the Duff Develop-
ment Company is producing rubber at the very
satisfactory cost of 34 cents per pound.
Other Industries. — For their own im-
mediate consumption the Kelantanese grow a
fair quantity of tobacco, and an increase in
this industry might be encouraged with advan-
tage by working somewhat on the lines of the
A Kelantan Ska Pkahu.
Borneo practice. The tobacco grown is not
of high grade, but there is a ready sale for it
among the natives of the surroundingcountries.
In Borneo the landowner lays out li acre for
each native to cultivate and supplies him with
tobacco seed. The native raises the tobacco
and gathers the leaf, which is bought from him
by the landowner in its green condition at
twenty dollars per picul (133-3- lb.). As a
Malay should produce fifteen piculs from his
acre and a half of properly cultivated land, he
should be able to make three hundred dollars
for eight months' work on his patch. The cost
of shredding, drying, fermenting, and curing
should amount to a further expenditure of
forty- five to fifty dollars per picul, and the
20
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
finished article can be sold for about one hun
dred and twenty dollars per picui.
Altliougii some of the world's finest copra
has been exported from Kelantan, coconut
growing on a large scale has not been very suc-
cessful up to the present time. The excellent
sun-dried copra which the natives produce
comes from their small kampongs where the
trees thrive on the refuse, animal manure, and
other filth which usually surrounds native habi-
tations.
Finance. — Thelast annual report of the Ke-
lantan Governmentshowed the revenue collect-
ed to haveamounted to/ 11 2, 000, including land
revenue /2 1,000, levy on imports and exports
/"SI, 700, and profit from the sale of chandu
(opium) ^29,000. Half of the export revenue
of /1 7,000 was obtained from rubber, 10%
from betel nuts, 17% from copra, and 9% from
cattle. Heavy export duties have often been
placed on produce in order to prevent the na-
tives from bringing themselves into a condition
of semi-starvation. Chinese traders used to
travel throughout the country, reaching even
the remotest kampongs, buying upcattle, fowls,
ducks, rice, dried fish, &c. The Malay, having
but little insight into external trading, was dis-
posing of all his animals and birds, leaving
himself no means of replenishing his stocks ;
he even sold his agricultural cattle and then
had no means of cultivating his rice. Ov/ing
to the high export duties imposed, the exports
of livestock are now mainly composed of pigs,
pork being forbidden as an article of diet for
the Malay. Rubber stood at the top of the
list of exports, being two-thirds of the total
value of /r425,000. The imports were valued
at /"SOO.boO.
Climate. — The highest temperature re-
corded was that of 98° F. in Kuala Lebir in
1914, and the lowest was 62° in 1913, also in
Kuala Lebir. At the sea-coast the mean maxi-
mum and minimum temperatures may be ta-
ken at 90° and 71°, while 60 miles inland they
may be taken at 96° and 64°. The mean tem-
perature throughout Kelantan is about 79° or
80°. In Kuala Lebir the annual rainfall taken
over a number of years shows a variation be-
tween 74 and 136 inches; records in Kota
Bharu show 95 to 165 inches with a maximum
fall of 13'43 inches in 24 hours.
The wet season is distributed over Novem-
ber, December, and January when the relative
humidity rises to a maximum of 90?o. The
wet season is immediately followed by the dry
months of February, March, and April, in
which the mean relati\e humidity is about 80%.
Living in the jungle, one is impressed with
its stillness and quietude. No birds are to be
seen except in the topmost branches of the
highest trees. Occasionally a flock of monkeys
is heard dashing away overhead, and in the
early morning one may sometimes disturb a
deer or wild pig. The air is still and breath-
less; there is never any wind. The morning
often shows the tracks of elephants, tigers, and
panthers which have not been far distant ; but
it is seldom that any of these animals is seen,
and very few residents of the Malay States
have been close enough to get a shot at a tiger.
For a native to be attacked by a tiger on the
east coast is unknown ; but on one of the es-
tates about 35 miles from Kuala Lumpur the
toll of natives killed by tigers during the past
twelve years has been quite a heavy one. This
is attributed to the closer settlement of the dis-
trict having driven the natural food to the tiger
— the pig — away. Unlike the remainder of
the Malay States, Kelantan is entirely free
from crocodiles and bathing is therefore pos-
sible in all waters. Elephant hunts occasion-
ally take place, and 1 visited one of the stock-
ades into which they are driven, then in course
of constructionnear thesource of the Rek river.
The animals are tamed and trained within a
few weeks of their capture.
Conclusion. — In my exploration and in
my various excursions I received much assis-
tance from the officers of the Duff Develop-
ment Company, the Chief Police Officer, the
Government Survey Department, and District
Officer Monk. Had it not been for the kindly
offices of these gentlemen my way would have
been much harder and my operations delayed ;
but I was deeply disappointed by the short-
sighted policy of the highest Government
officials who, as soon as I made application for
rubber lands, gave notice of the imposition of
higher rates and rents. An appeal against
such imposition was upheld when placed before
the Governor of the Straits Settlements ; but
restrictions introduced with regard to the em-
ployment of labour and the growing of food-
stuff's made it so evident that enterprise from out-
side wasnot welcome that it was decided to with -
draw entirely from a venture which would have
included the opening up of 10,000 acres of agri-
cultural land at an estimated expenditure of
over ^400,000 in a country sadly in need of
development and of the introduction of capital.
[In connection with the foregoing article,
readers may be reminded that the neighbour-
ing State of Trengganu was described by Mr.
Henry Brelick in the MAGAZINE for Novem-
ber, 1915.— Editor.]
DOLCOATH'S FUTURE.
We print herewith the reports by Mr. R. Arthur Thomas, managing
director of Dolcoath, and by Messrs. Bewick, Moreing & Co. on the
proposed scheme for exploring the northern ground in depth for tin.
FOR some time it has been known that the
ore supply in depth at Dolcoath has been
failing, and that the engineers are in fa-
vour of exploration laterally. The concrete
proposals are now published, and the main
points are given herewith. Briefly the pro-
posal is to run a cross-cut at depth northward
from the Williams vertical shaft in order to
test the Roskear lodes at points below the
deepest level of the old workings. The Ros-
kear lodes were profitably worked for copper
until forty years ago. At that time the copper
gave out and tin put in appearance. The prob-
lem now is to test the lodes for tin at depth.
It is expected that the cross-cut will also re-
veal information relating to south-westerly
continuations of lodes worked at East Pool
and South Crofty.
Mr. R. Arthur Thomas's Report.
It has not been possible for some time past
to record any satisfactory results from the
operations at Dolcoath, and it has been found
necessary to greatly curtail the scale of work-
ing pending the consideration and determina-
tion of the future policy. In June last the
bottom workings were abandoned and the
pumping plant and sundry appliances have
been successfully withdrawn from the 550 fm.
level.
Having regard to the improbability of any
immediate profitable developments on the main
Dolcoath series of lodes sufficient to retrieve
the position, new work must be embarked up-
on and capital provided therefor fo restore the
mine to its former importance as a profit-earn-
ing undertaking. This result will, I con-
fidently anticipate, be realized if the following
scheme of development can be carried out, that
is, to drive a cross-cut from the Williams shaft
north at the 338 fm. level to intersect the vari-
ous lodes shown in the accompanying plan, and
which have not been worked by this or any
other company to such a depth. The plan
shows the Dolcoath lode series and the pro-
jected position of the various lodes to the north,
which willbe intersected by the proposed cross-
cut. The reasons for my unhesitatingly recom-
mending the driving of this cross-cut, and my
belief that in so doing the company will again
become a profitable as well as large undertak-
ing, are as follows:
(1) Before the South and North Roskears,
as well as the East Pool (Rogers) lode, lying
between these two lodes, would be intersected,
the important Tincroft and Crofty series of
lodes would be met with, and also the various
other lodes, of possibly less importance (form-
ing a part of the series referred to), at less than
half the distance of the total length of the cross-
cut, which is estimated to be 4,420 ft.
(2) The mines to the north of Dolcoath,
namely, South Roskear, North Roskear, and
the Setons, slightly to the west, were large pro-
ducers of copper in the killas, as was also Dol-
coath in the approximately parallel lode series
in the killas overlying the granite in which the
Dolcoath main series of lodes have been so re-
markably consistent producers of tin to a far
greater depth than has been reached elsewhere
in the country. None of the lodes in thenorth-
ern areas referred to has been explored in the
granite.
(3) Dolcoath mine produced copper to the
value of ^2, 328,435, and subsequently in the
granite tin realizing ;^6,842,351 by working to
a depth of 550 fm. from surface. The South
and North Roskears produced copper to the
value of ^1,024,623 and in the latter working
tin to the value of ^121,171. The adjoining
properties, the Setons, also produced copper
to the value of more than /l, 125,000 and tin
to the value of over ;/r500,000. The foregoing
figures in themselves without giving a detailed
history of the working of these properties show
this area to be highly mineralized, and it must
be remembered that the above returns were
made mainly when copper and tin were at a
very low price.
(4) The geological conditions in these north-
ern areas being similar to those at Dolcoath,
the fact that there was a distinct change in the
country rock in the bottom of the Roskears at
the 300 fm. level, and that these mines at the
time of their suspension became tin producers,
coupled with the relative proportions of tin and
copper produced (particularly at Dolcoath) on
its main series of lodes provide prima facie
evidence that the expectations for discovering
tin by the proposed cross-cut in the granite are
well founded.
(5) The recent discoveries in South Crofty,
which adjoins the eastern portion of this mine,
and the East Pool and Agar mines (particu-
21
22
THE MINING MAGAZINE
\
JANUARY, 1921
23
si^ear i Mam Lode st Adit Level
1H€ \WILLIAMS'
SHAFT "
Plan of Dolcoath and Roskear Lodes
Lodes at Adit Level marked in full lines : lodes at depth of proposed Cross-cut in broken lines.
24
Tin-: MINING MAGAZINE
iarly llie phenomenally rich Rogers lode) have
undoubtedly demonstrated that the northern
series of lodes are highly productive for tin in
the pranite and are distinctly confirmatory of
the view held that the gioup of unexplored
north lodes will become, by development in
the granite, tin producers and on a considerable
scale ; moreover, it may be said that there is
a general concurrence of opinion among mining
men, supported by eminent geologists, m this
anticipation.
(6) Dolcoath and the Roskears are divided
from the eastern group of mines, that is, South
Crofty, Tincroft, and East Pool and Agar by
the great cross-course, andall the mines bound-
ing this to the west have been very large pro-
ducers of copper and tin : and it may be said
that the eastern mines have been very success-
fully worked for a great mumber of years in
the granite.
(7) The 338 fm. level from which the cross-
cut would be driven has been chosen because,
among other reasons, it will intersect the lodes
above referred to and give high backs, and at
the most faxourable point below the line of the
killas-granite contact, so that it seems highly
probable that large bodies of ore will be avail-
able for working before the cross-cut reaches
the Roskear mines.
(8) The Williams shaft is a very valuable
asset in this scheme of development, as it is of
ample capacity for a large output, for such
pumping plant and mechanical haulage as may
be necessary, and is equipped with a first-class
winding-engine and general mechanical and
electrical appliances, providing most excellent
opportunities for the concentration and rapid
progression of all operations. There is no
engineering difficulty in returning through this
shaft the ores from the lodes that will be cut
by the proposed crosscut. The use of the
Williams shaft will render it unnecessary to
sink a new shaft on the northern properties, at
all events for a long time ahead, if at all.
To carry out this projected work will entail
anestimated expenditure of ;£" 120,000, in which
estimate is included the provision for a pump-
ing plant of ample capacity to meet the pro-
bable requirements by utilizing the pumps re-
moved from the bottom of the Williams shaft,
and for preliminary development in the lodes
to be intersected by the cross-cut.
Extracts from Bewick, Moreing &
Co.'s Report.
We have examined the scheme as drafted
by Mr. R. Arthur Thomas, covering the ex-
ploration and working of the northern ground,
including the North and South Roskear and
other lode channels, as well as the probable
continuation of the Rogers and other northern
lodes now being worked or explored in the
eastern end of the Camborne- Redruth belt.
The prospects of this scheme, its feasibility,
the time necessary for its completion, and the
capital required are factors of importance.
We have, for several years, given close at-
tention to the geological features of this field
relating to its ore-bodies, and have prepared
very complete plans and sections covering the
area from Dolcoath on the west to Tolgus on
the east. From these we have made the plan
and section accompanying this report, in which
the various known lode channels and probable
continuations of lode channels are shown dia-
grammatically, the former by continuous heavy
lines and the latter dotted. These may be
divided into two groups, the one of large, well-
defined productive ore channels, the other of
minor channels which may develop satisfac-
torily in the granite. There is also the further
possibility of locating unknown lodes which do
not appear at the surface.
The first group includes the following lode
channels, taken in the order in which they will
probably be met by the proposed crosscut:
(l)~Price's; (2)— Crofty Middle ; (3)— South
Roskear; (4)— Rogers; (5)— North Roskear.
The second group, which for the present
seems to be of minor importance, includes
among others the following: (l) — Dolcoath
South Entral and other lodes worked to the
north of the Dolcoath main lode; (2) — Minor
lodes which may continue west from South
Crofty ; (3) — Sundry minor lodes, formerly
worked in the Roskear mines.
It has been clearly established that the Great
Cross-course on the eastern boundary of Dol-
coath does hot cut off the known eastern lode
channels, but merely displaces them to the
north in the western ground, and it is therefore
a reasonable inference that any strong eastern
lode channel which lives to the cross-course is
likely to continue west of it. Quite apart from
that, however, this scheme finds justification
by reason of the known lode channels in the
western ground, which in the past have been
so productive in copper, and have not entered
the zone which experience and investigation
indicate as likely to be more productive in tin.
Reviewing the figures available on the Cam-
borne-Redruth district up to the year 1919, it
stands out very significantly that the leading
tin producers are those mines which in the early
days produced much copper, and then sank to
greater depth, penetrating the granite. The
JANUARY, 1921
25
following tabulation of output of tin and cop-
per at Dolcoath, East Pool, South and North
Roskear points to the prospects of the two lat-
ter as tin producers in the granite :
Depth of Deepest
Copper Ore Black Tin Granite Working
£ £ Fm. Fm.
Dolcoath 2,328.435 6.785.998 125 to 200 550
East Pool and Agar - 457.322 2.700,736 135 to 212 340
South Roskear 217.993 15.160 ? 255' 170
North Roskear 806,630 106.011 ' 280 280
The remarkable richness of the belt of coun-
try running from -Dolcoath on the south to old
Wheal Seton on the north is shown by the fol-
lowing figures giving the returns to 1919, which
further emphasize the possible potentialities
for tin in the ground between Dolcoath and the
Setons, which so far is practically unexplored
in depth :
Copper Tin Total
£ £ £
Dolcoath 2.328.435 6.785,998 9,114,433
South Roskear 217,993 15,160 233,153
North Roskear 806,630 106,001 912,631
Wheal Seton •• 535.286 71.664 606.950
West Seton 719.341 454.836 1,174,177
4,607.685 7.433.669 12.041.344
The South and North Roskear mines have
produced over a million pounds' worth of cop-
per ores. Neither of them has, as yet, been
explored in the granite, and both, in their
deeper levels, have been tin producers. The
early history of these two mines is obscure,
and it is difficult to give exact figures covering
their output and workings, but the information
herein compiled is believed to be on the con-
servative side.
The South Roskear has been worked for a
length of about 4,000 ft. The two main shafts
(some 2,000 ft. apart) are Wheal Chance Eng-
ine Shaft (Gregory's Shaft) in the western sec-
tion, 184 fm. below adit, or 214 fm. from sur-
face, and the Pendarves Shaft in the eastern
section, about 180 fm. below adit, or 210 fm.
from surface. Old reports refer to six distinct
lodes as having been located, but the main
workings were confined to the South Roskear
main lode, which, near the surface, is almost
vertical, but from the adit level dips steeply to
the south. The greater portion of the large
output of copper was obtained from the adit
down to the 150 fm, level, and tin began to
appear in quantity at the 112 fm. level at Dun-
kins Shaft. The eastern workings are not
connected with the western below the 80 fm.
level, and the water in the former was handled
by flat rods worked by the winding engine, and
then passed westward along the 80 fm. level to
the Wheal Chance Engine Shaft, where it was
pumped by a 70 in. engine. The maximum
quantity was reported as 156 g.p.m., and it was
considered that the 70 in. engine was in 1876
ample for the requirements then and in the
future. The mine closed down in 1881, the
contributing causes being as follows : the large
copper bodies were largely exhausted and the
price of that metal was seriously declining;
development "was not sufficiently far ahead to
open up the deeper tin ground, and the price
of tin had declined so seriously as to discourage
any attempt to go deeper.
The North Roskear Sett was over a mile
long and the lode was worked for a length of
over 4,000 ft., the chief workings being on the
North Roskear main lode. The two main
shafts (some 1,700 ft. apart) were the New
Doctor's Shaft on the east, 270 fm. below adit
or 300 fm. below surface, and Pearce's Shaft
on the western end, 220 fm. from adit or 250
fm. from surface. PauU's Shaft, Pressure
Shaft, and Prince William Henry Shaft were
also sunk, all over 200 fm,, so that the mine
was opened up by five deep shafts as well as
several to the region of 100 fathoms. Latterly
the workings were confined chiefly to Pearce's
and New Doctor's shafts. In 1871 Captain
Josiah Thomas advocated the sinking of the
latter shaft to cut the granite, which he con-
sidered was at no great depth below the bot-
tom workings, and there he expected that a
lasting and profitable tin mine would be opened
up. Here, however, as in the case of the South
Roskear, adverse influences became so felt that
the mine was closed down. The large copper
stopes had become exhausted, the prices of tin
and copper seriously declined, and, although in
this case the tin zone had been entered, par-
ticularly in the deeper workings at New Doc-
tor's Shaft, still the development in that zone
was quite insufficient to open up sufficient tin
reserves, and therefore in 1874 operations
ceased. It is worthy of note that in the bottom
portion of the shaft a distinct change was re-
ported in the nature of the country, felspar,
quartz, and much mica appearing.
Having outlined the results of the operations
on the two lode channels, which have been
worked, those which may be expected to con-
tinue through the country to be explored by the
proposed cross-cut are now referred to in the
order in which they are likely to be met with
in cross-cutting.
Pryce's lode channel lives frpm East Pool
through Tincroft and well to the west in Crofty,
but so far has not been worked up to the Great
Cross-course. On account of its strength and
persistence it seems probable that it will live
in the western ground. It has produced large
26
THE MINING MAGAZINE
quantities of copper and tin in the above-men-
tioned mine. In Tincroft it has, until recently,
been responsible for more than half the returns,
and was worked for a length of J, 400 ft. ;
it is considered there that it will make junction
with the South lode at 157 fm. with good pros-
pects of enrichment.
Crofty middle lode is the continuation of the
North Tincroft lode after being thrown north-
ward by Pryce's lode, and has been very ex-
tensively worked in South Crofty. Like Pryce's
it has not been driven west to the Great Cross-
course, there being apparently a poor zone
affecting all lodes to the immediate east of the
cross course. Considering, however, the great
richness of the Dolcoath and the Koskears on
the west, these lodes may improve in tin con-
tents in that zone. The North Entral lode of
Dolcoath, which coincides with the North Tin-
croft lode, was intersected at the 80 fm. level,
close to the northern boundary, and after being
faulted by Pryce's lode was cut by the 146 fm.
cross-cut south from South Roskear in the
killas.
The Rogers lode, which in East Pool has
been opened up in the granite with such excel-
lent results, was of little account in the killas.
To the west it meets Reeves lode (the Great
Caunter), and is faulted by it in the eastern
section of South Crofty. There it is thrown
to the north, its continuation being known as
the Longclose lode. Unfortunately the 245 fm.
bore-hole in the western section of South
Crofty (east of the cross course) entered the
killas before cutting the lode channel and was
consequently too shallow to enter the tin zone.
This lode dips to the north, whereas the South
and North Roskear lodes both dip to the south,
and its continuation will probably be, as shown
in the accompanying section, in the neighbour-
hood of the South Roskear lode channel, and
at the depth of the crosscut may be expected
some distance to the north of the South Ros-
kear main lode.
The following table gives the approximate
distance at which the above lode channels are
likely to be cut, these being determined on the
normal dips and strikes, any deviation from
which will correspondingly affect the positions
Length of Cross-cut.
From Williams Shaft to South Entral Lode Channel about 1.300 ft
.. Pryce's ,. ,, ,. ::. 400ft
.. Crofty Middle ,. .. ,. 3.200fl
.. South Roskear,. .. .. 3.600ft
.. Rogers ,. .. ., 4.300ft
., North Roskear,, ., 4.500ft
The lineof section on which the above meas-
urements are made runs from Williams Shaft
to a point between New Doctor's Shaft and
Pressure Shaft at North Roskear.
The depth of the granite slope is known in
South Crofty and New Cook's Kitchen setts,
and in North Crofty (by bore holes), and in
Dolcoath the granite has been located by the
1 90 fm. north cross-cut, and the bore-hole from
its northern end, which are both in granite,
covering together a distance of 1,430 ft. north
of the main lode. The position has also been
determined on the main lode. On the other
hand, in South Roskear the 146fm. south cross-
cut was extended nearly 300 ft. south (on the
section line) and was in killas. Therefore the
surfaceof thegranite is very closely determined
as lying between the end of the northern cross-
cut, at the 190 fm. level from Dolcoath, and the
end of the southern cross-cut from the 146 fm.
level from South Roskear. South-dipping lodes
generally throw up the granite floor, and north-
dipping lodes depress it. It appears that in the
present case the former tendency will be the
more marked.
Variations in the dip of the granite surface
may occur, and for that and other reasons the
proposed cross-cut should be driven at a depth
considerably below the granite floor, which is
considered to be very close below the 255 fm.
level at North Roskear. The depth proposed,
338 fm. below adit at Williams Shaft, provides
reasonably for this contingency and allows for
good backs on the various lode channels inter-
sected. On the normal dip of the granite sur-
face and lodes, as shown in the accompanying
section, there would be on the South Roskear
lode about 500 ft. of backs, and on the North
Roskear about 300 ft. of backs.
On both the South and North Roskear lodes
there were very considerable lengths of rich
copper lodes, and the best line for the cross-
cut would be underneath the richest portions
of the old copper workings, which allows con-
siderable latitude in location. The position
chosen in the neighbourhood of Doctor's Shaft
locates the crosscut favourably for exploration
of the probable tin zone in the different lode
channels. The cross-cut would therefore ex-
plore the ground from Williams Shaft, Dol-
coath, to Doctor's Shaft at North Roskear, fol-
lowing practically a straight line connecting
these two points with, however, a slight devia-
tion to allow the cross-cutto avoid old workings
on the Dolcoath South and Main lodes, which
should be cut in a distance of about 700 ft. from
Williams Shaft. The location of this point is
of such importance as to warrant, before com-
mencing the cross-cut, a check survey from
Williams Shaft to the workings to the near east
of Harriett Shaft.
GOLD MINING IN CHILE.
By LAURENCE PITBLADO. M.lnst.M.M.
The Author writes of a neglected industry, the mining of low-grade deposits, which can
be done under most favourable climatic and economic conditions.
HOLDING the third place among gold-
producing countries up to the 18th cen-
tury, Chile has now descended to prac-
tically the lowest on the list. Judging by its sta-
tus as a metal-producing country, one would
naturally have expected this condition of
things to be reversed. It cannot be said that
the Mining Laws of the country are against the
industry, as they are the most simple and in-
dulgent known to me, giving a right to mine
over every hectare of ground taken up (about
2'43 acres), not necessarily in square blocks,
but as rectangular as the nature of the ground
demands, or the surveyor requires, along the
run of the vein, for the small Government tax
of 10 pesos (say 10s.) per annum.
No labour conditions are involved, so natur-
ally this allows of a tremendous amount of
"shepherding"of claims. Thismilitates against
the due working of any likely mines by foreign
coinpanies, as the owners generally demand
such a price as to frighten all investigators
away. This, I think, maybe taken as the prime
cause of decay and neglect, as no engineer is
going to allow a big cash purchase price for
only a hole in the ground, with no reserves
blocked out, and very often no road whereby
to reach the " mine." The same cry is repeat-
ed time and again in Chile that the London
capitalists are too exigent and want only de-
veloped mines. This, as a matter of fact, is
not the case, as nearly all the properties on
ofTer must be approached from the undeveloped
point of view. So the owner, frequently refus-
ing quite good offers, goeson paying his "paten-
tes" (taxes), holding his ground until death
overtakes him. Then hisheirs would thereafter
gladly sell for half the original amount de-
manded, if a capitalist could be found to again
take it up.
Stretching along a coast line of some 3,000
miles in length from north to south, the differ-
ence in climate ranges from tiopical to glacial,
and these again are varied by the immense
heights to which the Cordillera rises over sea-
level. The latitude of 3 1° between Valparaiso
and Coquimbo serves very well as an imagin-
ary boundary line, north of which the country
is arid and barren, while south thereof every
prospect pleases, and the land might be said
to flow with milk and honey. The north suffers
not only from lack of transport, but more often
from lack of water, and only in rare cases does
it hold out an inviting aspect to the inspecting
engineer. Again, while the principal industry
of the north is mining, that of the south is un-
doubtedly agriculture, though there are large
deposits of coal and a limited mineral wealth
of deposits of lower-grade ores, which are found
ranging fromCoquimboalongthecoastalmoun-
tains, and down through the central valley to the
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o so tao 'to
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Map of part of Chile.
beachsands of theinlets andfiordsof thevarious
straits forming Chile del Sur. Occasionally the
gold diggers on the beaches of Chilean Tierra
del Fuego, especially after high tides, used to
get fair hauls. A progressive Austrian named
Popper minted all his own gold himself, in the
shape of little coins weighing one gramme. I
have one in my possession. On one side are
28
ll'. MINING MAGAZINE
the words: El Paramo, Un Gramo, Au 864
Ag 132, and crossed miner's hammers ; on the
other, Tierra del Fuego, Popper, and the date
1S89. El Paramo was the name of Popper's
mine. The miniiiiK is very well done.
.Xround Tiltil, to the north of Santiago, there
are large bodies, or lenses, of heavy pyrilic ores
carrying gold, which have been worked in a
sporadic fashion. They do not lend themselves
readily to any simple metallurgical treatment,
and so have more or less been relegated to the
" shepherded " class of mines. While they
.\s Old Stope at Lo Mejia.
would suit a smelter well for a pyritic flux,
carrying a small percentage of copper in addi-
tion to the gold, there are none in the neigh-
bourhood, and one which used to be in blast
alongside Tiltil station is now dismantled.
At a radius of about 50 miles south of Sant-
iago, and between Rancagua and Melipilla,
there are quite a number of low-grade gold-
mining propositions suffering from neglect, but
rejoicing in a climate that is all one could de-
sire. Unfortunately the " haciendados " (farm
owners) in this district do not like, and certain-
ly do not encourage, the prospector to fossick
around their fields and camps. If an " extran-
jero " to the place should take it into his head
to go prospecting, then the unanswerable argu-
ment of a shot gun is brought to bear, and the
trip is quickly abandoned for fresh fields and
pastures new.
On the head waters of the Alhuii Creek, at
an elevation of some 3,000 ft. above sea-level,
the oldest and most extensively worked Minas
de Oro de Alhuc form a compact, self-contain-
ed group of mines. As far back as 1700 the
principal lode, the Madariaga - and which to-
day the natives call the mother lode of the dis-
trict— was worked and was mentioned favour-
ably as a gold-producer in the annals of the
state. Their old records of yields of so many
castillanos per cajon ( 1 cast. = 4'60 grams, and
1 cast, per cajon— 1 dwt. per ton) can still be
consulted, and even today approximates to the
new development work as a large low-grade ore
deposit, easily mined in its oxidized ferruginous
workings, but left severely alone whenever
hard quartz had to be driven on. Apparently
heating the rock and then quenching by water
constituted their best means of driving in hard
material, and little work was ever done on the
quartz veins proper until the advent of a
Chilean company about 1880.
This group of claims, as now owned by the
Albion Mining Company, Ltd., include the old
Madariaga, Lo Mejia, Florde Alhue, Profeta,
Tribuna, etc., amounting to some 12 in all,
cover an area of 105 acres. As is usual in
Chilean deposits ''' thestnke of the veins is more
or less east and west, but two dip north, ranging
from 80 ' to perpendicular, while the Madariaga
and various others conform to the major rule in
other districts by dippmg south. If one were
to generalize on the ground developed, the
north-dipping veins show up rather better in
average values than the south-dipping veins.
The country formation is principally diorite,
with strips of schists on the mountain tops
7,000 ft. over sea-level, steeply inclined away
from the Alhue valley, so that none of these are
visible in the claims. With the exception of
one vein, all the lode walls stand well, necessi-
tating no timbering, as is shown in the photo-
graph of an old stope on Lo Mejia. Probably
that stope to-day is as good as on the day it
was opened, in spite of frequent earthquakes.
The vein matrix is mostly a hard bluish
quartz, which in Lo Mejia is freely mixed with
rhodonite (silicate of manganese), and when
freshly broken shows up a beautiful pink col-
our. In Flor de Alhue, a bold outcrop on the
mountain side carries large quantities of pyro-
• See the article by E. David Pope. The Mining Magazine for
June. 1905.
JANUARY, 1921
29
lusite in the oxidized zone, and as may be in-
ferred from the nature of this (according to
Spurr),the values are poor until some consider-
able distance is driven into the ore-body.
in the veins, though where these grade into
country without any clea\age wall, generally
the hanging wall side, they form a dissemina-
ted link, as it were, between barren rock and
Old Works, with Ceruo Cantillana behind.
A like characteristic to the northern fields of
Coquimbo and Atacama is noticed in the Mada-
riaga by the presence of quantities of specular
iron ore, generally valueless, which is repeated
in two of the neighbouring deposits not far from
here. Pyrite is found in very small quantities
payable vein stuft. In the case of the rhodo-
nite vein, assays have proved that most of the
\alues are carried in the quartz, while the gold
throughout all the claims is in such a fine state
of division that no free gold is visible in any
stone, a point which certainly tells largely in
30
Tin: MINING MAGAZINE
favour of the company, as no finger amalgama-
tion takes place.
Metaliurgically the ores are ideal for direct
treatment: crushing in cyanide solution, com-
bined with counter-current decantation,as they
do not filter well, and the consumption of cya-
nide only runs to about half a pound per ton.
In fact, in treating the rhodonite ore alone, over
98?<o extraction can be obtained for a consump-
tion of a lb. KCN per ton.
The Outcrop. Flor de Alhle.
The widths vary from 2 ft. in the Profeta to
49 ft. in the Madariaga, but a good stoping
average of the remainder may be taken as 6 ft.,
while over such a width assays work out about
7 dwt. per ton. When regular stoping work is
in progress it is expected this width may be cut
down to4 ft., with a correspondmg rise in assay-
value to Ihe half ounce, as the centre foot of
the vein carries richer values, ranging up to 27
dwt. According to the books of the previous
owners, the ore milled has averaged about the
first figure given, and as they only amalgamat-
ed over plates, securingan extraction of 50''6, the
tailings still carry 3'5 dwt.
No shaft-sinking is necessary, at least for
years to come, on any of the veins, as the
" backs " available from zero levels run up to
1,300 ft., so all the dormant capital involved
both in shaft-sinking and winding machinery
is entirely obviated.
Water throughout the district is plentiful,
and on the property, as can be seen from the
photograph, the country is very precipitous, so
that heads up to 3,500 ft. can be obtained for
power purposes. The mountain peak in the
background is the highest on the coastal range,
Cerro Cantillana, 7,400 ft. above sea level,
and 4,000 ft. above the old works site. During
the summer months, from December to April,
the water How is small, but it never runs dry,
and with the head available it is expected to
yield all the power necessary for an output
through the mill of 200 tons per day. Working
costs, as may be imagined from the foregoing
description, are very low, and when the hydro-
electric power plant is installed it is expected
that for tonnage treated these will be far be-
low the Rand averages of milling ore of 7 dwt.
grade.
There are at least two other large properties
in the district with similar characteristics, one
of them being well situated for transport to and
from the railway station of Rancagua, in the
central valley of the country, and an important
town on account of the Braden Copper Com-
pany's line branching off from here. The pro-
perties are, however, "shepherded" by their
Chilean owners, and no practical work has ever
been done on modern lines, so that these and
many others are likely to go on lying fallow
until the demands of the owners are moderated.
Climatic conditions, as has already been
mentioned, are ideal. Winter, with its snows,
and rains, and frosts, is as cold as at home,
while the summer is more balmy and never
enervating, blankets being a necessity on beds
al 1 the year round. The economic features also
of the locality, provided as it is with wood,
water, grass, and in the valleys all the grain
and fruits that heart of man could desire,
are such as are rarely met with in a mining
camp.
Cooperite. — The secretary of the Zirco-
nium .Alloys Syndicate, of 64, Victoria Street,
Westminster, writes to The Tunes to say that
cooperite, the new cutting medium for ma-
chining metal, was tested at the Sheffield
Testing Works, on December 1 , with the re-
sult that at the same speed and feed the tool
removed the same weight of steel per minute
as the best high-speed steel, but it lasted 21
minutes 21 seconds as compared with 2 min-
utes 20 seconds for the other tool.
JANUARY, 1921
31
NEWS LETTERS.
TORONTO.
December 13.
Metal Output of Ontario. — The On-
tario Department of Mines reports that the
output of the metalliferous mines, smelters,
and refining works of the province for the nine
months ended September 30 amounted in value
to ;p35,920,418, as compared with $27,875,713
for the corresponding months of 1919. Pro-
duction during the last two months has been
curtailed to such an extent by power shortage
thataproportionate increase for the last quarter
of the year cannot be e.xpected. The gold out-
put was 424,297 oz. of the value of $8,735,768,
an increase of l};i,161,182, or 15%. The
leading producing mines were : Hollinger
$4,620,800, Mclntyre §1,603,376, and Dome
Mines $1,515,086, the total production of the
Porcupine cainp being $7,938,649. Silver
production increased from 7,475,396 oz., valued
at $7,898,220, to 7,831,132 oz., valued at
§8,435,088. With the exception of 32,073 oz.
recovered from nickel copper refining and
71,990 oz. from gold-refining operations, the
output came from Cobalt, Gowganda, and out-
lying areas. Nickel was produced to the
amount of 7,060,0781b. valued at §2,440,303,
as compared with 7,820,866 lb. of the value of
$2,732,676 during the first nine months of
1919, and exports of nickel in matte were
17,446 tons, valued at $8,723,000, as against
1 1,301 tons of the value of $5,424,552. Cop-
per in matte exported amounted to 9,497 tons,
value $2, 659, 160, as compared with 6,818 tons,
valued at §1,908,936. The output of pig iron
showed an increase from 30,849 tons, valued at
§795,009, to 49,422 tons, valued at §1,395,048.
Porcupine. — The output of some of the
mines is being seriously curtailed by the short-
age of electric power which has continued for
some time, the outlook for the winter being de-
pendent on the continuance of open weather
and sufficient rainfall to restore the level of the
lakes and rivers before winter sets in. So far
the weather has been unusually mild for the
season, and the supply of power shows some
improvement. The Hollinger Consolidated
has met the difficulty by the use of an auxiliary
steam plant and is steadily increasing its work-
ing forces. The company has declared a divi-
dend of 1%, payable December 31, being the
ninth to be paid this year, making a total dis-
bursement for 1920 of §2,214,000. Produc-
tion at the Dome Mines has fallen off tempor-
arily owing to power shortage and the breaking
of an underground crusher. About 700 tons
of ore are being treated daily, as compared
with between 900 and 1,000 tons during the
first nine months of the year. This is offset
by a considerable improvement in the grade of
the ore treated, which is stated to average
about $7 per ton, operating costs being esti-
mated at $3'50 per ton. At the Mclntyre the
new vein system, lying about 400 ft. south of
the No. 5 shaft, is being opened up on the
1,375 ft. level, where the vein is 20 ft. wide
with high gold content. This development is
regarded as of importance to the Hollinger
Consolidated, as the system is believed to be a
continuation of its No. 84 vein, and its per-
sistence at an equal depth to that proved up
on the Mclntyre would mean a considerable
increase to Hollinger's ore reserves.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The large new mill of
the Wright- Hargreaves with a capacity of 150
tons daily will be completed and ready for
operation at the close of the year. The time
of starting work will depend on power condi-
tions. The mine is in condition to keep the
mill continuously supplied with ore. Most of
the development has been on the 400 ft. level,
the ore being high in grade. Stations are be-
ing opened on the upper levels preparatory
to lateral work. .As the Wright- Hargreaves
location extends for nearly three-quarters of a
mile on the main belt of mmeralization, having
the Lake Shore mme on one side and the
Tough Oakes on the other, it is expected to
become an important producer. The Lake
Shore during October treated 1,570 tons of ore,
yielding §47,077, being a considerable increase
over the two preceding months. The average
extraction of $29'98 per con made a new high
record, and was the highest average ever estab-
lished by a steady gold producer in Canada.
The main shaft is now down 514 ft. The com-
pany is keeping production up to normal by
the use of steam power. Thackeray Mines,
Ltd., which owns 250 acres in the Kirkland
Lake area in addition to several holdings else-
where, has discontinued operations for the
season and is planning for extensive develop-
ment work in the spring. The Hunton-
Kirkland is increasmg its capital stock from
§1,500,000 to $2,500,000.
Cobalt. — The silver-mining industry has
been hard hit by the drop in the price of silver
which, combined with the shortage of power,
has considerably reduced the margin of profit,
resulting in the closing down of some mines
and the passing of dividends by the Mining
Corporation of Canada and the McKinley-
Darragh. Operatmg costs are high, the prin-
cipal item being wages, which remain at the
32
THE MINING MAGAZINE
s.inie figure as when silver was bringing its
highest price some months ago. Labour is
now plentiful and mine managers are able to
pick their men, with the result that efficiency
on the part of workers is showing some im-
provement. The miners are stimulated to in
crease production by the prospect of being
thrown out of work should the mines close
down, or of a cut in wages in case the com-
panies resort to this alternative to bring down
operating costs to a point which will enable
them to continue to work at a profit. Some
operators are again storing their bullion in
the hope of a better market. The Nipissing
during November mined ore of an estimated
value of 51199,219 and shipped bullion and resi-
due from Nipissing and customs ore of an esti-
mated net value of §232,526. The company,
in addition to its regular quarterly dividend of
5%, has declared a bonus of 5% extra. The
Chambers- Ferland has made an important
discovery of silver at a depth of 385 ft., the
deposit being 20 ft. wide and yielding assays
of 28i oz. to the ton. A winze will be put
down into the underlying conglomerate where
the ore-body is expected to show greater en-
richment. The Mining Corporation has dis-
continued pumping tailings from Cobalt Lake,
having stacked a sufficient tonnage to keep the
mill running through the winter, thereby effect-
ing a large saving of power. The Beaver
Consolidated, w'hich was closed down for a
short time while the mill was undergoing re-
pairs, has resumed operations.
GowGANDA. — The Miller Lake- O'Brien, a
privately owned mine which produced 708,872
oz. of silver last year, paid taxes on profits of
$451,000. Its profits were exceeded only by
those of the Nipissing and Kerr Lake. The
Sanderson Syndicate, formed in Montreal
pending the organization of a company, has
taken over a group of ten claims, comprising
approximately 400 acres, in the Gowganda
district.
Boston Creek. — At the Miller Independ-
ence systematic exploration is being carried on
at the 500 ft. level, to examine laterally all the
formations not penetrated by cross-cutting, and
subsequently to determine the gold content at
depth by diamond-drilling. A vein encoun-
tered in cross-cutting on the 500 ft. level is
being driven on. Henden's Trust, Ltd.,
whose address is 3, London Wall Buildings,
London, E.C.2., has started work on the
Hughes-McElroy property, comprising nine
claims about 4 miles from Boston Creek, with
Frank C. Loring as consulting engineer.
The Peerless has resumed operations.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
December 7.
Copper Mining. — The British Columbia
copper mining industry has received an un-
pleasant set-back by the closing of the Britan-
nia Mining iS: Smelting Company's concentra-
ting plant at 1 lowe Sound, and the stopping of
the sliipping of concentrate to the .'\merican
Smelting ilv: Refining Company's smelter at
Tacoma. The development of the mine will
be continued, but fully half of the men have
been dropped from the pay-roll. Of late years
the Britannia has contributed about one-third
of the copper output of the province, while
last year it was the only copper property to
maintain its rate of production at the level of
the previous year. Its output was 17,250,000
lb. of copper out of a total production of
42,500,000 lb., and it also contributed 98,600
oz. of silver and 4,200oz. of gold to the precious
metal output. Ordinarily the mine gives em-
ployment to between 600 and 700 men. At
the end of last year the ore reserve was esti-
mated at 9,000,000 tons assaying slightly in
excess of 2% copper, with small values in
precious metals.
Unfortunately also the Granby Consolidated
has started to curtail production and has laid
off 400 men, and the Consolidated Mining lS:
Smelting, though continuing smelting opera-
tions, has stopped all new construction and laid
oft" the men that were working on it. This
means that work on the new 2,500-ton concen-
trator to treat the Rossland ores, the 2,500-ton
concentrator to treat the Sullivan mine ore,
and the new copper-rod mill has been stopped,
pending a better condition of the base metal
market.
The Granby, which operates the largest
copper smelter in the British Empire, is in a
precarious position, as is reflected by the share
quotations, which at the time of writing are
standing at $20. In 1913 these shares had a
low record of $51 and a high record of $78l,
while at one period in 1916 they climbed
to $120. Toward the close of and since the
war, the company spent large sums of money
in improvements, which included the purchase
of coal lands, the development and equipping
of a colliery, and the erection of by-product
coke-ovens and other improvements at its
smelter at Anyox. When the investments
were made it was intended that these improve-
ments should be paid out of earnings, but with
the armistice came the slump in copper prices,
and, instead of paying out of earnings, two
bond issues had to be floated, amounting to
a total of $4,003,300, and these draw an an-
JANUARY, 1921
33
nual interest of $209,198. Metallurgically, the
colliery has not been a success. The coal gives
a very high-ash coke that has produced trouble
in the furnaces, necessitating additional fluxes.
Added to this, the title to the coal lands pur-
chased was not clear, and this has plunged the
company into expensive litigation. The case
is still before the courts; in the last trial title
to the colliery was given to the Esquimalt and
Nanaimo Railway, a subsidiary of the Cana-
dian Pacific Railway. The Granby has ap-
pealed the case, and, in the meantime, in con-
sideration of a deposit the court has allowed
the Granby to continue coal-mining operations,
but has limited the output. The colliery is
now producing about 20,000 tons of coal
monthly, a large part of which is sold. Pro-
vided that the company ultimately regains title
to the coal lands, they should prove to be a
good investment. During the financial year
ended June 30, 1920, the company earned
$r03 per share. The total output amounted
to 23,127,849 lb. of copper, 938,292 oz. of
silver, and 14,616 oz. of gold. The main por-
tion of the silver, however, was derived from
Dolly Varden ore, which the Granby pur-
chased, the ore acting as a flux to the Hidden
Creek ore. The yield approximately was 31
lb. of copper per ton of ore smelted, which
was an increase of some 7 lb. over the previ-
ous year's operation ; the increase being due
to the closing of the Phcenix mines, which were
playing out and reduced the tenor of the whole.
The Anyox plant is in splendid shape ; it
has a capacity of 2,500 tons daily, and is cap-
able of producing 44,000,000 lb. of copper
yearly. The Granby Company is a United
States owned concern and is backed by strong
financial interests, and there is no doubt but
that a big effort will be made to bring the com-
pany once more to the strong position that it
has held in the past. There is a considerable
amount of unemployment in the province, and
there is no doubt but that a lower wage-scale
ultimately will obtain, though the miners, who
have been enjoying a high wage-rate, will re-
sist it to the last ditch. One thing, however,
is pretty certain : with its heavy bonded in-
debtedness the Granby Company cannot con-
tinue to operate profitably under present wage
conditions with copper much below 15 cents
per pound.
The Canada Copper Corporation is another
victim of adverse conditions. After running
its plant for rather less than two months, it
closed its mine on December 9 and its mill two
days later. During this time the plant was
never tuned up to more than about one-third
1—5
capacity. The manager states that the plant
was giving complete satisfaction, but that when
the price of copper dropped below 15 cents per
pound operations ceased to be profitable, and
the directors decided on a close-down. Some
time before the plant was stopped the men
were asked to accept a reduction of 50 cents
per day in wages until the copper market im-
proved. This they refused to do, with the in-
evitable result as recorded. The company has
issued the following statement : "Owing to the
low price of copper, which has been gradually
dropping for the last few weeks until it has
reached an alarmingly lowfigure, it has become
necessary to close down the mine and plant at
Copper Mountain and Allenby. The Canada
Copper Corporation is in a position to operate
at as low a figure as any other company, and
if the price tends upward to such a figure as
concordant with the presentcost of supplies and
scale of wages will allow the company to make
a fair profit, operations will be resumed." It
is exceedingly doubtful whether at the present
cost of labour and supplies current in British
Columbia any company can produce copper
profitably when the price of the metal falls
below 15 cents.
Gold Mining. — At the present time,
everything points to a considerable falling off
in the gold production of the province during
the present year. The Rossland mines, which
are the principal producers of the province,
have been closed for the greater part of the
season. They were re-started about six weeks
ago (in the beginning of October), but this to
a great extent has been off-set by the closing of
the Nickel Plate mine at Hedley at the begin-
ning of November. Of late years the Nickel
Plate has been producing between twenty and
thirty thousand ounces of gold yearly and about
§20,000 worth of arsenic. The closing of the
mine has thrown more than 100 men out of
work, but, as their insistent demand for wage
increases has been the main factor in bringing
about the closing of the mine, they have only
themselves to blame. There is a large reserve
of ore that will run better than nine dollars per
ton in the mine. In closing the property the
manager, G. P. Jones, stated that at the pres-
ent cost of labour and supplies it was impos-
sible to pay dividends and at the same time
maintain the ore reserve, so the only sensible
thing to do seemed to be to close the mine until
conditions improved. It is probable, he stated,
that the mine will be closed for not less than a
year.
Placer mining has been at a standstill dur-
ing the year. Early in the season there was a
34
Tin: MINING MAGAZINE
shortage of water, the late frosts holding the
water in the mountains. During tiie latter
part of the season there has been a superabun-
dance, too much, in fact, for successful opera-
tion. Several companies have announced their
intention of puttingdredges on the Fraser River
next year. With the opening of the Pacific
Great Eastern Railway into the old Cariboo
district, and the consequent increased facility
for the transport of machinery, there seems to
be every reason why the Cariboo field should
be attractive for golddredging. Withoutdoubt
there is a good deal of gold still remaining in
many of the rivers that might be profitably ex-
tracted by dredging.
CAMBORNE.
Grenville. — The recent meeting of share-
holders, called for the specific purpose of wind-
ing up the company, was ultimately adjourned
to test the suggestion made by Mr. C. V.
Thomas that the shareholders should find a
sum of ^7,000 on security of the assets of the
company to enable the property to be nursed
for six months, in the hope that by then the
tin market would have improved sufficiently
to re-commence operations without loss, and
capital would be procurable to set the company
on its legs again. The consulting engineer
(Mr. Josiah Paull) very properly pointed out
that meanwhile the mine was filling with water
and the plant deteriorating, while the chairman
stated that it would simply be courting disaster
to re-start with the present ramshackle plant.
New plant is estimated to cost from /"l 50,000
to ^200,000 at current prices. It is clear that
no tin mine in Cornwall, being worked at any
depth below adit, even producing ore of a re-
coverable grade of say 30 lb. black tin per ton
and with tin metal at £"300 per ton, will be
able to show sufficiently encouraging financial
results unless equipped on modern lines and
managed by men of high technical knowledge
and skill. Existingoperating costsare unlikely
to fall to any considerable extent ; wages are
not extravagant now,and the principal material
cost, coal, is most unlikely to be substantially
reduced in view of foreign markets awaiting
that commodity as soon as export is permitted
and satisfactory terms of payment arranged.
It will certainly be folly to re-start without
adequate capital ; the present company might
have weathered the present depression but for
the fact that the money provided by the recent
reconstruction was quite inadequate. Of the
;^27,000 raised, all but ^5,000 was spent in
meeting the old company's liabilities and in
reconstruction expenses, and certainly the new
money would not have been forthcoming had
the then directors made the true position as
clear as their duty demanded. However, there
is nothing to be gained by criticism in that
direction now, and we can only hope that local
shareholders, who benefit more largely than
outsiders, will have the courage to back their
faith and opinions so as to give this fine old
mine a further chance.
Geevok. — On December 18, 14 days' no-
tice was given to all employees to terminate
their engagements, owing to the fact that the
mine, under present circumstances, cannot be
operated without loss. It is stated in the no-
tice to the employees that increased returns to
meet the serious fall in the price of tin cannot
be looked for until the new "Victory" shaft
has been sunk to a level permitting of the haul-
ing of sufficient stuff to allow the battery to be
kept going at full capacity. It seems rather
a pity that capital should have been locked up
in the enlarged mill so long in advance of mine
development, but doubtless the chief respon-
sibility rests with the late manager. Geevor
is one of the few mines working to a large ex-
tent above adit, and water troubles are not
the usual nightmare in this case. We believe
that under existing circumstances suspension
is undoubtedly the right policy, and we should
still express that opinion even if sufficient ore
were available for keeping the enlarged mill
working to full capacity, for we cannot believe
that, with black tin at its present price, any
Cornish mine producing only that commodity,
can be operated except at a very heavy loss.
We recognize that certain standing charges
must continue even with operations suspended,
but they must be out of all proper proportion
in this case if they are not less than the oper-
ating loss. Moreover, the reserves would be
being depleted with no benefit to the share-
holders if working was continued. Presumably
the sinking and equipment of Victory shaft
will be continued in readiness for the time when
sloping operations can be resumed, and this
will provide employment for a limited number
of men.
Levant. — The employees at this adjoining
mine have also been given notice, but the sit-
uation here is not the same, for the pumps
must be kept going unless the mine is to be
allowed to fill with water. As the deeper work-
ings are extensive, and as the best prospects,
in the opinion of some engineers at any rate,
lie in the extension seaward of these workings,
it is to be hoped that it will not be necessary
to abandon them. The incoming water at
Levant is, comparatively speaking, light, and
JANUARY, 1921
35
it would be a thousand pities to have to stop
the pumps. Seeing that iTSO.OOO new capital
was provided only about a year ago and that
no money has yet apparently been spent in
sinking the newprojected mainshaft, the finan-
cial position ought not to be such as to neces-
sitate this course, unless indeed the mine has
been worked at a heavy loss during the year.
Working costs at this mine have for years been
abnormally high owmg to local circumstances,
and always will be until a suitable shaft has
been sunk for the proper exploitation of the
lower workings.
QiEW.— As further evidence of the desire
of the miners themselves to assist the com-
panies to tide over this time of depression, at
this mine the men have agreed to hand back
to the company the sum of £1 per month per
man until the price of tin metal again reaches
• ;^260 per ton. This spirit of good will and co-
operation is to be commended, and is a heart-
ening sign that in some cases, at any rate,
given confidence in the management, the work-
ers are willing to make sacrifices to keep the
mines in operation.
TiNCROFT. — At this mine, it will be re-
called, the employees agreed some time since
to contribute £200 per month to assist in
meeting the losses being incurred, and recent-
ly they adopted and submitted the following
gratifying resolution to the directors:
" We convey to the board of directors our
sincere gratitude for the splendid and ready
response made to our representations for the
continuation of working operations during the
present period of depression. We fully realize
the difficulties you are up against, with the low
price of tin now prevailing. It makes matters
more difficult, but we have every confidence
that our arsenic returns will more than com-
pensate for the drop in price of tin. We can
assure you, gentlemen, our very best efforts
are being made to obtain the best results, and
hope you will find it possible to continue op-
erations during the winter months. Then,
with the prospects of trade becoming normal,
we may expect much better prices and pros-
perity for the mining industry."
It is regrettable that the directors have,
after all, had to issue notices to suspend oper-
ations on January 15. The employees, who
number some 200, will now have to draw on
the unemployment dole of the Government,
whereas if the sum so payable was handed over
to the company, operations could be continued.
It is hardly to be expected that the Govern-
ment would adopt any such common- sense
policy, although the cost to them would be the
same, so it looks as if the end of Tincroft is in
sight.
South Crofty. — It is satisfactory to learn
that the development of what is now termed
the No. 2 North lode at the 290 fm. level has
proved to average rather over 30 lb. of black
tin per ton for the whole length of the drive.
This lode has also been intersected at the 260
fm. level north of Robinson's shaft, its value
there being 33 lb. black tin over a width of 5 ft.
Tehidy Minerals, Ltd. — Owing to un-
expected difficulties which have arisen in con-
nection with the settlement of the account be-
tween the company and the vendors of the
Basset Estate, it was found impossible to pre-
pare and present to the shareholders at the re-
cent meeting a statement of account as from
the inauguration of the company, and so the
meeting was adjourned. However, the report
prepared by the general managers, Messrs.
Bewick, Moreing & Co., and the statements
made at the meeting give a good idea of the
activities to date. The first work undertaken
by the engineering staff and Dr. Maclaren was
the geological examination of the unexplored
tin areas in the Camborne- Redruth district.
Surveys of the different mines were co-ordma-
ted.a work of no little difficulty, andone general
plan of the area and geological plans and sec-
tions were prepared showing the exploratory
work necessary for the location of the tin-bear-
ing lodes in the hitherto unexplored granite zone
north of the present operating mines. The
conclusions arrived at by the engineers from
this work are stated to warrant the belief that
this zone will prove to be a large tin producer
when capital is available to finance the neces-
sary development work. The driving of the
Toigus tunnel and the proposed exploratory
cross-cut from Dolcoath to the Roskears will
prove whether these prognostications are cor-
rect, but most certainly the evidence collected
justifies up to the hilt these proposed develop-
ments.
A preliminary examination has been made
of the iron-ore deposits in the Roche, Lanivet,
and Withiel parishes, which shows that there
are several long lines of lode of reasonable
width, carrying shoots of good-grade iron ore
which could easily be developed if a market
was available for the product. These deposits
were worked to a considerable extent before
the more cheaply- mined Spanish ores displaced
them from the market. Unless a tariff is put
on imported iron ores, which is most unlikely,
we see no prospect of these deposits ever being
tackled.
The most promising, from an early revenue-
36
THE MINING MAGAZINE
producing point of view, of the company's ex-
tensive mineral areas appears to be the china-
clay deposits in the Bodmin district. In the
Temple (South Bodmin) district there are alto-
gether fifteen probable and possible china-clay
areas, seven of which are considered by the en-
gineers to be of first-class importance. Until
they have been completely explored, their ex-
tent and commercial value cannot, of course,
be determined, and attention is now being
given to the preliminary work relating to the
development of one section of these. Already
the important question of transport has been
successfully tackled by satisfactorily arranging
the easements for the necessary pipelines. As
has already been reported in these columns,
the company has acquired an interest in the
Cornish Kaolin Co., Ltd., owning and operat-
ing china-clay properties in the Bodmin dis-
trict, and that company has acquired from
Tehidy Minerals, Ltd., an adjoming area,
which is being paid for in shares.
The policy of the company, in fully investi-
gating its properties before commencing defi-
nite operations is thoroughly sound, although
to the shareholder, anxious to get a return on
his money, it seems slow business. In Corn-
wall, in the past, much capital has been wasted
because of the absence of preliminary investi-
gation work. Thegeneralmanagersof thecom-
pany appear to be thoroughly satisfied with the
result of their investigations, and we trust that,
as soon as the general financial position im-
proves, capital will be forthcoming to start
operations which will lead, in the words of Cap-
tain A. H. Moreing, "to an era of prosperity
such as seldom has been equalled and neverex-
celled by any company or body of persons in
Cornwall before." These are brave words and
perhaps somewhat on the optimistic side, but
they are evidence of the confidence of the
general managers in the company's future.
Calloose. — Theconsideration by the Court
of the petition for the winding-up of this com-
pany was adjourned pending a meeting of
shareholders with a view to ascertaining their
wishes, and, if it was decided to continue, then
on what terms. Thismeetingwassubsequently
held, when by a large majority it was decided
not to wind up, but as no scheme was presented,
a further meeting will consequently have to be
held. In a circular issued by the vendor (Mr.
A. F. Calvert) of the company's properties, he
claims that his opposition to winding up is in
the general interests of the shareholders, and
that, according to local opinion, the properties
will prove profitable. Shareholders disposed
to believe that these properties are as valuable
as claimed by the vendor will do well to ask for
the names and status of the engineers who have
expressed that opinion and to call for the pub-
lication of their reports, so that they may be
examined.
liAST PonL & Agau. — Since my last letter,
yet another lode has been intersected in the
crosscut to the Rogers lode at the 252 fm.
level. This lode is believed to be Branwell's
lode, and at the point of intersection it shows
excellent values. This is the third lode met
with in this cross-cut, each of which has as-
sayed well above the milling average. It is
evidence of the highly mineralized nature of
this iiart of the mine, and, once the price of
tin advances, should enable handsome profits
to once again be earned by this company. To
judge from the monthly sales and known
operating costs, the mine must, at present, be
working at a substantial loss, but the splendid
development results of the past few months
indicate a rosy future once the price of tin im-
proves.
Kit-Hill & Hingston Down Mines.
— The Duchy of Cornwall has abandoned all
work at these mines, and the machinery and
plant was recently put up to auction. The
Duchy was influenced to start work on these
properties in 1916 by the then national short-
age of wolfram, but difficulties in securing the
necessary plant delayed the commencement of
milling operations on any scale until early in
1919, by which time wolfram was practically
unsaleable. The capital expended on this
enterprise amounted to over ;^75,000, and we
fear that this unfortunate experience will dis-
courage the Duchy from undertaking any
further exploitation of its many mineral pro-
perties in the West of England.
DoLCOATH. — The accounts for the six
months ended June 30, 1920, have at last been
issued, and a loss is shown of £1 1,825. This
is somewhat less than was perhaps expected,
but, from the financial position disclosed by
the balance sheet, it is clear that, without
further capital, operations could not be con-
tinued for long. The tonnage of ore treated
for this period was 30,052 tons, from which
was produced 338'5 tons of black tin (average
recovery 25 lb.) which realized ^70,752. The
total receipts figure at 49s. 8d., the working
costs at 57s. 2d., and the loss at 7s. 6d. per ton
milled.
Accompanying the directors' report was the
report by Messrs. Bewick, Moreing & Co. on
the Roskear scheme. This is given in full in
another part of this issue, so that it need only
be said here that they are very favourably im-
JANUARY, 1921
37
pressed with the possibilities of the proposed
exploratory cross-cut from the Williams shaft
to test the granite area between that shaft and
the Roskears, the cost of which is approxi-
mately estimated at ^120,000. To raise this
sum, it is proposed to form a new company
with a capital of ^350,000 (the same capital
as the existing company), and to issue one £l
share, 10s. paid, in exchange for each share
held in the old company. If fully subscribed,
this would realize a sum of £"175,000, which
would allow for the registration costs of the new
company, the payment of outstanding liabili-
ties, and doubtless leave still a margin beyond
the sum estimated by the engineers for the pro-
posed exploratory work. The money will be
called up by small instalments spread over
probably eighteen months, and it may be sure-
ly expected that local people will take up all
shares not subscribed for by the present share-
holders, as the district is so largely dependent
on the success of this undertaking. The de-
benture debt of £^75,000 will be continued,
and Messrs. H. Montagu Rogers and C. A.
Moreing will probably join the board of the
new company. The scheme has been very
well received, the only criticism we have
heard being whether the work can be carried
out for the sum estimated. In these times,
close estimating is out of the question, and we
doubt whether any one has better knowledge
than Mr. R. Arthur Thomas and Messrs. Be-
wick, Moreing & Co. (who substantially
agree as to the cost) on which to form a re-
liable judgment.
NORTH OF ENGLAND.
Lead and Zinc Mining in 1920. — Lead
and zinc mining in 1920 has been a long and
hopeless struggle against adverse circum-
stances. The price of pig lead has been sub-
ject to violent fluctuations, the mean February
average being ;^50. 12s. 9d. against £"21. 10s.
on December 16, and spelter, which in Febru-
ary last was ;^62. 3s. 6d., is now (December
23) ^22. 10s. The market for galena has been
difficult, as the smelters could not anticipate
what additional charges might be placed upon
them, and they have been reluctant to enter
into forward contracts for ores. Several mines
even found difficulty in selling spot lots, except
at exceedingly low prices, and a few stocked
production in the hope of a more satisfactory
price in relation to the price of pig lead. The
mine-owner has, however, to accept the posi-
tion that any additional cost incurred by the
smelter has to be added to the returning charge,
and everyrise in coal or labour has been passed
on to the producer of galena. The returning
charge was in pre-war days about 40s. to 45s.
per ton for high-grade ores, but lately smelters
have asked as much as ;^10. 10s. Od. f.o.r. I
think, however, that galena might be sold at
about £7 returning charge, as tentative offers
have been received for shipment below this
figure.
Certain old contracts are still in force at a
much lower returning charge, and the smelters
have made no effort to denounce them. We
miners have hitherto been always fairly treated
by the lead smelters. Taking a returning
charge of £7, galena 80% Pb, silver 8 oz., the
price in February was £34-. 10s. Od. ; in De-
cember the same ore was worth £9. 16s. Od.,
a drop that is rather startling.
With regard to blende, there is really no mar-
ket. All the home zinc smelters have now
closed down, except Seaton Carew, where there
is a small production, and the only real outlet
is the Continent. I can give no idea of the
price obtainable now, but when spelter was
about ^48 two fairlylargeparcelswere shipped
to Antwerp at a figure that gave the mines
about £9 net. With spelter at the present
level there can be no resumption of produc-
tion, the Swansea works finding that ^52 is
the minimum figure at which they can cover
costs. It has been suggested, in influential
quarters, that the Government should supply
blende at a nominal price as long as large
stocks are available, and thus galvanize the
corpse into temporary vitality.
The only blende producers who have a cer-
tain and satisfactory market are the Austra-
lians, and the chairman of the Sulphide Cor-
poration stated on December 22 : For our
production of zinc concentrates a satisfactory
market is assured through the contract made
by the Zinc Producers' Association with the
British Government, which runs until 1929."
Our Mine Owners' Association has constantly
pressed for the inclusion of the home mines in
this contract. Verbal promises made during
the war have, however, been repudiated, al-
though the whole facts were laid before Sir
Robert Home in June. The President of the
Board of Trade did not hurriedly reject our
claims, as an answer was only extracted late
in December. This was to the effect that the
Government refused to place us upon theterms
granted to the Colonies. The stock of zinc
concentrates purchased is alreadyover 500,000
tons. This is lying at port in Australia, and
the current output will be acquired under the
contractuntil 1929. Mr. Bridgeman also states
that he cannot recommend the inclusion of our
38
THE MINING MAGAZINE
home mines in the Key Industries Bill. The
logic of these eminent gentlemen is unim-
peachable. They are bnyuifi blende abroad,
and by destroying the home producer untd
1929 they have at least one competitor dis-
posed of. The differentiation against the home
producer is, I hope, unitjue in the history of
muddle and incompetence that has character-
ized the mining " policy " of the present ad-
ministration. The effect has been to kill the
industry, and the end of 1920 leaves this coun-
try without a single blende mine in operation,
and a Government buying enormous quantities
of blende at a " satisfactory " price, which it is
trying to dispose of to the continental smelters.
I do not assert that the Government's hos-
tile policy is the only cause of the present dis-
astrous position. It is perhaps the most im-
portant factor, but the costs of material and
labour have been steadily increasing during the
year. I give a few comparisons, partly from
market quotations, and partly from actual in-
voice's.
1919. 1920.
per ton. per ton.
Slack Coal 33s. 43s. 3d.
Anthracite for engines 5-4s, Id. 72s. 6d.
Sieving (standard clothing) ;fl5 /19. 13s. 9d.
Cement i^ 19s. 8d. lb. 5s.
Gelignite 50% ;fl40. /160.
W. Coast Hematite Iron.. ^10. 4s. /15.15s.
Round bars /21.15s. /30.10s.
Rails /16. 12s. 6d. /26.
Bolts and nuts /45. /57.10s.
At one mine (the conditions in the two
years being identical) the cost of coal in 1914
was £b,im, and in 1920 /ri5,000. Replace-
ments have been bought at ransom prices; for
instance, trommel cast iron centres 1914, 12s.;
1920, 80s. I need not labour the point, but
the coal-miner has in fact obtained his specially
favoured position at the cost of the rest of the
community.
As to labour, there has been a general rise
of 6s. per week, awarded by the Industrial
Court, under the ruthless pressure of the
Unions, and further claims have been recently
advanced. The mines have, however, closed
down in the meantime, a quite convincing an-
swer to further claims.
I have heard in several instances of an im-
proved standard of effort among the men, and
in some cases the level of output is as high as
pre-war. This is all to the good ; nevertheless
it will have to be realized that the wages in
country places cannot be gauged by the stan-
dard in industrial centres. A very considerable
level of comfort can be maintained with a
much lower scale of wages in isolated districts.
I am. not familiar with all mining areas, but
I think it would he safe to say that no mines
are covering the cost of production, and with
those still in operation, the object is to see if
the present crisis can be tided over.
In Cumberland, (jreenside is still produc-
ing galena, but the company has gone into
liquidation, and is merely engaged in crushing
its large stocks of crude ore. This important
mine will sell its plant some time next year,
and permanently close down. Tlirelkeld mine,
worked by adit level, has suspended produc-
tion, but the owners are keeping on the men for
a few months on the developtnent of the large
area of " payable " lode that has recently been
laid open. Brundholme mine has no produc-
tion yet, but is arranging with the Threlkeld
lessees to follow a nice-looking lode into their
area. Thornthwaite has quite definitely closed
down for the present, about 10 men, including
the staff, being retained to keep the pumps in
operation and the mine in working order.
Force Crag is stopped except for a tew men
trying a barytes deposit.
Further east in the Alston- Nenthead district,
the Vieille Montague Zinc Co. has a few men
working at Nentsbury, where there is quite a
nice lead deposit, but the large concentration
plant is idle, and I very much doubt if milling
will be resumed there. Across the Pennines,
Weardale is still running with an outputof over
200 tons of galena per month, but I am pretty
certain that heavy losses must be now incurred
with pig lead at £2\. 10s. The wages in this
area are the highest in the industry. Despite
this fact, the 6s. advance was awarded against
this company, bringing up wages to an average
of 25s.-30s. per week beyond those of, say,
Wales. At Lord Allendale's mines there are
some encouraging developments, but I hear
that they may be shortly closed down. The
output is not important at present.
Taking the Scottish area, Tyndrum is prac-
tically standing, but with fair prices I believe
this mine may become an important producer.
At the Newton Stewart mines production has
been suspended. The important Scottish mines
are, of course, Leadhills and Wanlockhead.
Both are looking well underground, and with
fair prices would be a permanent source of sup-
plies. They both have deep shafts and heavy
pumping charges. At the moment they are in
operation, but with the heavy losses now being
incurred their stoppage may be anticipated.
This would be a disaster to the district, as the
whole population depends upon the mines. If
the pumps are stopped the cost of reopening
would be enormous, but the shareholders may
well object to spending ^20,000, at each mine.
JANUARY, 1921
39
in pumping charges for a year, with no cer-
tainty of profit at the end of this period.
In Wales, East Halkyn has now definitely
closed down, and there are rumours that the
plant is to be sold. The pumping charges here
are very heavy indeed. The only other mine
in active operation is the famous Halkyn mine,
and matters have now reached an acute crisis;
by the time this appears, operations will pro-
bably have ceased. The future of this district
absolutely depends upon the successful prose-
cution of the deep drainage tunnel, which has
been driven a long way already, but work was
suspended in August, 1919, and so far it has
beenimpossibleto devise any scheme that would
satisfy the claims of the various interested
parties. The Government advanced large sums
durmg the war, but additional capital is re-
quired to complete the work. A conference
was held under the chairmanshipof Sir Charles
Stewart, but proved abortive. I do trust that
further efforts may be made, as the scheme is
absolutely sound in its conception. It would
unwater the following mines in the order
named: New North Halkyn, Halkyn, Mount
Halkyn, Bryngwiog, East Halkyn, North
Hendre, South Halkyn, Llynpandy, Panty-
mwyn ; giving a further depth of 200 ft. free of
water to most of them, but in one case at least
350 ft. To show the importance of the tunnel,
East Halkyn sunk its shaft about 90 ft. below
the old tunnel, and had to pump a steady flow
of 4,000 gallons per minute to keep the work-
ings clear of water ; yet, despite the richness
of the deposit, the cost of pumping has now
rendered it impossible to work the mine. The
mines mentioned are, more or less, equipped
with concentration plant. To an outsider it is
difficultto believe thatacomprehensive scheme
cannot be devised by which the royalty ow-
ners, the Tunnel Co., the Government, and the
mine-owners would mutually benefit.
In the Llanidloes district, the \'an and
neighbouring mines are idle, through the usual
causes, and the new equipments erected are so
far wasted. Esgairmv/yn mine has stopped,
but a development policy is under considera-
tion by the owners. The Lisburne Syndicate
at Frongoch and Glogfawr has erected a large
plant, but work is now suspended.
In the Shropshire district practically the
whole mineral area isin the hands of the Shrop-
shire Mines, Ltd., and Lieut. -Col. J. V. Rams-
den is conducting large operations there. The
output of galena up to the present has been
very small, but the potentialities of the district
are enormous. There is here a large drainage
tunnel called the Leigh Level, and the com-
pany is driving this right under the group of
mines, in order to unwater the whole area. The
scheme is being carried out on broad lines and
with the most modern appliances, and should
eventually prove a source of great mineral
wealth. It is intended to sink the Bog shaft
a further 300 ft. In the meantime the com-
pany has concentrated its efforts on the pro-
duction of barytes, which happily is still sale-
able. The output of barytes during 1920 was
8,300 tons. The present number of men em-
ployed on development work and the produc-
tion of barytes is about 300.
I have no further news of the Mill Close
mine, Derbyshire, but the huge cost of pump-
ing there must be giving the owners some
anxiety.
On the basis of anything like the present
level of prices and costs, the future looks hope-
less, but I do not consider that the quotations
for either metal represent in any way the
intrinsic value. The holders of metals are
raising cash at any sacrifice, actual consump-
tion having fallen quite suddenly to a very low
ebb. The banks cannot finance dealers, who
would otherwise have held their stocks, and no
one is buying who can postpone orders. The
consumption in Europe is far below normal,
despite the necessity of reconstruction, and the
world's production has fallen to far below pre-
war standards. The Broken Hill output ceased
through the strike, and operations are not being
recommenced because of low prices. The pre-
sent level is now below that at which the Bur-
ma Corporation originally stated it could pro-
fitably produceconcentrates. When the normal
demand arises, there must be a serious short-
age, and then both metals must appreciate in
price to the point at which equipped mines can
operate.
To illustrate this, the world's production of
pig lead in 1913 was estimated at 1,142,264
tons,adropof 130,012 tons on 1912. We have
no information as to the output during 1919
from many countries, but there is now no con-
siderable Australian production and the United
States output has steadily fallen for the past
four years ; indeed, wherever there is any ac-
curate information the output is down. I
hardly think that the world's production at the
present moment is more than 800,000 tons per
annum. The statistical position of zinc is
equally striking. The world's production in
1913wasabout 980,000 tons, and in 1919 about
570,000 tons, and today is probably not more
than 500,000, a generous estimate. When one
considers the requirements for reconstruction
m Europe, including England, it is quite evi-
40
Tinc MINING MAGAZINE
dent that the present lack of demand is only
temporary, and that there must be a rapid
alteration in the situation.
Capital will not be attracted to the mining'
industry either here or abroad until there is
some evidence of substantial prohts, and we
need not fear the opening of new fields at the
present moment. After all, the smelters can-
not produce lead or spelter without ore, and
no ore will be raised if it does not pay to mine
it. Personally I anticipate a fairly long period,
say si.K months, before there is a steady con-
sumption, and then there should be a period of
super-normal demand, which may last several
years. The important thing from our point of
view is whether we can compete agamst
foreign countries. This depends on the cost
of labour and materials and theiiuality of our
deposits. We have few natural advantages,
and many artificial disadvantages, among
which may be mentioned royalties, rates, tax-
ation, and the cost of acquiring land and dis-
posal ground. Evidence was given by our
Association at theNon-Ferrous Metal Inquiry
of the crushing nature of these, and recom-
mendations were made to the Government, all
of which have been ignored.
With regard to labour, I am more than ever
convinced that a new and better standard of
effort can be obtained if the mine-owners will
seriously face the formation of Consultative
W'orks Councils, with wages based on the suc-
cess of individual mines as a whole. The
present method of contracts underground is
thoroughly bad, and is the antithesis of co-
operative production. We want intelligent
team, work, and I am quite sure that if this can
be achieved we shall increase our production
per man by 20/o to 25% without any slave-
driving pressure. I have found that men re-
spond readily if they only know the facts, and
every man on the mine should be placed in the
position of seeing the collective result of his
eflTort. I should like to enlarge on this impor-
tant factor, but the editor can hardly give me
space.
Taking the lead and zinc mines in the United
Kingdom, there were 1,501 underground work-
ers and 1,475 surface workers in 1919. The
effect of the existing conditions is that most of
these will be on the unemployed list within a
month or two. These figures include mines
that were in course of development, with an
abnormal number of surface workers engaged
on the erection of plant, but if these non-pro-
ductive mines are excluded the figures would
of course be much smaller. My advice to
mine-owners is to hold on as long as they can,
as the present depression is quite artificial,
and one hopes that the world will soon show
signs of recovery from the destitution that is
now its lot.
PERSONAL.
R. A. Arciihold lias led (or Madras.
C. 1'. C. Uekhsi-ord has recently been appointed
consullint; engineer to the interests controlled by S. I.
I'atino in l^olivia, and left ICngland on December 31.
Max \V. von Hf.knicwit/ has rejoined Walter Har-
vey Weed in compiling; the " Mines Handbook." The
office of the Handbook is at Tuckahoe, New York State.
A. E. BiDLAKE has gone to Oruro, Bolivia.
F. K. Borrow has left for the I'rontino & Bolivia
Company's gold mines in Colombia.
V. W. BovLE has left for Nigeria.
Dr. W. H. Collins has been appointed director of
the Canadian Geological Snrvey.
V. J. Edwards has left for Portugal.
J. P. Grenfell is back from the Transvaal.
Geouge a. Harrison, who was out for the Russo-
Asiatic Consolidated, has returned from Siberia.
Ross B. Hoffmann is here from the United States.
Austin Y. Hoy. London manager for the Sullivan
Machinery Company, is back from the United States.
]. H. I\EY has resigned as manager of the Poderosa
mine. Chile, and is now in charge of the Corocoro Com-
pany's copper mines in Bolivia.
R. C. Jennings has gone to Venezuela.
C. E. JOBLING is returning from Sweden.
A. A. Kelsev has left for Mexico.
N. S. Kelsev has been appointed manager of the
Tomboy Company's mines in Colorado.
E. A. Knapp is expected from Nigeria.
W. J. Lakeland has gone from Burma to Ballarat.
F. H. Lathbury has gone to Selangor. Federated
Malay States.
F. H. B. Leggett has gone to Burma.
W. J. LoRiNG has been elected president of the
American Mining Congress for 192L
V. F. Stanley Low has gone to Sweden.
R. Macfee has gone to Algeria.
H. Mackav has gone to Colombia.
T. Bruce Marriott has left for South America.
J. A. McKinlav has gone to Burma.
A. H. P. MOLINE. manager of the Bendigo Amal-
gamated Goldfields. is visiting the United States.
]. W. NewberY has gone to Burma.
Eric Newbold has gone to New Mexico.
R. E. Palmer has gone to Spain.
Frank Powell is leaving for Colombia on Janu-
ary 18.
R. Allison Purvis has joined the staff of the Mar-
mito Mines, Ltd., Colombia, and left on December 16.
R. QUANCE has gone to Dunkwa. West .Africa.
Edgar P. Rathbone is with the Upper Silesia
Plebiscite Commission, at Oppeln. Silesia.
William Russell. London manager for the Dorr
Company, has returned from the United States.
W. P. Rutherford, managingdirector of theThar-
sis Sulphur & Copper Co., has been appointed chair-
man in succession to the late Lord Glenconner.
D. A. Sutherland has left for South America.
A. E. Taylor has left for India.
E. O. Teale has left for Tanganyika Territory to
make a new geological survey for the Colonial Office.
David M. THOMPSoN.formerly an engineer with the
Naraguta (Nigeria) Tin Mines, Ltd.. has joined the
board of the National Engineers' Supply Company,
Ltd.. of Liverpool.
JANUARY, 1921
41
E. F. V. Wells has been appointed manager of
the Tweefontein CoHieries.
A. Hedley Williams is at the Lobitos oilfields.
E. W. Sandeman, secretary of Ipoh Tin Dredging,
Ltd., died on January 1.
Curtis H. Lindley, the eminent San Francisco
lawyer, and the author of the handbook, "The Ameri-
can Law Relating to Mines and Mineral Lands," died
last month.
Matthew T. Wigham, secretary of the New Rand,
Ltd., and other companies, died last month. He was
born in Northumberland in 1S54, and joined the late
T. J. Bewick as personal secretary, becoming subse-
quently secretary of some of Mr. Bewick's companies.
For a short time he served in London in the same
capacity with Bewick, Moreing & Co. Subsequently
he became associated with the Hon. H. Finch Hatton.
Of recent years he was known among mining engmeers
as the secretary of the New Rand, Ltd., Arthur Saw-
yer's enterprise for testing ground in the Orange Free
State.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
BoviNG & Co., Ltd., of 56, Kingsway, London,
W.C.2, have issued a leaflet describing their low-lift
pumps.
Millars' Timber & Trading Co., Ltd., of Pin-
ners Hall, London, EC. 2, have issued a pamphlet de-
scribing their air-compressor, which is suitable for ap-
plication for all sorts of purposes, for instance, rock-
drilling, caulking, rivetting, and pneumatic painting.
The International Barge Supply & Trans-
port Co., Ltd., of 5, Lloyd's Avenue, London,
E.C.3, send us a pamphlet containing specifications
and drawings of steel lighters and motor-driven barges,
suitable for short coastal journeys or inland water
traffic.
The Westinghouse Electric International
Company, of 2, Norfolk Street, Strand, London,
W.C,2, send us Motor Application Circular No. 7,132,
which is devoted to a description of electrically-driven
shovels used for digging and moving earth and broken
rock.
Head, Wrightson & Co., Ltd., of Stockton-on-
Tees, well known for their manufactures in connection
with mining, such as cyanide vats, head-frames, tube-
mills, Nissen stamps, etc., have commenced the manu-
facture of a number of metallurgical and mining
specialties by arrangement with the Colorado Iron
Works Co., of Denver. These are as follow: The
Convertible Discharge Ball-Mill, a short mill fitted for
either grate or open discharge ; the Rod Mill, a cylin-
drical mill using rods instead of balls as the grinding
medium ; the Akins Classifier, a highly efficient ma-
chine of simple construction ; the Impact Screen, a
mechanically-operated high-capacity screen ; the Low-
den Dryer, a machine for handling flotation concen-
trate and other materials of a sticky nature ; and the
Skinner Roasting Furnace, a vertical multiple-hearth
furnace of improved construction.
The Dorr Company, of New York and Denver
(London Office: 16, South Street, London, E.C.2),
have issued Bulletin 19, describing the Dorr Washer.
This machine is the result of a demand for a more
economical installation, both in initial and operating
cost, than was previously used for washing iron ores.
While the washer was developed primarily for washing
iron ore, it has a wide application in other fields for
washing and classifying mixed, coarse, and fine ma-
terials such as gravel, crushed ores, etc. It is a com-
bination of the Dorr classifier with a trommel partly
submerged below the water level at the lower end of
the classifier tank. As applied to iron-ore washing,
the feed consists of the undersize from a grizzly, with
the bars spaced about 6 in., and is introduced through
a suitable hopper into the upper end of the trommel.
The washed oversize is discharged from the lower end
of the trommel with from &% to 12% moisture. The
undersize passes through 3 in. or i in. openings in the
trommel into the classifier tank, where it is separated
into two products. The coarse material is discharged
at the upper end of the classifier with from 10% to
15% moisture after having been washed free from clay
and the finer material, due to the action of the rakes
and spray water added above the water level in the
classifier. The fine silicious and clayey material over-
flows with the water, together with a small amount of
fine ore, and is discharged to waste, or in some cases
treated on tables. The concentrate consists of the
trommel oversize and coarse product from the classifier.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The downward course of values made
further progress during the month of December. This,
of course, was partly due to sympathy with the whole
trend of world's prices, but at the same time the copper
situation in itself has not been by any means a strong
one. The big surplus stock held by the American pro-
ducers still hangs as a kind of threatening cloud over
the market, and the difficulty of disposing of this has
necessitated further price cuts on the part of the pro-
ducers in the United States. Meanwhile consumption
both there and here has been quiet, and although con-
sumers in this country are still fairly actively employed
on old contracts, new bookings show a tendency to
diminish, and with the price slipping away there is lit-
tle inducement to buyers to take hold of any quantity
of the metal. In the United States there is a general
tendency to curtail production. This, however, will
take some time to affect the situation of slocks. In the
meanwhile, up to October at all events, in spite of the
curtailment already in effect, production was appar-
ently on a larger scale than in pre-war years. It is
therefore not surprising that the big stock of copper
which accumulated as a result of the cessation of the
war has been difficult to disperse. Another thing
which may have a considerable bearing on the situa-
tion is the tendency to reduce wages in many of the
copper districts of America, thus automatically reduc-
ing the cost of production. Reports from Spain state
that the Rio Tinto strike has been settled following
upon the intervention of the Minister of War. The
men, it is understood, accepted the company's terms,
reserving the right to discuss certain features later.
From reports in regard to the Cape Copper Company's
operations it would appear that they have been ship-
ping part of their copper to America for sale. It would
seem that some changes are being made in selling ar-
rangements in America. The output of the porphyry
companies is apparently to be sold by Messrs. Gug-
genheim Bros, instead of the American Smelting &
Refining Co. It is understood also that the latter
company will lose the sale of the output of the Cerro
de Pasco Copper Corporation, which will be handled
by the American Metal Company, while the Tennessee
Copper Company will transfer the sale of their pro-
duct from the American Smelting to Adolph Lewisohn
& Son. It appears that Mexico has lifted the export
duty on copper ore going to the United States until the
price of copper on the New York market is above 15
cents. It is reported from Melbourne that the direc-
tors of the Hampden Cloncurry Copper Mines have
42
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Mhtal Prices: Official Closing
Copper, Lead, Zinc, and Tin per LonR
Coi-l'KK
Standard Cash
Standard (3
inos,)
d.
Electrolytic
Wire-Bars
Best Selected
Dec.
£ s. d.
£
S.
d.
£
S.
d.
£ !.
£
s.
d.
£
S.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
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d.
£
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d.
£
s. d.
10
77 15 0 lo
78
0
0
73
0
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0
89
10
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90
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0
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0
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0
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76 15 0 to
77
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0
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89
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0
88
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89
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0
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88
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75 15 0 to
76
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89
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85
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75 10 0 to
75
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0 to
88
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84
0
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20
74 0 0 to
74
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21
73 10 0 to
73
15
0
73
15
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74 0
0
84
0
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85
10
0
85
0
0 10
85
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82
0
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0 0
22
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84
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71 0 0 to
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83
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84
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0
82
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83
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29
70 10 0 to
70
15
0
72
5
0 10
72 10
0
80
0
0 10
83
0
0
Hi
0
0 to
83
0
0
82
0
0 10
S3
0 0
30
72 0 0 to
72
5
0
73
5
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73 10
0
80
0
0 lo
83
10
0
83
0
0 to
83
10
0
82
0
0 to
83
0 0
31
Jan.
3
71 15 0 to
72
0
0
73
5
oto
73 10
0
80
0
0 to
83
10
0
83
0
oto
83
10
0
81
0
0 lo
82
0 0
71 10 0 to
71
15
0
73
0
oto
73 5
0
80
0
0 lo
S3
10
0
83
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83
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0
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4
72 0 0 to
72
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0
73
5
0 to
73 10
0
80
0
0 to
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0
0
82
10
0 10
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81
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72 7 6 to
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83
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83
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73
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0
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decided to cease operations pending an improvement
in the metal markets.
Average price of cash standard copper : December
1920, ;^75. 16s. 8d. ; November 1920, £8'i. 18s. 6d. ;
December 1919. ;£103. 17s. Id. ; November 1919, ;f98.
18s. 9d.
Tin. — This market has as usual fluctuated, but not
to an extent that is anything remarkahle (or this m.etal.
In the earlier part of the month some strength was
shown, but subsequently values eased off, touching the
lowest levels since the great rise in February, 1920.
The chief feature of interest has been the arrangement
come to whereby the Federated Malay States Govern-
ment takes over the unsold supplies from the smelters
there at 115 dollars per picul, this figure representing
a value of £236 landed here. It was also reported that
the Dutch interests in Batavia were negotiating with
the Straits interests with a view to coming to some
agreement in regard to the maintaining of prices.
From the fact that these two grades of tin, which
represent such very important supplies, were going to
be strongly held, it might naturally be supposed that
strength would be seen in the market, but the opposite
was the case. This must be attributed to the general
pessimism and weakness in all markets everywhere,
combined with the fact that the actual demand for the
metal from consuming centres was poor. America has
been working for some time on her stocks, and even
the fixing of the price in the Straits does not seem to
have induced her to buy on any important scale.
Meanwhile consumption in this country is also poor,
the tinplate industry being in a bad way. Works
generally are slowing down in their operations and talk
of stopping altogether. The standard market here is
now virtually based on Chinese and English tin, the
latter having been more or less a drug on the market,
with the result that it was being delivered against
standard contracts at the fixed allowance of £7 per ton.
For both Straits tin and Banka tin on spot premiums
are realizable, but even adding the premium for Straits
on to the price of standard tin it has been obtainable
on spot at considerably less than it could be replaced
in the East.
Average price of cash standard tin : December 1920,
/212. lis. 8d.; November 1920, /241. 5s. 6d. ; De-
cember 1919, ;f314. 5s. id. : November 1919, .^283.
13s. 7d.
Lead. — Like other metals the market for this article
also came to lower levels during the month of Decem-
ber. The primary cause of this seems to have been
liquidation of stocks of lead which under present tight
financial conditions it was becoming burdensome to
carry. Another feature, however, has been that
America has been at times selling lead here, and arri-
vals have been fairly heavy not only from Spain, but
also from Americaand Germany. It has been rumoured
that smelting operations in Australia may not be re-
commenced quite so soon as was expected in view of
the depression in the markets, but whether this be cor-
rect or not the report had no effect on the market here,
the fact being that there is plenty of lead in sight for
the moment, and consumptive demand has been poor.
It is stated that owing lo the decline in lead and zinc
prices the board of the Broken Hill South mine wish
to have time to review the situation, and all productive
operations except the slime plant are discontinued un-
til January 10. It seems to be generally anticipated
that early in the New Year the demand for manufac-
tured lead products will revive, but this of course re-
mains to be seen, and meantime it looks as if the trade
might be able to subsist upon the arrivals continually
coming in without making any great inroads upon the
stocks in this country, which increased by over 4,000
tons during the month of December.
.\verage price of soft pig lead ; December 1920,
£2-i. lis. lOd. : November 1920, £i2. 5s. 6d. ; De-
cember 1919, ;f41. 7s. 8d. : November 1919, /34. 16s.
Spelter. — This metal also declined to a marked
degree during the month of December, the price in-
deed coming to quite a normal pre-war level. As in
the case of other metals, the chief reason has been the
paucity of demand from consumers, the galvanizing
trade having experienced a great lack of fresh orders.
Meanwhile Germany has been selling. At one time
■some demand was experienced here from .\merica, and
it is understood a fair line was sold to that country.
This business was of course attracted by the compara-
tively low prices ruling here. Of course Ameiica has
plenty of spelter of her own, and the removing of sup-
plies of the metal to a producing country is rather an
JANUARY, 1921
43
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Tons; Silver per Standard Ounce; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tin
Silver
Zinc
Gold
Soft Foreign
English
(Spelter)
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
£ s.
d. £ s.
d.
t
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
5.
d.
s. d
Dec.
25 15
0 to 26 10
0
23
0
0
30
5
Oto 31
IS
0
223
0
0 to 223
10
0
226
0
0 to 226
5
0
38j
39
118 10
10
24 7
6 to 25 0
0
26
10
0
2S
10
Oto 30
0
0
215
0
Oto 215
10
0
218
0
Oto2l8
10
0
405
41
118 9
13
23 0
0 to 24 5
0
25
0
0
28
0
0 to 29
15
0
212
10
0 to 213
0
0
216
0
0to216
10
0
401
40i
118 7
14
22 10
0 to 23 15
0
25
0
0
25
15
Oto 27
10
0
217
s
Oto 217
IS
0
220
0
0 to 220
10
0
42S
42
117 10
15
22 10
0 to 23 0
0
24
0
0
25
15
Oto 27
10
0
215
0
Oto 215
10
0
218
0
Oto 218
10
0
4li
4U
117 6
16
22 5
0 to 24 0
0
25
0
0
25
15
Oto 27
5
0
211
0
0 to 211
10
0
215
0
Oto215
10
0
41
41i
116 2
17
25 5
0 to 24 10
0
25
10
0
26
0
0 to 27
7
6
207
10
0 to 208
0
0
211
5
Oto 211
10
0
40
40j
117 5
20
22 10
0 to 23 10
0
25
0
0
25
5
Oto 26
15
0
205
5
0 to 205
15
0
210
0
Oto 210
10
0
40
40
US 9
21
21 IS
0 to 22 10
0
24
0
0
24
0
Oto 25
7
6
202
0
0 to 2i.2
10
0
207
5
0 to 207
15
0
40i
40j
116 6
22
21 10
0 to 22 15
0
24
0
0
22
10
0 to 24
12
fi
198
0
0 to 199
0
0
205
0
0 to 206
0
0
40S
41
115 8
23
21 10
0 to 22 15
0
24
0
0
24
0
Oto 26
0
0
200
0
0 to 200
10
0
205
15
0 to 206
0
0
42
42
116 10
28
22 0
0 to 23 10
0
24
10
0
26
0
0 to 28
0
0
200
0
0 to 201
0
0
2U6
0
0 to 206
10
0
43
43S
116 9
29
23 10
0 to 24 10
0
25
10
0
27
0
Oto 28
0
0
207
0
0 to 208
0
0
212
0
Oto212
10
0
41|
41j
116 4
30
23 10
0 to 24 5
0
25
10
0
26
0
Oto 27
10
0
205
10
0 to 206
0
0
210
5
Oto 210
10
0
40i
4l|
116 1
31
Jan.
3
24 5
0 to 25 0
0
26
5
0
26
12
6 to 28
0
0
206
10
0 to 207
0
0
211
10
Oto 212
0
0
415
412
115 11
24 10
0 to 25 0
0
26
5
0
26
12
6 to 27
15
0
205
10
0 to 206
0
0
210
10
Oto 210
15
0
4ia
4lS
115 10
4
23 5
0 to 24 0
0
25
5
0
26
7
6 to 27
7
6
205
10
0 to 206
0
0
209
15
Oto 210
5
0
424
424
114 10
5
22 15
0 to 23 10
0
24
15
0
25
5
0 to 26
5
0
208
5
0 to 208
15
0
213
5
Oto 213
15
0
424
424
112 2
6
23 10
0 to 24 0
0
25
10
0
25
7
6 10 26
2
6
210
10
Oto 210
15
0
213
15
Oto 216
0
0
4l4
418
113 3
7
24 0
0 to 24 10
0
26
0
0
27
Z
6 to 27
17
6
210
0
0 to 210
10
0
215
0
Oto215
10
0
408
40
112 6
10
abnormal feature. Dealers could, however, buy in this
country at less money than in the United States and so
buying orders came to this side. At the moment the
whole situation is rather difficult to read. The price
is admittedly low, but as already stated the demand is
poor, and further offers may yet be seen from the
Continent. It appears that the Federation of Belgian
Producers has fixed a selling price at 182'50 frs. per
100 kilos, working out at something like £i-\. 15s. Lon-
don terms. This price is of course far above the mar-
ket level here, and it seems doubtful whether the Bel-
gian producers can hold on till the market recovers to
that level. It is understood that the Electrolytic Zinc
Company's works at Risdon, Tasmania, are ceasing
operations till the metal markets improve, although
constructional work will continue. The Welsh zinc
smelters are still closed, and there is little likelihood of
any resumption of work for some time to come.
Average price of spelter : December 1920, ;^28. lis.
6d. ; November 1920, /35. 14s. 7d. ; December 1919.
£51. 9s. 2d. : November 1919, £-^6. 17s. 3d.
Zinc Dust. — High-grade Australian zinc dust is
quoted at £TQ to £80 per ton, with English at £75 to
/_'85 and American at £lO to £80.
Antimony. — English regulus of ordinary brands is
quoted at /42 to £'\5 per ton, and special brands at
£43. 10s. to £48 per ton. Foreign regulus is easy, and
can be had on spot at about £35 per ton.
Arsenic. — Business is quiet and the market is easy,
the price being about £55 to £60 per ton for Cornish
white.
Bismuth. — The quotation still continues at about
12s. 6d. per lb.
Cadmium. — The current quotatioa is about 6s. to
6s. 6d. per lb.
Aluminium. — For home and export the price rules
at £165 per ton.
Nickel. — The price stands at £215 for home and
export.
Cobalt Metal. — The present quotation is about
27s. to 30s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — Blackoxide is quoted at about 17s.
6d. and grey at 18s. 6d. per lb.
Platinum. — The market has been weak, and the
quotation is now about /16 per oz.
Palladium. — The demand for this metal is also
slackening, and the price is quoted at £l6 per oz.
Quicksilver. — This metal has only been in very
quiet demand. The price of Spanish was reduced by
the leading interests to £l4 per bottle, and later to £12
per bottle, afterward recovering to £l2. 10s.
Selenium is still quoted at from 10s. 6d. to 13s.
per lb.
Tellurium is also unaltered at from 95s. to 100s.
per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — Prices are rather easier,
and now stand at about £38 to £40 per ton.
Manganese Ore. — The quotation is about 2s. 6d.
per unit c.i.f. U.K. or Continent.
Tungsten Ores. — Wolfram 65% isquoted at about
17s. 6d. to 18s. 6d. per unit c.i.f.
Silver. — On December 1 the quotation of spot
standard bars was 44jd. per oz., values declining un-
til they touched 38jd. on December 10, rising again to
43d. on December 29. At the end of the month the
quotation was 40jd.
Graphite. — There is little fresh in this market.
The price of soft velvety flake 85 to 90% is about
£60 to £80, and Madagascar 80 to 90% about £21 to
£25 per ton.
Molybdenite. — 85% is quoted at 55s. to 60s. c.i.f.
U.K.
Chrome Ores. — The current quotation for 48 to
52% is about £8 per ton c.i.f.
Iron and Steel. — These trades are in a somewhat
transitional state. Prices were of course abnormally
high during the boom period, and the readjustment
has been slower in these than in the case of most other
commodities. With demand falling off, and much
lower prices being quoted for both pig iron and steel
by Continental countries, it was inevitable that the
prices of home makers should be readjusted. Cleve-
land ironmasters early in January met the situation by
marking down their prices by 10s. to 20s. Makers of
manufactured material are naturally easier in their
attitude as regards prices, and although reductions
have been made in certain descriptions and makers
generally are willing to book actual orders when these
are submitted at shaded quotations, a more general
marking down in prices seems still to be due.
44
TIIK MINING MAGAZINE
STATISTICS.
PKOni'CTION OK C,
Year 1919
January 1920
February
March
April
May
June
July
Aucust
September ••
October
November ■.
8.111,271
653,295
607.918
689.645
667.926
681.551
659.199
718,521
683,604
665.486
645,819
618,525
218,820
17,208
17,412
17.391
19.053
17,490
16.758
17,578
18.479
16.687
16.653
15.212
670.503
625,330
707.036
6S6.979
699.041
715.957
736.099
702.083
682.173
662.472
633.737
107
110
105
102
105
102
105
112
US
117
117
Nativrs Kmploybd in the Transvaal Mines.
Gold
mines
Septi-uiber 30. lyl'J ■
October 31
November 30
December 31
169.120
167.499
164.671
166.155
January 31, 1920
February 29
March 31
April 30
May 31
June 30
July 31
.^URUSt 31
September 30
October 31
Novem ber 30 ■
176.390
185,185
188,564
189.446
184,722
179.827
174,187
169,263
163.132
159,426
158.773
Coal
mines
j Diamond
I mines
12.392
12.691
12.565
12.750
12.766
12,708
12,788
12.951
12.897
13.036
13,005
13.535
13.716
13 858
14.245
5.294
4,492
4,337
4.271
4.796
5,217
5.232
5.057
4.793
4.596
4.521
4.244
4,323
4.214
3.504
Total
186.806
184.682
181.573
183.176
193.952
203.110
206.584
207,454
202.412
197.459
191.713
187.042
181,171
177.498
176,522
Cost and Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines. The pro6t available for dividends is about
65% of the working profit. Figures for yield and profit for 1919
based on par value of gold: subsequently gold premium included.
Tons
milled
Yield
per ton
Work's
cost
per ton
Work'g
profit
per ton
Total
working
profit
July. 1919
2.134.668
2.036.128
2,019,109
2,108.698
1,933.526
1.845.088
s. d.
27 10
28 5
28 6
28 3
28 8
28 8
s. d.
21 9
22 11
22 10
22 6
23 5
25 6
s. d.
6 0
5 5
5 7
5 10
5 5
3 10
£
611.118
551,203
560,979
612.841
521.472
354,098
September
October
November
December
Year 1919
24.043.638
28 7
22 11
5 6
6.605.509
January. 1920—
February
2.038.092
1.869.180
2.188,104
2,065.446
2.117.725
2.146.890
2,194,050
2,057,560
1,950.410
1.871.140
34 4
35 1
31 8
31 5
31 9
31 10
33 6
36 11
38 n
39 9
24 2
28 3*
25 2
26 3
25 11
25 2
24 6
25 0
25 6
26 1
10 2
6 10*
6 6
5 2
5 10
6 8
9 0
11 11
13 5
13 8
1.036.859
644.571*
716.610
533.940
618.147
692.510
985.053
1 ,226.906
1,276.369
1.278.385
April
May
July
September ...
* Results affected by the back-pay
with new wages agreement.
disbursed in accordance
Production of Gold in RHODEstA and West Africa.
Rhodesia
West Africa
1919
January
February
March
April
May
lune
July
August
September .
October
November ■
December .
Total....
£
211.917
220,885
225,808
213.160
218.057
214.215
214.919
207.339
223.719
204.184
186.462
158.835
1919
oz.
43.428
44,237
45.779
47.000
46.266
45.054
46.208
48.740
45.471
47.343
46.782
506.308
£
104.063
112.616
112.543
109.570
100.S27
106.612
102.467
103,112
100,401
91.352
98,322
98,806
1,240.691
1920
No
official
returns
published.
Transvaai, Gold Outputs,
Aurora West
brakpan
City Deep
Cons. Langlaagte
Cons. Main Keef
Crown Mines
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand P.M
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburg
Gocb
Government G.M. Areas
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Estate
Luipaard's Vtei
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein
Moddcrfontein B
Modderfontein Deep ....
Moddcrfontein East
New Unified
Nourse
Primrose
Princess Estate
Randfontein Central
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodepoort United
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
"Transvaal G.M. Estates.
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
West Rand Consolidated
Witwatersrand (Knights)
Witvvatersrand Deep ....
Wolhuter
October
Treated Yield
Treated Yield
Tons
9.400
56.000
75.000
39.200
47.000
179.000
23.000
119.000
30,700
44.500
45,300
3.060
12.900,
135.0001
43.800
24.400
41.500
14.740
12.600
94.0C0
55.000
42.600
26.6001
10.8001
44.700
20.000
104,5001
39.2001
49.100i
22.000
47.500
55.800
38.700
10.700
17.4301
32.1001
46.600
46.000!
12.300
30.800
33.P00
33.100!
33,500
Oz.
£14,858*
24,629
30,587
£67,851'
16.500
55,473
7,331
31,641
11.219
15.757
12.47^
£7.317'
£l8.111*
£315.633*
12,458
6,507
£68,456*
£21,781*
£48.733*
47,358
28,705
21.927
10.916
£14.746'
13.852
£23.884'
553
£172.433*
7.902
14.881
26.189
12.067
12.406
16.450
6.C49
£36.468*
£51.203*
£142.895'
14.595
2.654
£50.140*
£55l471'
8.976
8.598
November
Tons
9,100
52.600
58,500
40.100
44.200
174.000
23.600
1 1 1.000
30,200
44.600
46.200
3.265
14.000
130.500
43,600
22,450
38.400
14,500
13.300
93.C0O
53.500
42.700
26.100
lO.OOO
41.600
19.500
101.000
39.200
47.200
24,000
45.800
57.300
33.800
10.000
15.650
31.160
46.600
45,300
30.300
32.000
31.300
32.500
£^3
Oz.
£15.422*
22.946
23,916
£69.087*
16.018
52.269
7.827
30.069
10,490
15.834
12.487
:6.616'
.- 19,074*
£309,569*
12,397
5,932
£69.645*
£20.567*
£46.426*
45.325
27.691
22.564
11,447
£14.215*
12.824
£24.373*
641
£172.377'*
7.525
13,396
£26.801*
11.353
11.937
17,185
5.739
£31.367*
£55,009*
£90,024*
14,172
£50.299*
£53.038*
£50.489*
8.435
•Output at £5. 17s. 6d. peroz.
West African Gold Outputs.
October
November
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Tons
6.401
5.970
5.856
694
9,629
2 810
Oz.
£11.804*
2,390
6.637
£1,987*
£l5.577*
1.562
Tons
5.492
4,280
210
5.018
660
8.670
2.211
Oz.
£9.546*
1.714
158
5.805
£3.086*
£15.490*
1,243
Ashanti Goldfields
* At par.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
London & Rhodesian ....
Lonely Reef
Planet- Arcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia, Ltd.
Rhodesia G.M. & I
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian .
October
Treated
Oz.
Tons
15,362
2.983:
3,858
1,285
5,722
7,277
5,400
5,344
5.400
2.460
5,700
2.517
834
478
650
315
51.150
£45.2045
1.500
£5.055
November
Treated I Value
Tons
15.013
3.933
5.759
5.350
5.650
5,700
630
45,050
1,500
2.735*
1.333
7.875
5,298
2,985
2,538
294
£46.138§
£4,900
t Also 271 tons copper : * .^Iso 251 tons copper.
§ Sold at 115s. per oz.
JANUARY, 1921
45
West Australian Gold Statistics.— Par Values.
Production of Gold in Ihdia,
Reported
for Export
Delivered
to Mint
oz.
October. 1919
November ...
December ...
January. 1920
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September ••
October
November -•
December -■
586
1.171
831
836
1.928
835
227
502
167
141
174
128
321
64.987
64.823
27.334
25.670
49.453
54.020
56.256
50.976
56.679
48.341
54.258
54.940
53.801
54.729
53.595
Total
oz.
Total
value jC
65.573
65.994
28.165
26.506
51.381
54.020
57.091
51.203
57.181
48.341
54.425
55.081
53.975
54.857
53.916
278.535
280.323
162.575
112,590
218.251
229.461
242.506
217.495
242.638
205.340
231.185
233.963
229.275
233,017
229,057
Australian
Gold Returns.
New
RndTH
Victoria.
Queensland.
Wales
1919
1920
1919
1920
1919
1920
£
Oz.
£
Oz.
£
£
36.238
7.105
37.100
4.724
18.000
28.000
February
46.955
8.677
43.330
7.200
24.000
15.000
40.267
24.126
48.000
6.973
16.000
22.000
63.818
6.368
61.200
8.368
24.000
12.000
37.456
41.465
37.395
13.263
15,707
12.782
38.200
44.600
42.060
8.432
13.725
9.596
16.000
17.000
22.000
13.f00
I np
8.700
July
17.410
Aueust .■-
51.564
12.809
49.700
9.973
20.000
17.168
76.340
13.973
37.120
11.789
13.000
13.872
October ---
39.018
13.432
36.100
9,300
28.000
24.752
November
40.735
32.720
10.200
51.000
—
December
63.311
—
44.500
—
31.000
~
Total ...
575.260
127.141
514,630
100.201
280.000
172.702
Australasian Gold
Outputs.
October
November
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Associated G.M. (W.A.) .
Blackwater (N.Z.)
Bullfinch (VVA.)
Tons
5.601
1.042
6.000
10.560
8,731
13.817
3.681
9.892
1.500
6.0O2
1.627
12.996
7.238
12.706 1
1.533
£
8.273
1.411
1.2601
1.459*
4.916!
26.327
5.466:
7.702
12.88lt
2.828
7.240
10.575
538
16.065
2.917;
4.007:
11.691S
872!
Tons
5.865
2.685
5.330
10.608
8.472
12.461
3.038
9.063
1,570
5,636
1,726
10,373
7,058
13,103 {
7.760 1
1.540
£
8.894
3.804
1,4671
Golden Horseshoe (W.A.)
Great Boulder Pro. (W.A.)
IvanhoelW.A.)
4,717!
29.603
5.117!
3.945
Lake View & Star (W.A.I.
Menzies Con. (W..\.)
Mount BoppylN.S.W ) ...
Orova I inks (W A )
l!.2S2t
2.906
7.070
9.424
Progress (N.Z.I
Sonsof Gwalia(W.A)
SouthKalgurli(W.A.)
Waihi (N Z 1
13.302
12,643
3.576:
30.323§
2.394:
10.753S
3.591
Waihi Grand Junc'n (N.Z.)
Yuanmi (W.A.)
+ Including royalties ;
:0z. gold. : §0z silver; * Also 17 tons
tin cone.
Miscellaneous Gold and
Silver
Outputs.
October
November
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Tons
33.000
2.650
6.875
20.993
5.600
7.60O
44.444
1,252
18,000
216.0001
10,408t!
7.464
270.0001
108.459'
101.187
2.04411
10.148
31.000
22.747!
6,292*
87.000t
Tons
31.000
26.245
2,470
11,000
6,000
7,200
36,514
16,000
£
216.0001
9.0901!
Frontino & Bolivia (C'Ibia)
Mexico El Oro (Mexico)...
Mining Corp. of Canada...
Orienlal Cons. (Korea)
7,562
I64,320t
108.750t
2.00811
PlymouthCons.lCalif'rnla)
St. John del Rey (Brazil)
Santa Gertrudis (Mexico)
9,977
32.000
9.779!
85.0001
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
January
February ...
March
oz.
45.214
43.121
43.702
44.797
45.055
44.842
45.146
45.361
45.255
45.061
45.247
48.276
541.077
oz.
44.718
42.566
44.617
43.726
42.901
42.924
42.273
42.591
43.207
43.041
42.915
44,883
oz.
41.420
40.787
41.719
41.504
40.889
41.264
40.229
40.496
40.088
39.472
36.984
40.149
oz.
38.184
36.834
38.317
38.248
38.608
38.359
38.549
37.850
36.813
37.138
39.628
42.643
oz.
39.073
38.872
38.760
37.307
38.191
June
37.864
37.129
August
September
October
November
December
37.375
35.497
35.023
34.522
34.919
Total ...
520,362
485.236
461.171
444.532
Indian Gold Outputs.
Balagbat
Champion Reef ...
Mysore
North Anantapur
Nundydroog
Ooregum
November.
Tons Fine
Treated Ounces
3.200
11.676
18.169
700
8.656
12.800
2.320
5.203
12.249
1.001
5.300
8.449
December.
Tons
Treated
3.300
11.550
17.699
700
8.837
12,900
Fine
Ounces
2.564
5.613
12,049
1,005
5,222
8.466
Base Metal Outputs.
Broken Hill Block 10
Burma Corp
Fremantle Trading
Arizona Copper Short tons copper
I Tons lead cone
British Broken Hill ... \ Tons zinc cone
[ Tons carbonate ore....
( Tons lead cone
1 Tons zinc cone.
I Tons refined lead
1 Oz. refined silver
Long tons lead
,,,-,, J Tons copper
Hampden Cloneurry.. ^ q^ gj^jj
Kafue Copper Short tons copper
(Tons copper
Mount Lyell 1 Oz silver
lOz. gold
,, ( Tons copper
Mount Morgan | q^ g^u
, „ , ,,.,, J Tons lead
North Broken Hill ■■• | qz silver
Pilbara Copper Tons ore
Poderosa Tons copper ore
Rhodesian Broken Hill-Tons lead ;■■■
S'th American Copper Tons copper ore ship d .
Tanganyika Long tons copper
Tolima Tons silver-lead cone
_ j Tons zinc cone
Zinc Corp 1 -Pons ig^j ^a„c
Oct. Nov
1.400
2.200
246.260
210
552
335
34
401
12.779
392
523
7.552
114
480
1,150
1.750
1.224
60
1.400
2.203
278.750
310
505
324
469
14.476
463
587
9.517
97
250
952
Imports of Ores. Metals, etc.. into United Kingdom-
December. Year 1920.
+ U.S. Dollars.
I Profit, gold and silver.
* Oz. silver.
I Oz. gold.
lion Ore
Manganese Ore
Copper and Iron Pyrites ..
Copper Ore. Matte, and
Precipitate
Copper Metal
Tin Concentrate
Tin Metal
Lead. Pig and Sheet
Zinc (Spelter)
Quicksilver
Zinc Oxide
White Lead
Barytes
Phosphate
Sulphur
Borax
Other Boron Compounds
Nitrate of Soda
Nitrate of Potash
Petroleum:
Crude
Lamp Oils
Motor Spirit ■-■
Lubricating Oils
Gas Oil
Fuel Oil
Total Petroleum
.-Tons ...
..Tons -■
..Tons ...
..Tons ...
..Tons -
--Tons ...
..Tons -■
--Tons ••■
...Tons ..
..Lb. -
-.Tons ..
...Cwt. ..
...Cwt. ..
...Tons ..
.-Tons ..
...Cwt. ..
..Tons ..
..Cwt. ••
..Cwt. ..
. Gallons
. Gallons
. Gallons
- Gallons
. Gallon*
. Gallons
■ Gallons
528.628
6.500.911
47.345
452.613
63.563
630.564
2.592
31.164
9,201
104.930
2,519
41.358
2,410
28.749
22.784
162.850
7,217
109.367
4-15,006
2.682.016
367
7.681
9,757
669.491
34,340
581.857
82,221
521.350
15.759
8.540
2.145
23.117
110.175
2.949.530
11,790
184,973
993,315
4,180.128
11,176,497
160.951.946
12.381.806
207.739.144
11.739.132
105.914.877
1.547.732
53.564.775
32.926.439
347.771.044
70.768.408
880,207.568
46
MI N INC, MAGAZINIi;
Oi'Tfrrs OF Tin Mimni: i
In Tons of C>'iu . nti
Niitorin :
Associated Niiierian
Bonue
Bisichi
Bonnvvelli
Champion (Nigeria)
Dua
Ex-Lands
Filani
Forum River
Gold Coast Consolidated..
Guruin River
Jantar
Jos
Kaduna
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Kuru
Kwall
Lower Bisichi
Lucky Chance
Minna
Mongu
Naragnta
Naraguta Extended
Nigerian Consolidated
Ninghi
N.N. Bauchi
Offin River
Raytield
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Yarde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Chenderians
Gopeng
Zdris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamunting
Kinta
Lahat
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Rambutan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
Grenville
South Crofty
Other Countries :
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia)
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook (Siam)
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal)
Macready (Swaziland)
Mawchi (Burma)
Porco (Bolivia)
Renong (Siam)
Rooiberg Minerals (Transvaal) ...
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam)
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
Sept.
Tons
II
a
3
35
8
II
5
15
15
20j
14i
6i
4J
9i
1
24
31
45
24
33j
4i
53
35
92
34
84
a
84
4
79*
60
173
12
106'
26
534
684
183
13
30
36
39
37
54t
180
30
21
18
265*
21*
70t
5
594
50
534
85
30
Oct.
Tons
20
16
14
24
33
5J
10
3
15
10
224
13
9j
5
12
83
1
3
40
45
23
30
6
55
35
168
54
13
li
72
18
134
32j
594
804
1784
15
30
30
39
494
6941
55t
29
20
194
Nov.
Tons
20
16
li
3
14
35
5
74
24
15
10
24i
174
9
51
84
1
40
45
15
224
54
55
35
115
72
194
13
32i
594
785
166
164
31
30
31
38
74t
602t
27
23
19*
6l3
934
50
15
604
63i
68
76
28
28
* Three months. + Tin and wolfram.
NuiKRiAN Tin PRomtcTioN.
In lone tons of conoentrute of unspecified content.
Note These fi/inrcs are Itihcn /mm the monthly returns
matte hyimlivitlmtl comtyiinies rf/>(ir/i»i*.' im /.<
Probably represent 85% of the actual outputs
uton, and
191S
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
January
February ...
Tons
417
358
418
Tons
531
328
!47
Tons
667
646
633
555
309
473
479
531
538
578
621
655
Tons
678
668
707
584
525
492
545
571
520
491
472
518
Tons
613
623
606
546
483
484
491
616
561
625
536
511
Tons
547
477
505
April
444 ' 486
357 ! 536
373 ! 510
467
May
383
June
435
August
September
October
November ...
December ...
438
442
511
467
533
498
535
584
679
654
447
528
628
544
Total ..
_5'2L3_
J^94_
6.927
6.771
6.685
5,445
Production of Tin in pEnKRATKD Malay States.
Estimated at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters.
Long Tons.
January ..
February ..
March
April
May
June
July
August .....
September
October
November
December
1916
Tons
4,316
3.372
3,696
3,177
3.729
3,435
3,517
3,732
3,636
3.681
3,635
3,945
43,871
1917
Tons
3.558
2,755
3.286
3,251
3,413
3,489
3,253
3,413
3,154
3,436
3,300
3,525
39.833
1918
Tons
3,149
3 191
2,608
3,308
3.332
2.950
3,373
3,259
3,166
2.870
3,131
3.023
1919
37,370
Tons
3,765
2.673
2,819
2.855
3.404
2.873
3,756
2.955
3,161
3,221
2,972
2,413
36,867
1920
Tons
4,265
3,014
2.770
2,606
2,741
2.940
2,824
2.786
2.734
2.837
2,573
32.090
Total Sales of Tin Concbntrate at Redruth Ticketings.
August 25. 1919 .
September 8 ....
September 22 ....
October 8
October 20
November 3
November 17 ....
December 1 ....
December 15 ....
December 31 ....
Total and Average,
1919
January 12, 1920..
January 26
February 9
February 23
March 8
March 22
April 6
April 19
May 3
May 17
May 31
June 14
June 28
July 12
July 26
August 9
August 23
September 6 —
September 20 —
October 4
October 18
November 1
November 15 ....
November 29 —
December 13 ....
December 28 -..
Long tons
1304
115*
1354
72
32
344
39
38
29
14i
Value
£18,297
£16.588
£19.557
£10,867
£5,093
£5,235
£6,161
£5,905
£5,133
£2.884
Average
£l40 4
£l43 12
£I44 6
£l50 18
£159 3
£l51 15
£l57 19
£l55 8
£l76 10
£195 10 10
2,858
£366.569
31
5ii
374
533
18
44
444
334
6l4
44
10
243
144
433
10*
104
27i
19
10
9
39*
9
4i
8*
8*
84
£6.243
£lO,574
£-.880
£12,120
£4,038
£8.286
£8.367
£6.375
£11.641
£6.151
£1,578
£3,278
£1.932
£6.133
£1.643
£1.664
£4,022
£2.563
f 1.552
£l.359
£5.225
£1.329
£597
£965
£981
£946
£l28 5 0
£201 8
£204 6
£210 2
£225 10
£224
£188 6
£188 0
£190 6
£189 5
£139 16
£l57 16
£132 9
£133 4
£l40 4
£l56 10
£158 10
£l47 !2
£l34 18
£155 5
£151 0
£132 5
£147 14
£132 17
£113 12
£ll5 8
£111 5
On December 13, Tincroft sold 84 tons, and on December 28
a similar amount.
JANUARY, 1921
47
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Lone Tons.
Straits and Australian Spot
Ditto. Landing and in Transit --
Other Standard, Spot and Land-
ing
Straits. Afloat
Australian. Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto. Afloat
Billiton, Spot
Billiton. Afloat
Straits. Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto. Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States---
Stock in America
Total
1.043
556
3,261
2,154
179
2,143
1.222
230
100
5.363
3.191
19.442
Nov. 30 Dec. 31
1.944
620
2,743
1.955
203
2.966
1.095
721
295
300
3 257
2,966
2.170
1.138
3.355
1,183
250
3.511
278
755
264
485
1,734
2.856
Shipments. Imports, Supply, and Consumption of Tin,
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long toDS-
Sbipments from :
' Straits to UK
Straits to America
Straits to Continent
Straits to Other Places
Australia to U.K
U.K. to America
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
Supply :
Straits
Australian
Billiton
Banca
Standard --.
Total-
Consumption :
U K. Deliveries
Dutch
American
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
tinental Ports, etc
Total-.
Ocl-
1,470
1.770
100
165
350
225
1.117
3,340
350
542
1,148
1.305
6,685
1,670
126
3,465
5.569
Nov.
1.505
825
300
199
350
175
2.172
2,630
350
482
1.154
475
5,091
1,607
215
3,420
226
915
825
485
225
250
150
2,225
250
250
1,500
4.225
1.518
366
2,580
4,811
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies,
Date
Dec. 22.
Dec. 21-
Jan. 7-
Dec. 17.
Dec. 21-
Dec. 22.
Dec. 22.
Dec- 17
Dec. 27.
Dec. 21.
Dec. 17-
Dec. 14.
Jan- 4.
Dec- 18
Company
Anglo- American
Corp'n of South
Africa
Apex Mines
Champion Reef
De Beers Consoli- J
dated 1
Gopeng Consolidated
Leeuwpoort (African
Farms) Tin
McCreedy Tin
New Era
Ouro Preto
Rand Mines
Rand Selection Cor-
poration
Rezende --
Tekka
Tongkah HarbourTin
Dredging
Par
Value of
Shares
10s-
2s. 6d.
Pref.
Def.
Pref. £l
5s.
£l.
Amount of
Dividend
5% less tax
7^d. less tax
4d. less tax
20% less tax
20% less tax
9d. less tax
10%
10%
20% less tax
Is. less tax
4s. 3d. less tax
17^% less tax
20% less tax
4i% less tax
PRICES OF CHEMICALS
These quotations are not absolute ; they v
quantities required and contracts
Alum
Alumina. Sulphate of
Ammonia. Anhydrous
0S80 solution
,. Carbonate
.. Chloride of. grey
.. „ M pure
Nitrate of
M Phosphate of
Sulphate of
Antimony Sulphide. Golden
Arsenic, White
Barium Sulphate
Bisulpbate of Carbon
Bleachine Powder. 35% CI
Borax
Copper. Sulphate of
Cyanide of Sodium, 100%
Hydrofluoric Acid ,
Iodine
Iron. Sulphate of
Lead, Acetate of, white
,. Nitrate of
„ Oxide of. Litharge
„ White
Lime. Acetate, brown
grey 80%
Magnesite, Calcined
Magnesium. Chloride
.. Sulphate
Methylated Spirit 64° Industrial -
Phosphoric Acid
January
7.
ary according to
running.
l
s.
d.
per ton
19
0
0
16
0
0
per lb.
2
6
per ton
46
0
0
per lb.
6^
per ton
54
0
0
per cwt.
5
10
0
per ton
50
0
0
„
95
0
0
„
24
0
0
per lb.
1
6
per ton
65
0
0
„
1(1
0
0
„
55
0
0
„
19
0
0
„
41
0
0
„
38
0
0
per lb.
1
0
7*
per oz.
1
0
per ton
4
0
0
„
58
0
0
„
55
0
0
,,
50
0
0
„
64
0
0
„
15
0
0
„
22
0
0
22
0
0
„
13
0
0
10
0
0
per sal
7
4
per lb.
1
6
Potassium Bichromate per lb.
„ Carbonate 85% per ton
„ Chlorate per lb.
Chloride 80% per ton
Hydrate (Caustic) 90%
„ Nitrate
„ Permanganate per lb.
„ Prussiate, Yellow i.
Sulphate, 90% per ton
Sodium Metal per lb.
„ Acetate per ton
„ Arsenate 45% >•
„ Bicarbonate ..
„ Bichromate per lb.
Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton
„ (Crystals)
Chlorate per lb.
„ Hydrate. 76% per ton
Hyposulphite ).
„ Nitrate. 95% »
„ Phosphate i>
„ Prussiate per lb.
„ Silicate per ton
.. Sulphate (Salt-cake) >.
(Glauber's Salts)
•t Sulphide i.
Sulphur. Roll ,1
„ Flowers
Sulphuric Acid. Fuming, 65° t.
,, .. free from Arsenic, 144°
Superphosphate of Lime. 18%
Tartaric Acid per lb.
Tin Crystals
Zinc Chloride per ton
Zinc Sulphate „
£
s
1
d.
4
65
0
0
0
8
30
0
0
70
0
0
50
0
0
3
1
0
7
38
0
0
1
3
47
0
0
55
0
0
9
0
0
11
16
0
0
7
0
0
51
28
0
0
23
0
0
24
0
0
32
0
0
11
11
0
0
9
0
0
10
0
0
36
0
0
17
0
0
17
0
0
24
0
0
6
5
0
8
10
0
1
2
9
27
0
0
22
0
0
48
THIC MINING MAGAZINl':
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares ace £l par value except where otherwise noted.
GOLD. SII.VK[<.
DIAMONDS:
RANn :
Brakpan
Central Minins (iCS)
City & Suburban U*)
City Peep
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidated I.an^Iaaitte
Consolidated Main Reef
Consolidated Mines SelectiondOs.)
Crown Mines llOs )
Daettafontein
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand Proprietary
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenluiis Deep
Gov't Gold Mining Areas
Heriot
Johannesburg Consolidated
Jupiter
Kleinfontein
Knielit Central
Knights Deep
Lanf:Ia3»:te Estate
Meyer A: Charlton
Modderfontein (lOs.)
Modderfontein H (5s.)-
Modderfontein DeeplSs.)
Modderfontein East
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines {5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central
Robinson (^5)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Simmer Deep
Springs ,
Sub Nieel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.)
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Villatje Main Reef
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolhuter
Other Transvaal Gold Mines:
Glynn's Lydenburg
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates....
Diamonds in South Africa:
De Beers Deferred {£z 10s.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa ....
Falcon
Gaika.*
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Shamva
Willoughby's (lOs.l
West Africa ■
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
Abosso
Ashanti (4s.)
Frestea Block A
Taquah
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe !f 51
Great Boulder Proprietary(2s.)
Great Finsall (10s)
Hampton Properties
Ivanhoe its)
Kalgurii
Lake View Investment (10s.)
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurii (10s.)
* £\ shares split into 4 of 5s
Ian. 7,
1920
£ s. d.
3 13
11 10
9
3 6
1 18
1 6
16
1 13
3 16
1 2
10
11
12
2 16
15
5 2
11
1 14
7
14
7
12
1 0
5 2
4 10
9 8
2 IS
1 12
1 12
17
4 0
5 7
1 0
14
1 3
5
6
3
2
2
3
1
3
6
17
7
1 1
11
5
16 3
IS 9
32 5 0
6 17 6
13 0 0
11
1 0
17
17
16
3 2
4 0
2 3
7
5 6
12 6
1 4 0
5 6
17 6
3
3
3
1 6
9
1
1 11
1 18
1 0
1 3
10
5
each.
Jan. 7.
1921
£ s. d.
3 0
7 0
G
2 7
18
IS
13
18
2 7
8
3
6
8
2 8
8
4 5
9
1 4
2
7
5
9
13
4 12
0
0
6
6
9
0
6
6
6
6
y
6
9
9
3
0
3
6
0
6
6
0
fi
6
3 12 6
1 10 Ot
2 3
1 0
1 5
9
2 II
3 0
11
9
11
16
3
1 16
13
16
12
3 17
8
5
16
13
7
3
10 0
8 6
13 5 0
3 0 0
5 15 0
15
10
II
19
2 10
2 15
1 11
5
2 9
9 0
15 3
2 0
10 0
3
3
I
15
5
I
7
18
11
II
5
6
Gold. Silvicr, coitt.
Othkrs in Australasia:
Blackwater, New Zealand
ConsolidaiidG.l'.of New Zealand
Mount Boppv. N.S.W. (10s)
Progress, New Zealand
Talisman, New Zealand
W'aihi, New Zealand
Waihi Grand Junction, New Z'lnd
America :
Bucna Tierra. Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
El Oro. Mexico
Esperanza. Mexico
Frontino & Bolivia. Colombia
Le Roi No. 2 (£5). British Columbia
Mexico Mines of Kl Oro. Mexico..
Ncchi (Pref. 10s.). Colombia
Oroville Dredging, Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California
St. John del Rey, Brazil
Santa Gerlrudis. Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia :
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balaghat (10s.)
Champion Reef (2s. 6d.)
Mysore (10s.)
Norlh Anantapur
Nundydroog (10s.)
Ooreguin (10s.)
COPPER:
Arizona Copper (5s.). Arizona
Cape Copper (£.1), Cape and India.
Esperanza. Spain
Hampden Cloncurry. Queensland
Mason & Barry, Portugal
Messina (5s. I, Transvaal
Mount Elliott (f5). Queensland ...
Mount Lyell. Tasmania
Mount Morgan. Queensland
Mount Oxide. Queensland
Namaqua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Tinto (£5), Spain
Russo-Asiatic Consd.. Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika. Congo and Rhodesia
LEAD-ZINC:
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Cor|)oration (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia :
Burma Corporation (10 rupees) ..
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill (59.)
Jan. 7.
1920
£ s. d.
3
6
1
8
2 7
12
15
1 0
15
15
12
II
7 0
12
1 7
I 3
16
1 12
13
1 7
12
6
3
1 1
4
14
16
Jan. 7
1921
£ 8. d.
1 12
49 10
17 6
1 5 0
2 18 9
1 6
2 6
2 12
1 5
2 17
2 16
1 3
1 2
14 0 0
12 6
6
7
11
1 6
8
5
5 10
7
1 2
17
13
12
7
12 6
3 0
I 10 0
15 0
5
5
1 10
4
10
16
12
17
1 I
2 3
15
1 ID
1 12
12
12
8 61
7 6
TIN :
Aramayo Francke, Bolivia 4 12 6
Bisichi. Nigeria 16 3
Briseis. Tasmania * 6
Dolcoath, Cornwall 8 5
East Pool (5s.) Cornwall 18 3
Ex-Lands Nigeria 12s.). Nigeria ... 3 3
Geevor (10s ) Cornwall i 14 0
Gopeng, Malay 2 0 0
Ipoh Dredging. Malay 18 6
Kamunting, Malaya 2 6 3
Kinta, Malaya 2 15 0
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay 2 8 9
Mongu (10s.). Nigeria 1 9 0
Naraguta, Nigeria 17 6
N.N.Bauchi.NigeriadOs.) 9 0
Pahang Consolidated (5s.), Malay. 15 0
Rayfield. Nigeria 15 0
Renong Dredging, Siam 2 15 6
Ropp (4s. 1. Nigeria 1 12 0
Siamese Tin. Siam 3 15 0
South Crofty (5s.). Cornwall 19 0
Tehidy Minerals. Cornwall 1 6 3
Tekka. Malay 4 12 6
Tekka-Taiping Malay 6 10 0
Tronoh. Malay I 2 12 6
t 10-rupee shares of Indian Co. 5 New shares. ' New shares 5s. paid.
2 15
6
3
1 10
13
2 10
1 12
1 8
13
10
1
7
1 13
7
2 10 0
7 9
10 0
I 0 0§
1 3 9§
I 6 3
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY. AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also reviews of new
books, and abstracts of the yearly reports of mining companies.
NEW DEVELOPMENT, METHODS
The 'Kovemher Journal of the South African Insti-
tution of Engineers contains a paper by G. H. Beatty
on the new shafts and development methods at the
Randfontein Central. These new methods were adop-
ted after the acquirement of control by Barnatos from
Sir ]. B. Robinson.
The portion of the Randfontein group of mines
affected by the new lay out consists of seven sections
— numbered 1 to 7 — from south to north on the strike
of the reef series. Mining operations are being carried
on in sections Nos. 2 to 7, along a strike of 17,000 feet.
With the old lay-out, hoisting and pumping were con-
ducted in all sections through ten shafts, namely, the
Nos. 1, 6, and 7 main inclines. No. 2 sub-incline, and
Nos. 3, 4, and 5 main verticals and sub-inclines. Un-
til 1918 the No. 7 section was served by a main com-
pound shaft and sub-incline. In that year the sub-in-
cline was connected to the surface, and the compound
shaft was cut out. The ten shafts were served by 19
hoists, and employed 54 engine drivers, 54 skipmen, 20
banksmen, and 30 shaft timbermen. The average
monthly tonnage hoisted during the year 1919 was
103,000 tons, at a hoisting cost of 2 363s. per ton, from
an average depth of 2.300 ft. In September, 1917. a
start was made upon the sinking of two new verticals,
known as the North and South Deep shafts, the object
being to cut out all nine shafts in sections No. 1 to 6.
There are two reefs, 200 ft. apart horizontally, with a
very even strike roughly north and south, and a regu-
lar dip averaging 65'. Dislocations are rare, and the
few faults and dykes in evidence are not of much im-
portance. The gold is evenly distributed, and about
AT RANDFONTEIN CENTRAL.
5
Scale oF Feet
Cross-Section of Reefs.
Scale
2,500
of Feet
5,000 7500
3 5 0
27
10,000
Rock Tunnel
18 Rock Tunnel
1—6
Sketch Plan of Shafts and Rock Tunnels.
49
50
THE MINING MAGAZINE
85?o of the ore developed is sloped. With the excep-
lion of the sleep dip, these conditions are favourable,
but, on the other hand, the reef channel is very thin,
the hanninn and foot-walls aredilticult lo support, and
the present workin(;s are subject to great pressure and
movement, due to depth and the fact that practically
all the ore above them has been stoped out and no sup-
port provided.
The design of the new shafts has already been the
subject of a paper read by W. L. White and published
in the Journal in February, 1919. (See the Maga-
zine for April, 1919.) They are designed and situated
so as to serve an ultimate depth of 5,000 ft. They are
placed in a position to intersect the reefs midway in the
area between the present lowest workings and that
depth. With a dip as high as 65 no great amount of
cross-cutting is necessary from the shafts lo the reels,
even on the lop and bottom levels
Under the old shaft lay-out, five inclines were being
sunk to exploit the area, namely, the No. 6 main in-
cline and Nos. 5, 4, 3, and 2 sub-inclines. They were
very difficult to sink, and progress was painfully slow
owing to the awkward dip and delays caused by break-
downs in the pumping and hoisting plants.
The old method of development was the usual prac-
tice on the Kand, and consisted of cross-cuts from the
shaft sialions lo the reefs, reef drives, and connections
between drives at intervals. The vertical distance be-
tween drives was about 120 ft. This method proved
costly, inadequate, and totally unsuiled to the local
conditions, for the following reasons: (a) Limited
speed and high cost or driving on reef, because when
a drive had advanced some distance the operalions be-
hind it retarded its progress Almost immediately
sloping commenced it became necessary to timber the
drives. Pillars left above the level were useless and
dangerous, and consequently a quantity of rock was
always broken directly on to the level This resulted
in constant injury to the water and air supply pipes,
difficulty in feeding the machines, and delay in clean-
ing out the development end. (b) Cost of supporting
drives. With several slopes working above and below
any drive, it became necessary to close limber it practi-
cally from end to end, and the limber had to be re-
newed several times per annum, (c) Cost of tramming.
The track was subject lo injury through blasting opera-
tions and falling rock. As before mentioned, the dip
is 65°, and with sufficient foot-wall cut away lo support
the track, the fool-wall of the upper slope became
troublesome, and the sloping width above the drive
difficult to control ; further, the development rock value
was reduced lo practically nothing. With insufficient
fool-wall cut away the track sagged immediately slop-
ing commenced below the level. Owing lo pressure,
no regular grade could be kepi on the track, and in
sloped areas the track became a switchback. Rock
from inside slopes had lo be trammed through con-
gested drives and past numerous box-holes, through
which water and fines were falling, with resulting de-
railments. Id) Limited output from any one drive in
a given time, due lo reasons given in (c) and (/). (e)
Length of lime each drive had to be kept in commis-
sion, due 10 (d). (fl No mechanical means of transport
was possible through the reef drives, (g) Mine water
could not be kept on the level on which it was struck
or used, and found its way to the lo%vest sloping level,
becoming very muddy in its progress, {h'l The cost of
support and tramming increased with the age of the
level, and toward the end of its life, the inside slopes
— probably one or two faces only were working — had
10 bear the whole cost of upkeep. Unless they were
rich they were unpayable and abandoned. (J) It was
dillicult lo control air currents and the ventilation was
unsalisfaclorv in places, (k) Loss of compressed air in
friction and leakages; 140,000ft. of air pipe was in
commission in the reef drives, all of it liable to damage
from many sources. (/) The workable length of a drive
on reef was limited, and a shaft could serve a limited
strike only.
The new method introduced is as follows : A head-
ing termed a "rock tunnel," size 8 ft. by 8 ft., is driven
from iO to 50 fl. in the foot-wall of the lower reef, and
cross-culs are driven to the reefs at intervals of 500 fl.
The levels are connected by means of winzes and rises
from the intersections of reefs and cross-cuts. Heef
drives are driven at leisure as the slope-faces advance.
The distance between levels is 171 fl. vertically, giving
200 ft. lo 210 ft. backs. The rock tunnels are providetl
with either 10 Ion electric locomotives, of the overhead
wire type, or smaller battery locomotives. Sidings for
ten JO cwl. cars are provided at each cross cut.
The advantages of this system areas follows: (a)
Ore can be developed rapidly, as there is nothing to
hinder the rapid advancement of the rock tunnel, (b)
Each slope-face has an independent drive, there is no
tramming past box-holes or through congested drives,
and the average length of hand tram to the rock tun-
nels is 270 ft. only. When llie slope-face is worked
out, it is reclaimed, washed, and abandoned, together
with its drive, (c) Given adequate means of transport,
the rock tunnels can easily handle the rock broken in
the slopes feeding them ; their life is, therefore, deter-
mined by the rate at which ihey can be driven, and the
rate of exhaustion in the slopes. Concentration is thus
possible in a high degree, and the life of a level and
the number of levels in commission are reduced to a
minimum, (d) The main air and water supply pipes
are situated in the rock tunnels, and out of harm's way.
ie) Mine water is led to the rock tunnels, which are
provided with concreted drains, (t) There is no diffi-
culty in controlling air currents, and ventilation is im-
proved, (g) The rock tunnels can be of great length,
with very little disadvantage. Transport of rock, ma-
terial, or men through them presents no difficulty or
undue expense. The rock tunnels going north from
the North Deep shaft will be 6,000 ft. long. Locomo-
tives travelling at eight miles per hour bring the most
distant workings within nine minutes of the shaft, (/i)
It is evident that the method has a beneficial effect up-
on the grade of the ore crushed. The value of de-
velopment rock from main drives driven on reef aver-
ages only about 25 dwt. per ton, even when the reef
is carried in the correct position in the drives. But
with a steep reef a degree of accuracy is necessary
which is not obtainable under present-day conditions,
with the result that an unnecessary amount of waste is
broken at times. Flaking commences as soon as slop-
ing is in full swing and weight thrown upon the lengths
of drive between slope-faces, and the drives are con-
stantly increasing in size until finally stoped out. It is
probable that the rock broken in drives, plus subse-
quent additions of waste, averages under 2 dwt. per
ton. The new shafts are provided with waste bins on
every level, and the waste broken in the rock tunnels
and cross-cuts is trammed and hoisted as waste. The
waste broken in the reef drives is easily controlled and
kept at a minimum ; in most cases the reef drive is no
more than a ledge, wide enough lo support a 2 ft. track,
cut in the fool-wall.
The method eliminates the working defects and limi-
tations of the old system, and permits of two shafts
serving a strike of 14,000 ft. for rock concentration and
hoisting purposes, and an additional 6,000 ft. for drain-
age. Further, it greatly increases the tonnage that a
JANUARY, 1921
51
given area can produce in a given time. The area in
question , Nos. 2 to 6 sections inclusive, may be called
upon to produce 1,700,000 tons per year. To develop
thatquantityfiforeit will be necessary todrive 14,000ft.
of rock tunnel annually, and to break and handle the
tonnage it will be necessary to have 28,000 ft. of rock
tunnel in full commission. Not more than four levels
will be in commission at one time : probably two will
be in certain stages of exhaustion, one in full commis-
sion, and one opening up.
It may appear that the points of attack for develop-
ment purposes are insufficient for such a large area.
Roughly speaking, the strike is divided by the shafts
into stretches of 4,000 ft. at the southern end, 4,500 ft.
between shafts, and 5,500 ft. at the northern end.
Thus, as the middle portion will be attacked from two
ends, there will be four points of attack until the mid-
dle portion is developed, and two afterwards, or, say,
an average of three over the development life of the
level. If development work is confined to the single-
shift basis, it will be necessary to have twelve ends
working, or four levels in course of development.
MICA DEPOSITS IN LOMAGUNDI, RHODESIA.
A report has been issued by the Rhodesia Geological
Survey, written by the Government Geologist, H. B.
Maufe, on the mica deposits, recently developed, on
the western flanks of the .'Vngwa river basin in the
Lomagundi District of Rhodesia. The majority of the
claims are situated between the Mwami and Mkwichi
rivers, tributaries to the left bank of the Angwa river.
The area over which the mica claims are scattered
measures more than 40 square miles, but the limits of
the deposits are not known. The deposits are only a
Sketch M.\p of Mica District.
few miles east of the probable route of the proposed
Sinoia Kafue Railway, and is about 64 miles from pres-
ent rail-head at Sinoia.
The country-rock is a well-foliated mica schist re-
markably uniform in composition. On the rough edges
of the rock glassy quartz in grains and small lenticles
may be seen lying between the mica scales, but it seldom
seems to form as much as half the rock. The chief varia-
tion from the mica schist is due to the incoming of
quartzite or quartz schist bands. These consist of grey,
micaceous quartzite from a fraction of an inch to several
feet thick. Usually a number of bands of quartzite are
separated by bands of mica-schist, and in places the al-
ternations are so rapid that the rock might be described
as a striped schist. Some bands contain a little biotite
in addition to muscovite. A fine-grained grey porphy-
ritic biotite granite crops out at the northern end of the
Miame claims. As is so frequently the case, a stream
follows the contact between granite and schist, and the
granite was not actually seen to be intrusive into the
schist. A grey felsite and a small outcrop of diorite
similar to that seen in the Angwa river on Romsey farm
were noticed in the small stream running into the Karoe
river.
Pegmatite dykes contain all the merchantable mica.
They commonly trend in a direction a few degrees west
of north, but cannot often be followed for as much as
100 yards without setting off to the east or to the west.
They vary in width from a few inches to 10 or 15 yards,
and over much of the field they dip to the west at high
angles. In the north-western part of the field called
Dounka, situated around the Karoe (north) river, the
MS MB P MB MS MB
Pegmatite Dykes with Books of Mica.
dykes dip east at a high angle and are on the average
narrower than elsewhere. The mica books o-cur in
the dykes in a remarkably regular manner, which assists
considerably prospecting and mining. Thebooksoccur
in a belt or in a succession of lenticles against the mica
schist walls, and usually on both sides of a dyke, as
shown. Otherwise the dykes present the many varia-
tions of composition so characteristic of pegmatites.
The commonest variety of pegmatite is one consisting
almost entirely of felspar, the quartz occurring incon-
spicuously in glassy grey blebs scattered through the
felspar, which is itself decomposed to a pinkish, buff,
or white earth. This kind of rock usually forms the
central portion of a dyke. In some instances it has
scattered regularly through it books of mica lying at all
angles. The books are large, but very thin. The mica
is stained a dark colour and does not yield a marketable
grade. In portions of some dykes, and usually near the
walls, the quartz becomes more abundant than the fel-
spar and forms lenticles or blows. These quartz blows
are occasionally free from felspar, butcontain numerous
books of mica an inch or two in length. This variety
is known on the field as greisen. It usually lies close
beside, or is mixed with, the pockets of workable mica.
Since this greisen resists decomposition and disintegra-
tion, It forms blocks at the surface, and is frequently
52
THE MINING MAGAZINE
the only indication of a peKmaiiie dyke. In prospect-
ing greisen may be taken as an indication o{ a possible
niicabeariiiK ilyke bencalli.
The mica is wholly nuiscovite, chemically a hydrated
silicate o( aluminium and potassium. It is usually
either of a ruby or of a bottle-j;reen colour, though some
clouded silvery mica has been found. The statement
that marketable biotite and phlogopite have been found
is not substantiated. The native name for the mica is
"datsi." The books of mica occur in a band or in a
series of lenticles on each wall of a pegmatite dyke, the
books lying at all angles, but often touching oneanolher
and even being closely packed. The band or lenticle is
in places close to the wall of mica schist country-rock ,
in others separated from it bya few inches of pegmatite.
Here and there a dyke is seen with only one hand, but
this is unusual, except in the case of the narrower dykes.
Inclusions or horses of mica schist country-rock are
very common in the dykes, and it is usual to find a zone
of mica books completely surrounding the horse, which
is thus a structure not unwelcome to the mica miner.
The books vary in size from 4 to 5 in. in length to as
many feet, the majority probably being between C and
18 in. They are seldom more than 0 in. tliick, and fre-
quently half that. Mucli of the mica is stained, near
the surface deeply stained, but mining seems to show
that staining diminishes 10 to 15 ft. down, and the mica
becomes slightly stained, spotted, or clear.
All work is open-cut, and at the time of Mr. Maufe's
visit had not gone below a depth of about 35 ft. Much
of the work is done by pick and shovel, the felspar of
the pegmatite being decomposed to a clay and therefore
easy to work. When blasting has to be resorted to,
either 30% or farmer's dynamite is used for loosening
the rock without shattering the books. The pegmatite
dykes are on some claims so closely placed that it is
economical to take out together the foot-wall band of
mica, the intervening strip of mica schist country-rock,
and the hanging-wall band of mica in the next dyke. In
other cases the two bands belonging to the one dyke
are worked together, or each band is separately worked.
The books commonly split up on being taken out into
slabs about 4 in. thick. These slabs are taken to the
dressing ground, and first split up with the aid of a
knife into sheets about j', in. thick. They are next
trimmed by shears into irregular polygonal shapes, all
cracks, flaws, and striations being rigorously cut away,
and the laces of the sheets peeled until a smooth even
surface is obtained. Bent or buckled mica sliould not
be split at all, but rejected. The irimnicd sheets are
taken lo the grading sheds, where this most important
operation is carried out. The groups depending on
transparency recognized lately bylhe Ministry of Muni-
tions are : Clear, part stained, 2nd quality clear, 2nd
quality part stained, fair stained, ordinary (rust and
clay stained), densely stained, black spotted, and soft
white (Jenerally, however, only four groups are re-
cognized, namely : Clear, slightly stained, stained, and
densely stained. In each group there are ten sizes, de-
pending upon the largest rectangle which a sheet can
give. The largest size is 72 in. square or over. Itisesti-
mated that U lb. of trimmed mica is a good average
yield from each hundredweight of mica won. The
waste is therefore enormous. Much of this waste is of
marketable (juality, and could be converted into split-
tings for the manufacture of mica board, mica cloth, or
mica paper, while oilier portions could be pulverized
lo form ground mica.
Mr. Maufe gives the following general conclusions :
(I) The quantity and quality of the mica over a large
area in Lomagundi are sufficient for the establishment
of a regular mica-mining industry. (2) The mica is
more regular in its distribution in the dykes than is
usual in pegmatites. The deposits are seldom pockets,
but are generally sufficiently continuous to be called
" reefs," as this term is understood in South Africa. (3)
The mode of occurrence of ihe mica, and the ease with
which a marketable product can be obtained without
much capital, makes the work suitable lor the "small
man," and in view of the large number of reefs scatter-
ed over a wide area it may be confidently anticipated
that continual efforts will be made to work the mineral.
REINFORCED CONCRETE IN TIN-DRESSING PLANT.
At the meeting of the Cornish Institute of Engineers
held on December 18. Ernest Gordon read a paper de-
scribing the use of reinforced concrete in the construc-
tion of the 100-ton mill and dressing plant at the Por-
kellis (Basset & Grylls) tin mine near Wendron. It
was decided to use reinforced concrete on account of
the high price of timber.
A cheap and effective form of reinforcement was ob-
tained by using the strands of old scrap winding rope.
This rope, IJ in. diameter, was unstranded by hand in
100 ft. lengths, there being 6 resulting strands of rough-
ly ^ in. diameter. No attempt w^as made to straighten
out the twist in the strands ; but, in order to free them
from grease, they were coiled up and heated in the fire-
box of a boiler. The strands were very stiff and strong.
A rough idea of their strength may be gathered by as-
suming that the original breaking stress of the rope,
when new, was 60 tons, and, assuming that the present
strands were half worn through, the breaking stress
would be about 5 tons. The sand used svas ideal for
the purpose, being the washed refuse of the old alluvial
tin streamers. It was composed chiefly of sharp quartz
grains from J in. down in size, and contained no slime
or earthy matter. The cement used was the ordinary
Portland cement, which has been taken in the follow-
ing costs at £5 per ton on the mine.
A wheelbarrow was taken as the standard unit for
measuring the ingredients. Inestimating thecubiccon-
tents of the final mixture, no allowance should be made
for the cement, as the latter is so fine that it fills up the
voids without appreciably adding to the volume. One
cubic foot of cement is taken at 90 lb.
Great attention was paid to mixing, and all batches
were turned over three times dry and then three times
wet. It was found that by using little water the moulds
could be freed more quickly, but this practice was given
upas the cement lost so much of itsstrength, due to the
difficulty of efficient packing in the wood moulds.
Cement is quick setting by using hot water, the chemical
action being hastened. This is useful in an emergency,
but the resulting concrete is not ultimately so strong as
that produced by the natural slow process. The best
result is obtained bv keeping the mixture moist for sev-
eral days. Frost has a bad effect if the mixture freezes
before it has had time to set, the result being that a
spongy mass is formed owing to the included water ex-
panding on becoming ice. To avoid this, straw was on
one occasion placed around an important loading with
successful results. Another method is to add rommon
salt to the water before mixing in order to lower the
freezing point. This, however, is not good practice.
Thorough packingismostessential ; for,if thisisscamp-
ed. numerous voids are formed, with a corresponding
loss of strength.
In compression concrete is very strong, but in ten-
sile strength it is only, as a rough guide, equal to atwen-
JANUARY, 1921
53
tieth the strength of timber ; consequently the added re-
inforcement should be equal to dealing with the load
alone.
At the main shaft a 100- ton ore-bin was made of con-
crete. This ore- bin had to be connected with the mill
900 ft. away by a double tramway with an endless rope
system of haulage. A cutting was made through some
fields, and a gantry, 228 ft. long and 23 ft high at the
highest point, was erected. All the fence posts, sleepers,
and gantry legs were made of reinforced concrete. The
fence posts were of the ordinary type now becoming so
common. They were 6 ft. long, 3 in. square at the top,
and 5 in. square at the bottom end ; 5 holes were cast
in each for the fencing wire to pass through. Several
moulds were made of wood, casting 6 posts at a time.
The mi-KtureUsed consisted of one part cement to four
parts sand. Reinforcement was made by two strands
of wire rope, embedded in the mixture, one on either
side of the holes. The holes were formed by five .| in.
iron rods which passed through all six posts. As soon
as the mixture started to set, these rods were drawn out,
leaving behind them nice clean holes. The cost per
post for labour and material worked out at Is. Id . The
weight is about 100 lb. each. They were sunk into
Fig 1. Concrete Slef.fer.
the ground 18in.,andset 8 ft. apart. The fencing wires
used were old winding rope strands, the ends of which
were fastened together by an ordinary fishplate bolt
with two specially turned-up washers to clamp the
strand on either side of it.
The sleepers were 8 ft. long, 5 in. wide, and 4jto3jin.
thick between the gauge ; designed for two 1 ft. 6 in.
tracks of 4 ft 6 in. centre. The wood moulds were
made tapered so as to draw out. They differed in this
respect from the moulds for the posts, which had to be
taken apart after each cast. A mould would cast 5
sleepers at a time. The mixture was four to one, and the
reinforcement was again made by two strands of old
wire rope embedded close to the bottom of the sleeper.
It will be seen from the sketch that the rail is held in
position by means of an ordinary iron dog on the inner
edge, the outer being wedged up against the concrete
sleeper. To strengthen this portion, as well as to allow
for a dog to be driven, special blocks of wood were
cast as shown. Before placing these blocks in the moulds
they should be thoroughly soaked in water. Otherwise
they will swell and crack the concrete before it has had
time to set. They should also be treated with some
form of wood preservative to prevent dry rot. In mould-
ing, a small piece of the rail to be used was set on the
top of the mould in position. This held up the wood
block while the material was being rammed. When the
ramming is completed the rail can very soon be with-
drawn, and the impression left in the concrete. The
cost per sleeper for labour and material worked out at
Is. 8d. The weight was about 1501b. A timber sleeper
of this size would have cost 2s. 9d. on the mine. The
concrete sleepers were found to be easy to lay, as the
gauge was already fixed. Moreover, as they grasped
the rails firmly, they could be placed at intervals of 5 ft.
So far the only disadvantage is the weight. As the cars
in use are only 10 cu. ft. capacity the comparative lack
of resilience is not of importance.
In the construction of the gantry, timber was used
for the road bearers and the legs were made of rein-
forced concrete. These legs vary in height from 9 ft.
to 19 ft. 7 in. Those over 9 ft. were strengthened by a
horizontal tie as shown in the sketch. The legs are of
12 in. by 9 in. section with a batter of 2 in. to the foot,
and the caps 9 ft. long of 15 in. by 9 in. section. Four
bolt holes were cast in the cap for bolting down the
road bearers, and a bolt was cast in each end to support
the hand rail. The foundations were so made that
their tops came to certain fixed levels, to reduce the
■1 i.fc
,3,_. jjTxywa Hp^,
Concrete Gantry Leg; Reinforcement shown
IN Dotted Lines.
legs to standard lengths. The bottom half of the legs,
up to and including the horizontal tie, was made first ;
and, after this had set, the top half of the mould was
fixed and the work completed. The mixture used was
four to one, and the reinforcement consisted of four
strands in each limb. These strands, set in each corner,
pass right down from the cap to the bottom of the foun-
dation. The cross tie had 3 in. iron pipe filled with con-
crete placed an inch or so above the bottom, and this
reached to the centre of each limb. Thecapwasstreng-
thened by means of two IJ in. iron pipes (also filled
with concrete) embedded near the bottom, one on either
side of the bolt holes. Under the top there were four
horizontal strands, besides two which crossed the cap
diagonally downwards. The cost of a 9 ft. leg includ-
ing labour and materials came to 32s. 6d. against 66s.
5d. for one made of timber. The legs were set at 12 ft.
centres apart, and all the woodwork on top was boiled
in tar to preserve it.
To keep the haulage rope off the ground , rollers were
made from lengths of 3 in. iron pipes. The spindle was
held in position by a thin disc of concrete at either end
of the pipe, the intervening space being filled with straw
and paper. The weight of one of these rollers was just
54
Till-: MINING MAGAZINE
over one pound, which compared favourably with one
made with sohd wood core, and the cost was about one
half.
For the foundations for Holman's pneumaticstamps,
after excavating to pood solid ground, a i ft. base with
plenty of area was formed of 14 to 1 concrete. From
this base the main loading was formed For the first 2
ft a mixture of S to 1 was used, for the next 2 ft. 6 to 1,
and finally a mixture of 4 to 1 brought the loading up to
the anvil blocks. Owing to considerable trouble having
previously been experienced through having wood
blocks under the cofTers, these blocks were dispensed
with. Heavy cast iron anvils were substituted to dis-
tribute the blow from the stamp over a sufficiently large
area. A layer of hot pitch was used on the under side
of the anvil ; and, on the top of this, a jj in. rubber mat
_^^^
^^:
Fig. 3. Foundations for Holman Stamps.
was inserted. This arrangement has increased the
stamp's output by 8% over the wood blocks, other con-
ditions being equal. Foundation bolls were brought
right up through the anvil and coffer, long washers
taking the head of the bolts well above the discharge.
Consequently, should these nuts become loose, they
can be readily tightened without stopping the stamp.
The reinforced concrete floor in front and behind, as
well as theconcrete-formed trayround thecoffer, render
the loadings quite dry beneath, so that inspection can
be done with ease and comfort.
The concrete loadings for main belt drives were stan-
dardized, the ends of the original bo.\ being used time
after time. The same applied to the crowhole boxes
which were all made tapered to permit their withdraw-
al. The horizontal launders which passed through the
ends of the box were removed assoon as the mass started
to set. All these launders were well soaked in water be-
fore using ; otherwise they would swell and be difficult
to extract.
For light walls for the wood buildings to rest on to
bring them well clear of the ground, a mixture of 8 of
stone, 6 of sand, to 1 of cement was used. This mix-
ture, even with large stones added, gave a surprisingly
strong result.
Several experiments were made in the making of con-
crete floors. It was found that good results were ob-
tained by laying the ground over with stones from J in.
to 4 in. cube and beating them well in. A layer of con-
crete was then added consisting of 6 of rough sand, 1 of
fine sand, to 1 of cement. This mixture ran down be-
tween the stones, cemented them together, and formed
a layer on top about 1 in. thick. When this had been
roughly smoothed over, dry cement was sprinkled and
a good hard face produced. It was found that a bag of
cement (11 bags to the ton) would cover 80 sq. ft. of
floor area.
The ore-bin behind the stamps was of the usual wood-
en V type with sloping bottom. It was found lo be less
expensive to cover the bottom with a layer of ferro-con-
crete rather than buy scrap sheet iron or boiler plates.
A few iron sheets have been bolted on the top of the
concretewhere the actual blow comes from the dumped
Iron Lip For
Overflow Water
Spigot Discbarge
Fig. 4, Conical Df.waterf.r
No. 2 Vamer
No. i Vanner
Fig. 5. Section of Vanner Loadings.
ore. So far the lining has shown no signs of wear, and
the whole bottom of the bin has been madequite imper-
vious to slime.
For the concrete stack for the Brunton calciner, an
old iron stack 18 in. diameter, IS ft. long, was used as
the core. To avoid the concrete cracking, through the
expansion of the iron from heat, straw w as bound around
it so as to form an air space. After the iron stack had
been erected with its straw lagging, an outer mould 22
in. diameter and 3 in. long was centred and filled with
4 to 1 concrete. When this had set the outer mould was
loosened, raised 2 ft. 6 in., and again filled. In this way
the stack was built up in sections to the top. When in
the course of time the iron core perishes through cor-
rosion by gases', the concrete should take its place with-
out interruption. Before this work was decided upon,
a test was made to see how a similar mixture of con-
crete would stand the action of the hot gases ; also to
test the expansion of an iron core lagged with straw.
A section is shown of an oil barrel converted into a
dewaterer. The concrete ring for the overflow water
was cast in position, a few nails being driven into the
barrel to prevent the concrete from slipping. For this
ring a mixture of 4 to 1 was used, as well as a few single
wires as reinforcement. Practically the only expense
attached was in making the wood mould for the ring ;
but, once this has been made, it can be used time after
time.
On dismantling Frue vanners, it is usually found that
the sills have become rotten through the lack of venti-
lation from being embedded in concrete. The section
shows the arrangement of vanner loadings recently put
in, from which it will be seen that a considerable amount
JANUARY, 1921
55
of concrete has been saved as well as the sills. The
wood box which surrounds the tenon and tightening
wedge is made of rough timber. Theconcretecontracts
around the box and tends to make the leg very secure.
The main shaft ore-bin, designed for a capacity of
100 tons, was rectangular in construction with a flat
bottom. The front side rested on 4 pillars which also
supported the floor of the bin to enable the cars to come
underneath for filling. The landing stage and roof of
the previous wood ore bin. as well as the crusher load-
ing. ha%'e been combined in the general design.
A ferroconcrete tank of 3,000 gallons capacity was
made for gas engine cooling water. This tank was 6 ft.
deep with sides 6 in. thick at the top and 9 in. at the
bottom. Four pillars supported it 10 ft. off the ground.
A mixture of 4 to 1 was used throughout the entire tank.
Owing to considerable vibration being present. greaT
care had to be taken with the reinforcement. A mesh
of winding rope strands was made. set6in. apart, for the
bottom of the tank. The strands were bent to continue
up in the sides where they were woven with horizontal
strands placed a foot apart. The strandswereall placed
as near the outside edge of the tank as possible. It was
found on trial that the tank leaked slightly. By wash-
ing the inside with a mixture of lime and cement no
trouble has been experienced since. The tank was braced
on top by four ferro-concrete bearers which supported
the water cooler. The cooler consisted of 12 poilite
sheets placed horizontally one above the other, the
water being made to cover the area of each.
Two travelling beams were constructed, of 23 ft. and
16 ft. 4 in. centres, (or use over the gas engines. They
were more or less experimental. They were reinforced
with steel rails and lengths of complete wire rope. The
latter was distributed throughout the beam in such a
way as to break up the neutral axis. The mixture used
was three to one ; special care was taken in selecting
the sand. So far they have answered their purpose well
and were most useful when erecting the engines.
A number of concrete blocks were cast, 1 ft. 6 in. by
9 in. by 9 in. thick, hollowed out to leave 3 in. sides.
These blocks were found very useful for quoins ; more-
over, being hollow, they were light for getting into posi-
tion. When in position they can be filled with a cheap
mortar which also serves to key them together. They
were made in wood moulds which were fastened to-
gether by cottar bolts. The wood cores were made with
plenty of taper, and well soaked in water before using.
The mixture was 4 to 1. Very little water was used, so
as to allow the cores to be withdrawn soon after packing.
Connecting Surface and Underground Surveys. —
The method of connecting surface and underground
surveys in connection with two shafts at the Throckley
colliery, Northumberland, formed the subject of a
paper read at the meeting of the Associates' and Stu-
dents' Section of the North of England Institute of
Mining and Mechanical Engineers, held at Newcastle-
upon-Tyne on November 27. by Joseph Eltring-
ham. The following account is taken from the report
of the paper published in the Iron & Coal Trades Re-
view for December 3. These two shafts are known as
the Derwentwater and the Margaret respectively, and
are some distance apart. The depth of the main seam
is 243 ft. The plans of the separate pits having been
laid down to the magnetic base by the magnetic-needle
method and a holing effected between the two pits, it
was decided to connect the two systems and so check
the respective plans. For plumbing the shafts, a hand-
manipulated drum was used, with wire 005Sin. di-
ameter, a pulley and cross-beam for lowering two
weights (small and large), and a bucket containing
engine oil. Operations commenced at the Derwent-
water pit. The cross-beam was erected at the top of
the shaft, and the pulley wheel was fixed in position so
that the running-offside was in the centre of the shaft.
The drum was then fixed on the pulley- wheel platform
and the wire with a small weight attached passed over
the pulley and gently lowered. When nearing the
level where underground operations were to commence,
the lowering ceased to allow for further elongation of
the wire when the heavier weight was suspended. The
wire was further lowered to the required position and
the weight placed into the bucket containing oil. The
weight was not allowed to immerse completely, so that
any further elongation of the wire could be readily de-
tected. To lessen the oscillations due to air currents
the fan was stopped for a short period. A 6 in. transit
theodolite was next set up near the shaft-bottom and a
fore-sight established. There was a slight movement
of the plumb-line, and its angular movements were
measured several times. A mean position was deter-
mined, and from this the angle to the fore-sight ob-
served. Before a base line of sufficient length could
be made five additional sights were necessary. This
base-line, 59025 links, was established by having bore-
holes put in the roof, in which plugs were dri%'en and
staples fixed before final observations were taken.
The distances were measured and booked in the usual
manner. The party then returned to the surface by
way of a second shaft near by. so as not to interfere
with the plumb-line. The theodolite was set up at the
surface a short distance from the shaft. The oscilla-
tions at the surface were very slight, and a fore-sight
was fixed and the necessary observations and distances
determined. The two shafts at the surface were con-
nected by traversing in the ordinary manner, because
the surface conditions, being level, favoured this
method. Had the surface been of an undulating
character a system of triangulation would have been
the better method to adopt. A base line, 1.140 links,
w-as laid down as near the shaft as practicable, tiles
were sunk into the ground to a depth of about 18 in.,
and a suflScient number of measurements taken so as to
determine their position at some future date. It was
from this base-line that the observations for determin-
ing the magnetic declination were taken. The travers-
ing was continued, and when nearing the Margaret pit
another base-line, 923 links, was laid down. The
plumbing apparatus was now erected and wi.-e sus-
pended at the Margaret pit in exactly the same way as
at the Derwentwater pit, traversing being carried on to
the Margaret pit and the surface survey connected to
the suspended wire. The party made their way under-
ground by means of a day-drift travelling road to the
seam at the shaft where operations were to be resumed.
This was necessary so as not to interfere with the
plumb-line in the shaft. The theodolite was set up
underground, the wire observed, the angular move-
ment measured, a mean position determined, and a
fore-sight taken. A base-line, 405 links, was now
established underground. The underground connec-
tion was made by connecting the two base-lines left
near the two shafts. Several base-lines were estab-
lished underground at convenient points so as to ex-
tend the survey into various districts.
The theodolite was only provided with a 2J in. mag-
netic needle, and a miner's dial provided with a 6 in.
magnetic needle was used to determine the magnetic
bearings. The night following the surface survey the
observations for the determination of magnetic declina-
tion by equal altitude of stars were carried out. The
theodolite was set up at one end of the base and truly
56
THE MINING MAGAZINE
centred, and a tripod set up at the other end, this also
being truly centred and a lamp placed on the top. The
lamp was used as a referring object. Zero of the
graduated plate of the theodolite was made to coincide
with this line, and the vernier plate released and al-
lowed to rotate to any desired position. Three stars,
each of the first magnitude, were selected. The first
sl.ir was sighted and the horizontal and vertical angles
noted. About 15 minutes later a second star was
sighted, and in the same manner a third after another
15 minutes had elapsed. After crossing the meridian
the last sighted star was the first to reacli the altitude
recorded on the west side of the meridian, and the
horizontal angle was noted at the point of equal alti-
tudes. The second star was then carefully followed
until it corresponded with the altitude observed before
the crossing, and again the horizontal angle noted.
The same was obtained for the third star. Bisecting
the horizontal angle passed through by each star the
resultant line will be in the geographical meridian, and
from this the azimuth of the base-line obtained. To
find the magnetic bearing of this line the miners dial
was set up, clear of all magnetic attraction, about 50
yards from the theodolite, and a sight taken from the
latter to the former, and vice versa. The dial was set
up at other seven points around the theodolite. In
this manner magnetic and azimuth bearings were ob-
tained, and the mean of the difference between the two
was the magnetic declination.
The clockwise angle between the various sights was
measured and recorded as follows. After all the neces-
sary adjustments of the instrument had been made the
vernier A was brought near the zero of the graduated
plate and clamped. The readings of both verniers A
and B were noted. The telescope was then brought
into perfect alignment with the back-sight and clamped.
The vernier plate was then released and rotated clock-
wise until the fore-sight was in the field and accurately
bisected by the hairs of the diaphragm. Both verniers
were read. The above was repeated twice with vernier
A near 60= and 120 of the graduated plate. The above
method was continued throughout the survey, and after
each sight had been taken a straight line was ranged
out with lamps underground and poles at the surface
and carefully measured, and a measurement checked
in the opposite direction.
The magnetic bearing of the base at the surface hav-
ing been determined, the remaining sights were calcu-
lated in relation to the magnetic meridian and the bear-
ing and length of the tie-line obtained. The under-
ground survey was calculated to an assumed meridian
and the tie-line calculated. The difference between
the assumed and the magnetic tie-lines was the bear-
ing of the first sight underground. Knowing the mag-
netic bearing of the first sight, the remainder of the
survey was calculated to the magnetic base. Twice in
the underground survey observations were made to the
miner's dial situate in an old roadway, and the two dif-
fered from the calculated by 6 minutes and 4 minutes
respectively. This dial only read to three minutes.
The plan was plotted by co-ordinates and compared
with the working plan which has seen many years
of service, and was found to be within the limits
allowed.
Copper Losses in Slags. — In the Eitgi>ieering and
Mining Journal for December 4, F. E. Lathe, metal-
lurgist to the British America Nickel Corporation, dis-
cusses the losses of copper in slags and the methods
for determining the amounts of sulphide and oxide
present in the slags. He also indicates lines of experi-
ments for the reduction of losses. We quote this part
of the paper herewith.
It is customary to pl.ice immediately below the blast
furntice spout one largesetllcr, the overllow from wliich
goes to waste. Although the necessity for matte stor-
age may require a settler of large size, it will often be
found that two or more smaller ones in series will more
effectively clean the slag ; or the large settler may be
followed by small ones. The fall of slag from one
settler to another probably allows the escape of a cer-
tain amount of gas, which may have cansed the flota-
tion of matte particles. Such a treatment is especially
desirable when analyses show that the percentage of
sulphide copper in the slag is high, as may be true in
matte concentration or in other cases with a high per-
centage of copper on the charge to the furnace.
If the oxidized copper in the slag be high, some may
be reduced by the addition of coarse pyrite to the sec-
ond-last settler of a series. This was done at the
Grand Forks plant of the Granby company with some
success. The coarse pyrite added settles to the matte,
and the sulphur driven off by heat stirs up the slag and
has an excellent chance to reduce oxides. The lower-
grade matte produced in this way also has a tendency
to cause the precipitation of dissolved sulphides, if
present.
.\s regards reverberatories, owing to the presenceof
oxidized copper in the charge, and the comparatively
neutral atmosphere in reverberatory smelting, the loss
as oxide or silicate is likely to be high. To reduce this
loss to a minimum there is no method more promising
than that suggested some years ago by F. ]. Carlyle.
Mr. Carlyle thought that if a wall of refractory ma-
terial were built across a reverberatory furnace near
the skimming end, high enough to keep back the main
body of matte, but low enough to allow the slag to flow
over it. pyrite could be charged through the roof be-
tween this wall and the skimming door, thus bringing
about a material reduction in the copper content of the
slag. A separate tap-hole could be provided for the
low-grade matte as well as a side door behind the dam
for the removal of floaters. Such a practice would not
involve radical changes in construction, and would ap-
pear to be of general application in reverberatory
smelting.
If converter slag forms a large proportion of the
charge, the sulphide content of the slag may increase.
In such results, if the loss be due to sulphides floated by
gas bubbles, the lo%v-grade matte treatment may re-
duce magnetite introduced in the converter slag, and
consequently bring down the sulphide loss, as well as
reducing the oxides. To lower the sulphide content a
succession of small settlers might also be effective, as
suggested for blast-furnaces. In all such instances the
amount of settling which can be done outside the fur-
nace is dependent principally upon the degree to which
the slag has been superheated before leaving the fur-
nace.
Metallurgically speaking, it may be wasteful to pour
converter slag into blast-furnace settlers, but one can-
not say that such a practice is never justified. As in
all other industries, smelting and converting are gov-
erned by commercial considerations, and these must
be the deciding factors. This much may be said, how-
ever. In most plants possessing both converters and
blast-furnaces, at least a part of the converter slag is
re-smelted, and when this is done the slag to be poured
into settlers should as far as possible be that produced
in the early part of the blow, when oxidized copper is
at a minimum. If the suggested modification of rever-
beratory furnaces should, upon trial, prove commer-
cially successful, that would appear to be the logical
outlet for whatever converter slag is not required for
fluxing purposes.
JANUARY, 1921
57
Precipitation of Gold. — The October Journal of
the Chemical, Metallurgical, & Mining Society of
South Africa contains a paper by J. Hayward Johnson,
entitled : " Notes on the Influence of Soluble Silica and
Calcium Salts in the Process of Precipitation of Gold
from Cyanide Solutions." As regards soluble silica the
author quotes two cases : (1) A deposit found on the
^incin the sand solution precipitation boxes; (2) a scum
lound at the head and between compartments of sand
solution precipitation boxes. The sample (1) of deposit
and metallic zinc received was stirred with water and
the deposit decanted away from the metal until as much
zinc as possible was eliminated. The purified deposit
was dried and analysed with following results :
Calcium Oxide
Carbon Dioxide
Zinc Oxide
Sand, etc., insoluble
Combined Water
Soluble Silica
Sulphur as Sulphate
Sulphur as Sulphide
Magnesium Oxide
Iron Oxide
Gold and Silver
Organic ,\Iatter. Lead. etc.
"to
26'4
18'0
9'0
08
IS'O
22'8
07
10
0'9
11
0'22
Traces.
The deposit was therefore practically composed of cal-
cium carbonate and gelatinous silica containing water.
The mixture was very readily soluble in dilute acids,
but if the solution was heated, neutralized, etc., the
colloidal silica at once assumed the gelatinous form and
was deposited. The silica formed an impermeablecoat-
ing on the zinc and prevented precipitation. If the
solutions entering the boxes were perfectly clear, it is
apparent that the silica must exist in the colloidal sol
form and be deposited on the zinc in the gel form by
chemical or galvanic disturbance.
(2) The scum from the precipitation boxes was practi-
cally the same as that found on the zinc shavings, con-
sisting of calcium carbonate and colloidal silica mixed
with a little wax. The latter was probably derived from
candle grease and is the cause of the flotation of the
scum.
Theturbidityof the slime solution after 24 to 48 hours'
settlement (KCy 0 005% CaO 0 008%) was due to
silica in a very fine state of division (presumably col-
loidal suspensoids) which was not removed by the sand
clarifiers. This turbidity remained in the plant for a
period of about seven days, but did not show itself in
every charge treated during that period.
The make-up water used in the reduction plant was
obtained from a dam which received part of its water
from a valley into which the drainage from several old
sumps, slime dams, and the compound was delivered.
The ignited solids contained in this water were as
follows :
Silica and insoluble
Oxides of iron and alumina
Oxide of calcium
Oxide of nickel
Oxide of magnesium
Parts per
100.000.
■• 23
■ ■ 2'3
.. 13 0
.. 27
.. 3'6
Two samples of so-called white precipitate, one from
the East Rand and one from West Rand, showed on ex-
amination that they carried 37'95% and 3S'75% silica,
respectively, which was found in a very fine state of
division, almost gelatinous.
The foregoing instances fairly demonstrate that col-
loidal silica has quite a considerable effect on precipita-
tion. In connection with all these cases, considerable
trouble was experienced in the filter press, the silica
forming on the filter papers in a gelatinous film, almost
impervious to water, and causing a rapid rise in pressure
on the press.
Excessively burnt lime, when the limestone carries
an amount of silica, is also responsible for the introduc-
tion of soluble silica into the solution.
The excess alkalinity in the solution circuit is well
known to have a detrimental effect on precipitation,
and this excess is sometimes caused by the slow solu-
bility of the lime.
The deleterioi:s influence of the sulphates and of car-
bonate of lime is no doubt due to the formation of pro-
tective coatings on the zinc. Regarding the sulphates,
the trouble does not develop apparently until the point
of saturation is reached (256 parts per 100.000), when
it becomes rapidly acute. The use of the condenser cir-
cuit of the steam plant as make-up water, though the
circuit water is valuable on account of its available heat
during the winter months, is. owing to its prior concen-
tration, very liable to develop this point of saturation,
in conjunction with the neutralized acid salts of the ore.
With the large amount of reclamation work being car-
ried out on many mines and consequent treatment of
partly oxidized ores, the amount of calcium sulphate in
solution tends to increase, and during the long winter
drought usually develops trouble.
A Cyanide Clean-up Problem. — In the Monthly
Journal of the Chamber of Mines of West Australia
for September, W. B. Chomley gives an account of
difficulties encountered in the cyanide clean-up at the
Oroya Black Range gold mine and the method of sur-
mounting them. The difficulties arose from the pres-
ence of copper in the ores.
It had been the custom to do the smelting in a tilting
furnace, and to refine the resulting bullion by the well-
known method of stirring sulphur into it while molten.
The practice of smelting with an oxidizing flux in aclay-
lined crucible had been tried and had proved successful
as far as the grade of bullion was concerned ; but it had
been abandoned as being too tedious, owing to the low
gold contents of the slime. The clarifying arrange-
ments were not equal to the capacity of the rest of the
cyanide plant ; consequently the solution coming tothe
extractor boxes was frequently cloudy. This accounted
for the large bulkof poor slime which had to be handled
at each clean-up. Much might be said as to the com-
parative merits and disadvantages of these two methods
of gold-refining, but it is only necessary here to remark
that by the use of the sulphur method, even after all
the gold in the matte and ashes has been taken into
account, a slight deficiency has been observed. This
loss is difficult to explain, but is easy to estimate ; while
on the other hand, that which occurs while charging
an open pot in a wind furnace is quite simple to under-
stand, but almost impossible to estimate.
Clay-lined pots had been tried in the tilt furnace, but
they were not a success, for as soon as a crack or flaw
developed in the lining, which in these pots is not re-
movable, the carbonaceous material composing the
outer shell was subjected to the oxidizing action of the
whole of the charge, usually with disastrous results, as
these cracks generally occurred at or below the level of
the molten metal.
In the early life of the mine, the copper had been an
unimportant factor, but as the upper levels became de-
pleted and the proportion of ore drawn from the sul-
phide zone increased, the copper contents of the cyan-
ide bullion did likewise, until a stage was reached when
it amounted to over 50% of the total. This increase in
the copper in the ore had no deleterious effect upon the
recoveries, as the undissolved gold in the residue seldom
exceeded two shillings in either the leaching or agita-
tion plants. Precipitation in the zinc-boxes sometimes
gave trouble, but although it was demonstrated that
copper-coated zinc was a less active precipitant than
58
THE MINING MAGAZIN1-:
the clean sliavin^js. the (act thai while the presence of
copper wasconsiant. these periods of bail precipitation
were intermittent, indicated that the seat of the [rouble
lav elsewhere.
Of the many possible canses that were considered in
the search for an explanation for these periods of par-
tial breakdown in the precipitation, that connected with
varying ratio of zinc cyanide to free KCN seemed to be
the most probable. The physical condition of the solu-
tion, that is, whether it was clear or cloudy, seemed to
have no direct connection with it. It was always
noticed that the new zinc in the lower compartments of
the extractor boxes quickly became coated with a film of
copper and that as it was moved up toward the liead of
the box to take the place of that whicli had been con-
sumed, the copper was gradually replaced by sold, and
that short zinc in the top compartment was practic.illy
copper free. Obviously a simple way of obtaining bul-
lion free from this base would have been to take out
only the short zinc and to leave the remainder for the
next clean-up, but unfortunately economic reasons de-
manded quite tlie opposite course.
The chief trouble, and the one with which this paper
is mainly concerned, arose through the corrosive action
of the roasted slime, or rather the oxidized copper,
upon the plumbago crucibles The flux which had
been found most suitable was approximately as follows :
roasted slime 100 parts, borax glass 40, silica 5. It will
be noticed that the percentage of silica here is very low ;
but it must be remembered that the slime itself con-
tained some gangue material which had escaped the
clari6er. Sometimes it was necessary to leave out the
silica and add sodium bicarbonate in order to obtain a
fluid slag. An over-silicious slag was really worse on
the pot than a basic one, as the time and temperature
required for fusion were increased. It was seldom at
that lime that a pot lasted out one full clean-up, and it
often happened that one ran through during the first
charge, and the amount of work and trouble that this
entailed was considerable.
At that time the supply of crucibles, like all other
mining stores, was very uncertain, but it was impera-
tive that some means should be found to stop this de-
struction of valuable and perhaps non-replaceable ar-
ticles. Several attempts were made to remove the cop-
per from the slime prior to smelting. On an experi-
mental scale this was quite simple, but many difficulties
arose when it came to put any of these methods into
practice. It was found that boiling the raw slime in
concentrated sulphuric acid would accomplish the de-
sired purpose, but this was quite impracticable with
the plant available. Dilute nitric acid was tried, but
although it attacked the copper, owing to the presence
of much chlorides in the water supply, an appreciable
amount of gold went into solution, which discouraged
further investigation in that direction. The copper ox-
ide was very soluble in dilute sulphuric acid, and a
clean-up carried out on these lines produced bullion
almost free from base, and also reduced the work of
smelting to a minimum ; but it was found to be abso-
lutely necessary to clear the slime before bringing it
into contact with the liquid, otherwise great loss by
dusting would take place, and in dealing with a large
quantity of material, this required more time than cir-
cumstances allowed. Another serious objection to this
second acid treatment was the extra handling involved.
As a return to the original method of smelting with
the certainty of having to refine the bullion seemed in-
evitable, the matter was viewed in a different light. As
the whole of the trouble had been caused by the copper,
. which, after being oxidized by the roast, would be re-
duced back to metallic state at the expense of the pot,
the question which presented itself was " Why roast at
all?" It was realized that some of the zinc, which
otherwise would have been roasted oil, would find its
way into the bullion, but it seemed safe to assume that
in the presence of so much copper this would be a neg-
ligible ipiantity. Accordingly a sample was dried at
a low temperature, lluxed on its calculated roasted
weight, and fused in a small plumbago crucible. The
result was encouraging, but the dried slime proved very
dusty and more dilhcult to handle than that which had
been roasted thoroughly, so trials were made on damp
slime, with equally satisfactory results. Some misgiv-
ings were felt before attempting to smelt wet gold slime
on a working scale, and the first charge was very care-
fully fed into a barely warm pot alter a layer of borax
had been first sprinkled over the bottom. These pre-
cautions were subsequently found to be unnecessary,
and wet slime would be fed into a red hot pot without
any ill effect. It is not known exactly what percentage
of moisture the slime held, but it had only been dried
on a vacuum filter and was distinctly wet before it was
fluxed. No great evolution of gas or steam took place
during fusion, but the charge just sank quietly down
and was periodically topped up. A good deal of the
surplus moisture was taken up by the borax glass in the
flux, '.vhich caused the whole to set into a fairly dry-
looking mass. A section of the charge after it had been
going for some time would have disclosed a gradual
transition from the wet slime on top, through a layer
of w hat looked like ordinary roasted slime, then a zone
of slag with the molten metal beneath. The resulting
bullion was not appreciably worse than formerly, and
there was no noticeable action on the pot at all. The
actual time taken in smelting was somewhat longer;
but this was counterbalanced by that saved by cutting
out the roasting. The manual labour was reduced,
which was a consideration during the hot months.
After the first pot had been in use for three months
it was removed as a precautionary measure. Upon ex-
amination it was found to be quite sound and looked
good enough to have lasted as long again. This effect-
ually put an end to those mishaps which had unfortu-
nately become the rule rather than the exception, and
the output was not again delayed while the contents of
the ashpit and furnace were being re-smelted. It was
reallv the smelting of this mixture that first suggested
the course ultimately adopted, as it was noticed that in
these cases the pot was not attacked to the same extent
as usual. The cause of this was soon traced to the re-
ducing action of the small pieces of coke in the charge
which protected the less easily oxidized graphite in the
crucible.
It may be mentioned that the author has subsequently
made trials of this method on other mines where the
same circumstances did not prevail, and as might be ex-
pected, in the absence of any other base in large quan-
tities, the remaining zinc was sufficient to spoil what
would otherwise have been fair grade bullion, and the
process was not applicable, but under the conditions
described it can be claimed that it was a decided success.
SHORT NOTICES
Stope-Filling. — The November Bulletin of the Ca-
nadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy contains a
paper by Walter Herd on the proposed application of
hydraulic stowing to the submarine coal workings at
Sydney, Nova Scotia.
Stope-Filling. — At the November meeting of the
Junior Institution of Engineers, R. H. Squire read a
paper on hydraulic sand-packing as practised jn Indian
collieries.
JANUARY, 1921
59
Electric Power in Mines. — Engineering for Decem-
ber 1 7 contains a paper describing the electric winding,
liauling, andventilatingplant at the Easington Colliery,
L)urham. The electric plant was supplied by the
General Electric Co., Ltd.
Compressed Air. — At the December meeting of the
North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical
Engineers, J . T. Pringle read a paper on the production
and transmission of compressed air in mines.
Francois Cementation Process. — At the meeting of
the South Wales Institute of Engineers held at Cardiff
on December 16, H. Standish IJall read a paper on the
Francois system of cementation for stopping the flow
of water in shafts and drifts.
Surveying. — The Colliery Guardian for December
17 prints a paper read at the South Wales branch of the
Institute of Mine Surveyors of Great Britain on the line
of collimation in dumpy levels, etc.
Electrolytic Zinc. — Mining and Metallurgy for De-
cember contains an abstract of a paper on the electro-
lytic zinc plant at Anaconda, by F. Laist, F. F. Frick,
J. O. Elton, and R. B. Caples, to be read at the Feb-
ruary meeting of the American Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers.
Electrolytic Zinc. — The Mining and Scientific
PressioT December 4 contains a paper by H. R. Hanley
on the electrolytic method of producing zinc. The
author's experience was at Bully Hill, California.
Electrolytic Zinc. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for December 11, G. C. Heikes describes the
electrolytic zinc plant of the Judge Mining & Smelting
Co., Park City, Utah.
Melbourne University. — In the Industrial Aus-
tralian and Mining Standard for October 14, A. J.
Higgin describes the metallurgical department of Mel-
bourne University.
Metallurgical Laboratory.— In the Engineering
and Mining Journal for November 20, H. O. Ham-
mond describes the laboratory attached to the smelting
plant of the United Verde Extension copper mine, Ari-
zona.
Gold-Mining in the Philippines. — In theMiningand
Scientific Press for December 4, C. M. Eye and M. F.
Dodd commence an article on metallurgical practice at
the Benguet Consolidated gold mine m the Philippine
Islands.
Atmospheric Impurities. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for December 8, Osborn Mon-
nett commences an article on the determination of at-
mospheric impurities, with particular reference to the
atmosphere around smelting works, as at Salt Lake
City.
Phosphorus from Rock Phosphate. — In Chemical
and Metallurgical Engineering for December 1, W.
H. Waggaman and T. B, Turley describe the produc-
tion of phosphoric acid from rock phosphate by smelt-
ing with sand and coke in a furnace fired with oil fuel
and electrostatically precipitating the phosphoric acid
evolved.
Mandy Mine. — The November Bulletin of the Ca-
nadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy contains a
paper by G. R. Bancroft on the mining operations at
Mandy mine in The Pas district, Manitoba.
Manitoba Geology. — The November Bulletin of the
Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy contains
a paper by R. ]. Colony on the occurrence of norite,
similar to that at Sudbury, at a point twenty miles east
of the southern end of Lake Winnipeg.
Bolivian Tin Mines, — In the Engineering and Min-
ing Journal for November 20, J . T . Singewald describes
the tin deposits in the Quimsa Cruz mountains, Bolivia.
Spitsbergen. — At the December meeting of the Min-
ing Institute of Scotland, H, M. Cadell read a paper on
coal mining in Spitsbergen.
Kent Coal. — In the Iron and Coal Trades Review
for December 10, H. A. Baker writes on the structural
features of the Kent coalfield.
Oil in Palestine. — .\t the meeting of the Institution
of Petroleum Technologists held on December 14,
Paul H. Mangin read a paper on boring in Palestine.
South African Diamonds. — At a meeting of the
Royal Society of Arts held on January 3, F. C. Cornell
read a paper on the alluvial diamondiferous deposits of
South-W'est Africa.
British Columbian Topography. — In the Geo-
graphical Journal for January, Howard Palmer de-
scribes the topography of the region north of Revel-
stoke, British Columbia, including the Gold Range
and the northern Selkirk mountains, a hitherto un-
mapped territory.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED.
^^^A copy of the st>ecification of any of the patents men-
tioned in this colitinn can be ohtained by sending Is. to
the Patent Office, Southampton Bitildings, Chancery
Lane, London, WC.2.,wiih a note of the number and year
of the patent.
12,969 of 1918 (154,240). U. A. Garred, New
York. Introduction of powdered fuel into the blast of
blast-furnaces to take the place of coke in the reactions.
4,938 of 1919 (154,240). M. A. Adam, J. Ste-
venson, and A. T. Mabbitt, London. Removing tin
from scrap by dissolving in strong solution of ferric
chloride rich in tin, and electrolysing the solution
obtained.
12,415 of 1919 (153,926). W. M. Goodwin
and .-v. F. G. Cadenhead, Kingston, Ontario. Elec-
tric smelting process for recovering vanadium from
vanadiferous iron ores.
16,833 of 1919 (150,490). J. P. Mellor, Swan-
sea. Method of producing metallic powders by making
jets of steam or compressed air impinge on sheets of
molten metal.
17,084 of 1919 (153,352). R. S. Sherwin, St.
Louis. Improved process for precipitating aluminium
hydrate from alkali aluminate solutions.
17,975of 1919(154,265). G. Morimoto, Kyoto,
Japan. Claim (1) : "A rock-drill or rock-boring ma-
chine of the percussive type, comprising a hammer or
striker adapted to make a forward stroke divided into
two stages through the medium of a blow-inducing cam ;
and a U-shaped rod having one of its limbs formed to
afford curved surfaces upon which a grooved pulley is
adapted to rest and to shift either to a straight high face
from a straight low face by passing through a curved
face of the rod, or to a straight high face from a point
of the curved face according to the extent of movement
of the striker relatively to the pulley."
18,337 of 1919(130,334). F. M. Wiberg, Falun,
Sweden. Furnace for smelting iron ores with gaseous
fuel.
15,210 of 1919 (153,931). A. R. Mangnall,
Chester, and R. F. Irving, Bristol. Earth-boring
machines for boring holes through soft earth.
19,391 of 1919 (153,649). I. B. Hobsbawn,
Brighton, and J. L. Grigioni, Valparaiso. Method
for recovering nitrate from solutions, particularly with
the object of separating common salt and sulphate from
the liquors.
19,579 of 1919(153,659). W. H. Dorman &
Co., Ltd., and J. Hanson, Stafford. Hydraulic wave
generators for use in connection with the wave-trans-
mission rock-drill and similar tools.
20,662 of 1919 (153,700). British Thomson-
60
Till'. MINING MAGAZINE
Houston Co., Lth., London. Controlling mechanism
for electric hoists and winding engines.
21,608 of 1919 (132.260). T. H. rAi.MEK, H.
V. Se\I-i:. and K P. Ni:\i:tt, Broken Hill. The
addition of snlphur in elemental form to theliquids nsed
in treating weathered ore in the llotation process.
21,074 of 1919(153,983). .\. Fkance, Lidge.
Coal-washing apparatus consisting of a number of
troughs arranged \n cascade formation.
22,376of 1919(154,373). S O. Cowpek Coles,
London. Means for producing a tempered or springy
copper bv electrolysis of sulphate, by rotating the cath-
ode at a high speed and adding arsenic to the solution.
22,388 of 1919 (152,840). Union .\i.iiii)E Co.,
New York. Method of producing and using magne-
sium-silicon alloys in connection with the deoxidizing
process in purifying iron or steel.
24,383 of 1919(152,509). C. F. Priest, Redcar.
Regenerative gas fired kilns for burning ore briquettes
or high-temperature refractory materials.
24,744 of 1919 (134,825). Klectkolvtic Zinc
Co. of .\isTRALASi.A, Ltd., Melbourne. Method of
giving a sulphatizing roast to zinc sulphide ore prepara-
tory to leaching.
25,300 of 1919 (133,960). E Fourneau, La
Houverie, Belgium. Apparatus surrounding the steels
of rock-drills whereby the dust created may be drawn
awav.
26.317 of 1919 (152,526). M Uchino. .■\shio,
Japan. Refining arsenic soot by distilling through a
mixture of copper and iron oxides.
26,511 of 1919 (151,842). A Stevenson and
A. Logan. Glasgow. Improved cutting tools of coal-
mining machines,
27,1 15of 1919 (140,050). Deutsche Maschin-
ENFABRIK, Duisburg. Bessemer plant having a pair
of rails on which the casting ladles travel suspended
from the converter staging.
27,859 of 1919 (152,533). E Pickard, Notting-
ham. Safety apparatus for supporting mine cages in
case of the failure of the winding rope.
28,209 of 1919(154,434). J. R. Broadley.Lou-
don. Claim (1) : " In a machine (tube-mill) for grind-
ing ores, minerals, stones, and the like, means for evacu-
ating finished material comprising a classification com-
partment with access from a grinding compartment
through passages provided in a diaphragm separating
the two compartments and with a discharge outlet for
decanting fine material in suspension in water or other
liquid."
28,749 of 1919 (151,854). Lindsay Light Co.,
Chicago. Method of extracting thorium compounds
from monazite sand.
28,845of 1919(152,879). E. A. Ashcroft, Lon-
don. Improved electrolytic cell for decomposing fused
magnesium chloride.
29,239 of 1919 (153,182). W. Graham, South
Shields. .-V detonator for blasting purpose, damp-proof
and positive in its action.
30,977 of 1919 (152,887). H. C. Pedersen,
Trondhjem. Norway. Arrangement of roasting fur-
naces so asto obtain the sulphur in elemental condition.
31,201 of 1919 (140,746). Dvnamit AG. nor-
mals Alfred Nobel, Hamburg, and P. Naol'm.
Cologne. A blasting gelatine that can be safely used
in the presence of firedamp.
31,560 of 1919 (153,481). W. Morley Mar-
tin, Redruth. Improvements in the motion and groov-
ings of reciprocating tables.
32,409 of 1919 (152,549). F. Quinonero, La
Union, Murcia. Spain, A magnetic separator suitable
for separating magnetic iron oxide from galena.
32,853 of 1919(154,471). C. Heuerlein, Lon-
don Improvement in ilie inventor's process of deposit-
ing nickel eleclrolvtieallv
1,711 of 1920(153,500). S. E. SiEiRiN, Haga-
nas, Sweden. Extracting alumina by treating the raw
material with hydrochloric acid, liquid and then gas-
eous, and calcining the chloride produced.
2,668 of 1920 (151,884). 1 . Bkckett and R.
C. .\NDEUsoN, Glasgow. Electric haulage gear for
mines.
3.311 of 1920(123,503). C. A. Edgley, Yarm-
on-Tees. Method of leaching chloridized-roasted ores.
4,376 of 1920(152,916). J B Gi^iMETand A.
Gt'lLLOCHON, l'"leurien-sur-Sa6ne, France. In the
manufacture of ultramarine, the use of alkali sulphites
or bisulphites in place of carbonate and sulphate of soda
usually employed.
4,695 of 1920 (139,173). L. H. Diehl, Berlin.
In thesmelting of iron ores, an arrangement for blowing
air through the slag for the purpose of recovering the
sulphur contained therein as sulphur dioxide.
4,975 of 1920 (139,194). V. (;erber, Ober
Usler, Switzerland. Smelting of alumina mixed with
carbon in an electric furnace using alternating current.
5,549 of 1920 (154,108). S. O. Cowper-Colks,
London. Method of electrolytically precipitating alloys
of copper and zinc.
7,747 of 1920 (153,830). T. M. Allison, New-
castle-on-Tyne. .V centrifugal separating machine for
removing earthy matters from coal.
12,791 of 1920 (152,281). G. II. T. and P.
Ravner, Sheffield. Improved valve for rock-drills.
13,536 of 1920(154,512). Dorr Co , Denver.
An improved classifier,
14,711 of 1920 (152,939). R. H. Harris, Seven
Sisters, Glamorgan. Improvements in the inventor's
electric detonators.
16,525 of 1920 (145,442). Fried. Krupp GRt;-
SOXWERK, Magdeburg-Buckau, Germany. Improved
magnetic separator.
18,032 of 1920 (145,734). Fried Krupp Gru-
SONWERK, Magdeburg-Buckau, ("rermany. Device
for closing the tap-hole in smelting furnaces.
20,656 of 1920 (148,818). H. Stehmann, Ber-
lin. Blast-proof closing of discharging devices for
blast-furnaces.
27,659 of 1920 (152,990). Th. Goldschmidt,
Essen, Germany. Method of obtaining carbon-free
f erro-chromium from chrome- iron ores by the alumino-
thermic process,
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, Etc.
!)•" Copies of the books, etc.. mentioned below can be obtained
through ihe Technical Bookshop of The Mining Magazine.
724. Salisbury House. London Wall. E.C.2.
The Oil-Shale Industry. By Victor C. Alderson.
Cloth, octavo, 180 pages, illustrated. Price 26s.
New York : Frederick .\. Stokes Company.
Hitherto when it has been necessary to get together
some general information concerning the technology of
oil-shale, the amount of reference work needed in eluci-
dating the really fundamental data has proved to be no
small task, and if for no other reason than that. Dr.
Alderson is to be congratulated on Ihe production of
the present comprehensive volume. As will be gather-
ed from the bibliography included at the end of the
book, most of our knowledge of the subject is scattered
over a wide field of literature, some of it easy, but most
of it difficult, of access to the average person outside a
technical or scientific institution. One result of this is
that the prevalent ideas concerning the oil-shale indus-
try are somewhat confused and even conflicting, and we
JANUARY, 1921
61
therefore welcome the appearance of a volume which
summarizes all the information thus far accumulated
in so satisfactory a manner.
The book is essentially economic, and does not at-
tempt to deal with the many vexed geological and chemi-
cal questions as yet remaining unsolved with regard to
shale oil ; probably this is a good feature, since in the
present state of our knowledge littlevaluewouldaccrue
to such considerations unless they were of a very ex-
liaustive character. With the growth of the industry
both at home and abroad research is bound to receive
a further stimulus, and much that is at the moment im-
perfectly understood will doubtless be made clear in
the light of new facts and hypotheses thus advanced.
To this end, and as an offset against the gradually de-
clining production of crude oil, the author's main plea
throughout the work is the immediate development of
the world's oil shale resources, and in this he has the
fullest support of all far-sighted men of to day.
We in this country are constantly hearing of the
"vast mountains of oil shale" hitherto untouched in
America, and possibly we may regard such a statement
as a piece of pardonable exaggeration on the part of our
enthusiastic friends in the States. But Dr. Alderson
shows in a most convincing manner that far from being
an exaggeration it is possibly but a modest computation
of the resources of that country. We read (page 29)
that in the Utah portion of the Uintah basin alone
there are 40,000,000,000 tons of shale which, yielding
a barrel of oil to the ton under normal working condi-
tions, will require over 500 years for their exhaustion ;
similarly in Colorado there would seem to be at least
800 years' supply ! Such estimates as these, which
omit all consideration of oil-shale deposits elsewhere,
both in America and other countries, are sufficient in
themselves to make us wonder why such valuable re-
sources of oil fuel should remain comparatively unde-
veloped until now, and we are driven to seek an expla-
nation in the study of the many commercial aspects of
the problem. Of these, one factor stands out very
clearly, quite apart from prevalent economic conditions,
and that is the general crudeness of present methods of
shale refining. I', is well known that no one method of
retorting, for example, will suit all facies of shale; a
process well adapted for the treatment of the Scottish
shale may be quite inapplicable in the States or in other
parts of the world, where the nature of the shales,
climatic conditions, and economic criteria are all vary-
ing factors, and where the difficulties of initiating satis-
factory commercial processes to meet local requirements
are extremely acute. Such obstacles can only be over-
come by much detailed experimental work, work which
we are glad to see is at last claiming the attention of
experts both in this country and abroad.
The author deals at some length with the several pro-
cesses of refining at present employed, and he supplies
some valuable information from the results of much
experimental work carried out at the Colorado School
of Mines, of which he is himself the president. In this
country similar work has been done and is in progress
in the Oil Technology Department of the Royal School
of Mines, and we take this opportunity of framing a few
criticisms of the method of shale distillation carried out
at the former school, and described in detail in the pres-
ent volume on page 94 et seq.
(1) The cast-iron retort or pot still described by Dr.
Alderson might with advantage be replaced by an iron
tube, since uniform heating of the shale is thus much
more rapidly obtained.
(2) When carrying out the distillation with steam,
there is a danger in using the pot-still, since the steam
will tend to take theeasiestchannel through the material
without passing uniformly through the shale ; this
danger is minimized with a tube retort, especially if the
latter be narrow, say 2J in. internal diameter.
(3) There is also a danger of some of the oil condens-
ing on the cooler upper surface of the pot-still, and in
the vertical portion of the delivery tube, thus dropping
back on to the hot shale and becoming decomposed, a
possibility largely eliminated in the tube retort.
(4) More rapid methods of estimating the yield of
ammonium sulphate can be employed than that de-
scribed by the author. If the ammonia water is not too
strongly coloured, a known excess of normal NaOH
solution may be added ; the oily bases thus liberated may
be extracted by shaking with petroleum ether, when by
titrating back the aqueous layer with standard acid, the
amount of ammonia present in the liquor may be easily
determined. Where the ammoniacal liquor is too
strongly coloured to make this method possible, the
yield of sulphate may be determined by rendering it
strongly alkaline with NaOH and distilling off the am-
monia into standard sulphuric acid. The oil must of
course be separated from the liquor in the first place.
The book is markedly free from technical and literary
inaccuracies, and is in itself a tribute to the patient and
thorough work which the author has been and is doing ;
his inquiries made personally in this country during
the early summer months of last year with reference to
the oil-shale industry in England and Scotland, and re-
ported at some length in the October issue of the Quar-
terly of the Colorado School of Mines, clearly show
the broadmindedness and sincerity of the effort which
he and his pupils are making in an organized endeavour
to establish the foundations of a far greater oil-shale
industry than the world has yet appreciated.
H. B. MiLNER.
The Sunset-Midway Oilfield, California. By R. W.
Paciy, United States Geological Survey, Profes-
sional Paper 116.
This memoir deals with the geology and technology
of the oil resources of an area situated at the southern
end of the San Joaquin valley, Kern County, California,
and is yet another example of the high standard of ex-
cellence attained by American publications of this na-
ture. It constitutes Part I. of the Official Report on the
Sunset-Midway field, and besides giving a thorough ac-
count of the occurrence of petroleum there, it contains
some most valuable information on oil accumulation
which, by reason of its wider application, repays care-
ful study.
The author first treats of the stratigraphy of the dis-
trict, which consists essentially of an enormous mass of
Tertiary sediments reposing unconformably on a com-
plex of granitoid rocks with associated metamorphics.
forming part of thegreat batholith of the SierraNevada.
These sediments have an estimated thickness of 18,000
ft., and though not expressive of continuous deposition,
they range in age from Eocene to Pliocene, with but
few important stratigraphical breaks in the succession.
Of these deposits the central Miocene diatomaceous
formation is both geologically and economically the
most characteristic, and is referred to here as the Mari-
copa Shale series, the lower part of which is equivalent
to the younger beds of the better known Monterey
group of this region. The oil is regarded as indigenous
to this series, which has a thickness here of nearly 5, 000
f t , , and most of the productive horizons of this field are
located in and about these shales.
The geological structure of the area is by no means
simple. The accumulation of oil has apparently been
controlled by a series of folding movements along a
line trending W.N.W.-E.S.E., a direction somewhat
62
THE MINING MAGAZINE
oblique to ihe strike of the main coastal rariKe. This
folding has produced aseriesofantichnesandsynclines,
in places closely packed together, with a certain amount
of concomitant faulting, especially in thesoutli, in the
San Kmi^dio Mountains, where the main structure
lines are trending practically li-W. Most of the pro-
ductive 6elds of the region to the west of the San Joa-
quin valley, embracing the Sunset-Midwaydistrict, are
situated near the axes of these anticlinals.
With regard to actual production, up to January 1,
1918, 2,827,900.000 barrels of oil had been obtained
from over 2,000 wells drilled : from the statistical de-
tails given by Arnold in the " Manual for the 0>\ and
Gas Industry." pp. l-tS-152, it is evident that the future
prospects of the SunsetMidv,'ay field are exceedingly
good, such being the impression also conveyed from a
study of this memoir and of the excellent maps included.
H. B. MiLNER.
The Mineral Industry : Its Statistics, Technology,
and Trade during 1919, Vol. xxviii. Edited by G. A.
Koush and Allison Butts. Cloth, octavo, 902 pages.
Price {2. 15s. Od. New York and London : McCJraw-
llill Hook Company.
Ontario Department of Mines 29th Annual Re-
port. I'art 1\': Kirklaiid Lake ( lold Area, by A. G.
Burrows and V. IC, Mopkins
Ontario Department of Mines 29th Annual Re-
port. Part III : Ben Nevis Gold Area, by C. W.
Knight ; West Shiningtree Gold .^rea, by P. E, Hop-
kins ; Matachewan Gold Area, by \. G. Burrows;
Argonaut Gold Mine, by C. W. Knight; Gowganda
Silver .\rea. by A. G. Burrows.
Coal in Great Britain : The Composition, Structure,
and Resources of the Coalfields, Visible and Concealed,
of Great Britain. By Dr. Walcot Gibson. Cloth,
octavo. 320 pages, illustrated. Price 21s. net. Lon-
don . Edward Arnold.
COMPANY REPORTS
Dolcoath Mine. — The report of this Cornish tin-
mining company for the six months ended June 30 last
shows that 30.052 tons of ore was treated, yielding
338i tons of tin concentrate, or 25'21b. per ton. This
was sold for ;f 70.75L and in addition ;^1,918 was re-
ceived from the sale of crude arsenic. Other items
brought the total receipts to ;f74,732, against which
there was an outgoing of /86,006. including ^3,213
paid as debenture interest. The loss for the half-year
was ;^n,275. Since the end of the half-year the bot-
tom workings have been abandoned, and operations
have been continued on a reduced scale. The propo-
sal to explore to the north is given in detail elsewhere
in this issue.
Sub-Nigel. — This company was formed in 1895 to
acquire property on the dip of the Nigel gold mine in
the Heidelberg district of the Far East Rand. In 1909
the adjoining property of the Nigel Deep was absorbed.
More recently property on the dip in the Grootfontein
has been acquired, and an extensive scheme of develop-
ment inaugurated. The control is with the Consoli-
dated Gold Fields of South .-Vfrica The report for the
year ended June 30 last shows that 117,304 tons of ore
was sent to the mill, where 38,911 oz. gold was ex-
tracted by amalgamation and 33,862 oz. by cyaniding,
being a total of 72,773 oz., or 12 33 dwt. per ton. The
gold was sold for ^384,365, of which ;f7G.311 repre-
sented premium. The value of the yield per ton was
65s. Id., or excluding premium 52s. 2d. The working
cost was /253,636. or 42s. Hd. per ton, leaving a profit
of /130,729, or 22s. 2d. per ton, out of which ;(;70,000
was distributed as dividend, being at the rate of 10%.
The developments have not maintained the ore reserve,
which stands at 284,000 tons averaging IQdwt. The
new vertical shaft reached the reef at a depth of 2,379ft.
in November. 1919. and connection has been made
with tiie 17th and 21st levels. Since the close of the
company's linancial year, developments on the 21st
level have disclosed a number of runs of profitable ore.
Knights Deep. -This company was formed in 1895
to accjuire deep level claims in the middle east Rand,
and milling commenced in 1903. The control is with
the Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa. From
1905 to 1917 satisfactory dividends were paid regularly.
In September, 1920, the mill was destroyed by fire.
Under the conditions now ruling at this low grade mine,
it was impossible to rebuild the mill, so the company is
to go into liquidation. The report for the year ended
July 31 last shows that 1,070,200 tons of ore was raised
and milled, for a yield of 193,881 oz. This gold was
sold for /1,049,48b, of which /224,236represented pre-
mium. The income per ton milled was 19s. 7d., of
which 4s, 2d. was premium. The working expenses
were ^940, 965, or 17s. 7d. per ton, leaving a working
profit of /10S,514, or 2s. per ton. A dividend of 3.?%
was paid in January, 1920, absorbing .f27,882. The
ore reserve was estimated on July 31 at 727,000 tons,
averaging 4 8 dwt. over 65 in.
Luipaard's Vlei Estate & Gold. — This company
was formed in 1888 by the Consolidated Gold Fields
to work a gold mining property in the far west Rand.
Milling was started in 1898, but was suspended on the
outbreak of the Boer war, and was not resumed until
1906. In 1909 the adjoining Windsor mine was ab-
sorbed. In 1912 the control was acquired by L.
Ehrlich & Co. The property consists of four sections,
two on the Main Reel Series, and two on the Battery
Reef to the south. Small dividends were paid in 1908,
1909, and 1916. The report for the year ended June
30 last shows that 226,985 tons of ore averaging 4 99
dwt. per ton was sent to the mill, where 52,523 oz. of
gold was extracted by amalgamation and cyaniding,
being a yield of 4 628 dwt. per ton. The amount
realized, including premium, was ;f276,026, while the
working cost was ;^247,906, and the item for develop-
ment redemption was ;^34,047. Thus the total work-
ing cost was /281,954, and the adverse balance for the
year ^5,928. A shortage of native labour and a fall
in the sloping width of the reefs had a very serious
effect on the output and revenue, and at the same
time the costs went up 3s. 6d. as compared with the
previous year. An advance in the gold premium came
to the rescue, however, and obviated the contempla-
ted stoppage of operations. It is now intended to re-
sume development directly a supply of natives can be
obtained. The reserve stands at 701,847 tons averag-
ing 52 dwt.. together with 84.564 tons partly develop-
ed expected to average 571 dwt. per ton.
Witbank Colliery. — This company was formed in
1896 to acquire coal lands in the Middelburg district of
the Transvaal, about 90 miles east of Johannesburg.
The control was with Neumann's, but is now with the
Central Mining & Investment. The report for the year
ended June 30 last shows that sales amounted to995, 589
tons, of which 550,818 tons came from the Witbank
mine and 444,771 tons from the Uitspan mine. The
total was 127,734 tons higher than that for the previous
year, and was the highest recorded in the history of the
company. The profit for the year was £9i'},750, out of
which /61.250 wasdistributedasdividend. Duringthe
year, /140,000 of the accumulated profit, used in the
business, was capitalized, and 140,000 shares were dis-
tributed as a bonus to shareholders. The capital of the
company was thus raised from /2 10, 000 to /350,000.
JANUARY, 1921
63
Taquah Mining & Exploration. — This company
was formed in ISSS as the Taquah & Abosso Gold
Mining Co., to acquire gold-mining properties in Gold
Coast Colony, West Africa. In 1901 the company
was split, the Abosso mine being transferred to a sub-
sidiary company. The report for the year ended June
30 last shows that 53,844 tons of ore svas sent to the
mill, and that the total yield of gold was 32,907 oz.
The par value of the gold was /139,550, and the pre-
mium brought the total receipts up to /173,S79. The
working cost was /109,544. and allowance for depre-
ciation /27.782, while jf 13.317 was received as divi-
dends and profits on sale of shares. The net profit
was /51,129, out of which ^48,434 was distributed as
dividend, being at the rate of 12^%. The ore reserve
was estimated on June 30 at 182,226 tons averaging
52s, 6d. par value. Labour shortage has interfered
with development. The lode turns upward at the 14th
level of the internal shaft. This has been followed for
250 ft., and its further continuance is now being tested.
Abosso Gold. — This company is a subsidiary of the
Taquah. particulars of which are given in the preced-
ing paragraph. The report for the year ended June
30 last shows that 82.588 tons of ore was treated,
averaging 37s. 8d. in gold per ton par value. The
yield of gold was 33,555 oz., worth ^142,310 par value,
or vvith the premium ^177,735. The net profit was
/50,039. out of which /50.000 was distributed as
dividend, being at the rate of 12^%. Developments
continue to be satisfactory, and the reserve at June 30
was calculated at 300,003 tons averaging 34s. 6d. par
value. The shortage of available labour is a serious
question at present. During the year the property of
the Wassau (Gold Coast) Mining Co. has been pur-
chased for /'20,000. This property consists of mining
areas on the dip of the Abosso and of timber conces-
sions near by.
Preslea Block A. — The report of this company,
operating a gold mine in West Africa, for the year
1919, just published, shows that 181,398 tons of ore
was milled for a yield of gold selling for ;f330,090, of
which ^29,222 came from premium. The yield per
ton was 36s. 4d. The working cost was /297,657, or
32s. 9d. per ton, and allowance for depreciation
;f25,605. The ore reserve at December 31 was esti-
mated at 317,350 tons averaging 38s. 8d. per ton, as
compared with 469.645 tons at the end of 1918. The
newly discovered ore-body north of Prestea shaft is
giving good results, and the average assay-value is
higher than that of the ore reserve. The length of
the pay-shoot on this ore body is greater on the 12th
than on the 11th level, but on the 131h level the re-
sults are not so satisfactory. Owing to the bad nature
of the ground in Prestea shaft, the development of the
lower levels is to be done by an auxiliary internal
shaft. The mine has suffered greatly by shortage of
labour, as ha%-e all other mines in West Africa.
Northern Nigeria (Bauchi) Tin Mines. — This com-
pany was formed in 1910 to acquire alluvial tin ground
at N'Gel in Nigeria from the Anglo-Continental Mines
Co. An account of the property was given in the
Magazine for February, 1918, and in March, 1920,
particulars were given of the hydro-electric installation
in course of erection. The report for the year ended
June 30 last shows that the output of tin concentrate
was 465 tons, an increase of 100 tons as compared with
the previous year. Of the total, 268 tons came from
the Gona section. The profit was /14,150, out of
which /10,039 was distributed as dividend on the pref-
erence shares. Additional properties and licences have
been acquired, and much e.xploratory work has already
been done. Altogether ground estimated to contain
1,876 tons has been proved, bringing the total contents
of the proved ground to 9,797 tons. The construction
of the new plant is progressing, but owing to increases
in the price of materials the cost will be much greater
than originally contemplated, and a further ;£125,000
will be required. Negotiations are at present in hand
for the raising of this amount.
Jantar Nigeria. — This company was formed in 1912
to work alluvial tin ground near Naraguta, Nigeria.
The report for the year ended September 30 shows that
143 tons of tin concentrate was e.xtracted, as compared
with 110 tons and 166 tons during the two preceding
years. In addition to the income from sales there is
an item in the accounts of ;^4.100 as returned excess
profits duty, which had the effect of converting a de-
ficit on working into a profit balance of {83S. Owing
to labour shortage it has been impossible to work the
new properties recently acquired, .^s recorded last
month, the company is being amalgamated with the
Kuru South and the Kuru Syndicate.
Dua (Nigeria) Tin Fields. — This company was form-
ed in 1902 to acquire mining rights in Bauchi Province,
Nigeria. In 1907 it acquired the properties on the Ja-
rawa, previously owned by Mertens, of Hamburg, and
also properties on the Juga river at Sutumi. J. H.
Cordner-James is the chairman. The report for the
year ended June 30 shows that the output of tin concen-
trate was 46i tons. The receipts were ;f 10,787, and
the expenditure ;£^15,260, leaving an adverse balance of
£4,473. The Sutumi property has proved to be a great
disappointment. Partsof thejarawapropertyalsohave
given similar adverse results, while the parts containing
tin would require considerable expense for pumps to
give an adequate water supply. Under existing con-
ditions the directors do not consider such expenditure
warranted.
Menzies Consolidated Gold Mines. — This company
was formed by C. Williamson Milne in 1895 to acquire
gold-mining properties at Menzies. West Australia.
R. Goninon is manager. Thecapital is £224.015, and the
only dividends paid were distributed for the four years
1914 to 1917, when 2^% per year was paid. The re-
port for the year ended July 31 shows that 19,909 tons
of ore was milled, yielding 10,080 oz. of gold bullion,
by amalgamation, cyaniding, and concentration. This
goldwassoldfor/52,332,of which .f 12, 927 represented
premium. The net profit was ^3.231, which was car-
ried forward. Development has given unfavourable
results during the year, and the ore reserve has de-
clined. The shaft has been sunk to 1,933 ft., and a
19th level is to be opened. The future of the mine will
depend on the results obtained.
Yuanmi Gold Mines. — This company has been work-
ing the Yuanmi gold mine in the East Murchison gold-
field. West Australia, since 1911. Dividends were paid
in 1913 and 1914, but afterward developments gave
poorresults. A year ago conditions became more hope-
ful. In order to raise additional capital, 500.000 pref-
erence shares at 2s. each were created, and of these
220,000 have been issued so far. The report for the
year ended June 30 last shows that labour conditions
have prevented any comprehensive scheme of develop-
ment being undertaken. In fact the shortage was such
that the treatment operations were suspended for several
periods totalling three months. Owing to faults and
dykes the ground is not easy to prospect. During the
year 14,922 tons of ore was treated, yielding gold which
sold for /57,920. The expenses were greater than the
income by £2,013.
Sulphide Corporation. — This company owns the
Central lead-zinc-silver mine at Broken Hill, a lead
smelter at Cockle Creek, near Newcastle. New South
64
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Wales, and a zinc smeller at Seaton Carcw, Connly
IHirham. The mine was idle during the year ended
June 30 last, covered by the report now issued. On
ilie exhavisiion of slocks, ihe Cockle Creek smeller
was closed at the end of 1919. DurinR the six monlhs
it was working, 15.SS5 Ions of mine and cnstom ore
was smelted for a production of 3.S<9 tons of load bul-
lion containing 5,S0_'oz. of gold and 503,493 oz. sil-
ver. .M Ihe reiinery there was produced 3,597 tons of
soft lead, 207 ions of antimonial lead, 8,333 oz gold,
and 664,407 oz. silver. At the sulphuric acid plant the
production was 13,2J2 tons, and at the superphos-
phate plant 17,398 tons. The Central zinc works at
Sealon Carew was occupied in treating zinc material
thai had been purchased by the British (iovernment,
including some from .Xuslralia. The amount of roast-
ed concentrate smelted was 8,302 ions, from which
was produced 2.817 tons of spelter, 13 tons of zinc
dust, and 17 tons of lead. The residues, 6,3 16 tons, were
loo low in lead and silver to warrant treatment, with
the exception of 336 tons, which was concentrated for
a yield of 67 Ions of leady material. The company's
accounts show a balance of profit of iiZ.iOA, but it
was not possible to distribute a dividend.
Fremantle Trading. — This company was formed as
the Western Australian Smelting Co. in 1897 to erect a
smelter and to work lead mines in the Northampton
district of West Australia. A description of the pro-
perly was published in the Magazine for March, 1919.
The mines were reopened in February. 1920. The re-
port for the year ended July 31 shows that at the Bad-
dera mine 2.978 tons of ore yielded 506 tons of con-
centrate averaging 72% lead ; at Narra Tarra. 8.406
tons of ore yielded 975 tons averaging 70'9% ; at
Wheal Ellen. 208 tons of ore yielded 44 tons averag-
ing 71 6"u. At Ihe smelting works 1,134 tons of ore
and concentrate was treated for a yield of 579 6 tons
of soft lead, which was sold at an average price of /40.
16s. per ton. The accounts show a profit of ;f2,378.
which was carried forward. The labour position and
the low price of lead make it uncertain how long opera-
lions can be continued.
Chinese Engineering & Mining. — This company
was formed m 1900 to acquire coal mines at Kaiping.
in the State of Chili, north China It was recon-
structed in 1912 in order to effect a working arrange-
ment with the Lanchow company, a Chinese-owned
company operating in the same neighbourhood. The
businesses of these two companies are now controlled
by the Kailan Mining .Administration. The report
for the year ended June 30 last shows that the sales
effected by this Administration during the year were
4,010.980 tons of coal, an increase of 882,303 tons as
compared with the previous year, and the net profit
was 58,917,456, of which the Chinese Engineering &
Mining Co.'s share was 54,581,804. The net profit of
the company was /l, 112, 412. Out of this, /524,702
has been placed to reserve for excess profits duty, and
/300,000 has been distributed as dividend, being at
the rate of 30% . It is proposed to capitalize ;f 400.000
of the accumulated profits. For this purpose the
nominal capital is to be increased from /^l, 000,000 to
/2. 000. 000, and after the 400.000 new shares are is-
sued, 600.000 will be available for issue whenever de-
sirable. The reason for this provision of further capi-
tal arises out of a project for establishing an iron indus-
try. The company and the Lanchow company have
acquired an iron ore deposit on the Yangtse River, re-
ported by Frank Merricks to contain 4,000,000 tons of
high-grade ore. It is proposed to build a smelter at
the port of Chinwangtao from plans prepared by F.
W. Harbord.
Cnpc Copper. — This company was formed in 1863
10 work copper mines in Liltle Namaijualand, Cape
Province. The ore and matle were brought to lirilon-
ferry, South Wales. More recently copper mines in
Rakha Hills, CholaNagpur, India, have been develop-
ed. The report for Ihe year ended August 31 sliosvs
that mining operations are still in abeyance at the
Cape, having bi-en discontinued in May, 1919, owing
to the adverse copper position. The mines are being
kept in working order, and an extensive drilling cam-
paign is in hand for the purpose of prospecting ad-
joining properties at Koperberg and Carolusberg. Tlie
metallurgical plant at Kakha Hills had not been final-
ly completed during the year under review, so that the
actual oiuput of copper was small, but since the
issue of the report a full output of 250 tons of copper
per month had been reached. Some of Ihe slocks
at the Cape have been sold in New York, and the re-
mainder has been treated at Kakha Hills. During the
year. 35.540 tons of ore averaging 357% copper was
mined at Kakha Hills. The reserve is estimated at
354.688 tons averaging 3 66% copper. The company's
accounts for the year show a deficit of /163.627. ow-
ing to the virtual suspension of sales. As recorded
last month, the company has made provision for fur-
ther capital by the issue of .i{^120.000 debentures.
Tolima. — This company was formed in 1871 to ac-
quire the Frias silver-lead mine in Colombia. In the
early days the operations were highly profitable, but
in 1903 and 1909 reconstructions were necessary Dur-
ing the war great difficulty was experienced in shipping
the concentrate and getting it smelted. The report for
the year ended June 30 last shows that 7.259 tons of
ore was raised and concentrated, yielding 607 tons of
concentrateaveraging 4533 oz. silver per ton and 1487%
lead This material was sold for /63,530. The ac-
counts show an adverse balance of /4,0S7 for the year.
The ore reserve is estimated to contain 1.361 tons of
shipping material. During the year there was a brief
strike, which led to an increase in miners' v;ages of
25%. This and the continued rise in the cost of ma-
terials makes profitable mining increasingly difficult.
Frontino & Bolivia Gold. — This company was
formed in 1864 (being reconstructed in 1886 and 1911)
to work a group of gold mines in Colombia, the prin-
cipal properly being the Silencio mine. Pellew-Har-
vey & Co. a"re the consulting engineers. The report
for the year ended June 30 last shows that 29.760 tons
of ore was treated, giving by amalgamation and cya-
niding a yield of 25.815 oz, of gold. The profit was
/28.161, out of which /4.513 was paid as debenture
interest. ;f2,339 as preference dividend, and ;f 14,000
as ordinary dividend, at the rate of 10%. Labour
conditions have prevented the mine from being work-
ed at full capacity. Developments at Ihe lowest level,
the 16th, have been good, and the reserve has been
slightly increased, standing now at 05,600 tons averag-
ing 16 dwt. per ton. The company has a half share
in the Marmajito Mines, Ltd. The plant for unwater-
ing and developing this property has been despatched.
Berenguela Tin Mines. — This company was formed
in 1905 to acquire lode-tin properties at Berenguela,
Bolivia. Particulars were given in an article in the
Magazine for December, 1914. The report for the
year ended June 30 last shows that the output of tin
concentrate was 386 tons, as compared_ with 366 tons
the year before. Thegross trading profit was ;f41,521,
and. after the placing of /14,751 to reserve for contin-
gencies, Ihe net profit was ;^25,125. Out of this profit,
2l0,000 has been placed to general reserve, and
;f 10,000 has been distributed as dividend, being at Ihe
rate of 25%.
^^
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director. Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House. London Wall, London, E.G. 2.
Telephone: London Wall 8938. Telegraphic Address : Olieoclase. Codes: McJVetW, both Editions.
Branch Offices :
(420. Market Street. San Francisco.
. Fisher Bde.. Chicago.
, Equitable Building. New York.
(420. M
] 600. Fi
1 2,222, 1
Subscription
[ 16s. per annum (Single Copy Is. 6d ) inclu-
l ding postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXIV. No. 2. LONDON. FEBRUARY. 1921,
Price Is. 6d.
CONTENTS.
Editorial
Notes 66
World's Gold Output : Model of New Modderfon-
tein Surface Plant ; Wave-Transmission Rock-
Drill; Royal Society of Arts Prize Essays : Lady
Directors of Minini; Companies : H. Foster
Bain's Appointment as Director of the United
States Bureau of Mines.
Standardization of Mining Materials... 67
Note is made of Mr. E. A Wraight's paper read
before the Institution on the Standardization of
Materials Employed in Mining and Milling
Plant.
Oil on the Waters 67
Complaint has been made in the Press of the foul-
ing of the surface of the sea by oil-burning ships
and of the possible damage done thereby to
marine life.
Kirkland Lake 68
Attention is drawn in this Editorial to a new Geo-
logical Survey of the Kirkland Lake gold-min-
ing district of Ontario, and some account is
given of its history and development.
Libel and Criticism 69
The attitude of the Magazine as regards adverse
comments is here explained, and it is shown
that libel and criticism are neither "business"
nor " pleasure."
Review of Mining 71
Articles
The Transmission of Power by Waves
P.J.Risdon 75
The Physical Bases of Tin- Dressing
... R. T. Hancock, Assoc. Inst. M.M. 80
On the Estimation of Mineral Reserves
/. D. Kendall
With special reference to the Iron Ores of Cumber-
land and Lancashire.
Letters to the Editor
Genesis of Cumberland Iron Ores ...
J. B. Atkinson
... A. Alec Jones, Assoc. Inst. M.M.
/. D. Kendall
The Finsbury Technical College
G. T. Morgan
91
94
96
96
97
News Letters
Melbourne 97
Welfare Schemes at Mount Lyell ; Electrolytic
Zinc in Tasmania.
Toronto 99
Cobalt ; Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake : Larder Lake :
Mineral Production of 1920.
Camborne 100
The Tin Mines : China Clay.
Personal 101
Trade Paragraphs 102
Metal Markets 103
Statistics of Production 106
Prices of Chemicals 109
Share Quotations 110
The Mining Digest
Kirkland Lake Gold-Mining District
A. G. Burrows and P. B. Hopkins lU
Sulphur in South Africa T. G. Trevor 115
Repairing Lens Collieries by Cementation ...
H. Standish Ba'l 117
Chemistry of the Earth's Crust
Henry S. Washington US
Nickel and its Uses Paul D Merica 119
Mica in Australia B. Dunstan 120
Vanadium in the Transvaal
Malcolm Ferguson and Dr. P. A. Wagner 120
Antimony Oxide as a Pigment...//. E. Clarke 121
Geology of Killifreth Mine M. H. Kitto 121
Short Notices 121
Recent Patents Published 122
New Books, Pamphlets, Etc.
Ronaldson's " Coal " Henry Louis
Lumb's " The Platinum Metals " A.L. Simon
Grabau's " Principles of Salt Deposition " ...
H. B. Milner
Washington's " Chemical Analyses of Igneous
Rocks" W. H. Goodchild
123
123
124
125
Company Reports 126
Bullhnch Proprietary; Champion Reef Gold Mining of India
Deebook Dredging : Muelva Copper and Sulphur : Messina
(Transvaal) Development : Premier (Transvaal) Diamond Min^
iiif^; Rafinpa (Nigeria) Tin ; South Bukeru (Nigeria) Tin ; Tan
^.tnyika Concessions ; Wankie Colliery ; Wolhuter Gold Mines
EDITORIAL
A writer in the Hiigiiieeniii' tiiul Mniiiifi
Journal ol New \'q\\<. estimates the out-
put of gold throughout the world during the year
1^20 at /' (59, 700,000, par value, as compared
with ^75^000,000 in 1919, and /'79,000,000 in
1918. The highest total ever recorded was
ir98,000,000 in 1915. He reports that the con-
dition of gold-mining in the United States is
far from satisfactory, for there is no premium
on the metal, and prices of labour and com-
modities have increased enormously.
A MODEL of the surface plant at the
south shaft of the New Modderfontein
gold mine has been prepared by the Central
Mining & Investment Corporation, under the
direction of Mr. 11. F. Marriott, and it is now
on exhibit at the London office of the company,
No. 1, London Wall Buildmgs. It is to be
shown at various places in this country and on
the Continent, and it is suitable for the mstruc-
tion of both the public and the mining student.
This plant is an excellent example of latest
Kand hoistmg and metallurgical practice, and
the model is well worth inspection.
IN this issue is published the first half of an
article describing the principle of trans-
mission of power by waves of water-compres-
sion, and its application in practice, particu-
larly to rock-drills. We have purposely split
the article in two, so that readers shall obtain
a grasp of the prmciple before trying to under-
stand the action of the machines. The prin-
ciple isso novel, andits action in rock-drilling is
of such an unaccustomednature, that engineers
will probably take some time to obtain a full
grasp of the subject. Next month we intend
to say more of the possibilities of the drill. In
the meantime it is sufficient to mention that
the drill is a practical machine and that several
are already at work in. mines and quarries.
FIVE years ago Mr. Reginald Le Neve
Foster endowed the Royal Society of Arts
with a small fund in memory of his father,
Peter Le Neve Foster, who was secretary of
that society from 1853 to 1879, the proceeds
of the fund to be devoted as prizes for the best
papers on current subjects of importance. The
first offer of the prize was for a paper on the
metallurgy of zinc, and the best of those sub-
mitted were by Mr. J. C. Moulden and Mr. E.
A. Smith. The society now announces a sec-
ond competition under the terms of the bene-
faction. This time the subject is the Mineral
Resources of China, a subject open to consider-
able discussion, for opinions vary widely.
There are many engineers well qualified to
gi\e the records and their views as to the future.
It is to be hoped that they will respond to the
invitation.
PARTICIP.'XTION in the direction of min-
ing companies is not usually a congenial
occupation for a lady, but every now and then
opportunity is afTorded for the exercise of con-
spicuous ability in the conduct of mining busi-
ness. Lady Khondda is a director of a dozen
South Wales colliery companies, and many
readers will remember Mrs. Kermode, a direc-
tor of the Tasmanian Metals Extraction Com-
pany. This month the appointment of Mrs.
H. J. Tennant to the board of the Champion
Reef Gold Mining Company of India is an-
nounced. Before her marriage to the son of
the late Sir Charles Tennant, she was, as Miss
-Abraham, the Superintending Inspector of
F'actories in England, and achieved a distin-
guished success in that position.
PRECEDENT dating from 1 776 interdicts
the reference by an Englishman, approv-
ingly or otherwise, to the appointment or can-
didature of any individual for a public position
in the United States. For this reason we re-
frained from making any comment on Mr. H.
C. Hoover's chances of becoming president,
and even now it is impossible for us to dis-
cuss the outlook for his becoming a member
of Mr. Harding's administration. Probably
also it is out of order for us to congratulate
the United States on the appointment of Mr.
H. Foster Bain to the directorship of the
Bureau of Mines; but as this is not in the
nature of a political position, we feel justified
in breaking the time-honoured custom. Mr.
Bain is well known throughout the world as
an alert geologist and mining engineer, one
with an open mind, one desirous of making
friends without restriction as to nationality or
position. For a few years he edited the Min-
ing and Scientific Press, and subsequently
he was editor of The Mining Magazine for a
short time. His travels have taken him to
many places outside his own country. South
.\frica, Rhodesia, the Congo, the Malay Pen-
insula, Burma, China, and Japan. In his new
position he will be occupied with much con-
genial work, and his " soul will not be fettered
to an office stool."
FEBRUARY, 1921
67
Standardization of Mining
Materials.
At the meeting of the Institution of Mining
and Metallurgy held last month, a subject of
considerable interest to the mining profession
was introduced by a paper presented by Mr. E.
A. Wraight, on the Standardization of Materials
employed m Mming and Milling Plant. In
order to avoid a misconception as to the scope
of the paper, it should be said at once that this
discussion relates only to materials employed
and not to the design and construction of plant.
This latter subject has been to the forefront in
certain quarters in the United States recently,
where proposals have been made for the evolu-
tion of standards for all machinery, beginning
with motor cars and including mining machin-
ery and supplies. Mr. Wraight's proposals are
confined solely to a discussion as to the best
materials for each particular purpose required.
This subject has seldom received serious dis-
cussion and experimentation, and the reasons
are not difficult to recognize, as far as non-fer-
rous metal mining is concerned. In the first
place the persistence of ore is such an uncertain
factor in the economics of mining that an engi-
neer or director is seldom warranted in conduct-
ing testsor subscribing money to that end. Then
again, the conditions of work vary so widely
that accurate comparisons are difficult to make.
Where the requirements are clearly ascertain-
able, the funds at disposal unlimited, the labour
highly skilled, and competition severe, it is pos-
sible and necessary to specify the exact nature
of the material to be used for every separate
component of the machine. These conditions
are not often found in mining. Another diffi-
culty arises from the fact that non-ferrous
metal mming is a comparatively small indus-
try. For instance, the Sheffield firms produce
special steels suitable for rock-drill purposes,
for the wearing faces of ore crushers, and for
stamp shoes and dies, but the proportion of
their production of steel for these particular
purposes is very small compared with the total
output of the works, and it is consequently im-
possible to ask them to make the investigations
desired.
Mr. Wraight's paper dealt with drill steel,
component parts of stamp-mills, balls and lin-
ings for re-grinding mills, facings for Cornish
rolls, etc. Even his short statement was suffi-
cient to indicate the bewildering complication
of the subject. In the discussion following the
presentation of the paper, Mr. Robert Allen
gave a brief outline of the work he did in con-
nection with drill steels for the Johannesburg
2—3
Mines Trials Committee, particulars of which
were published in the MAGAZINE for July, 1913 ;
and the subsequent speakers confined their re-
marks entirely to this branch of the subject.
Mr. F. W. Harbord and Professor Carpenter,
as leadingauthorities on the metallurgy of steel,
gave their views as to the nature of the steels
required for drilling purposes andthebehaviour
of such steels under forging and sharpening.
They considered that theoretically three or more
standards would be required, according to the
hardness of the rocks, and they doubted whether
the expense of such special steels would be
warranted unless the smiths in charge of shar-
pening were fully equal to their work. The
general impression obtained fromthediscussion
was that mining operations cannot profitably
demand very accurate metallurgical distinctions
as regards the steels used, and that better re-
sults from the economic standpoint can be ob-
tained with steels having wider ranges of ap-
plicability. The discussion at the meeting con-
cluded with a general recommendation that the
various mining societies mightappointcommit-
tees to consider these subjects, and make in-
vestigations and suggestions, but it is doubtful
whether anything definite can be done in this
direction.
Oil on the Waters.
Oil-fuel for steam-raising on board ship pre-
sents a good many advantages, as is well
known. Absence of smoke during the voyage
and of dust during coaling, the rapidity with
which the supply of fuel can be taken on board,
the great reduction in the number of men re-
quired in the furnace rooms, and the ease
with which the vessel can be kept in trim all
favour the employment of oil-fuel. One of
the most serious drawbacks, however, is that
the supply of this type of fuel is not unlimited.
Reference has already been made in these
pages to Admiral Dumas' protests against its
indiscriminate use. Since then, one of the
leading shipbuilders, Lord Pirrie, head of
Harland & Wolff, has also uttered a public
warning to the shipowners, telling them that,
even at the present rate of consumption, the
available supply will come within very narrow
compass in twenty years, and that if this
method of steam-raising is at all widely ex-
panded the world's resources will be drained
long before then. The evil day will, of course,
be postponed by the use of the colloidal fuel
now being developed by Minerals Separation,
seeing that about a quarter of the oil employ-
ed in this way will be replaced by fine coal.
For this reason the shipping people ought to
68
THK MINING MAGAZINE
pay close attention to the new process. To
attempt to induce the shipowners to go slow
on oil would be a fatuous proceeding, for, ac-
cording to the laws of business, profits must
always be made w-hen opportunity arises and
when good engineering work can be done. In
any case it is not a difficult matter to make
alterations in the furnaces when it becomes
necessary to revert to coal, and moreover it is
always possible that a method will eventually
be devised whereby fine coal dust can safely
be used on board ship without any admixture
of oil.
The foregoing considerations with regard to
the use of oil fuel at sea are already well
known to engineers, and reference to them is
made now only for the purpose of emphasiz-
ing the position. A new objection to oil, how-
ever, has recently been widely ventilated in
the press, and this deserves careful examina-
tion with a view to ascertaining the extent of
its truth. It is alleged that the oil escaping
from the ships has a deleterious effect on
marine life, and that as a consequence the
fishes and birds stand in danger of extermina-
tion. It is alleged that the leakage of oil both
from tankers and oil-driven steamers is gradu-
ally covering the surface of the sea with a
film of oil, of infinitesimal or molecular thin-
ness certainly, but nevertheless sufficient to
prevent the aeration of the water and thus
check the growth of marine life. The de-
struction of submarines and the wreck of ships
also account for the release of much oil. An-
other cause of oil getting access to the surface
of the sea arises from the practice of filling
empty oil tanks with water ballast, and after-
wards pumping out the water when the tanks
have to be recharged. This last-named pro-
ceeding causes an unpleasant fouling of har-
bour waters. The first to call public attention
to this unfortunate state of aflfairs was Sir
Arthur Quiller-Couch, who uttered a power-
ful protest against the filthy condition of the
roadstead at his beloved Fowey. Anyone who
visits the ports patronized by oil-ships can see
for himself the unpleasant nature of the sur-
face of the waters, and it can hardly be dis-
puted that in the harbours, and in the ap-
proaches by sea toward them, the conditions
are distinctly unsatisfactory. It is an open
question, however, whether the ocean highways
suffer much pollution from the passage of the
oil-ships. In fact, they probably suffer less
from oil-ships than from coal ships. With
ordinary coal-burning ships, oil escapes into
the sea-water circulated through the condens-
ers, while the products arising from the incom-
plete combustion of the coal, namely, soot, am-
monia, acids, and a multitude of organic com-
pounds, eventually reach the water. So the de-
filement of the track of civilization is not due
solely to this new class of offender. There are
many other possible causes for tlie disappear-
ance of i'lsh from our shores than the pouring of
oil upon the waters. Forinstance, vast amounts
of imperfect explosives and other chemicals
have been dumped in the seas by order of the
Government. Then also works and factories
on the rivers and sea-board discharge some
sort of eflluent directly into the sea, and are in
fact encouraged to deliver their refuse far out.
The authorities are, of course, keen that rivers
should not be polluted, but they are not con-
cerned with what happens beyond the limits
of the sea-shore. Taking eveiything into con
sideration it seems to us that this case against
oil is not particularly strong, except from the
point of view of the condition of the harbours
where oil-ships resort. The Government and
the local authorities are competent to deal
with this matter. As for the fouling of the open
seas, it will be well if it were possible for some
scientific body to make an impartial investiga-
tion so that the supposed or actual damage can
be traced to its ultirhate source.
Kirkland Lake.
One of the most important geological reports
issued recently is that on the Kirkland Lake
gold area, Ontario, made by Messrs. A.G. Bur-
rows and P. E. Hopkins for theOntario Bureau
of Mines. The first section of this report, deal-
ing with the geologyand theoredeposits,ispub-
lished in the Mining Digest elsewhere in this
issue, and the remainder, describing the indi-
vidual mines, will appear in subsequent num-
bers. Like most of the official technical docu-
ments published in Canada, it is up to date and
helpful for the present purposes of the pro-
spector and miner. It will be remembered that
the same two geologists made a report on the
district in 1912, shortly after the first discov-
eries were made. Thus the pioneers have con-
tinuously had every assistance from the Gov-
ernment, and many useful hints for futurework
have been provided by disinterested parties.
Readers of the Magazine will have followed
the rise of this centre of gold production, for
without intermission news has been published
regularly since 1913. In the early days, Mr.
Reginald E. Hore, editor of the Canadian
Mining Journal, gave a comprehensive ac-
count, and Mr. J. B. Tyrrell contributed a
paper on the subject to the Transactions of the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy. These
FEBRUARY, 1921
69
authors were followed by Mr. Charles Spear-
man, who discussed the nature of the ore min-
erals. For the benefit of those who are not
familiar with this district and its history a few
notes at this juncture may be given. In read-
ing these notes reference should be made to
the maps accompanying the report and repro
duced in the Mining Digest.
The Kirkland Lake area forms part of a
large mineralized region which extends from
Matachewan north-easterly through Larder
Lake and into the province of Quebec. There
was a gold rush in 1906 to Larder Lake, and
during that time many claims were staked at
various points between that lake and the rail-
way at Swastika. The Larder Lake boom did
not yield any substantial mining success and
the district was soon deserted. On the other
hand, a property at Swastika,and subsequently
an adjoining property known as the Lucky
Cross, proved profitable. These successes and
the concurrent progress at Porcupine served
to draw attention once more to this area. The
first golddiscovery at Kirkland Lakewas made
in 1911 by Mr. W. H. Wright, who staked out
claims which are now parts of the Wright-
Hargreaves mine. By the end of that year
nearly the whole of the ground was re-staked.
Early in the next year gold was found on the
Tough-Oakes claims to the north-east of the
lake. These early discoveries did not reveal
any particularly attractive ore, and it was not
until 1913 that rich ore found on No. 2 vein of
the Tough-Oakes workings brought the district
into prominent notice. During that year much
surface trenching was done, and a number of
promising veins were found on the Burnside,
Sylvanite, Wright- Hargreaves, Lake Shore,
Teck-Hughes, Orr, Kirkland Lake, and Hun-
ton claims. At first theore raised at theTough-
Oakes was hand-sorted, and the picked ore
sold to smelters. As an indication of the nature
of theore it may be mentioned that durmg 1914
the assay-value of the ore mined was $41 per
ton ; the amount of high-grade ore shipped
was 212 tons, averaging $350 per ton, while a
5-stamp mill treated 3,493 tons, averaging $22
per ton, extracting 55% of the gold content.
In 1915 capital was provided for the erection
of a treatment plant on the continuous cyanide
system, having a capacity of 100 to 125 tons
per day. During the year 1916 this plant ex-
tracted gold worth $700,000. In this year also
a mill was built on the Teck-Hughes mine,
working on much the same system as that at
the Tough-Oakes, but at this property the aver-
age assay-value of the ore is much lower. Dur-
ing this time development was continued at
the Lake Shore, and in 1916 work was com-
menced on the Wright- Hargreaves and the
Kirkland Lake properties. Toward the close
of 1917 mills were built for the Lake Shore
and Kirkland Lake. In 1918 the Tough-Oakes
mine was closed owing to the developed ore
being exhausted and no development having
been done, but mining operations were resumed
next year in conjunction with the Burnside.
In 1919 three mills were in operation at the
Kirkland Lake, LakeShore,andTeck- Hughes,
while mills were being built on the Burnside
and Wright- Hargreaves. During these latter
years there were many interruptions owing to
scarcity of labour, high wages, and increased
cost of supplies, and a strike of four months'
duration also supervened. The district has also
suffered owing to disputes relating to the trans-
fer of ownership of some of the properties to
an English company, the Kirkland Lake Pro-
prietary. These difficulties were fortunately
overcome a little over a year ago by the amal-
gamation of that company with the English
Tough-Oakes, Sylvanite, and Burnside com-
panies, and a new campaign of development
has been commenced.
It is expected that the yield of gold during
1920 will be worth about a million dollars.
This may seem small compared with the out-
put at Porcupine, but nevertheless the impor-
tance of the Kirkland Lake district is consider-
able. The lodes are plentiful, and in places the
ore-shoots are rich. Further prospecting pro-
mises to give excellent results through a large
area of country in all directions. As will be
seen by a perusal of Messrs. Burrows and Hop-
kins's report, the gold, accompanied by tellu-
rides, is found in an extensive series of frac-
tures. This fracturing crosses all the rocks,
which include felspar-porphyry, syenite, 1am-
prophyre, and conglomerate. The gold is most
plentiful in lodes contained in the porphyry,
and it is probably genetically connected with
that rock. It is clear from the geological de-
scription that the Kirkland Lake district will
well repay further and continuousinvestigation
Libel and Criticism.
Last month brief notice was made in these
columns of a pronouncement made by the Lord
Chief Justice, in the course of a libel suit, to
the effect that he felt impatient when he was
told that the offending articles were written
as a public duty, adding : You did it in the
ordinary course of business." Such an expres-
sion of opinion coming from the head of the
English Bench is, to say the least, disconcert-
ing, and is likely to make an editor feel and
70
THF. MINING MAGAZINI'.
look small when confronted with the majesty
of the law. Seeing that the policy of the
M AGAZIN K has always been to express opinions
freelv, it is clear that we come within the scope
of the Lord Chief's dictum, and for that reason
several readers have asked us for a definite
statement as to our general views with regard
to criticism and libel. We would say, to begin
with, that all personal criticism is repugnant
to us and to 99% of the technical editors of the
world. In the first place, it makes enemies and
brings no new friends; and secondly, a libel
action distracts the editor's attention from his
proper occupations and involves him and the
proprietors in unlimited legal expenses. Thus
from both points of view it is not " business."
Here it should be observed that we are con-
cerned only with libel in technical publications,
and that the offending journal appearing in the
Lord Chief's court was devoted to a branch of
engineering. It is necessary to call attention
to this fact, for it is well known that certain
types of popular papers welcome libel suits as
they afford means for securing publicity and
advertisement. Moreover a personal libel is
often associated with blackmail, and as such
constitutes one of the most unsavoury phases
of evil-doing. It is possible, of course, that
the Lord Chief saw no distinction between
these two classes of libel, and that he would
not even recognize the possibility of such a
distinction. The fact is that most lawyers of
good standing do not particularly relish the
duty of defence in a libel action, however great
may be the integrity of the author of thealleged
libel. Their attitude on the subject, both
physically and mentally, is usually reminiscent
of Mr. Pickwick's famous interview with
Serjeant Snubbin. " Mr. Serjeant Snubbin
unfolded his glasses, raised them to his eyes,
and, after looking at Mr. Pickwick for a few
seconds with great curiosity, smiled slightly as
he spoke. . . . The smile on his countenance
became more defined, and throwing himself
back in his easy chair, coughed dubiously. . .
The Serjeant tried to look gravely at the fire,
but the smile came back again."
From the foregoing remarks it is obvious
that irritant criticism is not a " business " pro-
position for an editor of a technical journal.
On the other hand, the editor has to think of
the honour and reputation of the profession
which his paper seeks to represent. Mining is
unfortunately not free from public reproach,
and in some quarters it is even classed with
gambling and swindling. Thus it is incumbent
on the editor of a mining paper, in the way of
" business," to say something in protest when
mining propositions resting on insecure foun-
dations are placed before the public, for, when
ventures of this character collapse, it is usually
mining and the mining engineer that are blam-
ed, and not the organizers of the schemes.
Thus, in spite of his repugnance, the editor
has to imagine that it is his duly to his profes-
sion and to the public to point out the absence
of any real basis for such ventures. But it is im-
possible to embark on such an attempt at expo-
sure unless the re is am pie confirmatory evidence
of the unsoundness of the ventures in question.
It would surprise our readers to know how
many grievances are brought to our notice
which are not suitable for public comment.
Some of them are real enough, but the faults
are often due more to lack of personal judgment
than to evil intent, while others are not sub-
stantiated by evidence acceptable in a court.
Comment could never be made by an editor on
any grievance that rests on a difference of opin-
ion betw-een two members of the profession, or
on any allegation against a member of the pro-
fession made by an outsider. Such matters
are not of public interest, and adjudication on
them rests entirely with the Council of the
Institution.
There is another point of view in connection
with the presumed " public duty " that remains
for consideration, .'\fter an editor has per-
suaded himself of this public duty, the question
usually arises within his mind as to whether
the public will ever thank him for drawing at-
tention to the lack of basis for a particular ven-
ture. On the failure of the properties, or on
the exposure of their barrenness, the share-
holders find their shares unsaleable, or saleable
only at an absurdly low price, and their attitude
of mind is naturally bitter. The editor who
issued the warning is an unpopular person, for
he has knocked down the house of cards, and
has prevented the shareholders from realizing
their shares, and he is certainly unable to offer
them any solatium. On the other hand, the
promoter or the board may be often in a posi-
tion to help the shareholders to retrieve a part
at least of their losses. In any case the average
subscriber to mining shares does not read the
technical mining papers, so it seems little use
from the " public-duty " point of view for such
papers to utter these warnings. Thus we are
faced with the conclusion, which seems like a
reductio ad absurdum, that, whether considered
from the point of view of "public duty" or
of " business," libel and criticism do not pay.
Nevertheless, a spice of criticism partakes of
the nature of an imponderable asset, which,
though indefinable, is none the less real.
I
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — The world is now passing
through a serious trade crisis. Metals are
quoted at prices a long way below the average
cost of production, and stoppages, partial or
total, are announced in many quarters. The
position of the Cornish tin industry is very
serious, for hardly any actual mining is being
done. The gold industry exists largely on the
premium at present obtainable. In business
circles there is gratification at the forthcoming
withdrawal of the Excess Profits Duty, though
the real reason for the change of front on the
part of the Government is gloomy enough.
Transvaal. — The output of gold in the
Transvaal during the year 1920 amounted to
8,153,625 oz., as compared with 8,330,091 oz.
in 1919 and 8,418,292 oz. in 1918. In 1912,
1915, 1916, and 1917, the totals exceeded nine
million ounces, and the highest figure was
9,296,618 oz. in 1917. The par value of the
1920 output was ^34,652,700, but owing to
the premium the value of the gold was esti-
mated at ^44,640,420. It will thus be seen
that approximately ^10,000,000 was received
as premium. When it is added that the divi-
dends declared during the year amounted to
^8,314,300, it becomes clear how much the
Transvaal gold-mining industry depends on
the premium for its profits.-
The new Currency Act of the Union came
into force on December 17, and so far the mail
accounts show that the disappearance of the
gold coins has been accepted without complaint
or comment. The attitude of the natives to-
ward paper money was carefully considered
before the change was made, and the supply
of silver coin was increased so that as far as
possible native wages should be paid in hard
cash. In some quarters the substitution of
paper for gold gave rise to uncertainty among
the natives, but the position was so fully ex-
plained by the Government and by the various
employers that there was no serious trouble.
The authorities have handled the matter with
much more common sense than was shown by
those responsible for paper money in West
Africa.
A strike of white mmers has put Consoli-
dated Langlaagte out of action for the time.
The cause is imperfectly understood in this
country. There are rumours that the men's
Union contemplate a general strike, but this
may be only a ruse in connection with the
elections. At the time of going to press little
definite news has come to hand.
The directors of Modderfontein East have
completed the negotiations, to which reference
was made in the December issue, for the pur-
chase of the Simmer Deep and Jupiter mill-
ing plant. The figure agreed to is ^110,000.
The capacity of the plant as it stands is 80,000
tons per month, but only 50,000 tons is to be
treated at Modderfontein East.
No. 4 vertical shaft in the new section of
Brakpan has reached thereefatadepthof 4,218
ft. The average of the assays gave 7'6 dwt.
over 39'2 in. The foot-wall leader, included in
the foregoing measurement, averaged 15'3
dwt. over 18'4 in.
The ore-reserve position at Geduld con-
tinues to show advances. The figures at De-
cember 31 were estimated at 3,220,000 tons
averaging 8 dwt. per ton, as compared with
2,580,000 tons averaging 7'4 dwt. the year be-
fore, in both cases the sloping width being as-
sumed at 61 inches.
Brief mention is made in the directors' re-
port of the Messina company, and in the chair-
man's speech at the meeting of shareholders,
of the new project for establishing a copper
smelter and refinery to treat the ores produced
at the company's mines. The building of this
plant is in the hands of a new company, the
Transvaal Smelting & Refining Co., Ltd. Its
business will not be confined to the smelting
of the Messina ores, for it is intended also to
purchase copper ores from mines now being
opened up in the same district. The Messina
mines were closed some months ago owing to
continued rises in costs and the fall in copper,
and the labour force was transferred to the
erection of the company's new concentrating
plant and of the smelting company's furnaces.
Mining will not be recommenced until the new
plants are ready.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during the
year 1920 was 552,498 oz. and the estimated
amount obtained by its sale was ^3,056,549.
This figure is really slightly higher than it
should be, forin May there was includedamong
the receipts an unspecified amount represent-
ing premium on the outputs during October,
November, and December, 1919. At present
the biggest producers are the Shamva, Lonely,
Falcon, and Globe & Phoenix, of which the
first two exhibit the healthiest symptoms as
regards the future.
The British South Africa Company has
issued figures for the output of metals and
minerals in Southern Rhodesia during 1920.
71
72
thp: mining magazine
These are given in the following table, together
with the figures for 1919.
1919 1920
Gold Or. 59J.222 552.497
Silver 172.000 158.982
Copper Tods 3.012 J. 109
Chrome Iron Ores... .. 33,282 60.269
Asbestos 9.799 18.823
Coal 5I0.0«0 578.492
Tunusten Ores 20 17
Arsenic 242 437
Antimooy — II
Ironstone 2.500 —
Mica 6 97
Tin 4 4
Diamonds Carats 385 243
The market value of the gold produced in 1920
is given at .^3,056,549, as compared with
/2,499,498 in 1919. Though the output was
39,000 oz. less, the amount received by the
mines was .^557,000 greater, owing to the
premium ruling for gold.
The Lonely Reef continues to give good
results in depth. On the 24th level the ore is
found to assay 39'9 dwt. over 44 in., and de-
velopment of this level has been started.
The Cave Commission has at last presented
its report as to the amount due to the British
South Africa Company for administration ex-
penditure on behalf of the Crown. The com-
pany claimed the amount of .^7,866,1 17 up to
July, 1919. Against this, the award of the
Commissioners is ^4,435,225 up to the end of
March, 1918, but a good many items based on
valuations may have to be reargued.
The desire of the residents in Rhodesia for
responsible self-government has been before
Lord Milner, Secretary of State for the Colon-
ies, for some time past owing to the result of
the election to the Legislative Council in .'\pril
last of twelve out of thirteen members pledged
to demand the immediate grant of this form of
government. Lord Milner recommends that
this question should be postponed until the
election in 1923. Owing to the charter of the
British South .A-frica Company expiring in
1924, it is clear that the future government of
the country will then come up for consideration,
and the elections for the council in 1923 would
naturally be the proper time for registering
public opinion. Lord Milner, in the meantime,
proposes that for the next three years the
British Government should advance certain
sums required for public works, owing to Rho-
desia not being in a position to raise loans in
the open market. The members of the council
do not accept these proposals for delay and
have addressed Lord Milner once more on the
subject.
Congo. — An outline of the yearly report of
Tanganyika Concessions, together with a new
official map of Haut Katanga, are given else-
where in this issue, as is also Mr. Robert
Williams' speei:h to shareholders. The most
interesting item of news relates to the forma
tion of the Nile-Congo Divide Syndicate, which
has secured an 80% interest in certain mineral
rights in the Sudan along the Nile-Congo
watershed. The syndicate has a capital of
.^35,000, of which Tanganyika Concessions has
subscribed if 10,000, with an option to take up
5,000 more shares within live years. The lead-
ing spirit in this enterprise is Major Christy,
who, together with Mr. Robert Williams, has
had evidence for some time that the region
would repay prospecting for minerals. It will
be remembered that the north-eastern part of
Congo State, which is also on this watershed,
contains a number of rich gold deposits.
West Africa. — The Frestea Block A com-
pany reports that the main ore-shoot is show-
ing serious signs of exhaustion. The only
recent accession to reserves was in a length of
90 ft. on the 12th level between the North and
the Appantoo shafts, averaging44s. over 1 1 Oin.
A winze is being sunk to ascertain how far the
ore continues downward. On the 11th level
a newly discovered shoot is being developed,
where the ore averages 45s. 6d. over 107 in.
for a distance of 310 ft. On the 12th level the
ore averages 37s. over 126 in. for 635 ft. The
immediate future of the mine depends on how
this shoot develops in length and breadth.
Nigeria. — The persistent slump in tin is
giving most of the producing companies an
anxious time. Not only is the price low, but
sales are not promptly effected, so that the
financial position of most of the mines is by no
means secure. As regards the issue of ^"25,000
debentures by the Jantar company, announced
last month, the response has been so poor that
the issue has been withdrawn, and orders have
been given to cease work at the properties at
the end of April unless the tin market sub-
stantially revives.
Australia. — The Broken Hill industry is
fated toreceive one set-backafteranother. The
latest disaster is the burning of part of the
Associated Smelters' plant at Fort Pirie, the
sintering section being the chief sufferer. It is
estimatedthatdamage totheextentof .^100,000
has been done. The official cable states that
the question of replacement and the erection of
temporary plant for use in the meantime is
receiving the consideration of the board.
The position at the Broken Hill mines re-
mains obscure. It is obvious that the discus-
sion on reduction of work owing to low prices
of metals is now complicated by the fire at
Port Pirie. The Zinc Corporation announces
that mining is to be stopped at the South Blocks,
FEBRUARY, 1921
73
and that the only material to be treated is the
old zinc tailing. It will be possible to realize
on the zinc concentrate produced, for the Brit-
ish Government is still bound by the contract
to purchase such concentrate for 10 years from
1916.
The railway strike which caused the stop-
page of work at the Kalgoorlie mines, men-
tioned last month, has terminated and work has
been resumed.
The shipping strike, to which reference was
made last month, has had the eftect of prevent-
ing the delivery of iron ore from South Aus-
tralia to the Broken Hill Proprietary's blast-
furnaces at Newcastle, New South Wales.
The consequence is that the blast-furnaces will
be closed down shortly, andafterwards thesteel
plant and roiling mills.
A serious fire occurred at the Sons of Gwalia
on January 19, a large part of the surface plant
being destroyed. The fire broke out in the
gas-engine house, and it eventually damaged
the milling plant and the air-compressor. The
headgear, hoisting engine, slime plant, and ex-
tractor-houses were saved.
Baring for oil is to be undertaken in Gipps-
land, Victoria, by a company that has recently
been formed called the Austral Oil Wells, No
Liability. The drilling is to be done in the
Morwell and Omeo districts. The occurrence
of oil in this region has been observed for many
years, but no exploratory work appears to have
been done. The Wonthaggi and Morwell coal
deposits are in this part of Victoria.
The Anglo-Persian Oil Company has made
proposals to theGovernment of West Australia
with the object of prospecting for oil in that
state. The company is prepared to spend
^50,000 in geologicalsuryey work and boring.
The Government appears to be disinclined to
grant such large concessions as the company
desires.
New Zealand. — The Waihi Gold Mining
Co. announces that a proposal is to be made
for the reduction of the nominal value of its
shares from £l to 10s., and the return of
t 250,000 to shareholders. The company has
large assets in first-class securities represent-
ing about half-a-million pounds, virtually rep-
resenting the nominal capital. It also has
;f2 12,500 in New Zealand bonds redeemable
in ten years' time, received as purchase price
for the Hora-Hora hydro-electric installation.
The company has been working much poorer
ore during the last few years than that which
made so great a name for the mine. For some
time eflforts have been made to secure a new
property, but so far without avail.
India. — The BurmaCorporation announces
that its output of refined lead during 1920
was approximately 23,816 tons and of silver
2,874,000 oz., as compared with 18,540 tons
and2,168,000oz. respectively in 1919. Of the
shipments of lead during 1920, 9.200 tons came
to London and 16,312 tons went to India and
the Far East. At the present time the demand
for lead in the Far East is increasing so much
that nearly the whole of the output is now
absorbed there and hardly any is coming to
London.
Cornwall. — The collapse of the tin market
is having a disastrous effect on the Cornish tin
mines. Our Camborne correspondent gives
some account of the present sad plight of
Cornwall. Every mine has closed down as
far as production is concerned, and the diffi-
culty will be to provide funds for pumping and
keeping the mines in good condition. .-At-
tempts to keep Grenville going have failed and
the company has gone into liquidation.
The two petitions for the compulsory wind-
ing-up of the Calloose Tin Mines & Alluvials,
Ltd., have been dismissed by the Court. Mr.
H. Newhouse and other shareholders, who had
previously successfully petitioned lor a removal
of their names from the register, have had their
claims against the company paid in full, so that
their action was annulled. The other petition,
brought by the Naraguta (Nigeria) Tin Mines,
Ltd., was not pressed. The company is now
free to try other properties, and the famous
"Calloose" incident is at an end.
Devon. — A few months ago it was an-
nounced that Mr. H. Mallaby-Deeley, chair-
man of the company, had acquired the pro-
perty of the China Clay Corporation at Red-
lake and Ivybridge, which was sold by the
order of the Court. It is now announced that
the amount paid was £"47,000, and that a new
company is to be formed with a capital of
^75,000. Of this capital Mr. Mallaby-Deeley
will take £^47,000 in shares as purchase price,
while 28,000 shares will be offered for sub-
scription among shareholders in the old com-
pany. The old company had an issued share
capital of £^270,000, and there were ir34,264
debentures, and it had .-^pent nearly ^200,000
on equipment. The new board is to be com-
posed of men conversant with the china-clay
business, so the actual value of the deposits
should soon be ascertained.
Oil in Great Britain. — The Government
Petroleum Department has issued a report
on oil-drilling operations during 1920. The
Hardstoft well continues to yield oil by natural
overflow at the rate of 1 ton per day, and the
74
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
output for 1920 was 375 tons, of which 325
tons lias been sold to the Anglo-American Oil
Co. at C~~- 10s. per ton. .\t Ironville No. 1,
also in Derbyshire, there was a good showing
of thick oil at a depth of 2,031 ft., at the junc-
tion of the Limestone Shales and the Carbonif-
erous Limestone, and there were also shows in
the Limestone at 2,500 ft. and 3,630 ft. At
the latter point the well was shot with 180 lb.
of dynamite, but with what result is not yet
known on account of water in the well. At
the Heath well a good show of light filtered
oil was encountered at 3,940 ft. At the D' Arcy
well, near Edinburgh, gas was tapped at 724 ft.,
with a flow of approximately 300,000 cu. ft.
per twenty-four hours. At West Calder, near
by, the bore gave indications of oil at several
points, but the presence of volcanic rocks
caused much trouble.
Canada. — The average man would never
expect hydro-electric power to fail in Canada
owing to shortness of water. Such, however,
has been the case recently in Northern On-
tario, w'ith the result that at Porcupine and
Cobalt the output of ore has been limited by
the rationing of current. Our Toronto corres-
pondent refers to this matter in his news letter
published elsewhere in this issue.
United States. — The United States Geo-
logical Survey reports the output of gold in the
individual states during 1920 as follows, the
figures for 1919 being appended also for com-
parison.
1919 1920
ft s
California 16,695.900 14.305.300
Alaska 9.036.000 7.856.000
Colorado 9.S67.S00 7.613 OOO
Arizona 4.506.400 4.493.000
South Dakota 4.862,500 4,201, «00
Nevada 4,451,500 3,554.900
Utah 2,159.400 2,076 400
Montana 2.229,600 1,839,200
Oregon 980.800 965,100
Idaho 713 200 465.300
New Mexico 595.700 463.400
Washington 252,800 148,800
Totals 60 300.000 50,000,000
It will be seen that the decrease in production
continues, and that the fall is general through-
out all the States.
The Bunker Hill & Sullivan Company, of
Idaho, recently built a lead smelter, and now
produces its own lead instead of selling concen-
trates. The directors have since decided to
start an electrolytic zinc plant. The Star mine
contains complex ore, and this is to be treated
for the production of lead and zincconcentrates,
the latter to be used for zinc production. The
initial capacity of the zinc plant is to be 25 tons
per day, and the cost is estimated at a million
dollars. It is hoped that the zinc market will
have revived by the time the plant is built.
The condition of the /.inc industry in the
United States is reflected in the fact that
work at the electrolytic plant at Anaconda
has been suspended owing to the low prices
ruling.
It is announced that vanadium is not now
produced from Colorado ores, which consist of
carnotite, the mineral yielding also uranium
and radium. Ihe whole of the vanadium used
in America is now made from Peruvian ores,
and it is stated that such vanadium is purer
and cheaper to prepare than that made from
Colorado ores.
Mexico. — Last month a brief cable was
received in this country announcing the burst-
ing of a dam at Pachuca and the consequent
flooding of several mines. No confirmatory
news is to hand yet. The Santa Gertrudis
company announces a shortage of hydro elec-
tric power, which will result in some contrac-
tion in the scale of operations at its varipus
mines. Whether the shortage is caused by
the accident referred to or by drought is not
stated.
Bolivia. — It has already been recorded that
the main reserves at the Porco tin mines have
been exhausted and that the mill has been kept
going chiefly on custom work. Owing to the
low price of tin, it has now been decided to sus-
pend mining and milling operations. It is felt,
however, that the property should not be aban-
doned without some more prospecting being
done in depth. A proposal is therefore being
made that theshares shall be writtendown from
£\\.o 5s., and that shareholders shall be invited
to subscribe a further 5s. per share. The alter-
native will be a foreclosure by the debenture
holders, Messrs. Avelino Aramayo & Company.
Some months ago Mr. Justice Russell de-
cided that certain dividends distributed by the
Aramayo Francke Mines, Ltd., to its German
shareholders during the war should have been
paid instead to the Public Custodian in this
country. The company had large assets in
Germany and the directors felt justified in pay-
ing dividends out of those assets to the Ger-
man shareholders. An appeal from Mr. Jus-
tice Russell's judgment was before the Court
of .\ppeal last month, and the three judges
unanimously upheld the decision of the court
below. It was maintained that the Custodian
was the shareholder under English law. It
seems hard lines that the company should not
be allowed to consider the dividend as paid out
of funds which had probably already been con-
fiscated by the German Government, but the
legal interpretation of the Act is presumably
the correct one.
THE TRANSMISSION OF POWER BY WAVES.
By P. J. RISDON.
Particulars are given in this article of the new method of transmitting power by wave
motion, invented by G. Constantinesco and developed by W. H. Dorman & Co., Ltd.
Particular reference is made to the application of the system to the driving of rock-drills.
ON several occasions reference has been
made in the columns of The Mining
Magazine to a new rock-drill operated by
means of power transmitted in waves through
water. This article gives an outline of the
theory of the new process, while another article
to follow will give details of the construction
of the various apparatus.
This important new system of transmitting
power is the invention of a Roumanian, Mr.
G. Constantinesco, while credit for developing
it, so that it is now a practical and commercial
proposition, is due to Messrs. W. H. Dorman
& Co., Ltd., of Stafford. The first application
of the system was in the synchronization of
machine-gun fire with the revolutions of aero-
plane propellers. The device enabled 2,000
shots a minute to be fired between the blades
when revolving at high speed without the pos-
sibility of a single bullet striking a blade. This
was known as the C.C. Interrupter Gear. The
use of the principle involved has now been ex-
tended and applied so that a wave generator
can transmit waves of 10 h.p. through water in
a pipe 1 in. diameter.
Theory of Wave Transmission. — At
first sight the system might be mistaken for a
form of hydraulic transmission, but in point of
fact it is based upon an e.xactly opposite
principle. In hydraulic transmission, use is
made of the fact that water is only compres-
sible to such a small extent that it serves the
same purpose as a long flexible piston rod, the
water being propelled bodily through a pipe
and expelled from the cylinder upon comple-
tion of the stroke. In wave power transmis-
sion, the water does not move bodily forward,
nor is it expelled, but remains in the system.
In this case, the method depends upon the fact
that water is slightly compressible or elastic.
Assume that we have 150 metres of wrought-
iron steampipe of 2'5 cm. diameter and 0'5
cm. thickness of metal, closed at one end and
filled with water ; and suppose a fluid-tight
piston is forced into the pipe under a steady
pressure of 35 kg. per sq. cm. If the liquid
were incompressible the increase in volume of
the containing pipe under the pressure would
allow the piston to enter about r5 cm. If the
pipe were absolutely inexpansible the pressure
would compress the water to an extent that
would allow the piston to enter about 26 cm.
It is seen, therefore, that the compression of
the water m a wrought iron steampipe of the
size considered isthe chief factor in the changes
of volume that take place under pressure, and
that the expansion of the containing pipe is
almost negligible. On removing the pressure
from the piston, the water will again expand to
its original volume.
With other liquids similar results will be
obtained. Consider what takes place in a
speaking tube when the contained air is set in
motion by a diaphragm, in a plane normal to
the axis of the tube, that vibrates about a mean
position. The first movement of the diaphragm
in the direction of the tube displaces some air
in the tube; this di-placement is resisted by
the still air farther along the tube, so that a
zone of compressed air is produced in the im-
mediate neighbourhood of the diaphragm. At
the same time the moving diaphragm is giving
velocity to the particles of air in its immediate
neighbourhood, and these particles communi-
cate their velocity to those beyond them, and
thus any disturbance once produced by the
diaphragm must travel forward along the tube.
On the return movement of the diaphragm, the
compressedair in itsimmediate neighbourhood,
being elastic, expands, and we have then a
zone of low-pressure air in contact with the
diaphragm. The continuing vibrations of the
diaphragm produce alternate zones of high and
lov^ pressure, and the disturbances so produced
travel forward along the tube until the whole
of the air particles in the tube are in a state of
vibration ; it has been found that the zones of
high and low pressure travel along the tube
with a definite velocity of about 1,100 ft. per
second, this velocity varying slightly with the
diameter of the tube. In a similar manner
sound energy travels through other elastic
media. The velocity through water has been
found to be about 4,800 ft. per second.
As hitherto employed for the transmission
of power in hydraulic systems, liquid and solid
connections have been considered as movable
en bloc, and for practical purposes incompres-
sible and inextensible. Both liquid and solid
columns, however, are elastic, and this property
75
76
THE MINING MAGAZINE
can be made use of to transmit energy by vi-
lirations of the particles of matter of which
they are built up. We will now consider the
case of liquid columns.
Assume that a pipe, instead of bein^ closed
rigidly at one end, is closed by a light floating
piston held always in contact with the liquid
column, but free to move with the liiiuid; as
sume further that the working piston, instead
of being slowly pushed into the pipe, is con-
nected to a rapidly rotating crank, so that it
moves witha simpleharmonic motion, and that,
in addition to the piston impulses, a steady
pressure acts on the liquid column at both ends.
The only resistance to the movement of the
piston is then the inertia of the liquid column,
and if the column is short the liquid will move
as a solid mass. If, however, the column is
of considerable length the motion of the layers
of liquid nearer the working piston is resisted
by the inertia of the more remote layers, and on
the in stroke of thepiston theliquid in its neigh-
bourhood will be compressed and its volume di-
minished : it follows that the motion of the lay-
ers of liquid remote from the piston will be but
very slightly less than that of layers nearer to it.
At any given speed of rotation of the crank
there will be a point in the liquid column at
which, on the completion of the in-stroke of the
piston, no movement of the liquid has occurred.
The liquid between this point and the piston
will at this moment be in a state of compres-
sion, varying from a maximum at the piston to
zero. At the moment of maximum velocity
of the piston, the velocity of the layer of liquid
in contact with it will necessarily be greater
than the velocity of the more remote layers,
and the kinetic energy of the layers nearer the
piston will, therefore, be transmitted in the for-
ward direction along the column. The energy
expended by the piston in its forward stroke at
the end of this stroke is present in the liquid
column, partly in the form of potential energy
due to the decreased volume of the liquid un-
der compression and partly as kinetic energy.
On the return stroke of the piston, the com-
pression of the layer of liquid in contact with
it decreases, and expansion of the liquid takes
place between the piston and the point in the
column at which the pressure is a maximum.
As the point of maximum pressure movesaway
from the piston at the commencement of the
return stroke, the velocity of the layer of liquid
in contact with the piston is reversed, -ivhile
the pressure of this layer diminishes until the
piston is at the end of its out-stroke. At the
end of this out-stroke the layer of liquid in
•contact with the piston is for the instant at
rest. As the crank continues rotating, there
are thus impressed on the liquidcolumn aseries
of impulses sending a series of changes of pres-
sure and vohimealong the column, the particles
of liquid each vibrating about a mean position.
In order that a receiver may be able to re-
spond to the vibrations falling on it, certain
conditions are essential. The part of the re-
ceiver which is to be put in action must be
capable of vibrating at the periodicity of the
vibrations which fall on it. Thus when it is
desired to transmit power economically by
means of vibrations, it is necessary that the
part moved sh<juld be designed so that it can
respond to the particular periodicity of vibra-
tions at which the power is transmitted. It is
further necessary, if the part moved has to
perform useful work, that the work should be
performed in such a manner that the ability of
the receiver to vibrate in unison with the im-
pressed vibrations is not interfered with.
Let us now consider further the case of a
rapidly rotating crank causing a piston to re-
ciprocate at the end of a long pipe containing
liquid. We have seen that a series of zones
of high pressure and compression of the liquid
alternating with zones of low pressure and ex-
pansion of the liquid are produced, and that
these zones travel forward along the pipe.
In Fig. 1, suppose the crank A to be rotating
uniformly, causing the piston B to reciprocate
in the pipe C which is full of liquid. .At each
instroke of the piston a zone of high-pressure
is formed, and these zones of high pressure,
shown by shading, travel along the pipe away
from the piston ; between every pair of high-
pressure zones is a zone of low pressure, shown
light in the figure. The pressure at any point
in the pipe, therefore, will go through a series
of values from a maximum to a minimum, and
these values will repeat periodically. Let the
line OX represent the value of the mean pres-
sure ; then, with the piston in the position il-
lustrated, the instantaneous pressures at differ-
ent points along the pipe may be represented
by the ordinates of the sine curve EFG . . K.
.As the rotation of the crank is uniform, it will
be evident that the distances between succes-
sive points of maximum pressure will be equal.
This uniform distance along the pipe at which
the values of the pressure are repeated is the
wave length of the vibrating movement of the
liquid. If V is the velocity with which these
waves travel along the pipe, and n is the num-
ber of revolutions in unit time of the crank A,
it will readily be seen that the wave length y
must be
FEBRUARY, 1921
77
Assume now that the pipe is closed at the
point R at a distance from the piston B equal
to an exact multiple of the wave length, and
suppose that the stroke of the piston is small
compared with the wave length, as shown in
Fig. 2. The wave of compression will be
stopped at R and reflected, and the reflected
wave will travel back along the pipe.
If the crank continues its rotation at uniform
speed, with the length of pipe and speed of ro-
tation we have taken, that is, with the distance
from the piston B to the stop R, an exact
multiple of the wave length, a zone of maxi-
mum pressure will be just starting from the
piston at the instant the reflected zone of maxi-
mum pressure reaches it ; so that we shall have
a wave of double the original amplitude travel-
ling forward along the pipe. The next revolu-
tion of the crank will again add to the ampli-
tude of the wave sent forward, and so on with
successive revolutions. The result of this con-
tinual pouring in of energy is that the maximum
pressure increases without limit until ultimately
the pipe bursts.
It should be noted that, in a wave of greater
amplitude, the maximum pressures are in-
creased and the maximum velocities and dis-
tance of travel of the oscillating particles are
also increased.
Suppose now that instead of closing the pipe
rigidly at R, we have at R a piston M con-
nected to a crank N similar to A, as shown in
Fig. 3. Suppose that the crank N is rotating
at the same angular velocity and in the same
phase as the crank A. If the liquid column
were continued beyond the piston M, it is evi-
dent that the movement of the piston would
produce in this column a series of waves which
would be exactly similar to and a continuation
of the waves between B and M. The piston
M, therefore, if moving synchronously with B,
will be able to take up the whole energy of the
waves produced by B and travelling along the
pipe. It will be seen, further, that the piston
will be able to take up and utilize the whole of
the energy of the waves travelling to it if
placed at any point of the pipe, provided its
time period of reciprocation is the same as that
78
THE MINING MAGAZINK
of the piston A, ami provided that the phase of
its movement is such as would proiluce a con-
tinuation beyond it of the impiuKuig waves;
that is to say, provided the piston movement
is in phase with the movement of the layer of
liquid in contact with it.
In the transmission of power by wave mo-
tion in this example, the maximum pressure in
the pipe will at no point exceed the maximum
pressure in the neishhourhood of the working
piston, however long the transmission line may
be ; and will be the same whether the line is a
single wave length or any number of wave
lengths. Also the two pistons may be moving
in the same or in opposite directions, and their
motions may differ in phase by any angle ac-
cording to the relation between the distance
from one to the other and the wave length.
In the example above discussed, the whole
of the energy put into the liquid column by the
piston B can be taken up by the piston M. If
more energy is put in by B than is taken up
by the piston M, assuming no frictional losses,
itisobviousthatreflected waves must befonned
as the direct waves fall on the piston M. The
result of this will be that the surplus energy
will remain in the liquid and the continuation
of the rotation will continually pour in energy,
increasing the maximum pressure indefinitely,
until ultimately, as in the case of the closed
pipe, the pipe will burst.
Suppose that, m the case of a closed pipe
having a length of several wave lengths, a
vessel D, completely filled with liquid, of con-
siderable volume in proportion to the stroke
volume of the piston 13 and with rigid walls, is
placed in communication with the pipe in the
neighbourhood of the piston, as shown in Fig.
4. At each in- stroke of the piston a flow will
take place through the entrance to the vessel
D, and the liquid in this vessel will be com-
pressed ; at each out-stroke of the piston the
liquid in the vessel will again expand, and, ac-
cording to the volume of the vessel, more or less
liquid will flow into it and out of it at each revo-
lution of the crank. The water in the vessel D
will thus act as a spring, taking up the energy
of the direct and reflected waves when the pres-
sure is high, and giving back this energy when
the pressure falls ; the mean pressure in the
vessel D and in the pipe will be the same, so
that when the successive reflected waves in
the pipe have been produced and have reached
a certain amplitude equivalent to this mean
pressure, the piston will merely exert energy
in cotnpressing the liquid in the vessel D on
its in stroke, and the liquid acting as a spring
will restore this energy to the pi=ton on its out-
stroke. The result of this is that, when the re-
flected waves have been produced, there will
be a series of stationary waves in the pi|)e, and
no further increase of energy in the li(iuid will
take place and the pressures in the pipe will
never exceed the fixed limit.
By using a vessel such as D, therefore, the
pipe can be completely or partially closed. It
is therefore possible to place at the far end or
other point of the pipe apparatus for utilizing
only part of the energy of the wave, and the
rotating crank A will only require to perform
work to the extent of the energy actually uti-
lized.
Consider now a case (Fig. 5) in which waves
are transmitted by a reciprocating piston A
along a line E-E-E provided with branches.
.Assume that the pipe E is closed at P at a dis-
tance of one complete wave length from the
wave generator .'\, and that there are branches
B,E,D, at the half, three quarter, and full wave
length distances respectively. We know from
the cases discussed above that if the cock P is
closed and the cock D open, leading to a motor
L rotating at the synchronous speed, the motor
L will be able to take up the whole of the
energy put into the liquid by the generator.
We also know that if all the cocks are closed,
stationary waves will be produced in the pipe
E having maximum variations of pressure at
the end P and at the half wave length B. At
these points the flow will always be zero, while
the pressure will alternate between maximum
and minimum values determined by the closed
vessel F filled with liquid. At the quarter and
three quarter wave length G and C respec-
tively the flow will alternate between maximum
and minimum values, but the variation of pres-
sure will remain zero.
In this case the points of maximum pressure
and maximum movement do not travel along
the pipe but are fixed in position, and theo-
retically no energy flows from the generator.
At the points of maximum movement no varia-
tion of pressure will occur ; and at the points
of maximum pressure variation there will be
no movement of the liquid. It is evident,
therefore, that if the cock B leading directly to
a motor M be opened, the motor M, running at
the synchronous speed, will be able to take up
all the energy given to the line. The station
ary half-wave between A and B will therefore
disappear, its place being taken by the forward
travelling wave, while between B and P the
stationary wave will persist. If the cock C
leading to the motor N at the three-quarter
wave length be opened, all other cocks being
closed, since at the point C the variation of
FEBRUARY, 1921
79
/^=%
FIG 4
pressure is always zero, no energy can be taken
up by the motor, and the stationary wave will
persist in the whole length of the pipe.
If the motor be connected at any intermedi-
ate point, part of the energy will be taken up
by the motor, while the stationary wave will
persist, but will be of reduced amplitude be-
tween the generator A and the motor. The
state of the liquid between the generator A and
the motor may be considered as the resultant
of two superposed waves ; one a stationary
wave, and the other a travelling wave of flow-
ing energy.
Assume now that the motor L is not capable
of taking up all the energy which can be trans-
mitted to the line by the generator A ; then we
shall have superposed in the pipe a system of
stationary waves and a system of waves travel-
ling along the pipe, so that there will be no
point in the pipe at which the variation of pres-
sure will always be zero ; consequently a motor
connected at any point of the pipe will be able
to take up and utilize a portion of the energy
which is transmitted to the line.
We see, therefore, that if we have a num-
ber of motors all connected to the line, every
one of them will be able to take some energy
and do some useful work. It is only when no
energy is being utilized that points at which
the variation of pressure is permanently zero
can e.xist.
In the next article will be given a full de-
scription of the application of the wave-trans-
mission principle in practice, with particulars
of the wave-generator, means of transmission,
and method of applying the power to rock-
drills and other tools.
(To be concluded).
Sir John Cass Technical Institute. —
The annual distribution of prizes was held on
February 10, the ceremony being performed
by Sir Frederick Black, president of the
Institution of Petroleum Technologists. Sir
Frederick subsequently delivered an address
on Liquid Fuel in Peace and War."
Robert Peele, author of " Compressed Air
Plant" and "The Mining Engineers' Hand-
book," is the subject of an appreciative notice
in the Engineering and Mining Journal for
January 15. Mr. Peele graduated at the
Columbia School of Mines, New York, in
1883, and for several years thereafter was en-
gaged in mining and metallurgical work in
Colorado, Arizona, and New Mexico. After-
wards he went to Colombia and Dutch Guiana,
and subsequently, from 1890 to 1892, he was
in Peru and Bolivia for the Peruvian Corpora-
tion. In the latter year he became assistant
professor of mining in the Columbia School of
Mines, but retained his professional business,
being a member of the firm of Olcott, Corning,
& Peele. In 1910 he visited the Rand and
the diamond mines at Kimberley.
THE PHYSICAL BASES OF TIN-DRESSING.
Bv R. T. HANCOCK, Assoc.lnst.M.M.
Introduction. — To-day the wet method
of dressing by which tin ores are concentrated
is httle more than an interesting; survival. All
other ores of importance (wolfram is not im-
portant at present) are, or can be, successfully
treated by smelting, chemical, or dotation pro-
cesses. And the Cornish industry is looking
forward hopefully to the day when one of these
will be made applicable to its own problems,
and is altogether indisposed to countenance in
vestigation into the methods it already prac-
tices. With a personal belief that this day is
more distant than those whose thoughts are
fathered by their wishes are inclined to believe,
I have collected the followmg notes, and hope
that something will be found among them of
service to those who are now engaged in guid-
ing the industry through a particularly critical
period.
Anyone who is engaged in dressing ores
should have a clear idea what his object really
is. The mere percentage recovery of themetal
contentmeans nothing; this can best besecured
by avoiding dressing altogether. Metallurgi-
cally, the efficiency of the result of an ore-
dressing operation is expressed by the differ-
ence between the percentage recovery of the
original metal or mineral content and the per-
centage " recovery," or retention in the con-
centrate, of the waste matter or gangue present
in the original ore. Economically, efficiency
is reckoned in the same way, but here the re-
tention in the concentrate of a given percent-
age of the original waste generally more than
counterbalances the recovery of a similar per-
centage of metal or mineral, and so the per-
centage retention of the waste must be multi-
plied by a factor depending for magnitude on
the prevailing economic conditions before de-
ducting it from the percentage recovery of
metal or mineral in order to correctly express
the economic efficiency. In this paper metal-
lurgical efficiency will alone be considered.
Action of a Flowing Stream on Solid
Particles. — The late Dr. Grove K. Gilbert,
in "Transportation of Debris by Running
Water" (Professional Paper No. 86 of the
United States Geological Survey), distin-
guished two main sets of conditions of trans-
port :
(1) Over a smooth surface. (Flume trac-
tion).
(2) Over a bed of the deposited solids.
(Stream traction).
The first condition is found on the rag frame
and on the Frue vanner, and the second on
the huddle.
A transitional stage may be recognized
where the load is a little too great for complete
transport over a smooth surface, so that part
settles out and the condition changes to trans-
port over a deposited bed. The capacity of
water to transport solids is much the greater
over a smooth surface, though decreasingly so
as the particles are smaller, and if part of the
load deposits it will build up the bed till a
steeper grade is established. From the point
of view of capacity of machines, a consistency
of pulp such that deposit does not take place
would appear preferable. .•\ tendency to de-
posit is responsible for the formation of patches
of settled material which may lead to channel-
ling if flow is continued. Initially these patches
are due to rhythm in the flow of the water. In
stream traction they are represented by dunes,
and with this mode of traction the formation
of dunes was found to be at a minimum on
slopes of approximately 1% grade, the region
being little affected by changes in other condi-
tions. No similar observation on flume trac-
tion is recorded.
The sizes of sand used by Gilbert ranged
from 60 mesh to coarse gravel, and the quanti-
ties of water from 0141 to I'llQcu. ft. per
second per foot of width. The smaller of these
quantities is equivalent to 528 lb. of water per
foot of width per minute, which is enormously
in e.xcess of anything used in ore-dressing.
On the other hand the slopes seldom exceeded
2%. For the treatment of slimes on fixedslime
tables, Professor R. H. Richards proposes
2 lb. of water per minute per foot of width,
and Professor S. J. Truscott, reproducing on
an experimental frame the conditions prevail-
ing in Cornish practice, used practically this
same quantity. Nevertheless, it would appear
legitimate to apply some of Gilbert's conclu-
sions to the study of slime treatment.
In Gilbert's experiments on stream traction,
the sized sand was caused to flow over a bed
formed by the deposit of that sand itself. Re-
sistance to transport — indicated by low capacity
of the flowing water for sand — appears to be
at a maximum when the bed thus corresponds
in roughness to the size of the moving particles.
Over a bed composed of smaller grains, larger
particles move more rapidly. The same thing
applies with any degree of roughness of sur-
80
FEBRUARY, 1921
il
face however arising. Yet experiments con-
ducted at the Utah School of Mines, and re-
corded in Mines and Minerals for February,
1909, showed a larger capacity for 10 to 30
mesh limestone tailings and 30 to 40 mesh py-
rites in launders lined with linoleum or of wood
than when the launders were bottomed with
plate-glass. Large quantities of water were
used (from 10 to 60 lb. per inch of width per
mmute), and the observation is probably con-
nected with the fact that at velocities exceed-
mg about 1 ft. per second, the velocities of the
l1ow of water in a wooden pipe (planed) is
iiiuch greater than in a glass pipe of the same
diameter and on the same gradient. Thus with
pipes 4 ft. in diameter and lying on a 1% slope
the velocity in the wooden pipe would be 15 ft.
per second against 1 1 ft. per second in the glass
pipes. The laws of flow change below the
critical velocity of about 1 ft. per second, and
it is not known if the same is true at lesser
velocities. The subject of the inherent pro-
perties of surfaces of different bodies, which
manifestthemselves asaboveand in other ways,
IS of special interest to the investigator, but
can be no more than referred to here.
In Gilbert's experiments on stream traction
(deposited bed), the capacity of the water as a
carrier of debris increased regularly as the
debris was finer. With flume traction (smooth
bed), on the other hand, there might be sizes
too large to roll at all, but for the next smaller
capacity was high and decreased as size of
particle decreased untilaminimum wasreached
corresponding to a critical size varying with
the flow conditions, after which further de-
crease in particle size was attended by a steady
increase in capacity. (See Fig. l). It is a
matter of common observation that in a sluice
bottomed with sand, coarse particles travel
down faster than the sand grains over which
theyroll,and that thelargeroutstripthesmaller.
On the other hand, particles small enough to
remain in suspension travel as rapidly as the
water itself.
The travel of particles over a bed or surface
is mainly by rolling for the largest sizes and
suspension for the very smallest, these two sys-
tems grading into each other through a type of
motion called by Gilbert " saltation," in which
the particles both roll and leap, the latter pre-
dominatingly as the particles are smaller.
Saltation is the motion of the majority of the
particles.
Themathematicai treatment of the behaviour
of particles which roll is discussed by Profes-
sor Henry Louis in The Dressing of Miner-
als," and elaborated by St. Rainer in the issues
of Oesterreichische Zeitschrift fiir Berg- und
Hiittenwesen of February 4 and 11, 1905.
As the velocity of a current decreases with
depth (a generalization, but perhaps true of all
currents carrying loads), any particle in sus-
pension is subjected to a force which causes it
to move into a slower-moving stratum, and
consequently to sink. The greater the rate of
change of velocity with depth, the greater this
force. Tea-leaves seek the centre of the cup
on stirring, and not the outer margin where
centrifugal force would naturally place them.
Thus a suspended particle will sink to the
AFTER Gl
LBERT
•
^
5L0OE ftN
) WATER 5ufpi.i aSauM
D C0^5TaNT
y
^
^'
^^^'■
/
1
/
/
^
4^
-^
^^'°
OlAMEfEU OF PABTICIE5
Fig. 1.
bottom more rapidly than it would if acted upon
by gravity alone.
Concentration Conditioned by Mini-
mum Velocity. — Only a limited number of
experiments were conducted by Gilbert on
flume traction, and, under the particular con-
ditionsemployed,minimumcapacityor velocity
was found associated with a coarse sand.
Evidently the minimum will occur where the
particles are too small to respond freely to the
couple which produces rolling, and yet too large
to pass freely into suspension. Stream condi-
tions favouring suspension will cause the size
of sand characterized by minimum velocity to
be large. With any stream conditions there
must be a particular size of particle which will
travel slower in that stream than any larger
or smaller particle of similar shape. As to
82
rill'; MINING MAGAZINE
what tliis size may be there is httle available
evidence.
The late J. J. Beringer (Transactions Insti-
tution of Mining and Metallurgy, Vol. xxiv,
p. 411) gives the following estimate of the sizes
of particles in concentrates based on micro-
scopic examination :
Slime product from 5 to 45 /i .Xverage 25 /<
Vanner product „ 25 „ 95 /< „ 50 /<
one micron (/i) = 0'001 mm.
In the same contribution (The Physical
Condition of Cassiterite in Cornish Mill Pro-
ducts) he mentioned a case where vanner tail-
ings from the calcined concentrate were re-
turned to the vanner for treatment. ' The
second concentrate on being examined >mder
the microscope showed distinctly two dillerent
sizes, a coarser portion with grains measuring
from 50 to 75 f, and a finer portion with grains
measuring from 10 to 15 p, a fair proportion
being of 10/^' size."
1 regard this as strong evidence that the first
treatment abstracted particles of a size ranging
about a definite mean magnitude, say 40 ^t, and
the second treatment saved particles on the
margins of this range which had escaped under
the first treatment more or less by accident.
There are those who believe that the vanner
treatment of unclassified pulp saves fine slime
tin which would not be caught otherwise. The
above figures might be claimed to support such
a theory, but it is in the highest degree unlikely
that such fine particles would form a distinct
group with practical absence of particles rang-
ing from their size to those constituting the re-
mainder of the concentrate. It may be added
that Mr. H. W. Hutchin has sought for evi-
dence of such extra saving, and failed to find it.
I am strongly of opinion that with any given
set of conditions the sizes of the particles of
mineral in the concentrate produced will be
grouped about a definite mean magnitude, and
the mineral in the tailing will be predominantly
composed of particles of a size on one side or
the other (or both) of this range. The con-
centrate particles, both mineral and waste, will
be those which travel most slowly under the
actual flow conditions.
Where there is a marked difference in the
specific gravities of mineral and gangue, as
with tin ores, the tendency to roll and the re-
luctance to pass into suspension will extend
further into the region of small sizes with the
cassiterite than with the gangue, and conse-
quently the gangue found in a concentrate
would consist of larger particles than the ac-
companying cassiterite. A grading analysis
of such concentrate would show the values
mainly m the finer sizes. Hut as in an ulutna-
tion analysis the finest material is unavoidably
reported as of lower grade than the actual sort-
ing by screens would shovv, this feature is not
usually conspicuous in published instances of
grading analyses so made. Moreover, such
concentrates as have been examined in this
manner have usually been produced in an en-
deavour to obtain a low-grade tailing rather
than effectively concentrate, and so do not show
the full effect of the above-noted tendency.
Further, the grading analysis of a concentrate
or tailing is profoundly modified by the treat-
ment history of the product from which it is
originally derived. Consequently there are no
data in existence which indicate what particu-
lar sizes of crushed cjuartz (say) travel slowest
under given conditions of slope and water-
supply. A particular size might still remain
associated with minimum velocity if slope were
changed and water-supply suitably modified.
Mr. J. A. Davis {Ennineering and Mining
Journal, November 9, 1908) gives the formula
which follows for the best dressing conditions
in separating closely-classified galena from
quartz on a glass frame, as deterrhined in the
laboratories of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology :
o, • u f 1/275-50 y/n 10 \
Slope in inches per ft. = ^ I ttt r -777= I
where d = average diameter of quartz particle
in millimetres, and W = lb. water per foot of
width per minute.
It was found that the classification had been
carried a good deal further than was necessary
for good results, and that a large number of
classified products from an original pulp were
not necessary. No determinations were made
on sizes smaller than about 180 mesh, and the
formula is so empiric as to make its extension
to slimes very unreliable. But it is of interest
to observe that with 300 mesh material two lb.
of water per foot of width per minute would
call for a slope of 2k in. per foot.
With a feed in which the values are regu-
larly distributed throughout the range of sizes,
variations in flow conditions, within such as
are practicable for dressing, would have little
effect on the efficiency of concentration result-
ing. The actual particles of mineral (say cas-
siterite) saved under one set of conditions
might be quite different from those saved un-
der another, and the gangue particles which
accompanied them different individuals in
either case, but the resulting proportion of
mineral to gangue is not necessarily modified.
Perhaps as a consequence of this it is not easy.
FEBRUARY, 1921
83
in the many cases instanced by Truscott in
his paper on " Slime Treatment on Cornish
Frames," to say definitely that a given set of
conditions of flow produces better results than
another. When there is a difference it can
usually be as well ascribed to other causes.
Truscott in fact decides that the finer the ma-
terial the less the inclination should be, while
Richards comes to the exactly opposite con-
clusion as the result of his own experiments,
but admits that he does not find any rule to be
followed in practice. Where, on the other
hand, the distribution of the values is irregular
in the feed, or a classified product is being
treated, a particular set of conditions will doubt-
less give better results than any other, but such
conditions must be found by trial.
In any ordinary ore-pulp, and under any set
of conditions in reason, there will always be
certain particles of gangue which will behave
exactly as do certain particles of valuable
mineral, and will accompany them either into
the concentrate or the tailing. Even if it were
possible to break up this grouping by specially
adjusting conditions, it would only mean the
substitution of one group for another with little
effect on the final result.
Although it has been implied that the parti-
cles forming the concentrate will be those hav-
ing the slowest travelling rate under the pre-
vailing conditions, it must be borne in mind
that the dominant size of the particles in the
concentrate is a function, not only of the travel-
ling rate, but of the distribution of the various
sizes throughthe original pulp. Thusif there is
a group adjoining the slowest travelling group,
which forms a comparatively large percentage
of the pulp, that group is likely to predominate
in the concentrate. A usual practice is to re-
treat tailings under different conditions of slope.
A shift of the range of size of saveable cas-
siterite may now be expected, and sizes saved
which previously escaped, but it is evident that
an adjacent group of barren material will now
be present which was rejected in the first treat-
ment, and this is likely to be thrown into the
second concentrate by the very changes which
made that collection possible. Consequently
the re- treatment of tailings in this way is not
a very satisfactory process. To repeat the
original treatment on a tailing product serves
its most useful purpose when the original treat-
ment was not carried to completion. Thus in
the case instanced by Beringer, the first van-
ner concentrate was produced at an efficiency
of 62'5% with a recovery of 78%, while the
concentrate produced by re-treatment of its
tailing was at an efficiency of 3'3% with a
2—4
further recovery of 5'5%.
It becomes evident that effective concentra-
tion is much more dependent on the initial
physical condition of the feed than on any ad-
justment of dressing conditions.
Granting that the effective concentration of
ores by the flow of water over smooth surfaces
in thin films is dependent for success on the
fact that under these conditions certain particles
travel more slowly than others, then it neces-
sarily follows that on a frame fed at a regular
rate and with a normal feed there will result
an accumulation of such particles on the sur-
face,such accumulationnotresulting from their
actual arrest or settlement, but simply from
their slower motion. As the feed period is
prolonged these particles continue to progress
down the frame, and after a certain time reach
its lower edge and commence to pass into the
tailing. During the feed period the assay of
the escaping tailing increases, not necessarily
regularly, for that depends on the physical con-
dition of the feed, and at the moment when the
first fed of the slowest travelling particles
passes the lower edge, the assay of the tailing
increment then escaping attains the assay of
the feed. Naturally it can never exceed it,
but will remain at the same figure if feed is
further prolonged. During the time that each
increment of tailing passing the lower edge has
a lower assay than the feed, the efficiency of
concentration is increasing and attains its
maximum at the moment when the former at-
tains the assay of the feed, decreasing if feed
is further prolonged. Given regular feeding
and flow it follows that the assay of any strip
taken at right angles to the flow when maxi-
mum efficiency is attained will be the same as
that of any other strip. The enrichment thus
attained will be the maximum under the con-
ditions employed, and if there is one set of con-
ditions better suited to the ore than another, a
determination of the enrichments attained will
give a pretty good guide to its selection. The
actual efficiency attainable cannot be ascer-
tained unless the feed is interrupted at the criti-
cal moment, to discover which it will be neces-
sary to sample successive tailing increments.
The best length of feed period will vary di-
rectly with the length of the frame, and with
any given pulp and dressing conditions there is
a particular feed period best suited to a given
length, and vice versa. The condition of an
even assay all down the frame is one that is
attained from the feed-end downwards, and
when half the correct period has elapsed, the
upper half of the frame should assay the same
all over, the area extending as feed is prolonged
84
THE MINING MAGAZINE
until the whole fmme is so covered. Terminal
conditions, especially at the feed end where the
feed may come on to the frame with an ac-
quired velocity different from that generally
prevailing on the surface, are left out of pres-
ent consideration. When the lowest part of
the frame is thus covered, the assay of the
material escaping just below is nevertheless
not higher than that of the original feed.
In other words, the assay of the material flow-
ing across a particular narrow strip is an alto-
gether different thing from the assay of the
material on that strip considered as suddenly
arrested there. This is not an altogether easy
thing to realize. The ratio of the " arrested "
assay to the " flowing " assay may be quite
high, and is a measure of the tractability of
the ore. It may be that this ratio is preserved
on the lower part of the frame before the feed
period is completed, but this point is of little
more than speculative interest.
In the experiments which were carried out
at Great Falls, Montana, described in the
Transactions of the American Institute of
Mining Engineers for 1913, with the object of
devisingthebestmeansof saving copper slimes,
the conditions finally adopted were such that
the assay of the concentrate collected on the
round tables was the same from top to bottom,
with the exception of a strip at the feed-end.
It is interesting to note that this research led
to the installation of a system of slime treat-
ment at Anaconda which paid for the erection
of the necessary plant in two months, and
thereafter saved 81,250,000 per annum.
Professor Truscott's Researches. —
In the paper already referred to, a number of
experiments are described where the distribu-
tion of the concentrate down the frame was
determined by dividing it into five sections at
right angles to the flow, and assaying and
weighing the concentrate on each section.
Employing the data obtained, if the reciprocals
of the cumulati\e enrichment ratios be plotted
against the cumulative percentage concentra-
tions, it is found that the loci corresponding to
the lower sections fall closely along a straight
line. The first section, sometimes the first
two, and in one case the first three, do not con-
form to this arrangement. I find strong con-
firmation of the views I have expressed above
in these facts. The lower sections are those
below the limit of maximum enrichment, and
the graphs confirm my view that if feed were
prolonged there would be no sections conform-
ing to the law indicated by this straight line,
but that the plotted points corresponding to all
the sections would lie along a line parallel to
the percentage concentration axis. Fig. 2
shows the plot of two such experiments on a
wooden surface with auxiliary washing, all the
plots, whether on wood surfaces, plate or fluted
glass, and with or without washing, being of
the same general character. All the experi-
ments having been conducted with the same
length of feed-period, no direct evidence of the
effect of a longer feed- period is available, but
an increase in the slope would have a similar
effect, and it will be observed that this is to
shorten the length of the line representing the
lower sections, the inference being that with a
CUMJIATIVE
CONSIST
NCY .0 .
/
SUftFACi
- WOOD
lUT m»iHO
/
/
5
<
/4
//
^
z
/
■J
/
•^
/
5
/ '
|0i5
'A
{''
'>iO
J 03
Jy
/i
j
1
1
percentage xnc£nt«apon
Fig. 2.
sufficiently long period of feed, or one duly
proportioned to the gradient and the length of
the frame, this sloping line would disappear
altogether, leaving only the short horizontal
portion of the graph. If feed were unduly
prolonged, this horizontal line itself would
shorten. Two different laws, then, are desir-
able from a study of the graphs, the first and
most conspicuous being that on the lower sec-
tons of a frame on which concentration has not
beenpushed to maximumefficiency.therelation
of enrichment ratio (ER) to concentration (C),
both cumulative, is expressed by a formula of
the type
1
ER
= a + bC
the second being that on those sections where
maximum efficiency has been attained the
FEBRUARY, 1921
85
cumulative enrichment is equal to a constant.
This last law, which is demanded by the
theory of concentration outlined above, is not
very strongly supported by the different graphs,
possibly because in the majority of cases con-
centration has not been pushed anything like
far enough to show its application clearly, but
in the one case observed where concentration
has proceeded furthest, it may fairly be said
that the first three sections out of the five con-
form to the required law. Further support is
derived from the Anaconda researches already
mentioned.
The first law, the law of the lower sections,
may be written :
a + bC
which is the equation of a hyperbola. A
straight line equation can also be derived con-
necting cumulative percentage recovery (R)
with cumulative enrichment ratio.
A law, or mathematical formula, e.xpressing
the relation of recovery to concentration has
long been sought, and its discovery here is
therefore of some interest, but of very little
practical importance, as it merely serves to ex-
press the relation existing on a frame where
flow has been arrested, and arrested too soon.
What is of real importance is the assay of the
flowing pulp, and not that of the arrested pulp.
The data indicate that under the conditions
and with the particularconditions of flow given,
a shorter frame would have given better tech-
nical results, and on these grounds Truscott
suggests that the present length of the Cornish
frame should be diminished by half in order to
secure the improved efficiency characteristic
of the upper sections. But actually no guide
to the appropriate length can be found in the
figures obtained, as these relate only to the
arrested concentrate, and give no clue to what
might have been the assay of the flowing pulp
at the diflferent points. It is where the flowing
pulp has the same assay as the feed that deter-
mines the optimum length of frame, and not
the assay of the arrested concentrate on any
particular section. With the feed conditions
given, the data, if obtainable, would point to an
even more drastic shortening of the standard
frame than Truscott proposes.
In asupplementary paper Truscott describes
experiments carried out at Dolcoath where the
ordinary 6 ft. 6 in. frame was run against a
frame divided into two lengths of 3 ft. each
with arrangements for collecting the upper and
lower concentrates separately. These experi-
ments were carried out under ordinary mill
conditions and are therefore of special interest.
1 1 was considered that the results demonstrated
the general superiority of the 3 ft. frame, but I
do not altogether concur after a detailed ex-
amination of the figures.
% % %
Frame Slope Feed Reco- Concen- Enrich- Effi-
length. Tests, per ft. period, very, tration. ment. ciency.
6ft. 6in. 6 r25in. 27min. 712 639 I'llS 7.2
Do. 2 150 in. 44min. 617 40 3 1'535 2r4
Do. I 150 in. 5 0inin. — — — 24'1
3 ft. 8 150 in. 5'6min. 4'30 150 2'87 280
Increased steepness of gradient, as it causes a
general speeding-up of all the particles, is sim-
ilar in effect to a longer period of feed.
The above figures seem to indicate that with
equal feed periods and slopes the technical re-
sults would have been equal on both types of
frames, and further that a longer period of
feed than was employed in any case would
have given better results still.
Truscott claims that the adoption of his sug-
gestion to cut down the length of the frames
would enable an efifect styled " rapid enrich-
ment "tobeattained, better technical results be-
ingobtainableon half the present area of frames
employed, the remaining area becoming avail-
able for re-treatment of the tailings from rapid
enrichment. This is undoubtedly true, but as
far as better technical results are concerned,
it seems probable that these could equally be
secured on the present frames by increasing
the length of the feed period. It is difficult to
see any justification for the present practice of
gradual enrichment, though one usually exists
for empirical methods which have been evolved
in Cornwall through theexperienceof centuries,
and I am inclined to regard such practices with
considerable respect, but since it is compara-
tively yesterday that accurate methods of as-
certaining the true contents of an ore or tailing
were evolved, it is perhaps permissible to re-
view them in a fresh light. A frame is a ma-
chine, and it is difficult to justify the employ-
ment of a machine at far below its maximum
efficiency.
Two sets of experiments were conducted by
Truscott on a laboratory scale to ascertain
whether the customary practice of obtaining
the final concentrate in three stages possessed
any marked advantage over his suggested
method of obtaining it at one operation. The
first of these was tried on slime samples from
Dolcoath and South Crofty. The similarity of
the results was remarkable, the efficiency of
the final result of gradual enrichment being
31 '3%, of rapid enrichment 30'6%, and of rapid
enrichment at a double rate of feed 287%.
In the second set original mine-ore was
ground to the condition of slime. Again the
86
THli MINING MAGAZINE
results showed ureal similarity, the average of
the four ores givint; an elhciency of 65'4% with
gradual enrichment, 65'8"o witli rapid enrich-
ment, and 64" i% with rapid enrichment at a
double rate of feed. Calculating the figures
for the individual ores, Tresavean ore gave an
efficiency of 64'3% with all three methods, so
it is evident that no importance is to be attached
to such slight dilTerences as were shown, but
that these were only such as might easily arise
in experimental determinations.
Further experiments were conducted on the
tailings resulting from rapid enrichment and
from rapid enrichment at a double rate of feed,
but not on the tailings from gradual enrich-
ment. A further recovery was effected at low
efficiency rates, and a claim was based on the
figures for increased recovery in the form of
saleable concentrate as a result of the adoption
of the principle of rapid enrichment, but it is
evident, if the weights and assays of the three
tailings are calculated and compared, that their
composition and physical state could not have
varied very much whichever of the three pro-
cesses was adopted, and a similar further re-
covery might have resulted from the re-treat-
ment of the combined tailings from gradual en-
richment, so that rapid enrichment does not
necessarily render possible a higher recovery
of saleable concentrate than if the present sys-
tem of gradual enrichment were employed.
Any advantage of rapid enrichment lies in the
more efficient employment of the dressing sur-
faces,lowering the dressing cost, and so making
it possible to chase values further.
A method of calculating the final recovery
in the form of saleable concentrate was used
in the paper, based on the result of a single
stage of treatment, and it purported to show
that the reduction of the mine-ore to slime in
the first instance and its treatment on frames
in the manner described might produce better
results than coarser crushing and the prelimin-
ary classification of the pulp into sands, fine
sands, and slimes, for individual treatment. If
the basis of thiscalculation be examined, which
is that the loss suffered by a medium-grade
concentrate in being raised to merchantable
grade varies inversely with its assay, it is found
to be the same as stating that the tailing re-
moved at every subsequent stage of dressing
will assay the same as the original battery feed,
a most unlikely series of events.
Returning to a consideration of the Dolcoath
experiments, a striking feature is that, contrary
to what might be expected, the tailing assays
were actually lower with longer periods of feed.
Thus on the standard frame with \ 25 in. slope
and a feed period of i'7 min. the tailing assay
was 0'4 lb., with 1 '5 in. slope and 4'4 min. feed
It was (i'45 lb., and on the double frame (com-
bining both concentrates to get the equivalent
length to a standard frame) with a 15 in. slope
and 5'6 min. feed it was 5 lb. These figures
require to be corrected for differences in the
average assays of the respective feeds, and
allowing for these, the figures are in the ratios
080 : 064 : 0'60. The probable explanation is
that the first tailings to escape are rich slimes,
which naturally continue to escape during the
whole operation, but their effect becomes
masked by the later arrival of poor sands. If
these sands are retained on the frame through
short duration of the feed period, the whole
operation suffers in efficiency.
In frame treatment a pulp having the values
mainly associated with a certain range of size
of particles will require for best results alto-
gether different dressing conditions from those
best suited to a pulp having the values mainly
associated with a different range of sizes. Any
pulp may be considered as consisting of a mix-
ture of two or more such pulps, all being treated
togetherunder conditions whichare moreorless
a compromise. It is useful to regard certain
pulps from this point of view, particularly those
consisting of tailings where the operation pro-
ducing them has taken a big bite out of a cer-
tain range of sizes aqd left the principal values
in the tailings on either side of this range, such
as the vanner tailings instanced by Beringer,
the conditions in this respect recorded by him
being probably true of vanner tailings in
general. An attempt to adjust the dressing
conditions to save the faster travelling particles
of cassiterite means that scarcely any effective
concentration of the slower travelling fraction
is obtained, yet this seems to be what is gener-
ally done. The escaping tailing increment,
mainly slime, quickly attains the assay of this
rapidly moving portion of the pulp, and this
may be high. 1 f feed is now stopped, the con-
centrate arrested on the lower portion of the
frame may well be of lower assay than the
whole of the tailing which has escaped, as
Truscott found with an experimenton Dolcoath
No. 4, a typical specimen of this class of pulp.
Further experiments were conducted on this
pulp to determine whether a longer period of
feed might give better results; as the experi-
ments were designed to reproduce on a flat
frame the conditions obtainable on a round
table by slowing down its period of revolution,
a washing period was given, and this waslonger
with longer duration of feed. An unfortunate
arithmetical error was responsible for the de.
FEBRUARY, 1921
87
cision that the shorter period was best, but the
following observation is a better record of the
facts: "The appearances suggest that owing
to the relatively high inclination much of the
very fine tin goes direct to the tailing, but that
if discard were continued the next material to
go would be poor sand."
Truscott's experiments on whole pulps, that
is, on pulps which represent the whole battery
product, such as those on his synthetic ore and
on the mill-ores ground to the condition of
slime, indicate that the maximum enrichment
obtainable on frames without washing will be
about 143 associated with a concentration to
5%, a recovery of 71 '6%, and consequently an
efficiency of 66'6%. Any attempt to push en-
richment further by washing seems to be at
the expense of efficiency. These figures, and
in particular the efficiency, are dependent on
the physical condition of the ore, and not on
its original assay. They demand that the
cassiterite should have been practically freed
i from its matrix. The richer the original ore,
the richer will be the concentrate and tailing in
direct proportion. With a 1% ore, the concen-
trate would assay 320 lb. per ton, and the tail-
ing 6'7 lb.
Instancesof the frametreatmentof thickened
overflow from classifiers taking the original
millpulparenot sufficiently numerous for close
figuring, but indicate, in the case of the Tin-
croft slime, an efficiency of possibly 50%, with
a 4 lb. tailing, the latter low figure being due
to original feed only assaying about a half per
cent. This on what might be described as a
classified feed.
Shaking Tables. — Such figures as are
available relating to the performances of tables
of the Wilfley type and Frue vanners, in the
treatment of unclassified or origmal pulp, do
not indicate that a higher efficiency is attain-
able by these machines than on flat frames.
Messrs. Cox, Porter, and Gibbon (" Mineral
Industry," 1911) obtained figures which I be-
lieve relate to the performances of a Wilfley
on copper ore, though my notes are not com-
plete in this respect, which show that the effici-
ency with which the natural ore was treated
was 64'4%, the mean efficiency of treating this
ore in separate lots graded by screening being
63'9%, and of grading the lots by classification
66'7%. In obtaining these averages it is as-
sumed that each of the six lots obtained by each
grading process were of equal weight. The
minus 100-mesh lot obtained by screening was
treated at an efficiency of 48'7%, the average
of the remainder being 67'3%, while the finest
product of classification was treated at an effi-
ciency of 5r2%, the average of the remainder
being 69'8%. An advantage of shaking-tables
lies in their greater capacity per unit of floor
area. Thus the Frue vanner will handle one
ton per foot of width in 24 hours, a flat frame
requiring six feet of width to treat this tonnage.
The effect of shortening the frame length, in-
creasing the gradient, and feeding a larger
quantity of a thicker pulp than usual, all of
which appear feasible, would be to place the
two appliances on a more equal footing as re-
gards area capacity.
Washing. — The general question of wash-
ing remains to be discussed. Washing is not
practised on flat frames, and the complications
which its employment would entail militate
against its adoption unless a very marked ad-
vantage can be demonstrated. Where concen-
tration on a flat frame has not been carried to
the point of maximum efficiency, washing is
somewhat similar in effect to a prolongation of
the feed period, and is therefore commonly at-
tended by improved technical results. Wash-
ing will in fact improve the technical result just
so long as the tailing increments escaping dur-
ing the washing period do not attain the assay
of the feed. Where the feed period has been
so prolonged that maximumtechnicalefficiency
has been obtained it is difficult to see that wash-
ing can further increase this, and certainly it
has not been demonstrated. Nor has it been
demonstrated that a higher efficiency is attain-
able by auxiliary washing than by the selection
of a suitable period of feed.
Round frames, on the other hand, are always
provided with arrangements for washing. The
concentrate from these goes customarily direct
to the calciner, and the function of washing is
here to increase the enrichment, even if a slight
loss in metallurgical efficiency is thereby in-
curred. If it is attempted, by employing the
principle of rapid enrichment in the flat-frame
treatment of slimes, to obtain at one operation
a concentrate sufficiently high-grade to send to
the calciner, some means of washing might be
advantageously employed in the same way.
Classification. — The term classification
isreserved toexpress sizing by the employment
of rising hydraulic currents and covers a rather
wide range of effects, from the mere division
of a mill-feed into sands and slimes, to the
operation of a multiple-spigot classifier of the
latest type.
Cornish practice has come in for a good deal
of outside and not always too well-informed
criticism on account of the small part which
classification supposedly plays in it, particu-
larly that classification direct from the stamp
88
THE MINING MAGAZINE
which some, who have not sufficiently talcen
into account the nature of tlie subsequent pro-
cesses, consuier essential to Kood work.
Granted that the concentrate produced by a
frame, vanner, or other smooth surface, con-
sists essentially of finer cassiterite associated
with coarser waste, its becomes evident that
classification, by throwing together line cas-
siterite and coarse waste, is the deliberate pre-
paration of the worst possible kind of material
for treatment on a smooth surface. This arises
from the existence of a minimum value on Gil-
bert's curve of velocities plotted against par-
ticle diameters treated under flume (smooth
surface) conditions. .\ coarse particle of quartz-
may occupy a position on the descendmg leg of
the curve which will indicate the same velocity
as possessed by a small particle of cassiterite
on the rising leg. It is possible, of course, that
if the classified product consisted only of two
such groups, one of quartz and the other of cas-
siterite, a modification of the flow conditions
might be made which would place the cassiter-
ite in the minimum velocity position, but hardly
anything is known of ttie modifying efifect of
such changes, except in the vaguest way, and
extreme niceties of adjustment cannot be se-
cured and preserved in practice. The more
perfect the classification, the more likely it is
to be attended by ill results, and the practice of
treating the whole battery pulp on vanners
without classification is abundantly justified.
It is possible that the dilution of the slime feed
consequent to classification also has an injuri-
ous effect. Mr. J. Bland {Engineering and
Mining Journal, June 28, 1919) has published
figures showing that on a Deister No. 3 slime
table the concentrate contained 40'2% of minus
1/2,000 in. wolfram when the consistency of
the pulp was two and a half parts by weight of
water to one of solids, whereas none of this fine
wolfram was recovered when the consistency
was twelve to one. The quality of the concen-
trate did not suffer, but the capacity of the
table was reduced as thicker pulps were treated,
and the percentage recovery and extent of con-
centration are not stated.
Recoveries by Tin Streamers. — Asthe
amount of concentrate recovered in a saleable
condition forms so small a portion of the whole
mill-feed, the total tailings produced by the
various operations of the mill, if put together
finally, would reproduce very closely in physi-
cal condition the original feed as it came from
the stamps, allowance being made for supple-
mentary crushing undergone by some fractions.
The intractability characteristic of the tailings
of a particular machine would be found to have
largely disappeared if such a combined tailing
were put through a mill again, and the prelimi-
nary stage of Its treatment might be attended
with something approaching the high degree
of metallurgical efficiency characteristic of an
original pulp, due allowance being made for the
fact that a much larger fraction of the cassiter-
ite in the (lulp would not be free, but combined
as chats. The foregoing seems a quite suffi-
cient explanation of the fact that streamers make
satisfactory recoveries of tin which has resisted
saving in the original mills. It is not in the least
necessary to drag in "colloids" or imagine that
the cassiterite undergoes some physico chemi-
cal change in its passage down the Red River.
The intractable condition of a tailing can
also be modified by re-crushing before retreat-
ment, which smoothes down the asperities of
the grading analysis, and reproduces a pulp of
a more normal type. This alteration of the
grading analysis is an advantage additional to
the liberation of previouslyattached cassiterite,
and as re-grinding isobviously limited to coarse
products, is an argument in favour of prelimi-
nary coarse crushing.
The Buddle. — So far the conditions dis-
cussed have been those prevailing on a smooth
concentrating surface. Those which obtain on
a buddle are quite different, for the reason that
the flow conditions are now more those of the
stream (deposited bed) traction of Gilbert. Yet
here also the influence of a minimum value in
the velocity curve has not altogether disap-
peared, but persists for a reason which has
been left undiscussed : that over a surface which
is not perfectly smooth, the maximum retard-
ing effect on a moving particle is found on a
surface whose roughness corresponds in grain
to the size of the particle. The behaviour of
the particle is of course not conditioned by
this cause alone, but this is the principal one.
The roughness of the surface on the buddle in-
creases toward the discharge periphery, and
every particle finds an appropriate resting-
place among its fellows. There is nothing in
the theory that cassiterite tends to catch cas-
siterite; size is most important in deciding
where any individual comes to rest, and the in-
fluence of specific gravity seems to be secon-
dary. Some tests made by me on Nigerian
concentrate obtained by a process akin to hud-
dling showed that the finer grained fraction
separable by screening was of noticeably lower
grade than the coarser, the specific gravity of
the waste mineral being 47 to 5, proving that
a slight diminution in size caused particles of
lighter material to hang back among the denser
cassiterite.
FEBRUARY, 1921
89
i It is much to be regretted that no data are
i in existence on the performance of buddies
comparable to those obtained by Truscott for
frames ; but I am inclined to think that such
data would establish that the buddlmg of mixed
(unclassified) sizes causes the cassiterite toper-
sist through the buddle products in a way that
might be prevented by feeding the buddle with
a classified pulp.
The operation of panning is in many ways
comparable to huddling in that the coarser
particles tend to roll across the mass deposited
in the bottom of the pan and escape, the re-
sulting concentrate being one of finer grain as
well as of denser material. So that certain
figures published by Professor Edwin Edser
in a recent communication to the Institution
of Mining and Metallurgy may be usefully
studied, although they were given solely with
a view to the elucidation of a law of concen-
tration connecting recovery with enrichment.
The material tested was a sample from a Corn-
ish river deposit containing waste cassiterite
from tin- dressing operations. This waste was
screened through SOmesh and the undersize
elutriated into seven products by the method
described by Mr. Thomas Crook in the appen-
dix to Hatch and Rastall's " Petrology of the
Sedimentary Rocks." This method would
doubtless give products obtained under free-
settling conditions, and not so perfectly graded
as those obtainable with a classifier working
under hindered-settling conditions, yet, as a
laboratory product, perhaps more perfectly
classified than would result from the operation
of a hindered-settling classifier on a practical
scale.
The two finest sizes proved unsuitable for
panning (but not for framing), and the remain-
ing five, 77 6% of the total, were panned in-
dividually to an average concentration of 15%
sampled and assayed, and further panned down
to an average concentration of I'S per cent.
First stage of concentration :
Mesh
Weight
Re- _
Con-
Efiici-
Tail-
covery
centra-
tion
ency
ings
lb.
A
-2.500
132
B
-1.800 + 2.500
92
C
-1,0)0+1.800
12'6
0 808
01 29
0679
40
D
- 570+1.000
77
0'840
0162
0'678
2'7
E
- 300+ 570
8-7
0'7-t8
0216
0'532
4'0
F
- 200+ 300
36'2
0-6'J4
0125
0'559
5-1
G
- 80+ 200
124
0777
0215
0562
36
Totals and averages 1000 0 745 0'154
4'3
Thus from an original feed assaying 14'4 lb.
Sn per ton, a recovery of 74'5% has been
effected in a concentrate assaying 70 lb. per
ton, witha concentration to 15'4%of theoriginal
weight, the tailings assaying 4"3 lb.
Thesecondconcentration of the concentrates
obtained above gave the following results,
reckoning from the original feed :
Recovery Concen- Etfici- Tailings
tration ency lb.
C 0656 0014 0642 51
D 0660 0 014 0 645 4'0
E 0'590 0020 0570 52
F 0437 0008 0 429 SI
G 0'585 0018 0'567 53
Totals and averages 0'563 0'013 0 550 64
Thus the combined result of the two stages
of concentration was to produce a concentrate
assaying 605 lb. per ton, with a recovery of
56'3% of the original contents in a concentra-
tion to l'i%, with a combined final tailing as-
saying 6'4 lb. per ton.
The combined tailings made in producing
the second concentration from the first assayed
21 lb. per ton, showing that the concentration
was pushed too far in the second stage for the
best metallurgical result. This was particu-
larly the case with product F, the second tail-
ing of which ran 31 lb. per ton.
It is my opinion that if buddies were fed
with a well-classified feed from a multiple-
spigot hindered-settling classifier, something
closely approaching the foregoing results could
be duplicated in practice. Such a result, for
instance, on a 1% ore, as 15 tons of 500 lb. Sn
concentrate ready for the calciner, 13'5 tons of
85 lb. middling for re-treatment, and 85 tons
of 4 lb. tailing for final rejection. The exist-
ence of this comparatively large tonnage of
middlings would be due to unavoidable imper-
fections in classification and to the existence of
chats, the latter particularly in the coarser sizes.
Such coarser middlings might be re-ground and
returned to the classifier circuit, while the finer
middlings went back to the same classifier to
get another chance. I f the loss in dressing the
first concentrate and middlings up to shipping
grade amounted to 1 1 lb. per ton, the final mill
tailings would run 5 lb. per ton.
Present practice may perhaps be guessed at
as producing a final tailing at 8'3 lb. per ton
from l%ore, composed as to two-thirds of sands
at 5 lb. per ton, and as to one-third of slimes
at 15 lb. per ton. A reduction to 5 lb. per ton
on the whole tailing would mean an additional
saving of 3 3 lb. per ton, equivalent to an in-
creased recovery of 14'3% of the contents of
the original feed, or an increase of 20% in the
amount of saleable concentrate now produced.
At the prices which prevailed in April last,
this would mean an additional annual income
to the industry of ;^200,000.
I realize that this is an extremely bold claim
to put forward as the result of a single series
of laboratory experiments, and prefer to sub-
90
THE MINING MAGAZINE
mit the fiRures which the experiments actually
support witliout allowances for contingencies
which can be supplied hy the reader. It is
apparent that it is cjuite possible to recover a
high percentage of the slime-tin content of a
pulp in a concentrated form if suitable means
of dressing are provided. There is nothing
disclosed showing that successful slime treat-
ment is impossible through anythmg arising
from the nature of slime tin itself, indeed the
finest slimes panned gave the highest efifici-
ences, and that there were two still finer pro-
ducts made by classification but not tested in
this way does not imply that these would have
to be run to waste, as Edser only rejected these
as difficult to perform a second treatment on to
establish a particular mathematical treatment,
and states that they yielded a concentrate to
framing.
Still greater improvements might be ex-
pected in the recoveries of arsenic and wolfram,
as the present losses of these are mainly m the
slimes.
It may be objected that a proposal to sub-
stitute huddling on a wholesale scale for the
present semi-automatic handling of the pulp
would lead to an increase in milling costs. A
study of present slime plants will, however,
show that many operations, although cheaply
performed, are of such low efficiency that while
each stage costs but little, the multitude of
stages is responsible for a high total cost. The
proposed system would have the effect of re-
ducing the tonnage sent to the calciner and tin-
yard, where the bulk of the manual handling
takes place at present, and of rapidly reducing
the tonnage handled at each stage.
Milling ore in which the tin is not exception-
ally fine, and where a single-spigot is now em-
ployed in front of the stamps to feed tables of
the Wilfley type, the overflow going to the
slime plant, the battery pulp might be sent
direct to the tables if these have sufficient
capacity. These would be set to produce a
sandy tailing for rejection going about 4 lb. per
ton, after the slimes in it had been removed by
a Bunker Hill screen or m some similar way.
Theoversize of thisscreen, which mightamount
to 30 or 40% of the whole mill- feed, would be
rejected without further handling. A compara-
tively small table-concentrate would go direct
to the calciner, and a large middling product
would pass to a tube-mill running in circuit
with a single spigot classifier, the table-slimes
joining the circuit at any convenient point.
The whole product, suitably thickened, would
pass to a multiple spigot hindered-settling
classifier making eight or ten products, the
spigot products going to separate buddies and
the o\erflow to frames. It will be objected
th:\t there is no classifier now on the market de-
signed to classifyslimes inthemanner required,
classification not being practised at present
below 200 mesh. It would not be possible to
employ an existing type by modifying the
velocity of the rising current, as the areas of
the quicksand and sorting columns have to be
relatively proportioned with regard to the size
of the material with which they deal, and the
problem would appear to be no more than one
of design. The heads of the buddies would go
to the calciner, the tailings to waste, while the
middlings from the buddies treating the sandier
products would be sent back to the tube-mill,
returning via the multiple-spigot classifier, to
which the middlings from the buddies treating
the finer products would also be returned with-
out further reduction. There would appear to
be no good reason for calcining the different
products apart, except perhaps as regards the
originalWilfley product, and the whole calciner
product would be passed through a similar
multiple-spigot classifier and the products bud-
died. The heads would be tossed and huddled
until fit for market, and the whole of the tails
might require re-pulverizing, so that no part
could bereturneddirecttothecalciner-classifier
for resorting.
In milling ores where the tin occurs in a fine
state of division the probable procedure would
be to pass the whole of the battery pulp, crush-
ed through a fine grate, over Frue vanners
without classification, pulling a high-grade con-
centrate for the calciner, and sending the whole
of the tailings to the multiple spigot classifier.
The products sent to the buddies then being
usually of lower grade than those handled in
the previously considered case, a larger fraction
of the huddle contents would be rejected as
waste, and only a small proportion of the mid-
dles, if any, would be re-ground. Thereafter
treatment would follow the lines already indi-
cated.
Conclusions. — Frames : The sizesof par-
ticles saved on a smooth surface, as of a frame
or vanner, are grouped about a definite mean
magnitude and the tailings are characterized
by intractability to re-treatment.
In the treatment of unclassified pulp, varia-
tions in dressing conditions within practicable
limits do not greatly affect the technical result,
except that a thicker pulp may possibly effect
an increased saving of finer particles.
Washing is of value only as an expedient,
and does not produce technical results other-
wise unobtainablefrom the view-point of metal-
FEBRUARY, 1921
91
lurgical efficiency. Under appropriatecircum-
stances, improved economic results may be ob-
tained by its employment. The duration of
the feed is the most important factor in decid-
ing the technical result of a single operation on
a frame. With a given ore, appropriate dura-
tion will vary directly as frame length, and
there is no reason to anticipate better technical
results on a short frame than on one of custo-
mary length. The customary duration of feed
is too short to secure the best technical result
of a single operation.
The technical result obtained by selection
of the optimum length of feed period can also
be secured by stage treatment in which the
duration of feed in each stage is shorter. The
combined tailings obtained by the latter meth-
od do not differ in character from those yield-
ed by the other, and no better technical re-
sult finally is indicated apart from the simpli-
fication and cheapening of dressing which the
other gives.
Classification of feed intended for treatment
on frames or vanners is likely to produce in-
ferior results. That better results can be ob-
tained by classification coupled to the selection
of appropriate dressing conditions remains to
be established by research.
Buddies : Buddies should receive a classi-
fied feed. The close classification into a num-
ber of grades of the material now sent to the
slimes plant, and its treatment by buddling,
promises an improvement over present recov-
eries amounting to possibly 20%.
ON THE ESTIMATION OF MINERAL RESERVES.
With special reference to the Iror> Ores of Cumberland and Lancashire,
By J. D. KENDALL.
ON pp. 45-48 of vol. viii. Iron Ores (Geo-
logical Survey) there are a number of
statements on this subject so mislead-
ing and so utterly at variance with the recent
practice of mining engineers that I am at a
loss to understand why they have been allowed
to appear in that publication.
Nineteen years ago, I invited the attention
of the members of the Institution of Mining
and Metallurgy to the very elastic use of the
phrase " Ore in Sight." In many cases then
it simply meant ore in imagination, which, I
need hardly say, has not any marketable value,
unless it be to the unscrupulous promoter. A
long adjourned discussion followed the reading
of the paper and, on my invitation, a committee
was formed to consider the matter. As a re-
sult of the deliberations of that committee the
Fa u I t s,
A L i rn e 5to n e
^^1^ Hematite I
Fig. 1.
92
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Institution sent out to its members a number
of recommendations of which the three follow-
ing are the essence :
(1) That members of the Institution should
not make use of the term " Ore in Sight "
in their reports without indicating, in the most
explicit manner, the data upon which the esti-
mate is based ; and that it is most desirable
that estimates should be illustrated by draw-
ings. ^^
(2) That as the term ' Ore in Sight " is fre-
• Boreholes in Ore
O . not . ..
Since these recommendations were issued I
have not seen anything so glaringly bad in the
way of estimates as the passages from the
Memoir above referred to, which I will now
quote.
Referring to the possibilityof finding further
ore between Lamplugh and Egremont, the
Memoir says on p. 45 : " Assuming, in the
absence of definite information, that ore is
present in average quantity, we allow a reserve
of 8 million to 10 million tons, some of which.
A Limesfone
B Hematite
• Boreholes in Ore
O not
Scale o( Fee;
0 100 20O 300
Fig. 2.
quently used to indicate two separate factors
in an estimate, namely : (a) ore blocked out,
that is, ore exposed on at least three sides within
reasonable distance of each other, and (6) ore
which may be reasonably assumed to exist
though not actually blocked out. These two
factors should in all cases be kept distinct, as
(a) is governed by fixed rules, while (6) is de-
pendent upon individual judgment and local
experience.
(3) That in making use of the term " Ore in
Sight" an engineer should demonstrate that
the ore so denominated is capable of being
profitably extracted under the working condi-
tions obtaining in the district.
Fig. 3.
however, may be difficult to win." In refer-
ence to the area south of Egremont we read
on p. 47 : " Provided that ore occurs as freely
in this area as in the proved field to the north,
there should be a reserve of about 50 million
tons of ore, apart from that already allowed for
in the Ullcoats-Winscales district." On the
same page, a little lower, we read : On the
assumption that the ore occurs between the
Hodbarrow Mines and the Park and Konhead
group as freely as in Furness generally, we
estimate for this tract a reserve of some 24
million tons of ore, about equally divided be-
tween Cumberland and Lancashire." On p.
48 the following summary of reserves is given :
FEBRUARY, 1921
93
HemaHhe Deposits
•— Faults.
In Mi
Proved
I LampluKh-Egremont
Cumberland ] Estemont-Yotlen Fews
I Millom District
j West of Dalton
1 East of Dalton
Lancashire
lion Tons
Unproved
10
50
12
12
6
The Memoir does not employ the phrase
" Ore in Sight," but the word " Reserves."
These are shown by the above table to be di-
vided into two classes, " proved " and un-
proved." Nothing is said as to how the proof,
in the case of the former class, was effected,
but in the sequel I will endeavour to show that
it is impossible to estimate quantities in these
ore-bodies with any approach to accuracy un-
less the ground has been blocked out.
Unproved reserves are reserves in anticipa-
tion and imagination only. That there is still
a large quantity of ore to work beyond that
blocked out in each of the three fields may be
confidently expected. But how much no one
can say, nor what proportion of it can be
worked at a profit. The 90 millions of the
Memoir is no more likely to be even the ap-
proximatetotalthan 20 millions or 200millions.
There is as much justification for any one of
these quantities as for either of the others.
There is really no justification for fixing any
quantity.
If 90 millions is not an aggregate of una-
dulterated guesses, it must have been reach-
ed by involving assumed quantities per unit
area into unknown, because unexplored, areas.
Such a product, it will be readily admitted,
cannot be of the least value either commer-
cially or scientifically.
Fig. 1 represents a part of the Whitehaven
mining district, showing some of the most im-
portant deposits hitherto worked. They occur
on different geological horizons, some in the
First and Second Limestones, some in the
Third and Fourth, others in the Seventh. It
will be seen that there is no fixed relation be-
tween land areas and the areas of deposits in
that land. Each of the squares in Fig. 1 has
an area of about 41 acres. Some contain a
94
THE MINING MAGAZINE
large proportion of ore, some very little. But
that tact is still more evident when the area
shown in Fig. 1 is looked at in conjunction
with other parts of the district, where the
spaces between the deposits are much larger.
Fig. 2 shows the positions of 49 bore-holes
put down in a rich part of the district. Forty
of these holes proved ore on the same geologi-
cal horizon. N me were in limestone. Twenty-
five years ago 1 suppose most mining men who
had not given serious thought to the vagaries
of hematite deposits w-ould have said that these
holes — their positions and journals only being
known — proved the existence of an ore- body
interrupted by but a comparatively small ex-
tent of limestone. Let us see what was the
fact.
Fig. 3 shows the plan of the ore-bodies,
proved by the 49 bore-holes, after the deposits
had been practically exhausted by the miner.
It also gives the relative positions of all the
bores shown on Fig. 2.
There were 4'44 times as many bores in ore
as in limestone, but the area of the limestone,
splitting up and enclosing the ore within the
area covered by the holes, was 2'78 times
larger than that of the hematite. To reconcile
the results obtained in some of the bores with
those of the miner it must be remembered that
bore-holes are seldom if ever quite plumb and
sometimes they are a long way from being so.
This is not a specially selected case to illus-
trate the erratic nature of these ore-bodies, as
will be seen by reference to Fig. 1. There
have been deposits in which the ore was less
interfered with by limestone, but that could
not be known until they were laid open, that
is, until they were blocked out.
Fig. 4 is a plan of some of the more im-
portant deposits in Furness. It is on the same
scale as Fig. 1 , but many of the deposits shown
on It have a vein-like habit, and therefore do
not make so great a display horizontally as
those in Fig. 1, nearly all of which have a bed-
like form. Each square has an area of about
15'9 acres. All the deposits of importance that
have been found in the area covered by Fig. 4
are shown on that drawing, but only a few of
the larger faults. It will be seen that, as in
the Whitehaven district, there is not any fixed
ratio between the area of ore-bodies and that
of the limestone in which they occur. Here,
too, as at Whitehaven, it is impossible to esti-
mate reserves that are not blocked out, and
for the same reason.
If Fig. 4 be compared with Plate III. of
the Survey Memoir, a fair idea may beobtained
of the neglect of this district by the Geological
Survey. Only two faults are shown on that
plate in the area corresponding to I'ig. 4, and
neither of them exists in the ground, while the
ore-bodies do not bear any resemblance to
actuality.
A map of mere rock-areas is of very little
value to the explorer. He wants to know the
structure of the probable ore-bearing ground.
If it is not possible to form anything like an
accurate estimate of the quantity of hematite
that may exist in a deposit that has been pierced
by 40 bore- holes, as shown by Figs. 2 and 3,
what value can be placed on estimates in which
— like those of the 90 millions of the Memoir
— there is an entire absence of evidence ?
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
Genesis of Cumberland Iron Ores.
The Editor :
Sir — Mr. J. D. Kendall discusses the origin
of the iron ores of Cumberland and Furness
in a paper entitled ' The bearing of the dis-
tribution of certain metallic minerals on their
genesis," which appeared in the MAGAZINE
for November, 1920.
He makes three points to which I desire to
refer :
(7) Some of the veins of hematite occur in
the Skiddaw slates, the Borrowdale rocks, the
Ennerdale granophyre, and the Eskdale gran-
ite, in situations which he attempts to show
were never overlain by Triassic rocks. The
iron ore in these veins could not, therefore, he
contends, be derived from the iron oxide of the
Trias.
(2) The Permian breccia directly overlying
a deposit of hematite in the Carboniferous
Limestone near Orebank House, Bigrigg, in
the Cleator district of Cumberland, contained
angular fragments of hematite evidently de-
rived from the deposit on which the breccia
lay, and which deposit, therefore, must have
beeninexistencebefore thebrecciawas formed.
(J) He contends that the view that the hema-
tite deposits vvere formed by the down ward filtra-
tion of iron ore from overlying Triassic rocks,
if held by those having the direction of ex-
plorations, would lead to a great waste of time
and money."
As regards (7) I do not think we have suffici-
ent data — we may never have — to decide how
far the Triassic rocks extended over the Lake
District. In the jumble of geological events
so many things may have happened that it is
safer not to dogmatize. As Mr. Kendall indi-
cates, the late Mr. J. G. Goodchild thought
that the Carboniferous and later rocks spread
FEBRUARY, 1921
95
at one time over the entire Lake District.
The northern part of the Isle of Man re-
sembles in many of its features the Lake Dis-
trict. We have at the Point of Ayre the Salifer-
ous Marls, then, going south, the Triassic and
Permian, then the lower Carboniferous, and
finally the Manx slate rocks rising to a height
of 2,034 ft. at Snaefell.
Mr. Lamplugh, in his Geological Memoir of
the Isle of Man, remarks on p. 1 : The pre-
dominant feature of its stratigraphy is the cen-
tral ridge of slate and greywacke, which seems
to have constituted an insulated tract at as early
a date as the beginning of the Carboniferous
period. This prototype of the present island
appears afterwards to have been enfolded and
obliterated by the sediments of later times ;
but with the progress of denudation the old
ridge has once more emerged from beneath
this mantle." And on page 25 : " Before the
commencement of the Carboniferous period,
erosive influences had cut deeply into this old
massif, the rocks of which at that tmie already
possessed the lithological and structural
characters that we find in them to-day. By
this early denudation there seems to have been
shapedout an isolated hilly tract approximately
resembling the present land, which was pro-
bably afterwards buried under sediments of
Carboniferous and later times, and thus during
long ages protected from erosion. By the
stripping away of these enfolding strata, pro-
bably finally accomplished during Tertiary
times, the central position of the ridge was
once more exposed, and must since have lost
considerably in altitude."
Mr. Kendall's arguments in favour of a cen-
tral tract in the Lake District that was never
overlain by later rocks do not impress me.
They seem to me to be mere speculations.
The certainties appear to be as follows :
The Lake District is now more or less sur-
rounded by belts of Carboniferous, Permian,
and Triassic rocks. These beds formerly ex-
tended nearer the centre, covering a larger area
of the Lake District than they cover now.
The central mountains were pushed up. What
area of the Lake District was once covered by
Carboniferous and later rocks is speculative,
and depends on another speculative matter, the
dates of the various upheavals and sinkings of
the mountains.
If I were to venture on a conjecture it would
be something in this form. I would grant Mr.
Kendall his island at the close of the Yoredale
period, and this would account for " the occur-
rence of a rounded boulder of Ennerdale syen-
ite (granophyre) in the shale between the Sixth
and Seventh Limestones, at Crossfield mines."
I would suppose the Lake District to be sink-
ing and the Coal Measures to extend partly
over it. With later sinking after the Coal
Measures were laid down, rocks of Permian,
Triassic, and possibly later date would be
formed, creeping nearer and nearer the centre
of the area and possibly entirely covering it.
The Triassic rocks might then directly overlie
" the Skiddaw slates, the Borrowdale rocks, the
Ennerdale granophyre, the Eskdale granite,"
and furnish the iron contents of the hematite
veins occurring in them. Then upheavals
and denudation left the rocks as we now find
them.
With respect to (2), if Mr. Kendall's account
is correct it is a strong argument in favour of
the genesis of the Cumberland hematite de-
posits before the formation of the Permian
breccia. It is to be regretted that the particu-
lar evidence he describes is completely des-
troyed, and also that at the time it was avail-
able the fragments of hematite found in the
breccia were not submitted to microscopical
examination so as to attempt to determine if
they were replacements of limestone fragments
in the breccia by the same ferruginous solu-
tions which Goodchild and others contend
formed the irregular masses in the solid lime-
stone below, and were not in fact fragments
of hematite torn from a pre-existing deposit of
hematite.
If the masses of hematite in the limestone
were formed by descending ferruginous solu-
tions, it would be surprising if these solutions
on their way through the breccia did not attack
and replace some of the limestone fragments
in it. I am advised by geologists that an ex-
amination of such fragments might indicate
whether they were replacements or fragments
derived from a pre-existing mass. It is rather
singular that such an examination has not been
made, and I think the Geological Survey people
have been remiss in not making the investiga-
tion.
I have endeavoured for some time to obtain
specimens of hematite from the breccia so as
to submit them for examination, but so far I
have not been successful. It is not necessary
that the specimens should come from breccia
directly overlying a deposit of hematite. If it
was found that the pebbles and fragments of
hematite in the breccia were replacements of
limestone fragments in situ, it would weaken
Mr. Kendall's views as to the date of the de-
posits in the body of the limestones. It would
not, however, prove the downward filtration
theory, as it could still be urged that ascending
96
THE MINING MAGAZINE
solutions or vapours had affected both lime-
stone and overlying breccia.
Great liRht would be thrown both upon the
genesis and the age of lieniatite deposits by a
microscopical examination of the pebbles and
fragments of hematite found in the Permian
breccia, and to this matter I would strongly
direct the attention of geologists.
The proximity of Triassic rocks to the Car-
boniferous Limestone cannot be urged as a
reason for not expecting hematite as (i) would
seem to imply. Even if, as Mr. Kendall thinks,
the iron oxide from the Trias played no part ui
the formation of hematite deposits in the un-
derlying limestone, yet he cannot deny that,
in the hematite districts of Cumberland and
Furness as well as in North and South Wales,
the Forest of Dean, and Derbyshire, Triassic
rocks are in close proximity and can with some
certainty be said to have overlain at one time
the areas where the deposits occur. Indeed,
in the southern part of the Cleator district of
Cumberland, and in parts of the hematite dis-
trict of South Wales, hematite is or has been
worked m the limestone now overlain by Trias.
1 fail, therefore, to see how it can be argued
that even if the Trias has no relation to hema-
tite deposits in the limestone any loss of time
or money in exploration can result from the
opposite view.
J. B. Atkinson.
86, St. George's Terrace,
Newcastle-on-Tyne, December 14.
The Editor :
Sir — In the last paragraph of Mr. J. D.
Kendall's interesting article m The Mining
Magazine of November last,he alludes to the
chemistry relative to the deposition of the
North-West of England hematite deposits.
It is a well-known fact that gypsum is com-
paratively abundant in the Triassic strata. Is
it Hot reasonable to infer that the gypsum is
very likely the residual salt resulting from the
repiacementof the Carboniferous Limestone by
hematite through the agency of powerful solu-
tions of ferric sulphate from below ? That re-
action is conveniently represented by the fol-
lowing equation :
3CaCO, + Feo (S04)3 = 3CaS04 + Fe^Os
+ 3COo.
If this reaction can be taken as probable,
then we have still further evidence of miner-
alization from below. Whereas, on the con-
trary,nostriking abundanceof gypsum is found
below the Carboniferous Limestone. It would
be interesting to know whether, in the opinion
of Mr. Kendall, the amount of gypsum in the
Triassic strata could represent a residuum from
the reaction that I suggest.
A. Ai.KC Junes, Assoc. Inst. M.M.
Miilom, Cumberland, January 8.
The Editor:
Sir — I thank you for letting me see Mr.
Jones's and Mr. Atkinson's letters so that my
replies may appear in the same issue.
In his letter, Mr. J. B. Atkinson has, I
assume inadvertently, omitted the evidence on
which he bases the numerous statements made.
If he will be good enough to supply this most
important deficit his readers will, I think, be
able to form a more reliable judgment. If,
for instance, we take paragraph 11, in which
Mr. .-\tkinson first puts forth his ideas, we find
the following statements: " If I were to ven-
ture on a conjecture it would be something in
this form . . . : I would suppose the Lake Dis-
trict to be sinking and the Coal Measures to ex-
tend partly over it. With later sinking after the
Coal Measures were laid down, rocks of Per-
mian, Triassic, and possibly later date would
be formed, creeping nearer and nearer the
centre of the area and possibly entirely cover-
ing it. The Triassic rocks might then directly
overlie the Skiddaw Slates, etc." Here we
have a number of suppositions but no evidence.
The next paragraph seems to indicate that
Mr. Atkinson is not sure of my presentation of
the facts relating to the occurrence of ore frag-
ments in the Breccia near Orebank House.
But he does not say why. I invite him to do so.
As I have previously told Mr. Atkinson, I
sliced hematite fragments from the Breccia,for
microscopic examination, 40 years ago, but
found no difference between them and pieces
taken from the mine. In both, the sections
varied considerably, some containing numerous
minute quartz-filled cavities. In others there
was nothing but iron ore. Mr. Atkinson says,
" Great light would be thrown both upon the
genesis and age of hematite deposits by a micro-
scopical examination of the pebbles and frag-
ments of hematite found in the Permian Brec-
cia." One would naturally expect, after, or be-
fore, a positive statement like this, some evi-
dence would be adduced, for Mr. Atkinson says
would, not might.
To the last paragraph of the letter I need
not add to what I have said elsewhere, beyond
this : " Hematite is or has been worked in the
limestone now overlain by " boulder clay (Mr.
Atkinson saysTrias), but that is not any reason
for thinking there is some intimate relation be-
tween them. It is merely an incident in geo-
logical evolution. The same statement may
FEBRUARY, 1921
97
be made with reference to the Trias.
In reply to Mr. Jones's letter, there are two
reasons why the suggested reaction cannot, in
my opinion, be accepted as an explanation of
the facts. (1) The volume of calcium carbonate
required as precipitant is so much in excess of
the volume of hematite precipitated that the
cavities formed in the limestone would be very
much larger than the ore-body. (2) The ore
and the gypsum referred to were not formed at
or near the same time.
J. D. Kendall.
London, January 28.
The Finsbury Technical College.
The Editor:
Sir — In an article published under the above
heading in The Mining Magazine for No
vember, reference was made to the threatened
extinction of the Finsbury Technical College,
and a powerful appeal was put forward for the
continuance of this historic school of engineer-
ing and industrial chemistry. One emendation
may, however, with advantage be made in this
otherwise excellent notice, in regard to two ref-
erences to the Board of Education as the au-
thority which contemplates closing the College.
On the contrary, although the Board has never
had official relations with the College, yet it has
on atleast two recentoccasions expressed warm
sympathy with the movement set on foot by the
Finsbury Technical College Defence Commit-
tee. Hitherto the Board of Education has not
been called upon to contribute towards the
financial support of the College, this responsi-
bility having been undertaken solely by the
City & Guilds of London Institute for the
Advancement of Technical Education. The
lioard has, however, intimated that if the
future of the College could be assured it would
be prepared to offer material assistance.
In a statement issued by the City & Guilds
of London Institute last July a survey is made
of the circumstances in which the Institute is
constrained to terminate the educational work
of the College in July, 1921. With much of
this explanatory statement those interested in
the scientific and technical education of the
Metropolis will have the fullest sympathy. It
IS evident that the Institute is averse from en-
tering into competition, on very unequal terms,
with institutions liberally subsidized by the
Local Education Authority, which in the pres-
ent instance is the London County Council.
The Defence Committee has, however, found
strong support for the view that there is still
abundant scope for the continued existence of
the pioneer technical college of the London
area. The great traditions of instruction and
research associated with the memory of such
illustrious teachers as Ayrton, Perry, Meldola,
and Silvanus Thompson, and the undiminish-
ed success of the College under their successors,
constitute a priceless asset worthy to be con-
served and utilized in the training of future
generations of students of applied science.
With the spread of the Finsbury Defence
Movement it is becoming more widely realized
that it is precisely this side of. the Institute's
activities for which there is at present the
greatest need. In regard to the recent past, the
imperial importance of the Institute's work in
the College may be gauged by the war services
rendered by the staff and former students of
Finsbury. " Happy is the man that hath his
quiver full of them, for he shall not be ashamed
when they speak with the enemy in the gate."
G. T. Morgan.
London, December 29.
NEWS LETTERS.
MELBOURNE.
December 9.
Welfare Schemes at Mount Lyell.
— During the past three or four years the
Mount Lyell company, like many other big
industrial concerns in the Commonwealth, has
been carrying out a welfare scheme for its min-
ing employees, the bulk of whom reside at
Gormanston, near the mines, the principal fea-
ture being the provision of comfortable and
adequate housing accommodation. This pro-
blem, in an isolated district like Mount Lyell,
is naturally a difficult and expensive one to
overcome, but the company is striving ear-
nestly and determinedly to cope with it, and
the results are highly gratifying. There has
just been finished a block of ten houses, which
makes a total of 38 erected since the initia-
tion of the scheme. The dwellings contain four
or five living rooms, and are built of hardwood,
lined throughout with either similar wood or
3-ply material. They are of simple and neat
design, and have been built under the super
visionof Mr. R.M. Murray, engineer-in-charge
of the mines, and his staff. Malthoid and
shingles are used for roofing, and, in addition
to the four or five living rooms, each dwell-
ing is furnished with pantry, scullery, wash-
house (in some instances a bathroom), wood-
shed, and sanitary accommodation. The land
is sufficient to provide reasonable yard and
garden space, which is all securely fenced.
Electric lighting, heating, and power are sup-
98
Til
MINMNG MAGAZINE
plied direct by the company at the reason-
able rate of 4d. per unit for lighting and 2d.
for power, and the water supply is provided
by the municipal council. The building of
these houses is, however, not by any means
the limit of the company's efforts in this direc-
tion, as, in addition to the 38 houses built, they
have purchased from time to time other dwel-
lings, many of which were in a dilapidated
state, and made them fit to live in. Altogether
the company owns in Gormanston about 100
houses for the benefit of their mine employees.
The rent charged for the dwellings is only 7s.
6d. per week for a four-roomed and 9s. for a
five-roomed cottage, and it is fairly safe to say
that in no industrial centre or large city of the
Commonwealth can as good houses be found
for ordinary workers of all classes as those
which the Mount Lyell company is providing
for its mine employees at such low rentals.
Another detail of the scheme is the promo-
tion of direct trading, by what are virtually
co-operative establishments. The company,
for about 18 months past, has been the only
supplier of meat in the Gormanston centre,
having purchased the businesses of those local
butchers who complained that they could not
carry on owing to the high price of stock.
Under the company's management the meat
supply business has been reorganized on lines
which mean a reduction of 2d. and 3d. a pound
as compared with the prices charged by private
firms. In furtherance of their scheme, the
company, a few months ago, also acquired the
principal general stores in the municipality,
and are now supplying groceries and general
food commodities, household ironware, crock-
ery, etc., and in the clothing line all classes of
working requirements, including blueys, oilers,
and boots. With a view to encouraging the
cash system of trading, and eliminating, as far
as possible, the credit system, the company
offers every inducement to the people to pay
cash and thus get their goods at the lowest
possible prices. All purchasers of meat who
pay cash at the shop are allowed Id. per lb. as
against that sold on the fortnightly credit basis,
while at the general store the buver paying
cash is allowed 10% discount, and there is no
doubt that a very large number of the consu-
mers are taking advantage of the benefits of
this cash system.
Another item in the welfare scheme is the
providing of facilities for improving social life,
and to this end the company has established
and equipped recreation halls at both Gorman-
ston and Linda, where for 6d. a week comfort-
ably furnished billiard, reading, and pastime
rooms are available to the employees and the
public generally, and this in itself is a great
help towards minimizing the unfavourable cli-
matic anil living conditions which are insepar-
able from a rougii and isolated district like the
Mount Lyell mining lield.
It must be understood that, although the
company is financing the business and taking
the responsibility of monetary loss, it is not
out to make any profit whatever in its trad-
ing department. The business is purely co-
operative, with practically no expense or risk
to the employees (and employees in this con-
nection means the whole of the Gormanston
community, every member of which, if not di-
rectly, is certainly indirectly, employed by the
company), the principle aimed at being the
supply of goods at cost price, after allowing for
the cost of purchase, management, and distri-
bution,thereby eliminating theretailer'sprofits.
As the turnover in the butchering and general
store business is approximately ^60,000 a
year, it will easily be realized what an appreci-
able benefit this trading department is to the
employees and the public of Gormanston gen-
erally. The men as a body are not at all back-
ward in acknowledging the efforts of the com-
pany to establish sympathetic relations with
their employees. If the result of the Mount
Lyell Co.'s action in this direction is to elimi-
nate strikes or other industrial troubles, and
prevent stoppages of work, the money will
have been well spent.
Electrolytic Zinc in Tasmania. —
The works near Hobart of the Electrolytic
Zinc Co. of Australasia, which were started in
1917, now employ some 1,200 workmen, and
rapid constructional work is being carried on.
A representative of the Industrial Australian
and Mining Standard has made a tour of in-
spection in company with the general manager,
Mr. H. W. Gepp. In addition to the buildings,
wharves are being constructed along the banks
of the Derwent 1,000 ft. in length and 60 ft.
wide, with a depth of 30 ft. at low water, in
readiness for theshipments which will be neces-
sary to deal with the 100 ton per day output.
Mr. Gepp states that the company will be ex-
porting annually 10,000 tons of zinc oxide,
15,000 tons of zinc-lead oxide, and from 10,000
to 15,000 tons of lithophone, with quantities of
rolled zinc sheets and silver and lead in bullion,
in addition to the daily output of 100 tons of
zinc. At present 25 tons of zinc are being pro- M
duced in addition to by products, and it is an- 1
ticipated thatby next November the output will
be 50 or 60 tons per day. [Owing to the low
price of zinc, production has been suspended
FEBRUARY, 1921
99
since this letter was written, but the construc-
tion of new plant and buildings is still actively
in hand. — Editor.] At present only 5,700
h.p. is delivered by the State HydroElectric
Department, but when the full 30,000 h.p. con-
tracted for is supplied and the 100-ton plant is
in full operation, some 100,000 tons of concen-
trates will be imported yearly from Port Pirie
and some 35,000 to 40,000 tons of zinc and
about the same quantity of other products will
be exported from Hobart, so it is evident that
some shipping accommodation will be required.
A power house is being built of reinforced con-
crete to contain seven rotary converters, and
the full 30,000 h.p. will come here direct, and
when the machinery on order from Rugby is
installed the building will contain ;^150,000
worth of electrical equipment. This building
will be 200 ft. long and 60 ft. wide, the walls
being 40 ft. high. Six of the seven converters
will be in constant use. Overhead cranes will
be installed for the purpose of lifting out the
machines for overhaul or repair in the adjacent
workshop. A conveyor is being built which
will take the concentrates on an endless 30 in.
belt from the steamers to the bin, which will
hold about 20,000 tons of concentrates. Dis-
tributing conveyors are also to be erected from
the bins to the final roasters, and from there to
the leaching plant, etc. Electric shovels are to
beinstalled at the bin forliftingtheconcentrates
on to the conveyors. A carpenter's shop is
also being specially designed for the making of
the 50 ft. vats used for the supply of solutions
to the cell-room. The butcher's shop, now
nearing completion, is replete with every mod-
ernconvenience,and is fitted with a refrigerator
chamber. This shop is being run in conjunc-
tion with the company's co-operative stores and
under the direction of the employees' co-opera-
tive council, which deals with all matters rela-
ting to the health and recreation of the workers.
The latest venture is the importation of ma-
chinery for the making of barrels of ply-wood.
The ply will be cut from green myrtle timber,
and the barrels will be used for exporting the
by-products. The company has its own saw-
mill and a large seasoning yard on the property.
A model village is being built on the slope
of the hill near Prince of Wales Bay, and this
has been laid out on the best garden-suburb
lines, there being a perfect panorama of river,
mountain, and orchards, with not the least sug-
gestion of the deadly monotony of suburbia.
A dozen different styles of houses have been
built of concrete, in chalet and bungalow style,
roofed with concrete tiles, corrugated iron, and
shingles, and the tenants can take their choice.
2—5
As the site was previously an orchard, the fruit
is ready to be picked as the tenants take pos-
session. Some 23 houses are already occupied,
and as many more are nearing completion.
Sixty are to be built on the orchard site, and
another 120 are to follow on a site above the
main road.
TORONTO.
January 12.
Cobalt. — The production of silver has been
greatly curtailed by the shortage of electric
power. Only some 10 mines out of 19 that
were being operated duringthesummerarenow
working, and it is doubtful as to whether they
will be able tocontinue in operation until spring.
But for the unusually mild weather which has
so far prevailed, conditions would have been
still more serious. Working forces have been
considerably reduced at those mines which are
still producing, and only about 1,000 men are
now at work as compared with some 2,000 last
summer. The vvagescale, which has been main-
tained so far at the same rate which prevailed
when the price of silver was high, will be re-
duced by 75c. per day or approximately 15?'o
from February 15. Among the mines which
have recently closed down are the Beaver and
the McKinleyDarragh, both of which are be-
ing kept clear of water in readiness for the re-
sumption of work as soon as power is available.
The Nipissing is the only mine which has not
reduced its output. During December it pro-
duced silver of an estimated net value of
$299,894. Its production of cobalt metal dur-
ing 1920 was valued at$224,204. At the Bailey
a 2 in. vein of high-grade ore, running 4,000oz.
to the ton, recently discovered on the 240 ft.
level, is being developed. During November
the company made gross earnings of $13,668
from the treatment of 4,556 tons of ore. Three
high grade veins discovered on the surface of
the Kerr Lake have proved disappointing un-
der development, as the enrichment apparently
extends only a few feet downward. A newcom-
pany, entitled the Ruby Co-operative Silver
Mines, Ltd., with acapitalization of $1,500,000,
has been formed to operate the Ruby mine in
Bucke township. High-grade ore has been en-
countered on the 100 ft. level. The annual re-
port of the Coniagas showed an output of
994,235 oz. of silver from the treatment of
97,624 tons of ore, as compared with 940,267
oz. during the previous year. The mine is now
solely dependent upon the concentration of
ores averaging about 10 oz. to the ton, and the
re- treatingofaccumulationsofsandsand slimes
which yield a moderate profit. There has been
100
THE MINING MAGAZINE
a total distribution to shareholders as dividends
and bonuses of 810,140,000.
PoucuriNE. — The available supply of elec-
tric power for the mines, which is considered
as assured for the winter, is only about 4,000
h.p.,anamount far below normal requirements.
This is being allotted to the mines which have
contracts with the power company. The Hol-
linger Consolidated receives about 2,000 h.p.
which, together with about 1,400 h.p. generated
by its auxiliary steam plant, enables it to main-
tain a fair rate of production. The Dome
mines with 1,000 h.p. is working at consider-
ably reduced capacity, treating an average of
about 500 tons daily. It is not expected that
the decrease in output will interfere with the
payment of the regular dividends, as activity
will be resumed on a larger scale than ever in
the spring. The Mclntyre receives only a
small allowance of power, but its auxiliary
equipment enables the company to continue
operations at about two thirds capacity. The
North Crown, which receives 250 h.p., is carry-
ing on cross-cutting at the 500 ft. level, where
two veins, one 5 ft. and the other 10 ft. in
width, have been encountered. Negotiations
are in progress with a view to an amalgama-
tion of the North Crown and the Vipond- North
Thompson, which would give the newcompany
a combined area of 320 acres and enable im-
portant economies m working the properties
to be carried out. The annual report of the
Porcupine- Keora states that diamond-drilling
shows that the gold content of about §6 per ton
found in outcropping veins continues at a depth
of 1,000 ft. The Clifton- Porcupine has sus-
pended operations on account of the difficulties
in the way of raising funds by selling treasury
stock under present conditions.
KiRKLAND Lake. — There has been a con-
siderable influx of labour into this camp from
Cobalt, and mming stafls have been increased.
The Lake Shore, during November, treated
1,810 tons of ore with a recovery of $49,339,
being an average of Si27'25 per ton. The
shaft is down to the 600 ft. level and sinking
has been temporarily stopped until a cross-cut
has been run at that depth to tap two veins.
The Ontario- Kirkland is developing ore on
the 300 ft. and 450 ft. levels, which assays
from §8 to .fi28 per ton, and has enough in
sight to supply the mill for two years. Ma-
chinery and supplies will be brought in during
the winter and the construction of the mill
will be pushed in the spring. The Kirkland
Lake has made a shipment of gold bullion
produced during December of the approximate
value of $30,000. The King Kirkland has
ordered a mining plant, and following its in-
stallation will begin the development of prom-
ising surface outcrops. Plans for a merger
of the Teck- Hughes and Orr mines are being
consideretl, involving the formation of a new
company capitalized at $5,000,000 in shares
of par value of $1. The Teck- Hughes inter-
ests, including the bondholders, will receive
2,500,000 shares, the Orr stockholders to get
1,500,000 shares, leaving the remainder in the
treasury.
Lakdek Laki-:. --The Associated Goldlields
has been reorganized under a new charter as
the Canadian Associated (ioldhelds, Ltd.,
capitalized at $30,000,000, each stockholder
receiving four shares of the new company for
each share in the Associated Goldtields.
George A. Gray, who was for several years
chief engineer at the Dome Mines, Porcupine,
has been appointed general manager.
MiNKKAL Production of 1920. — -A
preliminary estimate of the mineral produc-
tion of Canada issued by the Department of
Mines gives the total value as approximately
$200:000,000 as compared with $176,686,390
in 1919. The principal increases are : copper
from 75,053,581 lb. to 82,500,000 lb., zinc from
32,194,7071b. to 42,000,000 1b., nickel from
44,544,883 lb. to 61,500,000 lb., and coal from
13,681,218 tons to 16,000,000 tons. The out-
put of gold is estimated at $16,000,000, being
a slight increase, and silver shows a decline
from 16,020,657 oz. to 13,500,000 oz.
CAMBORNE.
The Tin Mines. — The up and downs of
Cornish mining are proverbial, but never, in
the known history of the industry, has such a
bad period as the present been experienced.
The only mine, of any size at any rate, in full
swing is East Pool & Agar, and here the
monthly loss is such that unless there is a
speedy recovery in the tin and arsenic markets,
operations even at this famous mine will have
to be brought to a standstill. [Since the above
was written, notice has been issued for a stop-
page of mining. — EDITOR.] Indeed, but for
the financial foresight of the board in getting
together a substantial reserve fund when hand-
some profits were being earned, it is clear that
the company would not have been in a position
to continue the struggle so long, and like many
of the other concerns, weakened by the effects
of the war, would ere this have been shut down,
probably never to be reopened. South Crofty
has suspended operations, but the mine is be-
ing kept unwatered and a little development
done. Fortunately the pumping charges here
FEBRUARY, 1921
101
are light, so there is hope that absolute closure
may be avoided, so long as East Pool con-
tinues in fork. At the latter mine, the incom-
ing water is exceedingly heavy, particularly
during the winter months, so that even if active
mining operations were suspended, and only
pumping continued, the monthly loss would
still probably be over /"SjOOO. The staff and
employees at East Pool have agreed to a re-
duction in wages which will help matters a
little, and we commend the good sense of the
men and their leaders in their attitude in this
matter. In the St. Just district, doubtless un-
der the advice of the Union leaders (inciden-
tally a different Union), the men have declined
to accept any reduction, with the result that
operations at Levant and Geevor have been
suspended and the men are being forced to
subsist on the unemployment donation. Un-
der the circumstances, probably these com-
panies are the gainers, but it is difficult to un-
derstand the attitude of the men, particularly
when one remembers that they have always
been most considerately treated by Mr. Oliver
Wethered and his colleagues and that the rates
of pay in the St. Just district were higher than
elsewhere. At Tresavean and Porkellis, only
the pumps will be kept working. With tin
metal at ^165 per ton, even alluvial undertak-
ings cannot be operated at a profit with pres-
ent working costs, so that there must surely
be a recovery in price within the next few
months. We hope it may be soon, for if not,
the dirge of Cornish tin-mining will have to
be sung. With coal at its present exorbitant
price, and we note with dismay that a further
increase is threatened, even pumping opera-
tions only cannot long be continued. No
further move has been made to secure new
capital for Dolcoath under the scheme outlined
in the last issue, and this postponement is wise,
for even local people would not have had the
courage to put up more money under existing
conditions. The difficulty will be to find the
money to enable the water to be kept below
the level of the proposed Roskear exploratory
cross-cut, but we hope this may be done.
China Clay. — Tehidy Minerals, Ltd., has
recently purchased the Halviggan china-clay
works owned by Messrs. Pochin & Co., situa-
ted near St. .Austell. The output of these pits
is stated to be about 20,000 ions per annum.
The terms of the purchase are not stated. Pre-
sumably,thecompany's own china-clay proper-
ties in this district will be worked in conjunc-
tion with Halviggan.
A new company is now to be formed to re
purchase from Mr. Mallaby-Deeley the works
of the China Clay Corporation on Dartmoor
for the sum of ^47,000. This is the actual
price Mr. Deeley paid for the property at the
recent sale. The new company will be capital-
ized at ^'75,000, so that /"28,000 will be avail-
able as working capital, which is believed to
be adequate, bearing in mind that close on
ir200,000 was spent by the previous owners on
equipment and development.
Australia's Metal Output, 1920.
The Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau
has received from its Corresponding Member
in Australia cable information, from which the
following table is prepared, relative to the min-
eral industry of the Commonwealth of Aus-
tralia for the year 1920.
Home
Produc- Consump-
tion. Exports. Imports tion
Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons.
Copper —
(n) bar copper ... 23.069 28,612 — 5.231
ib) in blister copper 2.000 2.000 — —
{c in copper ore ... 115* 115 — —
Lead—
(a) lead
4,077
50,069
—
13,992
ib) in lead bullion ..
1.939
1,798
—
—
(c) in concentrates
4,122*
4,122
—
—
Zinc
9,665
5,689
—
6,456
Zinc Concentrates ..
—
52,732t
—
—
Tin
4.108
3,015
—
l.COOt
Pig iron
344,000
22,657
1.967
300,000.5
Arsenic
1.202
Ounces.
582
Ounces.
—
—
Silver
701,177
341,901
—
—
* Exported. + Containing approximately 47%
zinc. 7% lead, and
11 oz. silver per ton.
t Approximate, § Estimated.
PERSONAL.
Dr. Frank Dawson Adams has been appointed
vice- principal of McGill University.
George Rennie Airth has returned from Trini-
dad.
Dr. J Mackintosh Bell is here from Canada,
]. E Breakell has returned to West Africa.
J. M. Cairns is back from Spain.
William Calder has left for Trinidad.
G W. Campion has left London on his return to
West Africa.
Sir W Dalrymple is here from South Africa.
Clement Dixon has arrived from Rhodesia.
Sir George Doolette, chairman of Great Boulder
Proprietary. celebratedhisSlst birthday on January24.
C. H. Feldtmann has been appointed metallurgist
to the Colombian Mining & Exploration Co., and left
on February 14.
Donald Gill has left for France.
Thohjas Girtin has joined the board of Johnson,
Matthey & Co., Ltd.
F. H. Granstedt has been appointed manager of
the Leviathan tin mine, New South Wales.
Dr. Eugene Haanel is resigning the directorship
of the Mines Branch of the Canadian Government
under the age-limit regulation.
A. F. Haseltine has been appointed principal of
the Ballarat School of Mines.
(Continued on next page.)
102
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
LOFTUS Hills, Government Geologist (or Tas
mania, is making an examination of the Mount Lyell
region.
William Husking, who was (or twenty years
mineral agent (or the Tehiiiy Ksiate, when under the
ownership of Mr. Hasset, has opened an office as con-
sulting mining engineer, at 18, Fenventon Terrace,
Redruth.
Ui:rtkam Hunt has joined the London staff of the
Dorr Company as chemist and metallurgist.
P. K KkndaLL will be resigning the professorship
of geology in Leeds University next June, under the
age limit. Professor Kendall is well known for his
work in connection with the concealed coalBelds of
Yorkshire and the Midlands.
Mark R. Lamu, of New York, is visiting South
America.
George C. Mackenzie has been appointed secre-
tary of the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metal-
lurgy.
C. H. MACNtJTT has resigned as manager of the
Black I^ke Asbestos& Chrome Co., I^td., and is now
in charge of the Vimy Ridge property of the Bennett-
Martin Asbestos & Chrome Mines, Ltd.. at Coleraine,
Quebec.
Erk; Newbold has gone to New Mexico.
David Penman has been appointed principal and
professor of mining in the new School of Mining and
Geology to be founded at Dhanbad in the Bihar-Orissa
coalmining district, India.
C. W. PORINGTON IS back from Okhotsk, far east
Siberia.
H. K. Scott has returned from the Gold Coast.
J. E. Spurr, editor of the Engineering, and Min-
ing Journal, has been elected president of the Mining
and Metallurgical Society of America.
W. C. Stephens, managing director of the Climax
Rock Drill & Engineering Works, Ltd., is on his way
home from the Rand.
G. W.Eaton Turner has returned from Colombia.
Dr. Arthur Wade has returned from Australia,
and is now acting as consulting engineer to the Com-
monwealth with office at 91, Basinghall Street, E C.
William Whyte. lately underground manager at
the Messina mine, has gone to Colombia for the
Colombian Mining & Exploration Company
Owen B. Williams has been appointed manager
of the North Mount Farrell mine, Tasmania.
John Barry, chairman of the California Explora-
tion Co. and the Plymouth Consolidated Gold Mines,
and a directorof the Sonsof Gwalia, died on January 27.
Sir Lazarus Fletcher, for so many years keeper
of the mineral collection at the Natural Hisiory Mu-
seum, at South Kensington, and later Director of the
Museum from 1909 to 1919, died last month.
Dr. Regis Chauvenet, emeritus professor of
chemistry at the Colorado School of Mines, Gol-
den, Colorado, died on December 5, in his 78th year.
Dr. Chauvenet was born in Philadelphia, on October 7,
1842 He graduated from Washington University in
1862 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts, and in 1864
be received the degree of Master of .Arts. In 1867 he
received the degree of Bachelor of Science at Harvard.
In 1900 his alma mater conferred upon him the degree
of Doctor of Laws. From 1871 to 1883 Dr Chauvenet
had an office in St. Louis as an analytical chemist, and
was not only successful in a financial wav. but won a
wide reputation technically. During this time he was
chemist to the Missouri Geological Survey. From 1872
to 1875 he was also city gas inspector for St. Louis.
In 1883 he was called to the Colorado School of Mines
as president, and professor of chemistry and melallurgy.
It w.as largely through his high educational ideals and
efforts thai the School won its place among the insti-
tutions of higher learning of the world. In 1902, afler
a service of twenty years, he resigned and .-igain
entered private practice as a consulting engineer and
chemist, with offices in Denver. Though resigning as
active head of the School, for many years he was a
special lecturer in the cliemistry and melaliurgy de-
partments During the latter years of his li(e he de-
voted most of his time to writing a history of the School.
In 1911 he issued a volume on "Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Calcul.ations " which enjoyed a wide circula-
tion.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
Henry Bath* Son, Ltd., of 53, New BroadStreet,
London, EC. 2, Swansea, and Liverpool, send us their
chart giving the average monthly cash prices of copper,
tin, lead, and spelter.
A. Gallenkamp & Co.. Ltd., of 19 & 21, Sun
Street, Finsbury Square, London, E.G. 2, send us their
catalogues of filter papers and porcelain and glass ware
for laboratory purposes
N Taylor & Sons, of 17, Goree Piazzas, Liverpool,
send us their pamphlet relating to hydro-carbonated
bone-black for case-hardening, which gives a descrip-
tion of the process.
Sandvcroft, Ltd., of Chester, and 4, Broad Street
Place, London, E.G. 2, have acquired from Chalmers
Sc Williams, Chicago, the sole licence for manufactur-
ing the Symons Disc Crusher in England.
The Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co.. Ltd..
of 170. Piccadilly. London. W.l. have appointed J. A.
Angus, of Kaims Foundry, Strand Road. Rangoon,
their agent for Burma.
The Edgak Allen News for January- February
contains a number of interesting articles. One is by
C. K. Everitt describing special steel processes; a
second gives information relating to instruments for
measuring temperatures in heat treatment of steel ; a
third is devoted to the application of the Stag ball mill
to the production of fine stone dust used in dusting the
roads of collieries.
The British Ropeway Engineering Co., Ltd.,
of 34, Fenchurch Street. London. EC. 3 (purchasers
from the Government Controller of Bleichert's Aerial
Transporters. Ltd.), send us a pamphlet describing the
application of their ropeway to the automatic disposal
of refuse of all descriptions. In mining it is applicable
for the dumping of tailings and waste rock, refuse from
coal washers, etc.
The International Barge Supply & Trans-
port Co , Ltd , of 5. Lloyds' Avenue. London, E C.3.
send us a pamphlet describing iheir barges, which are
built of steel, and are suited for propulsion by petrol
engines or for towing purposes. Each barge is divided
longitudinally into four sections, so that a number of
them can be packed in one big motor-driven barge for
transport to their destination abroad. The sections
can be easily put together on arrival.
The Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd.. of
147. Queen Victoria Street, London, E.G. 4, send us a
book describing their installations of machinery for
making superphosphate manures. The preparing plant
described includes vertical rotary crushers, ring-roll
mills, Newaygo screens, air separators, dust collectors,
etc., and jaw crushers and rolls lor breaking iron py-
rites. The book also describes the plant for producing
superphosphate by acting on the phosphate with sul-
phuric acid.
FEBRUARY, 1921
103
^^!^B^^^^^
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BH
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Xx^VWWVV-xVVW'
-^
The Wilfley Centrifugal Pump.
The Wilfley Co., Ltd . of Salisbury House, Lon
don, E.C.2, send us particulars of a new type of cen-
trifugal pump which they are putting on the market.
The pump differs from that of the ordinary type in that
the impeller is fitted with a hollow trunnion through
which the suction water passes on its way to the impel-
ler passages, and the trunnion itself runs in a packed
gland, with the result that leakage of water from the
delivery to the suction side is pievented, a source of loss
liable to occur in centrifugal pumps of ordinary design.
Owing to the water entering on one side only of the im-
peller there is an end thrust which is taken by a ball
thrust-bearing on the driving shaft. The main dimen-
sions of the pump are ; Diameter of impeller, 12 in. ;
diameter of interior of trunnion, 1 75 in. ; angle of
blades, 20° : diameter of suction pipe, 2J in. ; diameter
of delivery pipe, 2 in. Tests made by Professor John
Goodman, of Leeds, showed that the pump lifted a
maximum of llljgallons tol25ft.atalowspeedof L500
r. p.m., and 193 gallons to 53 ft at a speed of 1, 320 r p.m.
A suction lift of 33 ft. water was obtained at 1, 590 r. p.m.
with the barometer standing at 355 ft. It is believed
that no centrifugal pump has lifted previously more than
about 20 ft. suction, and the usual total lift in one stage
does not exceed about 80 ft. The efficiencies obtained
were, it is believed, greater than could be obtained with
so small a pump of the ordinary type, while such high
lifts could only be reached by multi-stage pumps of
high-grade construction. The pump tested by Piofes-
sor Goodman is quite rough, and there is no internal
machining of the case or the impeller, excepting that
the trunnion of the impeller, which is the novel feature,
is of course turned to fit the stuffing box glands.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — Prices of this metal declined further dur-
ing the month of January, this remark applying to both
standard and electrolytic copper in this country. So
far as the price of electrolytic is concerned, the fall is,
of course, largely on account of the improvement in the
rate of dollar exchange, as, so far as the American mar-
ket is concerned, things have not on balance become any
easier during the period in question. Indeed at one
time some firmness was in evidence there, and there
seemed to be a little more doing, but latterly this ap-
parent spasm of strength evaporated. Generally speak-
ing the whole copper .situation has not very materially
altered. The stocks on hand in America are still big.
The exact quantity is not known, and various estimates
are put forward, one being that there is about 390 000
tons of copper in existence there, this of course doubt-
less including blister copper as well as the refined pro-
duct. In the meanwhile consumption everywhere re
mains on a very restricted scale. It is difficult to form
an estimate as to the future of the market On this side
the price depends to a large extent on whether the re-
cent improvement in the dollar exchange is maintained.
There is a general movement in America to curtail pro-
duction, but of course it must be a little lime before this
becomes evident. This, however, should help the mar-
ket in the long run. For example, the Calumet and Ari-
zona it is stated, has now reduced output to between
35 and 40% of capacity. Until the last two or three
months of 1920 curtailment did not materially affect
the company's cost, the production figure averaging
about 13J cents. Under the new basis it is expected that
the cost will show someexpansion. Curtailment is also
evident in the December production figures of the four
Jackling porphyry-copper companies. With an output
of 7,500 000 lb. of copper the Utah company is produ-
cing at the rate ol 90,000.000 lb a year, while in 1917
the company produced 197,837,111 lb. of metal. Chino
is now producing at the rate of 36.000,000 lb of copper
annually, compared with 79,636 000 in 1917. Ray has
reduced oatput 60% below the 1917 rate. Nevada Con-
solidated's indicated annual output is 56% less than
the big war year. These reductions in output will pre-
sumably tend to increase the per-lb. cost, but on the
other hand it should be remembered that wages and
other costs are meanwhile declining, which should
therefore oif-set this increase. At the beginning of
this year, for example, the American Smelting and Re-
fining Co. reduced wages to the extent of 2,000.000
dollars per annum as well as cutting off another 500 000
dollars a year through the curtailment of forces, while
it is admitted that the general dropping of prices will
greatly assist the supply department. There are reports
that arrangements have been made in America for the
financing ofa part of thestocks, presumably the export-
10+
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Metal I'kious: Official Closing
Copper, l.t'ad, /.inc. and Tin per LonR
Copper
Standard Cash
Standard (3
mos.)
Electrolvtic
Wire-Bars
d.
Best Selected
Jan.
£ s.
d.
£
s.
d.
C s.
d.
£ s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£ s.
d.
£
s.
£
s.
d.
£ s. d.
11
74 0
0 to
74
2
6
74 0
0 to
74 2
6
81
0
0 to
83
0
0
82 0
0 to
83
0
0
79
0
0 to
80 0 0
74 0
0 to
74
5
0
73 15
Oto
73 17
6
81
0
0 to
83
0
0
82 0
0 to
83
0
0
79
0
0 to
80 0 0
13
73 17
6 to
74
0
0
73 12
6 to
73 17
6
81
10
0 to
83
10
0
82 10
0 to
83
10
0
79
0
0 to
80 0 0
14
73 0
0 to
73
5
0
72 15
0 to
73 0
0
81
0
0 to
83
0
0
82 0
Oto
83
0
0
79
0
0 lo
80 0 0
17
72 0
0 to
72
5
0
71 15
0 to
72 0
0
80
0
U to
82
0
0
81 0
0 to
82
0
0
79
0
0 to
80 0 0
18
70 7
6 to
70
10
0
70 7
6 to
70 10
0
79
0
0 to
81
0
0
80 0
0 to
81
0
0
76
15
0 to
77 5 0
19
70 5
0 to
70
7
6
70 7
6 to
70 10
0
79
0
0 to
81
0
0
80 0
0 to
81
0
0
76
15
0 to
77 5 0
20
70 0
0 to
70
5
0
70 2
6 to
70 7
6
79
0
0 to
81
0
0
80 0
0 to
8J
0
0
76
15
0 to
77 5 0
21
69 5
0 to
69
7
6
69 10
0 to
69 12
e
79
0
0 to
80
0
0
79 0
0 10
SO
0
0
76
0
0 to
77 0 0
2-1
67 15
0 to
67
17
6
68 0
0 to
68 5
0
78
0
0 to
79
0
0
78 0
0 to
79
0
0
76
0
0 to
77 0 0
25
67 0
0 to
67
5
0
67 5
0 to
67 10
0
76
0
0 to
78
0
0
76 0
0 to
78
0
0
73
0
0 to
74 0 0
26
68 2
6 to
68
7
6
68 10
0 to
6S 15
0
77
0
0 to
78
0
0
77 0
0 to
78
0
0
73
0
0 to
74 0 0
27
69 10
0 to
69
15
0
70 2
6 to
70 5
0
77
0
0 to
79
0
0
77 0
0 to
79
0
0
73
0
0 to
74 0 0
28
67 15
0 to
68
0
0
68 5
0 to
68 10
0
76
0
0 to
78
0
0
76 0
0 to
78
0
0
74
0
Oto
75 0 0
31
67 15
0 to
68
0
0
68 5
Oto
68 10
0
75
10
0 to
77
0
0
75 10
0 to
77
0
0
74
0
0 to
75 0 0
Feb.
1
69 10
0 to
69
15
0
70 0
0 to
70 5
0
76
0
0 to
77
10
0
76 0
0 to
77
10
0
74
10
0 to
75 10 0
2
69 5
0 to
69
10
0
69 15
0 to
70 0
0
76
0
0 to
77
10
0
76 n
Oto
77
10
0
74
10
0 to
75 10 0
3
6S 5
0 10
63
7
6
68 17
6 to
69 0
0
76
0
0 to
■7
10
0
76 0
0 to
77
10
0
74
10
0 to
75 10 0
4
69 15
0 to
70
0
0
70 3
0 to
70 10
0
76
10
0 to
78
0
0
76 10
0 to
78
0
0
75
0
0 to
75 10 0
7
72 0
0 te
72
5
0
72 7
6 to
72 10
0
77
0
0 to
79
0
0
77 0
0 to
79
0
0
75
0
0 to
75 10 0
8
72 0
0 to
72
5
0
72 10
0 to
72 15
0
78
0
0 to
to
0
0
78 0
0 to
80
0
0
76
10
0 to
77 10 0
9
72 0
0 to
72
5
0
72 10
0 to
72 15
0
78
0
0 to
80
0
0
78 0
0 to
80
0
0
76
10
0 to
77 10 0
able surplus. What effect this will have on the market
is hard to say.
Average prices of cash standard copper : January
1921,.^71 Is. 4d.; Decemberl920, /75. 16s.8d. ; Janu-
ary 1920, ^118. 4s. Id. ; December 1919. ;fl03. 17s Id.
Tin. — The chief feature in this market during the
past month was the severe slump in prices of standard
tin which took place in the latter part of the month, ft
isdifficult to ascribe the fall to any one particular reason,
except that the general demand for tin has been poor,
and a considerable amount of liquidation, apparently
on the part of tired bulls, appeared on the markel . with
the result that in the absence of any determined support
values lost ground heavily. In the meanwhile no busi-
ness has been moving in the Straits Settlements where
the price remains pegged at the equivalent of if236
per ton delivered to this country. In view of the fact
that Straits tin there was well held, the stocks of that
grade which are in existence in this country have been
fetching a considerable premium over the price of stan-
dard tin, this ranging at one time up to ;f25 per ton.
Even, however, when this figure is added on to the price
of standard it is very considerably less than the price
at which the same material could be purchased in the
East. Of course the market for standard, and the mar-
ket for Straits, have really come to be two different pro-
positions, the bulk of the dealings in the former being
based on the stocks of Chinese and English tin, pre-
miums being obtained for both Banka and Australian
metal, as well as for Straits, as already mentioned. In
view, however, of the severe drop in prices here, there
has been a general feeling that some change in policy
would have to be adopted in the Straits. The Govern-
ment there took up the attitude they did with a view to
keeping the industry going, and preventing unemploy-
ment and discontent. There is, however, a belief that
some change will take place at the Chinese New Year,
but no news is yet to hand. In the meanwhile agrowing
demand has been experienced from the Continent, but
business with home consumers is slow. and. although a
certain amount of trade has been doing with America,
on the whole it did not amount to a sufficiently impor-
tant demand to give any material support to the market.
Average prices of cash standard tin : January 1921.
/190.13s.lld. ; December 1920.;f212. lis. 8d. ; Janu-
ary 1920. ;f376 12s. 8d. ; December 1919, £314. 5s. Id.
Lead. — During the month of January this market
maintained a very steady tone on the whole, and was
not so aflecled by the general depression as were other
metals. Copper, tin. and spelter may be said to have
fallen to a pre-war level, but lead still remains at a
comparatively high figure as compared to what used to
be considered normal. This seems all the more sur-
prising in view of the fact that business with consumers
has been on a very restricted scale indeed, and the
firmness must be chiefly ascribed to the fact that the
arrivals coming in recently have been rather reduced.
There is a very considerable stock of lead in this coun-
try, but this seems to be well held A part of it con-
sists of the Government stock, which is believed to be
partly Broken Hill lead which they appear anxious to
conserve for home requirements and are not selling it
forshipmeni abroad. In a manner this is unfortunate,
as there has been a good deal of inquiry from the East
for this brand which has had to be turned down.
Meanwhile, owing to the impossibility of securing Bro-
ken Hill lead, the Eastern markets seem to be drawing
upon Burma for supplies. Spain does someselling there
from time to time, and recently it is understood that
some American lead has also been sold there. It must
not be forgotten that the world is being deprived of its
usual supplies of Broken Hill lead, and this looks like
continuing, a serious fire having occurred at the smelt-
ing works at Port Pirie, where it is estimated the dam-
age amounts to about /^lOO.OOO.
.-Average prices of lead : January 1921. £2i. 12s. 6d. ;
December 1920, ^24. lis. lOd. ; January 1920. ;f47.
7s. Id. ; December 1919. £'i\. 7s. 8d.
Spelter. — During the month of January prices of
this metal eased off to a certain extent, but on the
whole the market kept up a fairly steady tone, this be-
ing apparently due to a certain amount of buying being
done here on behalf of the United States. There is a
big stock of spelter in America, and this buying was
solely owing to the fact that the metal could be bought
cheaper here than there, .\part from this there has
not been very much demand for the metal, the con-
sumption everywhere being very poor on account of
the slack conditions in the galvanized sheet trade, and
indeed in business generally. In the meanwhile a cer-
FEBRUARY, 1921
105
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Tons ; Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Zinc
Spelter)
Standard Tin
Silver
Soft Foreign
English
(
Cash
3 raos.
Cash
For-
ward
GOLU
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d. £
s.
d, £ s.
d.
£
s.
d. £s.
d.
s.
d
Jan.
. ■. 1 ?
0 to 24
5
0
26
0
0
26
15
0 10 27
10
0 209
0
0 to 209 10
0
213
15
oto 214 5
0
39j
39i
394
108
10
11
J ; 10
0 to 24
0
0
25
10
0
26
10
Oto 27
7
6 205
0
Oto 205 10
0
210
15
0to211 0
0
40
108
11
12
-i 5
0 to 23
12
6
25
10
0
26
0
0to26
15
0 205
0
0 to 205 10
0
211
0
0IO211 5
0
39S
39S
110
6
13
23 10
0 to 24
0
0
25
10
0
24
17
6 to 26
0
0 200
0
0 to 200 10
0
204
10
010 205 0
0
40
39j
109
8
14
23 5
0 to 23
5
0
25
0
0
24
10
0 to 25
15
0 191
0
Oto 191 10
c
196
0
0 to 196 10
0
39i
393
109
9
17
22 17
6 to 23
5
0
25
0
0
24
0
Oto 25
5
0 IBO
10
Oto 181 0
0
185
10
0 to IS6 0
0
39i
39I
108
9
18
22 17
6 to 23
5
0
25
0
0
24
5
0 to 25
5
0 181
10
OtolS2 0
0
187
0
Oto 187 10
0
39^
391
109
5
19
23 0
0 to 23
7
6
25
5
0
25
0
Oto 26
0
0! 187
0
0 to 187 5
0
191
15
Oto 192 0
0
40§
40J
108
9
20
23 5
0 to 23
15
0
25
0
0
25
10
0 lo 26
10
0 179
10
0 to ISO 0
0
184
10
OtolSS 0
0
40
393
109
0
21
23 2
6 to 23
10
0
25
0
0
24
15
0 to 26
0
0 171
10
0 10 172 0
0
177
5
Oto 177 10
0
40
39S
108
6
24
23 5
0 to 23
15
0
25
0
0
24
5
0 to 25
5
Ol 164
0
0 to 164 5
0
169
15
Oto 170 0
0
395
39i
107
4
25
23 12
6 to 24
2
6
25
10
0
24
5
Oto 25
5
0| 169
0
0 to 169 10
0
175
0
Oto 175 10
0
40
385
107
9
26
23 5
0 to 23
15
0
25
0
0
24
0
Oto 25
0
0
174
10
0 to 175 0
0
180
10
Oto 181 0
0
39
38j
106
3
27
23 5
0 to 23
12
6
25
0
0
24
0
Oto 25
0
0
167
10
0 10 168 0
0
173
0
Oto 173 10
0
37:
348
105
7
28
23 2
6 to 23
15
0
25
0
0
24
15
Oto 25
15
0
168
10
0 to 169 0
0
174
10
0 to 175 0
0
35
106
1
31
Feb.
23 5
0 to 23
10
0
25
0
0
24
10
Oto 25
10
0
163
10
Oto 168 15
0
173
15
Oto 174 0
0
34*
34
107
z
22 15
0 to 23
5
0
24
10
0
24
C
Oto 25
0
0
162
10
Oto 163 0
0
168
15
0 to 169 0
0
36}
372
353
107
0
2
22 10
0 to 23
0
0
24
10
0
23
15
0 to 24
15
0
155
10
Oto 156 0
0
161
10
Oto 162 0
0
363
106
9
3
22 15
0 to 23
5
0
24
10
0
24
5
Oto 25
0
0
164
0
0 to 164 10
0
169
5
0 to 169 10
0
36i
34i
106
9
4
22 12
6 to 23
2
6
24
10
0
24
15
Oto 25
10
0
166
10
0 to 167 0
0
172
0
Oto 172 10
0
36
343
107
0
7
22 10
0 to 22
17
6
24
10
0
25
7
6 to 26
7
6; 164
0
0 to 164 10
0
169
0
Oto 169 10
0
36J
343
106
6
8
22 5
0 to 22
17
6
24
0
0
25
17
6 to 26
17
6' 161
15
0 to 162 0
0
167
5
Oto 167 ;o
0
37
35
106
0
9
tain amount of selling has been seen both by Germany
and Belgium, but it is understood that the Belgians are
now putting a policy of curtailment of production into
effect. The outlook is still rather obscure. It must
be admitted that the price of spelter is very moderate
indeed, but in view of the general absence of demand
it might still be forced lower on account of selling by
the Continent. On the other hand consumers are pro-
bably very poorly supplied, and when trade revives
values would no doubt firm up quickly.
Average prices of spelter: January 1921, ;^25. 15s.
7d. ; December 1920, ;f28, lis. 6d. ; January 1920,
;i59. 10s. 4d. ; December 1919. £5i. 9s 2d.
Zinc Dust. — This market is very quiet and without
much change. High-grade Australian stands at about
;(^70 to £80 per ton, and English at about ;^70 to /80,
while American is quoted at ;f70 upwards. There is,
of course. Continental material offering at less money.
Antimony. — The price of English has been reduced,
and now stands at £37 to £40 per ton for ordinary
brands, while special brands are quoted at £^38. 5s. to
/42 per ton. The market for foreign has been easier
also, with a good deal of irregularity in quotations.
Offers are reported to have been made at down to £24
per ton c.i.f. for shipment from the East.
Arsenic. — The market is practically stagnant, and
the present quotation of Cornish white is about £55
per ton delivered.
Bismuth. — The price is steady at about 12s. 6d. per
lb. with a fair demand.
Cadmium. — The present quotation is about 6s. 3d.
per lb., the market being quiet.
Aluminium — Prices continue to be quoted at /165
per ton for home and export.
Nickel. — The price has been reduced by £5 per
ton to £210 per ton for home and export.
Cobalt Metal. — Unaltered at about 27s. to 30s.
per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — The price of black oxide has been
reduced to 16s. and grey 10 17s. 6d. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — The official price
IS /19 per oz. for both these articles, but apparently
material can be had at around ;f 16.
Quicksilver. — The market has been very quiet,
at about £\2. 10s. to £^12. 15s. per bottle.
Selenium. — The price continues at 10s. 6d. to 13s.
per lb.
Tellurium. — The current quotation is 90s. to 95s.
per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — The market is quiet and
without much change, the present price being quoted
at £'38 to £40 per ton.
Manganese Ore. — The quotation is about 2s. Id. to
2s. 2d. per unit c.i.f. U.K. for Indian grades, but this
is more or less nominal in the absence of business.
Tungsten Ores. — There is little or no demand, and
the present price of wolfram is about 15s. 6d. to 16s.
6d. per unit c.i.f.
Silver. — On January 3 the price of spot standard
bars was 41|d., this figure rising to 42id. on the 5th.
Subsequently quotations fluctuated, with a downward
tendency, the figure at the end of the month being
35Jd. per oz.
Graphite.— Soft velvety flake 85% to 90% stands
at about £60 to £80 per ton, and Madagascar 80% to
90% at about £21 to /25 per ton.
Molybdenite. — 85% is quo ted at about 65s. on spot
and 55s. for forward per unit c.i f. U.K.
Chrome Ores.— 48% to 52% stands at about £7.
10s. per ton c.i.f.
Iron and Steel. — The fall in prices which has
been so long expected is now beginning to take more
tangible shape. Prices of Cleveland pig iron were re-
duced and now stand at £^9 15s. to £lO per ton for
No. 3 foundry. East Coast hematite has also come
down to 220s. with No. 1 at 2s. 6d. per ton more.
These reductions do not appear, however, to have
stimulated very much business, and consumers every-
where appear to wait for still lower prices, and in this
it does not look as if they would be disappointed.
Prices of certain descriptions of steel and manufactured
iron have also come down, but in no case does very
much fresh buying seem to have been stimulated, the
fact being that Continental prices are still very con-
siderably lower. With general world trade conditions
in the stagnant condition they have been, it is useless
to expect any activity in this particular branch of in-
dustry, and in any case, with further price reductions
apparently inevitable, it was hardly to be expected that
any buying of importance would develop.
106
THE MINING MAGAZINE
STATISTICS.
Production of Gold in tmk Transvaal.
Year 1919 -
January. 1920 .
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September ■■•■
October
November ••■■
December ■••■
Rand
8.111.271
653.295
607.918
689.6<5
667.926
631.551
6<9.I99
718,521
683.604
665.486
645.8. 9
618.525
617.549
Total. 1920 1 7.949.038
Else-
where
Ot.
218,820
17.208
17.412
17 391
19.053
17.490
16.758
17.578
18,479
16,687
16.653
15.212
14 666
201.587
Total
Ot.
8.330.091
Price of
Gold per oz.
s. d.
670.503
625. 130
707 036
586 979
699.041
715,957
736,099
702,083
682.173
662.472
613.737
63 '.215
107 6
no 0
IDS 0
102
105
102
105
112
115
117
117
115
8.133.625
Natives Ehploved in the Transvaal Mines.
January 31, 1920
February 29 --•.■
March 31
April 30
May 31
June 30
July 31
Aui:usl31
September 30 —
October 31
November 30 —
December 31 ••■-
Gold
Coal
Diamond
mines
mines
mines
176.390
12,766
4.796
185,185
12.708
5.217
188.564
12.783
5.232
189.446
12.951
5.057
184.722
12.897
4.793
179.827
13.036
4.596
174.187
13.005
4.521
169.263
13.535
4.244
163.132
13.716
4.323
159.426
13 858
4.214
158.773
14.245
3.504
159,671
14.263
3.340
Total
193.952
203.110
206 584
207.454
202,412
197.459
191.713
187.042
181.171
177 498
176.522
177.274
Cost and Profit on the Rand
Compiled from oflicial statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines, The profit available for dividends is about
65% of the working profit. Figures for yield and profit for 1919
based on par value of gold; subsequently gold premium included.
Tons
milled
Yield
per ton
Work'g
cost
per ton
Work'g
profit
per ton
Tolal
working
profit
October. 1919...
November
December
2.108,698
1.933,526
1.845,088
s, d
28 3
28 8
28 3
s. d
22 6
23 5
25 6
s. d,
5 10
5 5
3 10
€
612.841
521.472
354.098
Year 1919
24.043.638
28 7
34 4
35 1
31 8
31 5
31 9
31 10
33 6
36 11
38 11
39 9
40 2
22 11
5 6
6.605.509
January. 1920.-
February
2.038 092
1.869.180
2.188.104
2.065.446
2.117.725
2.146.890
2.194.050
2.057.560
1.9S0.410
1.871.140
1.79 '.710
24 2
28 3*
25 2
26 3
25 U
25 2
24 6
25 0
25 6
26 1
26 3
10 2
6 10*
6 6
5 2
5 10
6 8
9 0
11 11
13 5
13 8
13 1
1.036.859
644,571'
716,610
April
533,940
618,147
692,510
98 .058
1 .226.906
September --.
1.276.369
1.278.385
November
1.255,749
* Results affected by the back-pay
with new wages agreement.
Production of Gold in Rhodesia and West Africa.
Rhodesia
West Africa
1919
1920
1919
1920
Jdouary
February
March
£
211.917
220.835
225.808
213 160
218.057
214.215
214.919
207 339
223.719
204.184
186.462
158.835
oz.
43.428
44.237
45 779
47.000
46.266
45.054
46.208
4S.740
45,471
47.343
46.782
46.190
£
104,063
112,616
112.543
109.570
100.827
106.612
102.467
103,112
100.401
91.352
98.322
98.806
May
No
July
returns
September ...
November ...
December ..-
Total
2.499.498
552.498
1.240.691
Transvaal Gold OuxruTi.
disbursed in accordance
December
Treated Yield
Aurora West
Brakpan
City Deep
Cons, I.anglaagte
Cons, Main Keef
Crown Mines
Durban Roodepoort Deep
Kasl Rand P,M
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburi;
Goch
Government G,M, Areas
Kleinfonlein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Estate
Luipaard's Vlei
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein
Modderfontein B
Modderf(jntein Deep
Modderfontein East
New Unified
Nourse
Primrose
Princess Estate
Randfontein Central
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodepoort United
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G,M, Estates.,
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
West Rand Consolidated
Witwatersrand (Knights)
Wilwatersrand Deep •-■■
Wolhuter
Tons
8.800
47.100
73.500
38.100
45.100
175.000
21,300
107,000
31.600
43.000
46,900
3,0t5
15.350
128.50(1
45.000
22.400
36.000
15.130
12.760
90.0t0
51.500
41.200
25,700
10.800
40.500
19,000
105,000
38,700
47,300
22,200
49.4C0
58.400
37.600
9.000
15.750
30 600
47.6'-0
45.300
31,100
31.000
30.830
31.500
January
Treated
Oz.
ifl4.4141
21,489
31,868
£68.055)
15.562
52.967
7,286
30,531
9,808
15.213
12,657 I
£7.6881
£l9,542t
£311,7971
13,332 '
6,227
£63,494t
£19.7861
£46.2821
43.0 2
25,472
22 299
10,631
£l4. 18711
12,536
£23,0241
158
£176,152<
7,442
12,820
£25,9691
11,690
13,250
16.897
5.459
£30.0OT!
£54.603)
£138,3191
13,646
£51,8281
£52,0071
£51.7531
8.578
Tons
9.100
83.500
38.(00
47.000
185.000
26.450
116.000
32.500
45.000
44.3(0
3.184
16,100
132,500
47 060
23.00i)
38.300
13.700
91.000
55,000
42,600
25,7C0
11,300
42,700
19,500
Yield
Or.
£13,064'
35.867
£61.172'
16.243
52.018
8.714
30.716
10.112
15.644
12.635
£6.203*
£l9.390*
£280,930*
12,868
6,013
£62,492'
£43,135'
43,560
26.540
22.864
10.572
£13.239
13,550
£21.879*
117.000 £176.773"
38.000
50.100
22.800
53.800
61.500
9.700
16,650
30.750
49.800
47.700
33.400
31.700
7.892
14.435
£22.956*
12.414
13.193
5.265
£25.746*
£48.763*
£137.046*
14.567
£50.444*
£46.352*
7.617
• £5. 5s. Od. per oz, t £5. 15s. od. per oz,
I £5. 18s. 9d. per oz
West African Gold Outputs,
Abbontiakoon
Abosso
Akoko
Ashanti Goldfields
Obbuassi
Prestea Block A
Taquah
November
Treated Value
Tons
5.492
4.280
210
5.018
660
8.670
2 211
Oz.
£9.546*
1.714
158
5,805
£3,086'
£15,490'
1.243
December
Treated Value
Tons
5,029
5,440
206
5.110
670
8.545
2,720
Oz,
£11,175*
2,178
156
3,251
£2,5i.6l
£16,523*
1,500
* At par. + Including premium.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
London & Rhodesian ...-
Lonely Reef
Planet-Arcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia. Ltd.
Rhodesia G.M. & I
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian ■
November
Treated
Tons
13013
3.933
5.759
5.330
5.650
5,700
630
45.050
1.500
Oz.
2.735'
1.333
7.875
5.298
2,985
2,538
29 »
£46.1 -SS
£4.cont
December
Treated
Tons
15.130
3.5SS
5.560
3,844
5.280
5.900
5.700
Oz.
2.99111
1.175
7.611
£2.4671
5,115
2,713
2,513
660 228
50,300 £41,312!
1,500 I £5,2781
•Also 251 tons copper, § Gold at 115s. per oz, II Also 255 tons
copper. I Gold at 105s, per oz, 1 At par.
FEBRUARY, 1921
107
West Australian Gold Statistics.— Par Values.
Production of Gold in India.
Reported
for Expon
oz.
Delivered
to Mint
oz.
October. 1919
N'nveniber ...
December -■■
lanuary. 1920
February
March
.\pril
May
June
July
Aufiusi
September ..
October
November ■•
December -■
January. 1921
586
1,171
831
836
1,928
835
227
502
167
141
174
128
321
523
64.987
64.823
27.334
25.670
49.453
54.020
56.256
50.976
56.679
48.341
54.258
54,940
53.801
54.729
53.595
50,934
Total
oz.
65.573
65,994
28,165
26.506
51.381
54.020
57.091
51.203
57.181
48.341
54 425
55.081
53.975
54,857
53.916
51.457
Total
value {,
278.535
280,323
162,575
112.590
218.251
229.461
242.506
217.495
242.638
205.340
231.185
233,963
229 275
233.017
229,057
218.574
Australian
Gold Returns.
New
Victoria.
Queensland,
W
ALES
1919
1920
1919
1920
1919
1920
£
Oz.
£
Oz.
£■
£
January ...
36,238
7,105
37.100
4.724
18.000
28.000
46.955
8,677
43.330
7.200
24.000
15.000
March
40.267
24.126
48.000
6.973
16.000
22.000
63,818
6.i68
61.200
8.368
24.000
12.000
37.456
13.263
38.200
8.432
16.000
13.^00
41.465
15,707
44.600
13.725
17.000
8.700
July
37.395
12.782
42.060
9.596
22.000
17.410
51,564
12.809
49.700
9.973
20.000
17.168
September
76.340
13,973
37.120
11.789
13.000
13.872
October -
39.018
13.432
36.100
9,300
28,000
24.752
November
40.735
9.245
32.720
10200
51.000
16,907
December
63.311
15,305
44.500
—
31.000
18,137
Total ...
575,260
152.792
514.630
100.201
280,000
207.746
Australasian Gold Outputs.
November
December
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
.Associated G.M.CW. A.). .
Blackwater(N.Z.)
Bullfinch (W.A.)
Cock's Pioneer (V )
Golden Horseshoe (W.A.)
Great Boulder Pro.lW.A.)
Ivanhne(WA)
Tons
5,865
2,685
5.380
10.608
8,472
12,461
3,038
9,063
1,570
5,636
1,726
10.373
7,058
13,103 {
7,760 ]
1.540
£
8.891
3.804
1,467:
4,7171
29.603
5,117:
3.945
11.282t
2.906
7.070
9.424t
13,302
12,643
3,576:
30.323*
2.394;
10.753S
3.591
Tons
5.069
2.700
5.500
5.064
4,479
6.960
2.707
5.330
1.160
5.385
1.461
12.917
4.308
11.393 1
5.630 ]
1.460
£
6.050
5.822
5.738
1.9451
18.2511!
2,760!
4.61211
Lake View & Star (W.A.I.
Menzies Con. (W.A.)
Mount Boppy(N.S.W) ...
11.9951
2.132
2.283:
10.649+
Progress (N.Z.)
Sonsof Gwalia(W.A)
South KalgurlKW.A.)
Waihi (N 7 )
15.80611
9,64' It
4.192:
23.9931
2.3B4:
1I.153S
5.029*
Waihi Grand Junc'n (N.Z.)
Vuanmi (W.A.)
t Including royalties ; lOz. gold : §0z silver; li At i
* lacluding premium.
Miscellaneous Gold and
Silver
Outputs.
November
December
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Brit. Plat &Gold(C'lbia)
FI Orn (Mexico)
Tons
31.000
20,843
2,470
11.000
19.957
6.000
7.200
36,514
16.000
£
216.000+
577+:
7,562
164.320+
128,287'
108.760+
2,00811
9,977
32.000
9.779:
85.0001
Tons
31.500
2.670
12,200
6,200
8.350
37.588
15.000
£
66§
210.000+
Frontino & Bolivia (C'Ibia)
Mexico El Ore (Mexico)...
Mining Corp. of Canada.-
Oriental Cons. (Korea)
7.833
164.410+
104.650+
2,11211
PlymoutbCons. (Calif "rnia)
Si. John del Rey (Brazil)
Santa Gertrudis (Mexico)
10.832
34.000
16.827t
Tomboy (Colorado)
79.000+
1917
1910
1919
1920
1921
oz.
oz.
oz.
oz.
oz.
January
44.718
41.420
38.184
39.073
34.028
February ...
42.566
40.787
36.834
38.872
—
March
44.617
41.719
38.317
38.760
—
April
43,726
42,901
42.924
41 504
38 248
37.307
May
40 8ti9
38 608
38.191
41.264
38.359
37.864
July
42 273
40.229
38.549
37 12J
—
August
42 591
40.496
37.850
37.375
—
September
43.207
40.088
36.813
35.497
—
October
43.041
39.472
37.138
35.023
—
November
42.915
36.984
39.628
34.522
—
December
44,883
40.149
42.643
34.919
—
Total ...
520.362
485.236
461.171
444.532
34,028
Indian Gold Outputs.
Balagbat
Cbampion Reef ..■•
Mysore
North Anantapur .
Nundydroog
Ooregum
Decen
ber.
Tons
Fine
Treated
Ounces
3.300
2.564
U.SiO
5.613
17.699
12,049
700
1,005
8.837
5.222
12.900
8.466
January.
Tons
Treated
3.200
11.293
16.515
700
8,553
12.900
Fine
Ounces
2.323
5.512
11.798
920
5.021
8.464
Base Metal Outputs.
Arizona Copper Short tons copper
Tons lead cone
British Broken Hi
Broken Hill Prop
Burma Corp.
Tons zinc cone,
Tons carbonate ore.
( Tons lead cone.
\ Tons zinc cone
( Tons re5ned lead ...
( Oz, refined silver ...
Fremantle Trading ...Long tons lead
Hampden Cloncurry.. ] o?" gold'^^.^..
l Oz,
+ U.S. Dollars. 1 Profit. eold and silver
*Oz. silver. § Oz.. 30 oz. platinum and
II Oz. gold.
16oz. gold.
Kafue Copper Shnrt tons copper
(Tons copper
Oz silver
Oz.gold
Mount Morgan [^l^^i.;::"::::.
North Broken Hill - [^'J^^^::"::::::::::,
Pilbara Copper Tons ore
Poderosa Tons copper ore
Rhndesian Broken Hill-Tons lead ...
S'th American Copper Tons cop. ore ship'd.,
_ , .., _ ,. 1 Tons lead cone.
Sulphide Corporation ■, ^^^^ ^.„^ ^^^^
Tanganyika Long tons copper
Tolima Tons silver-lead cone.
„. ^ ( Tons zinc cone
Zinc Corp. 1 Tons leadconc
2.20'
278.750
310
505
324
469
14.476
463
97
250
952
Dec.
1.325
2.330
2.120
580
533
1,207
2.445
280.210
352
282
141
357
12.279
352
587
9.517
132
20O
1.323
1.373
1.979
Imports OF Ores, Metals, etc., into United Kinc-dom.
Iron Ore Tons .
Manganese Ore Tons .
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons .
Copper Ore. Matte, and
Precipitate Tons ■
Copper Metal Tons .
Tin Concentrate Tons -
Tin Metal Tons .
Lead. Pig and Sheet Tons .
ZineiSnelter) Tons .
Quicksilver Lb. ■
Zinc Oxide Tons .
White Lead Cwt. .
Barytes Cwt.
Phosphate Tons
Sulphur Tons ■
Borai Cwt. .
Other Boron Compounds Tons -
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. ■
Nitrate of Potash Cwt. •
Petroleum ■
Crude Gallons
Lamp Oils Gallons
Motor Spirit Gallons
Lubricating Oils Gallon:
Gas Oil Gallon
Fuel Oil Gallons
Total Petroleum Gallons
Year 1920 Jan.. 1921
6.500911
452.613
630.564
31.164
104,930
41.358
28 740
162.850
109.367
2.682.0'6
7.f81
669.491
581 857
523 3"0
15.759
8,540
21.117
2.949.530
184,973
4.180 12"
160.051.046
207.739.144
105.914.877
53.564 775
347.771.014
880,207,568
569 515
48.312
61.924
843
7,508
1.379
2.662
12.113
7.945
2.277
389
12.602
31.738
92705
600
1.316
138.880
74)
19.387.468
52.134.702
10 888.J66
4.690.163
28.691,484
95.782.423
108
THl-: MINING MAGAZINE
Outputs or Tin Mining Comi-aniks.
In Tons of Concentrate.
Nifieria :
Associated Nigerian
Benue
Bisichi
Bonftwelli
Champion (Nigeria)
Dua
Ex-Lands
Fiiani
Forum River
Gold Coast Consolidated--
Guruui River
lantar
Jos
Kaduna
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Kuru
Kwall
Lower Bisichi
Luc)<y Chance
Minna
Moneu
Naragnta
Naraf;uta Extended
Nigerian Consolidated ■■■-
Ninghi
N.N. Bauchi
OfiSn River
Bayfield
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bulteru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Yarde Kerri
(federated Malay States :
Chenderianfi
Gopeng
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamunting
Kinta
Lahat
Malayan Tin
Pahanti
Ranibutan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
•Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
Grenville
South Crofty
■Other Countries :
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia)
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook (Siam)
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal) .
Macready (Swaziland)
Mawchi (Burma) ■
Porco (Bolivia)
Renong (Siam)
Rooiberg Minerals (Transvaal).
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam)
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
Oct.
Tons
20
16
li
24
33
5i
10
3
15
10
224
13
93
5
12
83
1
3
40
45
23
30
6
55
73
35
168
55
13
li
8
5
72
18
13j
323
594
80|
178^
15
30
30
39
494
e9M
55t
Nov.
Tons
20
IG
li
3
14
35
5
74
24
15
10
24i
174
9
5i
1
40
45
15
224
54
55
-i
35
US
4
15
72
194
13
323
594
783
166
16*
31
30
31
38
741
60|+
80
170
154
29
27
18
20
23
13
19*
19*
304
—
—
247*
—
19*
615
934
891
50
15
-
60*
63i
713
68
76
73
28
28
27
Dec.
Tons
20
10
54
li
le
35
54
104
3
12
20
264
154
8i
73
14
50
42
17
23
5
50
9i
37
126
44
15
44
4
5
103'
66
173
194
120*
353
60i
834
166
15
30
30
27
29
893 1
62t
NioKKiAN Tin Fkoduction.
In long tons of concentrate of unspecified content.
\'ote These ti^iures tire taken from tin- monthly returns
made by intlivuttial com/>anies reftortinit in Lomion, anti
probably represent SS% of the actual outputs.
1915 1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
January
February ...
Tons Tons
417 531
358 1 528
418 547
444 486
357 536
373 i 510
455 ' 506
438 \ 498
442 535
511 584
467 679
533 654
Tons
667
646
655
Tons
678
66S
707
Tons
613
623
606
546
483
484
481
616
561
625
536
511
Tons
547
477
505
April
555 1 584
509 525
467
May
383
June
473
479
551
538
578
621
655
492
545
571
520
491
472
518
435
484
August
September
October
November ...
December ...
447
528
628
544
577
Total .
5.213 1 6.594
^6_?27_
6.771
6.685
6.022
Production op Tin in Federated Malay States.
Estimated at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters.
Long Tons.
January
February ..
March
April
May
June
July
August
September .
October
November .
December .
1916
1917
1918
Tons
Tons
Tons
4.316
3.558
3.030
3,372
2.755
3.197 1
3.696
3,286
2.609
3.177
3,251
3.308
1 3.729
3,413
3.332 1
' 3.435
3,489
3,070
3.517
3,253
3,373
3.732
3,413
3,259
3.636
3.154
3.157
3,681
3.436
2.870
3.635
3.300
3.132
3,945
43.871
3.525
39.833
3,022
37,370
1919
Tons
3,765
2.734
2.819
2.858
3.407
2,877
3.756
2.956
3.161
3,221
2,972
2,409
36,935
1920
Tons
4.265
3,014
2,770
2,606
2.741
2.9»0
2.824
2,786
2.734
2.817
2.573
2.838
34.928
Total Sales of Tin Concentrate at Redruth Ticketings.
August 25. 1919 .
September 8 .-■-
September 22 -■..
Octobers
October 20
November 3
November 17 ....
December 1 ....
December 15 ....
December 31 ....
Total and Average.
1919
' Three months. + Tin and wolfram-
January 12, 1920..
January 26
February 9
February 23
March 8
March 22
April 6
April 19
May 3
May 17
May 31
June 14
June 28
July 12
July 26
August 9
August 23
September 6 ....
September 20 ....
October 4
October 18
November 1
November 15 ....
November 29 •■.-
December 13 ....
December 28 — .
Long lont-
1304
1154
1354
72
32
344
39
38
29
14|
Value
Average
2.858
£18.297
£16,588
£19.557
£10.867
£5.093
£5.235
£6.161
£5.905
£5.133
£2.884
£l40 4
£l43 12
£l44 6
£l50 18
£l59 3
£l51 15
£l57 19
£155 8
£l76 10
£l95 10 10
£366.569
£l28 5 0
January 10. 1921..
January 24
31
513
18
44
444
334
614
44
10
243
144
43l
104
104
27J
19
10
9
394
9
44
84
84
84
£6.243
£10.574
M
84
74
£12.120
£4.038
£8,286
£8.367
£6,375
£11,641
£6.151
£l,578
£3,278
£1.932
£6.133
£1.643
£1.664
£4.022
£2.563
£1.552
£1,359
£5,225
£(,329
£597
{965
£981
£946
£201 8 0
£204 6 10
£210 2 8
£225 10
£224 7
£188
£l88 0
£190 6
£l89 5
£139 16
£157 16
£132 9
tl33 4 10
£140 4
£l56 10
£l58 10
£l47 !2
£134 18
£155 5
£151 0
£132 5 II
£147 14 5
£|32 17 6
£113 12 0
£115 8 6
£111 5 10
£991
£671
£ll6 13 0
£89 11 4
On January 10. Tincroft sold 84 tons, and on January 24.7*
tons.
FEBRUARY, 1921
109
Stocks op Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Lone Tons.
Straits and Australian Spot
Ditto. Landing and in Transit
Other Standard, Spot and Land-
ing
Straits. Afloat
Australian, Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto, Afloat
Bi!liton, Spot
Billiton, Afluat
Straits. Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto. Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States...
Stock in America
Total ••
1,944
620
2,743
1,955
203
2,966
1,095
721
295
300
3 257
2,966
19.065
Deo 31
2.170
1.138
3.855
1.183
250
3,5U
278
755
264
485
1.734
2,856
Jan. 31
2,701
40
4,960
345
264
3,341
356
755
141
60
2,595
2,546
Shipments. Imports, Supply, and Consumption of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long ions.
Shipments from :
Straits to UK
Straits to America
Straits to Continent
Straits to Other Places
Australia to U.K
U.K. to America
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
Supply :
Straits
Australian
Billiton
Banca
Standard
Total
Consumption :
U K. Deliveries
Dutch „
American
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
tinental Ports, etc.
Total
Nov. I Dec.
1,505
825
300
199
350
175
2.172
2,630
350
482
1,154
475
5.091
L607
215
3.420
5.468
915
825
485
225
250
150
251
2,225
250
250
1,500
Jan,
4,225
1,518
366
2,580
347
4,811
35
960
60
106
350
985
1.055
350
498
1.290
3,193
1.254
269
1.555
490
3.568
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
Company
Par
Value of
Shares
Amount of
Dividend
Jan. 24
Broken Hill Prop. ...
Glynn's Lydenburg...
Rand Selection Cor-
a.
£i.
a.
i\.
Jan ■'4
Jan 19"-
Jan. 27
Jan 29
Waihi Gold
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. February 8,
These quotations are not absolute: they vary accordinj
quantities required and contracts running.
Acetic Acid. 40% per cwt 1
80% 2
,, Glacial .. 3
Alum per ton 19
Alumina. Sulphate of .. 16
Ammonia. Anhydrous ■• per lb.
0 880 solution per ton 46
Carbonate per ib.
Chloride of, grey per ton 54
„ .. ., pure per cwt. 5
Nitrate of per ton 50
Phosphate of 95
Sulphate of 24
Antimony. Tartar Emetic per lb.
Sulphide, Golden
Arsenic. White per ton 50
Barium Carbonate .. U
.. Chlorate per lb.
,, Chloride per ton 21
„ Sulphate « 10
Benzol. 90"^ per gal.
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 55
Bleaching Powder. 35% CI .. 19
Liquor. 7% 7
Boras 38
Boric Acid, crystals i, 74
Calcium Chloride m 10
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% per gal.
crystallized. 40% per lb.
13
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton -
(4
Citric Acid per lb.
Copper, Sulphate of per ton 36
Cyanide of Sodium, 100% per ib.
Hydrofluoric Acid .t
Iodine per oz.
Iron, Nitrate of '■ per ton 10
„ Sulphate of ., 4
Lead. Acetate of, white .. 54
,. Nitrate of 50
,. Oxide of. Litharge ti 45
„ While 51
Lime, Acetate, brown .i 12
grey 80% 19
Magnesite, Calcined 22
Magnesium, Chloride •. 13
Sulphate „ 12
Methylated Spirit 64° Industrial per gal.
Nitric Acid. &0° Tw. per ton 37
Oxalic Acid per lb.
Phosphoric Acid per Ib.
Potassium Bichromate per lb.
,, Carbonate85% per ton 50
Chlorate per lb.
Chloride 80% per ton 30
Hydrate (Caustic) 90% 55
„ Nitrate 50
„ Permanganate per lb.
Prussiate, Yellow i,
Red
Sulphate. 90% per ton 35
Sodium Metal per lb.
„ Acetate per ton 35
„ Arsenate 45% 45
„ Bicarbonate .. 9
M Bichromate per lb.
„ Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton 16
(Crystals) .. 7
Chlorate per lb.
„ Hydrate. 76% per ton 27
Hyposulphite y, 20
„ Nitrate, 95% 22
Phosphate •. 26
., Prussiate per lb.
„ Silicate per ton 11
., Sulphate (Salt-cake) 9
.. ,. (Glauber's Salts) „ 10
,. Sulphide u 30
„ Sulphite » 15
Sulphur, Roll „ 15
„ Flowers , .. 15
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65° 24
free from Arsenic, 144° „ 6
Superphoephate of Lime. 30?'o ., 8
Tartaric Acid per !b.
Turpentine per cwt. 4
Tin Crystals per Ib.
Tit annus Chloride ..
Zinc Chloride per ton 27
Zinc Sulphate... ■.... ., 20
s
d
7
0
14
0
10
0
0
0
0
0
2
6
0
0
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1)
0
0
2
7
1
6
0
0
0
0
1
0
10
0
0
0
3
10
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
3
H
10
0
to
10
0
2
ft
0
0
1
0
7*
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
n
c
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
.0
1
6
0
n
0
6
0
0
0
0
0
0
2
0
1
4
2
0
0
0
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
10
0
0
n
0
4*
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
9
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
n
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
5
0
10
0
2
0
10
0
1
7
1
0
0
0
0
0
no
THK MINING MAGAZINE
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares ate £l par value eicept where otherwise noU'd.
GOLD. SILVER,
DIAMONDS:
Rand :
Brakpan
Central Mininit (£8)
City & Suburban (£4)
City Deep
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidated Landaaiite
Consolidated Maiit Reef
Consolidated Mines Selection (lOs.)
Crown Mines llOs )
DaR^iafontein
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand Froprielaty
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhnis Deep
Gov't Gold Mininu Areas
Heriot
Johannesburg Consolidated
Jupiter
Kleinfontein
KniRht Central
Knietals Deep
LanelaaKte Estate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein '.10s. 1
Modderfontein BtSs.)
ModdetfonteiD Deep(5s.)
Modderfontein East
New State Areas
Nourse ■
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfonteio Central
Robinson (£5)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer Sc Jack
Simmer Deep
Springs
Sub Nieel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.)
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
West Springs
Witwatersraiid (Knight's) ■
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolhuter
Other TpANSVAAt- Gold Mines:
Glynn's Lydenburg
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates..
Diamonds in South Africa;
De Beers Deferred (£2 10s.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.)
Rhodesia -
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa ..
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Shamva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa ■
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
Abosso
Ashanti (4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taquab
West Australia:
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe {£5)
Great Boulder Proprietary (2s.)..
Great Fingall (10s)
Hampton Properties
Ivanhoe (£5)
Kalgurii
Lake View Investment (10s.) -.
Son« of Gwalia
South Kalgurii (10s )
Feb. 6,
1920
£ s. d.
4 i
12 i
9
3 17
2 7
1 10
17
1 14
4 7
1 2
10
14
13
3 2
16
5 8
12
1 IS
7
lU
7
13
1 3
5 15
4 17
9 2
3 1
1 11
1 12
17
4 12
5 11
1 2
13
1 10
5 17
1 0
10
1 6
1 5
13
6
17 6
17 6
31 10 0
7 0 0
12 5 0
10
1 2
16
16
16
3 11
3 12
2 5
7
6 0
15 6
1 4 9
5 0
1 2 0
3
1 7
10
1
1 10
2 8
1 2
1 2
10
6
Feb. 7.
1921
C s. d.
2 17
6 10
6
2 3
17
15
12
15
2 5
7
2
5
8
2 5
8
3 15
9
1 2
2
7
4
10
4 10
3 5
1 10
2 1
17
1 2
7
2 5
2 12
9
8
10
16
3
1 12
11
16
11
3 10
8
9
15
13
7
4
6
0
9
9
6
9
3
0
0
6
6
6
3
0
0
0
0
6
0
0
6
6
6
0
0
0
3
6
6
9
0
6
3
9
0
0
0
6
3
0
3
0
3
6
0
9
6
0
8 9
3 9
II 5 0
2 8 9
5 0 0
12
9
9
17
2 7
2 15
1 7
5
6
3
6
6
6
6
0
6
3
6
6
0
6
0
6
6
6
6
0
6
9
0
9
0
9
6
GoLo, SiLVKR. cont.
Othkrs in Australasia :
Blackwater. New Zealand
ConsolidaledG.F.of New Zealand
Mount Boppv. N.S.W.(lOs)
Progress. New Zealand
Talisman, New Zealand
Waihi. New Zealand
Waibi Grand Junction, New Z'Ind
America :
Buena Tierra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
El Oro. Mexico
Esperanza, Mexico
Fronlino & Bolivia. Colombia
Le Roi No. 2 (f 5). British Columbia
Mexico Mines of El Oro, Mexico..
Nechi (Pref. 10s. ), Colombia
Oroville Dredging. Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California
St. John del Rey. Brazil
Santa Gertrudis. Mexico
Tomboy. Colorado
Russia :
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balagbat (lOs)
Champion Reef (2s. 6d.)
Mysore llOs.)
North Anantapur
Nundvdroog (10s.)
Ooregum (lOs.)
COPPER:
Arizona Copper (5s,), Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India.
Esperanza. Spain
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland
Mason ,S: Barry. Portugal
Messina (5s.), Transvaal
Mount Elliott (f 5), Queensland ...
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan. Queensland
Mount Oxide, Queensland
Namaqua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Tinto (£5), Spain •
Russo-Asiatic Consd., Russia
Sissert. Russia
Spassky, Russia .-
Tanganyika. Congo and Rhodesia
LEAD-ZINC:
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia :
Burma Corporation (10 rupees) ■
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
Feb. 6.
1920
£ s. d.
i
TIN:
Aramayo Francke. Bolivia
Bisichi. Nigeria
Briseis. Tasmania
Dolcoath. Cornwall
East Pool (5s,) Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.), Nigeria ...
Geevor (IDs) Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredging. Malay
Kamunting, Malaya
Kinta, Malaya
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay
Mongu (IDs.). Nigeria
Naraguta. Nigeria
N. N.Bauchi. Nigeria (10s, )
Pahang Consolidated (5s,), Malay
Rayfield, Nigeria ;...
Renong Dredging, Siam
Ropp (4s.). Nigeria
Siamese Tin. Siam
South Crofty t5s ), Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals, Cornwall
Tekka. Malay
TekkaTaiping Malay
Tronoh, Malay
8
3
6
1
8
2 7
12
16
1 3
16
16
II
6
6 17
10
1 9
I 3
18
1 18
13
1 5
12
8
3
1 1
4
15
17
2 12
2 2
5
17
2 10
6
1 12
47 10
13
17
1 5
3 0
1 6
2 3
3 1
1 7
2 13
2 15
1 1
1 1
13 10
15
18 0
5 5
16
5
8
18
4
1 2
2 5
1 2
1 18
2 16
2 6
1 7
17
8
15
14
2 16
14
3 17
18
1 7
4 16
1 6
2 12
5
5
10
1 2
8
5
4 15
7
1 }
17
15
7
6
12 6
5 0
7
2
11
3
6
II
1 10
IS
5
6
1 10
4
12
13
12
1 2
26 0
7
10
10
1 5
18
17
2 0
12
1 7
9
6
0
6
6
3
6
0
Ot
3
2 10
6
4
2
3
1 10
12
2 10
1 12
1 7
12
11
1
6
3
1 10
6
2 10
5
10
1 0
I 3
1 5
t 10-rupee shares of Indian Co.
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING. METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also reviews of new
books, and abstracts of the yearly reports of mining companies.
KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINING DISTRICT.
The Ontario Department of Mines has issued areport
on the Kirkland Lake gold area by A. G. Burrows and
P. E. Hopkins. As this is the fourth most important
precious-metal producing district in Ontario, we give
herewith lengthy extracts on the general geology and
ore deposits. Next month we intend to reproduce the
details relating to the individual mines. Reference to
the history and development of the district is made in
the editorial pages this month.
The Kirkland Lake area is situated a few miles south
of the divide between the Hudson Bay and river St Law-
rence waters The lake hasan elevation of 1 ,038 ft. above
sea-level and no hill apparently rises more than 100 ft.
above that level. There are rock outcrops over most
of the area. The small proportion of drift is usually
sand, thinly distributed. The mineral deposits are fre-
quently found in the lower parts of the area, since the
fractured zones and adjoining altered rocks are more
easily eroded than are those that are less fractured and
less altered. The porphyry apparently weathers down
more easily than the other rocks. The area is part of a
large mineralized region that extends roughly from
Matachewan in the south-west to Larder Lake and be-
yond into Quebec province to the east. In places the
older gold bearing rocks are covered by deposits of
newer formations, conglomerate, greywack^, and slate
of the Cobalt series, which have not been removed by
erosion and consequently cover possible gold deposits.
The charncter ot the gold deposits varies greatly in dif-
ferent parts of the larger area, but all occurrences are
believed to be associated with the acid intrusive rocks
of a granite, syenite, and porphyry character that fre-
quently outcrop in various parts of the area.
General Geology. — The compact rocks are Pre-
Cambnan, classiSed according to the following table,
the oldest being placed at the bottom and the others in
the order of their relative ages.
Keweenawan (?)
POST-TIMISKAMING In-
TRUSIVES (ALGOMAN?)
Quartz diabase and olivine diabase.
Red and grey felspar-porphyry with
subordinate amounts uf horntilende-
syenite and felsite occurring as dykes
and stocl<^.
Red hornblende-syenite.
Black mica iampropbyre grading into
or cut by red, hornblende syenite, ihe
latter being felsiiic or porphyritic in
p'aces.
(The above three groups of rocks are
differentiation facies from the same
niagmal.
Serpentine.
Hornblende and biolite graniie and
gneiss, syenite, granite-porphyry,
feispar-port^hyry. felsite. pegma-
tite and hornblendite.
Schistose conglomerate grey wack6 and
quartzite containing some carbonate
schist.
Rusty carbonate.
Keewatin Pillow lava, altered diabase, green
schists, rusty carbonate and iron for-
mation.
The Keewatin, which is the dominant rock in the
region, occupies only a small portion along the north
and south-east sides of the area. These rocks are chiefly
basalt and diabase, volcanic rocks which have flowed
out under the sea. with subordinate amounts of iron
TiMISKAMIAN
formation, rusty carbonate, and other rocks. Lying
unconformably on these rocks and interfolded with
them is a band of Timiskamian sediments which occu-
pies most of the area. These fragmental rocks are two
miles in width, and extend to the south-west and to the
north-east for several miles. After the deposition of
the sediments, extensive folding and metamorphism
took place. Later the sediments were cut by a number
of intrusives, namely : granite, syenite, serpentine and
Maf of part of Ontario
SHOWING POSITION OF KiRKLAND
I^AKE.
Ill
11.
Till': MINING MAGAZlNli
rt-laied laniprophyre. syenite, and felspar-porphyry.
The (jokl deposits are genetically connecteil with the
porphyry. All the rocks, including iheore bodies, have
been intruded by diabase dykes of Keweenawan age
These I're Cambrian rocks may have been covered by
Palivozoic rocks, but no erosion remnanisare to be seen
at present. The glaciers which passed over the whole
region have scraped away any decomposed rock from
the surface and carried it southward, leaving the rocks
and mineral deposits exposed as we find them In places
the rocks are still covered with a thin mantle of glacial
sand and gravel
Origin anil Age of the Hold Deposits. — All the
gold deposits of northern Ontario are in the Pre-
Cambrian, in rocks which, with few exceptions, are
older than the Cobalt series. After the folding of the
Timiskaming series and before the deposition of the
Cobalt series, there was a period of igneous activity dur-
ing which basic and acid rocks, including lamprophyre.
porphyry, syenite, and granite, wore intruded into the
older rocks. The probable genetic relationship of the
gold deposits of Porcupine to granite in irusions has been
noted in a report on that area There are a number of
gold bearing veins at Kirkland Lake associated with
felspar porphyry and syenite, suggestive of a relation-
ship between the intrusives and the veins. There are
areas of granite and syenite within a short distance of
the gold deposits. An examination of a number of
specimens from these plutonic areas shows that these
rocks contain albite, usually as phenocrysts. similar to
the felspar-porphyry. It is quite likely that the granite,
syenite, and felspar-porphyry belong to the same period
of intrusion and are different facies of a magma which
underlay or underlies a large part of the area The
syenite and granite have been exposed by deep erosion.
While the gold-bearing \eins were formed subse-
quent to the intrusion of the porphyry, it is likely that
they are genetically connected with the intrusive rock
which occurs as dykes and boss-like masses The cool-
ing of the intrusive was apparently accompanied by
shrinkage, faulting, and displacement in the porphyry
itself and in theadjacentrocks. Thegold-bearingsilici-
ous solutions that deposited their burdens in ihefissures
and other fractures in all probability represented the
end product of the intrusion of the acid rocks that have
been mentioned
Lindgren. in his classification of mineral deposits,
places the gold-quartz veins of Ontario in the division
of "veins and replacement deposits formed at high
temperature and pressure and in genetic connection
with intrusive rocks." He says: "These veins are
clearly related to those of the southern Appalachian
states, but, on the other hand, they present some re-
markable analogies with those of California." These
veins were formed at considerable depth and have been
exposed by extensive erosion, but it is probable that
they were not formed at as high temperatures as the
veins at Porcupine, in which tourmaline and pyrrhotite
frequently occur. The minerals tourmaline, pyroxene,
garnet, amphibole. and biotite, characteristic of deposits
formed at high temperatures, have not been recognized
by the writers in the Kirkland Lake area .Albite. chlo-
rite, sericite. and carbonates are present in the deposits
as alteration products. The veins at Kirkland Lake in
their mineral constituents greatly resemble those of the
Sierra Nevada. California, which are described by
Lindgren. In these latter veins tellurides like altaite,
bessite. calaverite, petzite, and melonite are frequently
associated with native gold In a comparison of the
Cripple Creek and Kalgoorlie gold deposits, Lindgren
has shown that telluride of gold may be deposited in
large quantities both near the surface (as at Cripple
Creek), and at a depth of many thousands of feet below
it (as at Kalgoorlie). Tellui ide of gold is not so abun
dant in the Kirkland Lake deposits as telluride of lead.
but probably occurs in greater quantity than has been
suspected owing to the dilliculty of identifying the tel-
luride in fine grains when accompanied by native gold
As stated above, the mineral associations at Kirkland
Lake are not typically those of high temperature de-
posits. Magnetite has been found in gold-bearing veins
at the .-XTgonaut mine, a few miles e.asl of Kirkland Lake,
and spccularite has been reported in veins from the
Tough Oakes mine. The Kirkland Lake deposits have
probably been formed at considerable depth, like the
Kalgoorlie deposits, but not at such high temperatures,
while the mineral association is somewhat similar in
that native gold accompanies the tellurides.
Distribution of Ore Deposits — Exploration in the
Kirkland Lake area has indicated three principal zones
of mineralization. The main or central zone is that
which runs north-easterly and south-westerly along the
southern expansion of Kirkland Lake and along which
a group of mines is being developed over a distance of
Z\ miles. The principal mines of the area. Tough
Oakes, Burnside. Sylvanite, Wright-Hargreaves, Lake
Shore, Teck Hughes, Orr, Kirkland l^ake, and also
several prospects are situated along this zone A south-
erly zone lies about 3 mile to the south with a similar
strike, and along it are the Ontario-Kirkland. Hunton,
Honer, and Canadian-Kirkland, on which considerable
work has already been done. A northerly zone, known
as the Goodfish Lake gold area lies about two miles
north of the central zone, where a number of proper-
ties, including the Costello, La Belle Kirkland, and Fi-
delity, are located.
Kirhland Lake Mineral Zone. — The greatest
amount of work has been done on the central zone,
where a number of gold bearing veins have been
discovered extending over Z\ miles in length and
a width of J mile. In this zone operations have
shown a major fracturing along which the principal
properties are located It is believed that, after the in-
trusion of the porphyry and syenite, faulting took place
in lines roughly parallel with the long axis of the intru-
sions, accompanied by fracturing and crushing of the
por jhyry and other rocks with the formation of the
veiis or lodes along these fracture planes. The princi-
pal or major fracturing can be traced across a number
of properties where ore-shoots are being developed at
widely separated points, but evidently along one system
of fracturing. This fracturing has crossed all the dif-
ferent rocks in this zone, including felspar-porphyry,
syenite, lamprophyre. and conglomerate. No, I vein
at the Kirkland Lake mine. No 2 vein of the Orr, No.
3 vein of the Teck-Hughes, No. 2 vein at the Lake
Shore, and No 2 vein at the Wright-Hargreaves are
being developed along the major fracturing. In addi-
tion there are branch veins and other fractures roughly
parallel, on which development has been done on a
number of properties ; examples are No. 1 vein at the
Lake Shore, Nos 1 and 5 veins at the Teck-Hughes,
and No. 1 vein at the Wright-Hargreaves
The fault planes along which the ore deposits have
been formed dip to the south, usually at a high inclina-
tion, 80° to 85°, although locally there are rolls in the
fault planes that are steeper or flatter than the average
dip .A fracture zone will contain several fault planes,
which often form the boundaries of ore, and at several
mines development has been carried on with regard to
twoprominentfaultplanescalledfoot-walland hanging-
wall planes. These planes are from a few feet to 40
ft. or more apart, the ore sometimes occurring over this
whole width, or, as is more frequent, near one or the
FEBRUARY, 1921
113
-TiS!
Map showing Principal Workings and Lodes at Kirkland Lake.
other wall, depending on subsidiary slip or fault planes.
The ore will also at times extend beyond the recogniz-
able fault planes or so called vein boundaries.
The faulting and fracturing of the rock has permitted
the circulation of mineral-bearing solutions with accom-
panying vapours, which have partly filled any open
fissures and partly replaced the country rock in the
fracture zone. The amount of vein quartz in the ore
deposits is relatively small as compared with the min-
eralized porphyry or other rock through which the frac-
tures have extended. In addition to irregular masses
of quartz several ieet in width that occur along the
veins, there are numbers of narrow irregular quartz
veins a few inches in width penetrating the porphyry or
other rock, together with mineralized or replaced rock,
which make up the ore-body. In consequence of the
irregular distribution of quartz in the veins the working
faces along drifts on the veins vary greatly in appear-
ance, sometimes showing considerable quartz and at
other times almost entirely mineralized porphyry or
other rock with minute veiniets of quartz intersecting it.
The mineralization of the veins has extended over a
long period, since there has been repeated fracturing
along' the mineralized zone. The primary quartz is
greatly brecciated. and fragments of quartz and por-
phyry have been displaced along the fault planes.
Movement along the walls in theore bodies is evidenced
by grooving and slickensided surfaces in the direction
of movement. Information as to the extent of horizon-
tal displacement may be obtained at the Teck- Hughes
mines, where a north and south dyke of diabase 60 ft.
in width has been faulted a distance of 150 ft. along No.
3 vein, the part of the dyke to the north of the fault
planes being to the west. Several large blocks of dia-
base occur in the fracture zone together with masses of
crushed porphyry or syenite thrust along the fault
planes. Mineralization even later than this extensive
movement is indicated by the presence of gold values
along slip planes in fragments of diabase in the fault
zone. The unalteied diabase itself does not carry gold
\'alues.
Mineralization of Porphyry and Syenite. — There
has been an extensive mineralization of porphyry
and syenite in parts of the area that extend through
the southerly part of Kirkland Lake. This is apart
from that mineralization which occurs with the com-
mercial ore-bodies. The long crosscuts connecting
Nos 1 and 2 veins on the 200 ft. and 400 ft. levels
at the I^ake Shore mine are through these rocks. The
assay plans show numerous assays of gold from traces
up to 40 cents with occasional higher assays of rock in
the cross-cuts. This rock when examined closely is seen
to carry minute veiniets of quartz with disseminated
iron pyrites, which would account for the frequent gold
values. Similar low values are shown in cross-cuts at
other properties away from the veins, indicating a gen
eral mineralization of much of these intrusives away
from the recognized veins This mineralization is pro-
bably dependent on the faulting and fracturing pre-
viously referred to along the central zone, and not, as
Scale of Feet,
Plan of Mining Properties at Kirkland Lake.
might at first be supposed, due to a gold distribution at
the time of the crystallization of the intrusive rock.
Character of Gold Deposits. — The early develop-
ment of the Kirkland Lake area was chietiy at the
Tough-Oakes mine, where a number of narrow gold-
bearing veins were discovered. The most important
was No. 2, which, at the surface, carried extremely
high grade ore over a width of 2 to 6 in in the con-
glomerate, the vein fissure being largely filled with
quartz. Development proved that the vein ran from
the conglomerate into the porphyry on the surface
and at depth, and by far (he greater part of the gold
extraction has come from the ore-shoot in the porphyry.
While the high-grade quartz vein in the conglomerate
carried most of the values with mill ore in the waM-rock
affording a narrow compact ore deposit, when it entered
the porphyry the quartz occurred usually in narrower
veiniets spread across a greater width with much frac-
turing of the porphyry along the vein. Consequently
most of the ore in the porphyry is fractured porphyry
with numerous slip planes, along which quartz, calcite,
and ore-bearing minerals have been deposited, afford-
ing a greater width of ore than in the conglomerate.
The slopes on the vein average about 5 ft. in width.
Development on other veins on the property also indi-
cated that they contained narrow ore-bodies either in
the porphyry or greywack<^ and conglomerate
The early exploration farther west along the mineral-
ized zone did not meet with such satisfactory results,
the veins in the conglomerate and porphyry along the
surface not showing such high-grade ore as occurred
at the Tough-Oakes, with the exception of the north
vein at theWright-Hargreaves, which produced a small
amount of high-grade ore when it was operated for a
short time in 1913.
The main fracture zone, or main vein, which for
most of its length is in low ground or under the bed of
Kirkland Lake, was difficult to prospect, and only after
114
THE MINING MAGAZINE
several years of work has il been proved lo be llie locus
of ihe principal ore deposition. Much of the previous
work was done on parallel or subsidiary and narrower
veins. In the main fracture the ore deposits have been
found to be wider than had been expected, reaching
in places 40 ft. in width, but as a general rule running
from about 5 ft. to 15 ft in width.
Strictly speaking; the ore-bearing deposits should be
called lodes or composite veins formed under strong
compressive forces, with the solutions following open-
ings along fracture planes in an irregular manner and
partly replacing the country rock adjacent to the frac-
tured planes. The stringers and masses of quartz inter-
mingled with the fractured porphyry or other rock
generally lie in the direction of the vein or lode, but are
often connected by transverse stringers. The replace-
ment character of the ore is frequently recognized by
massesof quartz spotted with remnants of red porphyry ;
this ore has a faint reddish colour due to the included
porphyry. In other cases masses of ore are bright red
porphyry or syenite with very thin seams of quartz that
are hardly recognizable. Thelenses of quartz are some-
times several feet wide in portions of an ore deposit and
contain much visible gold together with tellurides, py-
rite. copper pyrites, molybdenite, etc. Some of the ore
shows very little vein quartz, and specimens of altered
red syenite from the Lake Shore mine have been found
to contain grains of gold in the secondary minerals, cal-
cite, and sericite intermingled with the original felspars
of the rock. Mining operations at the Kirkland Lake
mine, October, 1920, have indicated promising ore at a
depth of 900 ft. where the same general mineralization
has been encountered.
Minerals in Kirkland Lake Veins. — The oldest
mineral in the veins, apart from the rock-forming
minerals, is a coarsely crystalline quartz. Usually
this quartz has been broken up and other miner-
als deposited in the fracture planes. Of these there
is quartz, often of a somewhat darker colour than
that 6rst deposited. Carbonates of various com-
position are present in the veins. A pink carbonate
proved on analysis to be calcite with 534% of r°ag-
nesium carbonate ; a grey variety is ankerite. There
have been different periods of fracturing. Some of the
quartz is later than the carbonates. Where there have
been inclusions of country rock in the vein and replace-
ment, some sericite has been developed. Chlorite also
occurs as a vein material. Iron pyrites is the most
abundant of the sulphides, being found both in the wall-
rock and in the veins, usually in well crystallized forms.
Some of the pyrite in the vein is in fine grains. Copper
pyrites occurs lo some extent, generally where the vein
is gold-bearing. Galena and zinc blende occur in very
small quantity. The latter material has been observed
in small incrustation veinlets, which are later than the
ore. Molybdenite has been deposited abundantly in
fractures, usually as a thin film. Graphite has been re-
cognized in some of the ore. This mineral, when in
thin films, is difficult to distinguish from molybdenite.
Crushed iron pyri tes along slip planes has also produced
a bright blackish deposit that resembles molybdenite
or graphite. Gold-bearing solutions have circulated
along ihese planes, and the veins have been enriched
by the deposition of gold in these later fractures Later
movements have often occurred along these planes, and
the gold, altaite, and other tellurides, pynte, copper
pyrites, molybdenite, and graphite deposited along the
planes have been crushed and polished or slickensided.
In some cases the gold has been deposited after the
slickensides have been formed, since veinlets of the
metal have been observed on the 200 ft. level of the
Tough-Oakes mine cutting across the smooth planes of
the molybdenite One of the latest minerals with white
calcite along fault planes is barite of a deep red colour,
observed at the Teck-llughes and Lake Shore mines.
Several tellurides have been recognized in ore from
the Kirkland Lake area The most abundant lelluride
is altaite (I'bTe), telluride of lead, which has been re-
cognized in ore from all the mines in the central zone
This mineral is readily recognized by the well developed
cubical cleavage and brilliant cleavage planes. It has
a very faint greenish tinge, which aids in recognizing it
in fine grains. This mineral is usually accompanied by
visible gold and its presence often indicates high grade
portions of the vein. Telluride of gold, calaverite
(AuTe.^), has only been recognized in ore from No. 3
vein at the Tough-Oakes mine Specimens from this
vein show calaverite in quite coarse grains and readily
recognizable. The mineral is of a pale brassy, almost
white colour, brittle and quite soft. It resembles pale-
coloured iron pyrites, but is much softer. The mineral
on assay yielded 40 G% gold. This mineral is probably
sparsely distributed in the ore, but if in very fine grains
would be difficult to recognize in hand specimens.
Black tellurides carrying mercuryhave been recognized
recently in specimens from the Tough-Oakes mine.
One of these corresponds to kalgoorlite, a telluride of
gold, silver, and mercury. An analysis of selected
material by W. K. McNeill gave the following composi-
tion : Au20 40%, Ag3ri%. Hg 10 2% Another tel-
luride contains mercury and tellurium with no gold or
silver and is coloradoite. These mercury-bearing tel-
lurides were definitely recognized in polished surfaces
by means of the microscope and by chemical and blow-
pipe tests. A mercury telluride. probably coloradoite,
also occurs in specimens of ore from No 2 vein at (he
Lake Shore mine. The mineral is here associated with
native gold, altaite, pyrite, and copper pyrites. The
tellurides, tetradymite (telluride of bismuth), and hess-
ite (telluride of silver;, have been reported from No. 2
vein of the Tough-Oakes mine, but have not been re-
cognized by the authors.
Examination of a number of thin sections of ore from
the Kirkland Lake area shows that the vein material
has been much brecciated. Fragments of porphyry,
syenite, conglomerate, or greywacke. depending on the
character of the wall-rock, are enclosed in vein materials,
which are chiefly quartz with calcite and dolomite.
Replacement of the various rocks by quartz is also in
evidence. The coarsely crystallized quartz of the first
generation is fractured, and the fracture filled with
later quartz, calcite, and dolomite The principal sul-
phide and telluride minerals occur chiefly with the finer-
grained material in the minute fracture planes in the
quartz and altered rock. An interlacing meshwork of
metallic sulphides and tellurides with native gold is fre-
quently observed Wherever the tellurides occur,
native gold is usually recognized in grains close to the
telluride grains. Grains of gold are seen in the tellu-
rides, and again minute veinlets of gold sometimes tra-
verse coarse masses of telluride. The crystallized cal-
cite frequently contains gold that has been deposited
along the rhombic cleavage planes. The contact of
fragments of porphyry or other rocks with quartz is
usually a place for concentration of the sulphides, tel-
lurides. and gold. Replacement of the rock is recog-
nized by a gradual transition to quartz and other later
minerals. Native gold has been observed in contact
with telluride. molybdenite, pyrite. and copper pyrites.
A section of high-grade ore from the Kirkland Lake
mine shows quartz in contact sviih altered syenite.
There is a concentration of pyrite and tellurides with
gold along the contact of quartz and rock and also in
the quartz, which is fractured and carries fine-grained
FEBRUARY, 1921
115
quartz and calcite in the fracture planes. There isabun-
dantsericiteand carbonate in the altered rock. A black-
ish mineral in very thin films is believed to be molyb-
denite. Asampleof high-gradeorefrom KirklandLake
mine, containing 21'42 oz. of gold per ton, has the fol-
lowing partial composition : Fe 1 65%, MoSo 034%,
S065%, C 0 09%, Te 010%. This analysis shows
the presence of both molybdenite and graphite in the
ore.
(To be continued).
SULPHUR IN SOUTH AFRICA.
The South African Journal of Industries for No-
vember contains a report by T. G. Trevor. Inspector
of Mines, on the production and consumption of sul-
phur in South Africa. The demand for sulphur in
South Africa is great, both in its elemental form for
vine dressing, etc., and as sulphuric acid for the manu-
facture of explosives, fertilizers, and many other at
present smaller chemical industries. The imports in
1917 were: sulphur, 899 tons ; pyrites, 18,465 tons;
sulphuric acid, 37,435 lb. The prices were approxi-
mately ;f 10 per ton for sulphur, £3. 9s. for pyrites, and
4id. per lb. for sulphuric acid. In 1913, before the
war, the quantities were as follow : sulphur, 2,672
tons; pyrites. 22.903 tons ; sulphuric acid, 291,9761b.
The following were the approximate values : sulphur
£6. 83 per ton, pyrites £2. 13s. per ton, sulphuric acid
4 2d. per lb.
In 1918 it was reported that there were three explo-
sives factories, one chemical, and one fertilizer works
in the country, which were producing sulphuric acid
for their own needs, producing it lor trade when they
get the necessary pyrites and convenient railway facili-
ties. Two large by-product works were then starting
and more will doubtless follow ; these also will need
either to buy or to make their own acid. The names
and addresses of the above-mentioned works and the
essential details about them in August. 1920, are given
in the accompanying table. The Cape Explosives
Company do not at present accept gold-bearing pyrites.
The other companies purchase the gold contents at
their current value less certain agreed charges. It will
be seen from the table that the present demand for py-
rites is 1,650 tons per month, and in fifteen months'
time It may be 3.500 tons. It is more than likely that
this demand will increase by leaps and bounds, for the
enormous quantities of low-grade cheap coal in the
country, which contains a high percentage of nitrogen,
is already attracting world wide notice, and, given a
cheap source of sulphuric acid, the fertilizer industry
is capable of indefinite expansion ; other industries also
are daily springing up, most of which need the acid.
It is therefore necessary to study the question of the
possible sources of supply.
Native sulphur occurs in small quantities, probably
as a product of the decomposition of pyrites, in the
cavities of honeycombed quartz in the mines of Pil-
grims Rest. It has also been found occurring in some
of the rocks of the coastal belt near Port St. Johns,
but so far as is known neither of these occurrences is,
or is likely to be, of any commercial importance.
From the coastal plain at Walvis Bay a sample of na-
tive sulphur, a few pounds in weight, has recently been
received by the Geological Survey Department. This
appears to be native sulphur mixed with sand. It burns
freely, and evidently contains at least 50% of sulphur.
It is said to occur from Walvis Bay southward to Con-
ception Bay in surface agglomerations in the same sands
that carry the diamonds The occurrence was brought
to the knowledge of the De Beers Company some years
ago. but that company did not interest itself in it.
considering the quantities to be too small, though its
agents estimated that some 90 tons might be collected
from the visible deposits. The occurrence, however,
has not been scientifically investigated, and. in view of
the extraordinary developments which have attended
the following of somewhat similar surface occurrences
in Texas, it certainly merits closer attention. For the
time being, however, it must be admitted that the Union
is void of any known deposit that is likely to develop
into a profitable sulphur mine.
Up to 1915, when the war began to curtail the sup-
ply of foreign sulphur and pyrites, there had never been
any demand or inquiry for pyrites in South Africa, with
the result that no one had ever sought for it. or recorded
its occurrence if found in prospecting for other metals.
A lode or deposit of massive pyrites never appears on
the surface, except as an outcrop of barren ferruginous
gossan. There are many such known to the author in
the Transvaal, and there must be many more, but, as
they show nothing in the pan to the prospector, and
as pyrites of itself was formerly of no value, they have
never been opened, and, with oneexception, no massive
pyrites is yet known in the Union. The exception
mentioned is the Areachap copper mine, situated some
Producers of Sulphuric Acid in South Africa.
Process
used
Kilns
adapted
for
Minimum
Sulphur
content
accept-
able
Maximum
Arsenic
content
accept-
able
Quantity
of Pyrites
used per
Month
Maximum
Quantity of
Pyrites
needed per
Month
Quantity
of Sulphur
used per
Month
Maximum
Quantity of
Sulphur
needed per
Month
%
%
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
B.S.A. Explosives Works.
Chamber and
Sulphur and
43M5
0'5
200-220
200-220
130
130
Modderfontein
Contact
Concentrates
Natal Ammonium Co.,
Chamber
Concentrates
35
10
250-300
300
None
None
Mt. Newibi. Natal
New Transvaal Chemical
Chamber
Sulphur and
38
0 1
200
300-500
Varying
Varying
Company. Delmore
Concentrates
Cape Explosives Works,
Contact
Sulphur and
45
025
None at
In 8 months,
200
200
Somerset West, Cape
(Proposed to
Concentrates
present
Province
erect
Chamber)
In 15 months.
1.500
Kynochs Ltd.. Umbogint-
Contact and
Lump and
35
O'l
1.000
l.OOD
None
None
wini, Natal
Chamber
Concentrates
2—6
116
THE MINING MAGAZINE
28 miles from Upington anil 10 miles from the railway.
This mine was discovered in 1>J0(> and closed down in
1909. It was reopened on the advent of the railway
to the neighbourhood in 1916, but aKam closed down m
1917 In the first period an attempt was made to run
the Areachap solely a< a copper mine. In the second
period attempts were made to establish a trade in pv-
rites. Some few hundreds of tons were supplied to the
explosives factories, and the ore was found to be en-
tirely suitable for burning, but the expenses were so
great that there was no profit in it (or the mine. If a
railwav siding were constructed to the mine, which
could be done at an estimated cost of /17.000. and the
mine were properly developed and eciuipped, it seems
well within the bounds of possibility that the mine
would prove to be the permanent and reliable source
of pyrites which is needed ; but in the meantime the
railway waits on the development of the mine, and the
mine waits on the construction of the railway.
The average of assays of Areachap ore delivered to
Messrs. Kynoch in 1915 was sulphur 3iS9% , and
arsenic 011%, but in many other assays the arsenic
appears as nil. On the surface the outcrop of this lode
shows as a ferruginous gossan of great extent, being
50 ft. wide and 1.450 ft. in length. Small masses of
native copper and some nodules and bunches of copper
sulphide occurred in this gossan. A main shaft was
sunk to the depth of 295 ft. and several other shafts to
lesser depths, but no iron pyrites was found above the
200 ft. level. Down to that level the ore was com-
pletely oxidized to gossan. The iron pyrites begins at
200 ft., and at 223 ft. the lode, inclusive of some horses,
is said to be 50 ft wide and to consist of massive py-
rites assaying 39% sulphur. Such a mass of pyrites
would, underordinary circumstances, be of great value,
but, situated as it is — 10 miles from the railway and
more from fresh water and many hundreds of miles
from anywhere where the product can be economically
used — it has so many difficulties to overcome that the
price of the pyrites at the point of use can never be as
low as is desirable in competition with the imported
article.
Though the Union is. for the present at all events,
void of satisfactory workable deposits of massive py-
rites, yet disseminated pyrites is common throughout
all the older formations, and plentiful in all the gold-
bearing rocks and in most of the coal mines. It is from
these sources that the present local supply of pyrites
for the South African factories is being derived, and
this source of supply seems to be capable of great ex-
pansion to the advantage of the gold and coal mines.
The coal in the working coal mines of the Transvaal
and Natal contains an average of about 15% sulphur
in the form of pyrites; this equals say 3% pyrites.
For the ordinary coal trade it is not necessary to elimi-
nate this, but for making metallurgical coke it is im-
perative that the coal should have as low a sulphur
content as possible. One large and several small cok-
ing plants are now being erected, and the demand for
coke by the Pretoria iron mines alone, on the estimated
output of 300 tons of iron per day, will be some 350
tons per day — say 10.500 tons per month. This coke
will take for its formation — including the loss in sort-
ing and washing — probably 18.000 tons of coal. Over
and above the demands of the Pretoria iron mines it is
likely that there will be an almost equal general de-
mand, and it will not be an exaggeration to say that in
the course of the next year or two 30.000 tons of coal
per month will be coked in the country. Allowing that
half the pyrites, or say 1'5%, is recoverable in the
washing plants, this will yield a supply of some 450
tons of pyrites per month, and. as this will be a by-
product, its cost to the acid factories should be well
within the economic limits
All the gold ores in the country, with the exception
of the free milling ores in the oxidized outcrops, are
charged with disseminated pyrites, and this pyrites in-
variably carries a considerable proportion of the gold
In the banket reefs of the Hand, this amount is com
monly about 3"i. and aboiu 2 5'!,, could be reckoned
on in the tailing dumps. This pyrites also carries a
consideralile value in gold, though it is a mistake to
consider that all the gold lost in the tailings is contained
in it. The author is informed that some years ago
Professor Stanley investigated the (piestion of concen
trating these dumps and extracting the sulphur and
gold from the concentrates, but came to the definite
conclusion that in so far as the Main Reef dumps went
it was not a payable proposition. On the Hlack Keef ,
however, near where the outcrop of the reef is crossed
by the Natal Spruit, there were several old mine dumps
which contained upwards of 20% sulphides, and in the
Klerksdorp district the Machavie mine gave an ore
carrying an equal amount. l''or the last ten years and
more this source of supply has been dr,awn upon by the
New Transvaal Chemical Company for their sulphuric
acid works, and latterly some has also been supplied to
Kynochs and the Natal Ammonium Company. Un-
fortunately the dumps are now worked out and the sup
ply from the Machavie mine became too cosily, and
that mine has had to closedown. About 1906 the so-
called Sandstone Reef at the Sabie was discovered.
This is an interbedded quartz reef in the sandstone
lying between the Black Reef and the dolomites. Usu-
ally it is up to 3 ft. in width and carries up to 7 dwt.
gold and 25% pyritic material. A good many small
mines have since then been worked on this reef.
In 1916 the surviving mines, which had been worked
with some small degree of success by their owner-
managers, became aware of the possible value of the
pyrites in their tailings, and negotiations were entered
into with the explosives companies, A good deal of
difficulty attended these negotiations : the owners did
not wish to go to the expense of concentrating plants
unless the explosives companies would contract to buy
the concentrates ; the explosives companies did not
wish to alter their plants to burn fines or to accept a
contract unless they were first satisfied that the other
parties were really in a position to keep their contract
over a period of years. This difficulty has now been
overcome, and the following mines are turning out a
regular supply, much to their profit, and other mines
are preparing to do so too : Ceylon-Lydenburg. 67 tons
pyrites per month ; Buchanan Syndicate. 156 Ions py-
rites ; JoUie Bright, 105 tons pyrites. These figures
are for July. 1920 The terms on which the concen-
trates are purchased are approximately as follow :
The purchasers pay 30s per short ton for concentrates
carrying 45% sulphur f.o.r. Sabie; the gold contents
to be extracted by the purchaser and to be the property
of the sellers. 6s per ton being deducted for extraction
charges. All by-products which may be discovered in
the pyrites to be shared equally by both parties. As
these concentrates usually carry over 10 dwt. of gold,
and in many cases double that quantity, it is obvious
that this demand for pyrites has been very much to the
advantage of the mine-owners, who are receiving 64s.
per ton or more for concentrates which were formerly
lost, merely at the additional cost of concentration,
which must equal a value of about 10s. to 12s per ton
on the rock crushed, and this advantage has enabled
them to continue working profitably when otherwise
the increased cost of stores, etc., in the past two years
would probably have led to some of them at least clos-
FEBRUARY, 1921
117
ing down. It is probable, however, that the explosives
companies, though their position has been greatly re-
lieved by the local supply of pyritic sulphur, are not in
such a satisfactory state as they were before the war,
and that for a long time a struggle will go on between
the consumers and the producers before a stable price
is arrived at. The Rietfontein mine, though not on the
Sandstone Reef, produces, say, 5% concentrates carry-
ing up to 3 oz of gold to the ton. This mine formerly
had great difficulties with its extraction, but these have
now been overcome by selling the concentrates on terms
similar to the above.
In 1919 these mmes were supplying about 400 tons
of pyrites per month. This supply can, and probably
will be increased to about 1,000 tons, but even then the
present demand, which is not less than 1,650 tons, will
not be satisfied, and the question must be asked how
can this deficit be made up and provision for the in-
creased demand which is sure to arise be made Fail-
ing the discovery of massive pyrites it is possible that
the demand may be met by the mines of the Barber-
ton district. Practically all the mines of that district
are pyritic, and there are many reefs and deposits
which have never been worked because they were so
pyritic that there was little chance of their paying as
free- milling propositions. The Sheba mine of late
years has been entirely a concentration proposition,
and about 300 tons of concentrates were produced
monthly, but the local treatment was not profitable.
The mine has now reopened, and is, or shortly will be,
again in a position to produce these concentrates, and
if these can be sold somewhat on the same terms as
those from the Sabie the question of the payability of
the mine will be largely solved. Unfortunately, how-
ever, these concentiates contain a considerable per-
centage of arsenic, which is almost absent in those from
the Sabie, which contain only 001 to 0 14%, and the
consuming companies are loth to use it, as so far they
have been able to either import or obtain locally py-
rites low m arsenic For the contact process it is true
that arsenic is very undesirable, as even very small
quantities have extremely detrimental results, and must
be eliminated during the process ; but for the chamber
process there are quite sufficiently satisfactory dearseni-
cating processes which are not particularly costly, and
it appears that when once pyrites containing 1% or so
of arsenic is accepted, a supply quite equal to the de-
mand might be obtained from the Barberton district.
Unfortunately the claims in this district are all in the
hands of small men, who cannot afford to develop on
pyrites unless they can first get a firm offer for their
product. The consumers are not likely to give this,
and in order to give it go to the preliminary expense of
adding a dearsenicating process to their plant, unless
they are certain of a fixed and reliable supply. The
properties at Barberton, which the author has in mind
as possible producers of auriferous pyrites, are as fol-
low : (1) Mount Morgan mine. Moodies ; concentrates
15% to 29%, gold in original ore believed to be not
less than 8dwt. (2) North Star mine; concentrates
20% to 25%, gold in original ore believed to be not
less than 5 dwt. (3) French Bobs mine ; concentrates
25% to 30%, gold in original ore believed to be not
less than 4 dwt., much arsenic, etc. (4) Golden Hill
claims; concentrates 20%, gold in original ore be-
lieved to be not less than 5 dwt. (5) Eagles Nest mine ;
portion carries 20% concentrates, gold in original ore
believed to be not less than 5 dwt. But, among the
old and abandoned claims, which were abandoned be-
cause there was too little gold and too much pyrites,
and of which no record has been kept, there must be
many others, and the subject is one which he believes
would thoroughly repay investigation hi loco by any
of the prospective consumers. It will not be sufficient
for them merely to express their desire for such con-
centrates and to wait until sellers come forward with
them, for mining in Barberton is at such a low ebb at
present that there are not enough well-to-do miners and
prospectors left to take advantage of such an offer. It
will be necessary to send a competent engineer to the
district to investigate every deposit that can be heard
of and to make arrangements for having such proved
as seem most suitable. It will be impossible to em-
bark on any scheme of development otherwise.
REPAIRING LENS COLLIERIES BY CEMENTATION.
In December, H Standish Ball read a paper before
the South Wales Institute of Engineerson the Francois
cementation process as applied to mining In the course
of this paper the author described the repairing of shafts
in the Lens district in northern France after the retire-
ment of the German armies.
As a result of the British victory on the Vimy Ridge
on April 9, 1917, a large number of the collieries in the
neighbourhood of Lens were recaptured from the Ger-
mans, and a military engineer was immediately in-
structed to carry out an investigation and ascertain
whether there was an underground communication
with Lens, that town being still in hostile hands. Fosse
11 was the first pit examined within a few days after
the German retirement. On reaching the heap of de-
bris representing the surface plant a roaring sound was
heard, apparently proceeding from the depths of the
shaft. A small party was formed, and after some diffi-
culty succeeded in descending the shaft for a certain
distance The noise was found to be caused by water
pouring through a cavity in the tubbing some sixteen
feet square. Through this cavity the water was pour-
ing at the rate of many thousand gallons a minute.
The break in the tubbing occurred about sixty yards
from the surface, and some distance below the per-
manent chalk water-level. Traces of German handi-
work were apparent, being represented by a kibble
used by their demolition party, electric leads, &c. So
rapidly were the workings of the mine flooded that, in
spite of the shaft being some 340 yards deep, the water
rose to the chalk water-level within the space of a few
days. Ou measuring the water-level in several other
pits the rise was found to be constant, proving that all
the eighteen pits of the Concession de Lens w-ere
flooded ; it was therefore thought probable that other
shafts had been treated in a similar manner to the one
mentioned. This was found to be the case, and nego-
tiations were immediately entered into by the French
Government with various English firms tosuppiv pump-
ing machinery for the unwatering of these pits when
once the breaks had been sealed off.
Soon after the conclusion of hostilities Monsieur
Franfois %vas entrusted with the work of repairing
several of the shafts. By means of suitably placed
bore-holes and injections of cement under high pres-
sure the water flowing into these shafts was sealed off
in a comparatively short time, and the ultimate re-
covery of the coal greatly expedited. The procedure
adopted in the cementation of each pit differs little in
detail ; it is therefore only proposed to deal with pit
No. 11. When the pit was originally sunk, a very large
horizontal fissure was encountered at a depth of 63
yards, a certain amount of difficulty being experienced
in dealing with the great amount of water. This fact
118
THE MINING MAGAZINE
was taken advantage of by the (".ermans, for a cl)art;e
was CNplcded in (he shaft at the exact depth of the fis-
sure, causing holes 16 fi. by 22 ft. and 19 ft. by 13 ft.
to be blown in the sides. The resuhing rush of water
has been already mentioned, and it was this break in
the tubbing and consequent flooding of the mine that
had to be dealt witli by cementaiion.
Kig. 1 shows a section of the shaft, giving particulars
of the shaft lining, ground, and position where the tub-
bing was blown out by explosion, the lower charge
having been exploded previously without any very seri-
ous result. Fig 2 is a plan of the cementation holes,
each hole having been bored vertically downward to a
depth of 125 yards, to ensure its reaching below the
bottom of the water-bearing measures The diameter
teresting, ,is on referring to l-'ig. 2 they show clearly
the amount of cement i.aken up by the fissure :
I
T
I — ^ : '— '— T — ^ ^
r/SSt/^J £00C CJ'.I
Com. ^lasu/!£s
"TTTTTTTTTy
*CAST IROfi Tt/9SIM:
J4i roi
Fig. 1. Section of a Shaft, showing Tubbing destroyed
BY Explosion.
High Water Mark of Permanent Chalk Water- Level •IS yds.:
Low Water Mark 52 yds ; Tubbing broken by Explosion of
Two 220 lb. charges shown at A,
of the shaft was 16 ft , that of the outside circle of
holes 84 ft., and the inside circle 67 ft The outside
circle was injected and finished before the inside
one was commenced. The holes were treated in
pairs, being situated on opposite sides of the shaft, the
one being bored while the other was being injected.
An average of fourteen irjections was found necessary
in each hole, the injection commencing at a depth of
39 yards and being repeated about every 5 yards down,
whenever water was being made in the hole. A total
of 340 tons of cement was used for the outer holes and
101 tons for the inner ones. When injecting, the pres-
sure was not allowed to rise above 200 lb. per square
inch, this being found ample for the type of ground
under treatment. One foreman and eleven men were
employed on each shift, the total time taken for the
completion of the work being just under three months.
The following particulars of cement injected are in-
Cfnlrnt
Cement
Ceiiu'iit
Mole.
injected.
Hole.
injected.
Hole.
iii)<'CiL-d
Ions.
Ions,
1 ons.
1
56
9
30
17
Hi
■0
51
10
34
18
8
3
19
11
8
19
5
4
19J
12
174
20
10
5
18
13
6*
21
8
6
41
14
4
22
24
7
40
15
8
23
i
8
33
10
20
24
14
On the water-level in the pit falling sufficiently to
allow of the tubbing break being examined it was found
that the How of water had been completely sealed oh,
and in the place of the (>. 000 gallons per minute feeder
which was visible in the shaft on its previous examina-
tion three and a half years before, there was now only
a small feeder of 25 gallons per minute, this latter be-
FiG. 2. Plan oi- Cementation Holes for the Repairing
OF Tubbing Destroyed by Exi-losion.
Diameter of Shift 16 It. : Diameter of Outside RinB of Holes
84ft.: Diameter of Inside RinB of Holes 68 ft : Depth of
Holes 360 ft. ; Depth of Break in Tubbine 190 ft.
ing entirely sealed off after a few hours' further injec-
tion. The successful treatment of the pit is one worthy
of record, for with the exception of the fact that it was
known that the tubbing had been badly broken at a
vitally important part and that the shaft and neigh-
bouring pits were completely flooded to a few yards
from the surface, no information was available that was
of any assistance in the preparation of the scheme of
treatment. The majority of ihe pits were damaged by
the Germans towards ttie end of 1915, and in conse-
quence it had been found that at times the wooden
tubbing had suffered considerably. In such cases the
affected parts were treated by injection from the inside
of the shaft. As a result of the cementaiion of pit No.
11 and other pits in the neighbourhood it was possible
to start pumping operations on a large scale.
Chemistry of the Earth's Crust.— The Journal of
the Franklin Institute for December contains an article
with this title written by Henry S. Washington, petro-
logist of the petrological laboratory at the Carnegie
Institution, Washington. After brief consideration of
the interior of the earth, the general characters of ig-
neous rocks are discussed, and the presence of water
FEBRUARY, 1921
119
vapour and other gases in the magma, and its analogy
with a salt solution, are pointed out. In the discussion
of the mineral characters of rocks, stress is laid on the
fact that the number of essential rock-forming minerals
is very small. These are mostly silicates of Al, Fe, Mg,
Ca. Na, and K. Any two or more of these minerals
(with two exceptions) may occur together and in any
proportions. The chemical characters of igneous rocks
are summarized, and the ranges and maxima of the
various constituents are given. The average igneous
rock is considered and, after some discussion of the
sources of error involved m the calculation, a new aver-
age in terms of oxides (ba^ed on 5.179 analyses) isgiven.
The average rock is shown to be approximately a grano-
diorite. The average composition of the earth's crust
in terms of elements is also given. Twelve elements (O,
Si, Al, Fe, Ca, Na, K, Mg, Ti, H, P, and Mn) make up
9961% of the crust. .The elements are referred to two
main groups in the periodic table : (1) The petrogenic
elements, characteristic of, and most abundant in, the
igneous rocks, of low atomic weight, and occurring
normally as oxides, silicates, chlorides, and fluorides ;
(2) the metallogenic elements, rare or absent in igneous
rocks, but occurring as ores, of high atomic weight,
and forming in nature native metals, sulphides, ar-
senides, bromides, etc., but not primarily oxides or sili-
cates. The suggestion is made that beneath the silicate
crust of petrogenic elements is a zone essentially of
nickel-iron, and beneath fhisacentral core of the metal-
logenic elements. This vertical distribution is m accord
with Abbot's view as to the distribution of the elements
in the sun. In igneous rocks and minerals the elements
show a correlation, in that certain of them are prone
to occur with others, and a similar limited correlation
is apparently true of the animal and vegetable king-
doms. The idea of "comagmatic regions," that is, the
distribution of igneous rocks in regions of chemically
related magmas, is discussed, and some of these are
briefly described. The calculation of rock densities
from their chemical composition is discussed, and the
average chemical compositions and densities of the
continental masses and oceanic floors are given. It is
shown by these that the average densities of the conti-
nents, ocean floors, and various smaller regions of the
earth stand in inverse relation to their elevations. The
bearing of this relation of average density and elevation
on the theory of isostasy is pointed out, and it is shown
that the data presented are confirmative of the theory.
Nickel and its Uses. — In Chemical and Metallur-
gical Engineering for January 5, Paul D Merica com-
mences a series of articles on nickel and its alloys. We
qHote herewith his notes on commercial nickel and its
uses.
Nickel appears on the market in the following forms :
(a) Grains, cubes, rondelles, or powder, reduced at
a low temperature from nickel oxide and not fused in
the process of manufacture.
(6) Nickel deposited in concentric layers from nickel
carbonyl and not fused in the process of manufacture.
(c) Nickel deposited electrolytically in the form of
cathode sheets.
id) Nickel in the form of blocks or shots made by
reducing nickel oxide above the melting point of nickel
and casting the resulting molten metal or pouring it
into water.
(e) Malleable nickel made in the same manner as {d)
but treated with some deoxidizer before pouring inio
ingots. This nickel appears in the usual commercial
forms, rods, sheets, wire, etc.
Most of the commercial production of nickel falls in
class [d).
The International Nickel Co. has described the
grades of material which it produces and contributes
the average analyses of the materials given in the fol-
lowing table.
Percentage
Ni and Co.
1. Malleable Nickel Rods, A 9900
2. „ „ „ B 98 75
3. „ „ „ C 9675
4. Nickel Castings 9895
5. Orlord Electrolytic Nickel 99 84
6. Nickel Shot A 98-65
7. Nickel Shot X 99 05
The impurities were as follows: In (no'55 Fe.0'025 S.O'IO Si.
015 C: anil 0 15 Mn. In 121 050 Fe, 0 025 S, 0'20 Si. 0 15 C. 175
Mn. In (3) 075 Fe. 0'"3 S, 020 Si.O 15 C, r75 Mn. In (4) 0 50
Fe. 0 035 S. 0 16 C. In (5) 001 Cu, 0005 S. 0 005 C. 001 As, 0 01
Snand Sb. In 16) 0 15 Cu, OtiO Co, 0'5o Fe. 00*) S. 0 15 Si, 045
C. 0015 As. 0015 Sn and Sb. In (7) 0 15 Cu 0 80 Co. 0 47 Fe,
004 S. 0 10 Si. OlS C, 0 015 As. 0 015 Sn and Sb.
"A" shot nickel is a high-carbon nickel used by manu-
facturers of anodes for nickel plating. "X" shot nickel
is a purer material used by the manufacturers of crucible
nickel steel and of nickel silver. Ingot or block nickel
is almost identical in composition with " X " shot. It is
sold in 25 lb. and 50 lb. blocks or ingots and is used in
the manufacture of open- heartn and electric steel. Elec-
trolytic nickel in the form of cathodes 24 by 36 in.,
weighing about 100 lb., or in smaller squares, and is
used in the manufacture of high-grade nickel silver and
cupro-nickel alloys. Malleable nickel intended for rol-
ling into sheets or rods or for drawing into wire is made
in various grades according to the purpose for which it
is destined. All malleable nickel is treated before cast-
ing into ingots with some deoxidizer. generallv magne-
sium, for the purpose of removing the nickel oxide pres-
ent and making the metal suitable for rolling or forging.
Manganese is also added both for the purpose of clean-
ing the metal and as an alloying element. Nickel can-
not in general be rolled or forged without this prelimi-
nary treatment with a deoxidizer. Grades A and C
malleable nickel ingots are used for rolling into rods and
sheets and drawing into wire. There is also a grade
D malleable nickel, which is high-manganese nickel
having practically the same analysis as grade C, except
that manganese varies from 2 to 5%. This is used
principally for spark-plug wire to resist the action of
high temperatures and combustion gases.
Besides these commercial forms of nickel, the metal
is on the market in the form of anodes for the metal-
plating industry. These cast anodes are variable in
composition and contain from 88 to 95% nickel, together
with iron, aluminium, tin. silicon, sulphur, and carbon.
A typical analysis of a commercial anode is the follow-
ing : graphiticcarhon 1 '70% . silicon 0 50% , iron 0 80% ,
copper 0 15%. aluminium 0 03%. nickel 96 82%.
The principal commercial application of nickel is in
themanufactureof ni kel steel, and this industry absorb-
ed fully 75% of the total nickel production during the
war and probably 65% normally. Besides its use in sieel.
nickel is used extensively as an alloying element with
non ferrous metals, principally copper. About 15% of
the production is utilized in the manufacture of alloys
of nickel, such as cupro nickel and nickel silver, the
former series of alloys having come into prominence
during the war. Nickel coinage and the electroplating
industries mav each absoi b from 3 to 5% of the produc-
tion, the latier requiring the metal both in the metallic
form and in the form of nickel salts, the sulphate and
double ammonium sulphate. The proiluction of mal-
leable nickel, although never relati\ely large, has
amounted to about 5% of the total production, and is
steadily growing in volume as the properties of the
metal in this form become better known. Malleable
120
THE MINING MAGAZINK
nickel is produced in all commercial forms and is used
principally for coinage, cookinj; utensils (chiefly in Ger-
many and Austria) and ornamenial and household
slampin);s and 6ttin^s In the form of wire it is much
used for motor ignition sparkpUiK points, for the sus-
pension wires in electric light bulbs, for electrical re-
sistance pyrometers, electrical instruments, and recently
in the construction of the audion amplifier. Some mal-
leable nickel is produced in the form of castings for ap-
paratus such as digesters and evaporators for the chemi-
cal industry, for which its resistance to corrosion in
sulphuric and other acids makes it particularly suitable.
The Edison storage cell contains nickel both in tlieform
of nickel oxide and as nickel anodes. Finely divided
nickel is much used as a catalytic agent in the hydro-
genalion or hardening of oils, following the discovery
of this property by Sabatier and Sendcrens. Nickel
oxide is used in the ceramic industries for the produc-
tion of under or holding coats of enamel on steel, and
also for colouring glazes on pottery. Nickel castings
have been used with much success as rabble shoes by
the International Nickel Co., in calcining furnaces used
in roasting nickel matte. The shoes are exposed to
oxidizing and to sulphurizinggases at temperaturefrom
600 to 1,000° C. and to severe mechanical abrasion ;
theyhavestood up in this severe service forninemonths,
whereas iron shoes would last no more than from six
to eight weeks.
Mica in Australia. — In the Queensland Govern-
ment Mining Journal for October, B. Dunstan, Chief
Government Geologist, gives an account of the mica
production of the world. We extract the portion
dealing with Australian occurrences.
Pegmatite veins containing large crystals of mica are
known to occur on many of the mining fields of North-
ern (Queensland, the deposits on the Einasleigh River
to the south east of Georgetown and at Brookland near
Junction Creek, both within the Etheridge goldfield,
being specially worthy of' note. Attention has been
directed to the occurrence of deposits in the Cloncurry
district, and from recent examinations they appear to
be of more importance than anything previously known
in the State. They are situated on Rifle Creek, a tribu-
tary of the Upper (West) Leichhardt River, on Park-
side No. 6 Pastoral Lease, and about 68 miles almost
due west of the town of Cloncurry. Many references
are given in the Queensland Mineral Index to mica
occurrences, but without any information regarding
their extent or value. .\s regards other occurrences in
Australia, in the Northern Territory a mica mine was
opened and abandoned some years ago at Hart s Range,
to the north of Arltunga goldfield ; in 1914 operations
were again started, the war, however, stopping the work
at the mine in consequence of the mica being intended
for Germany. In South Australia it is reported to oc-
cur in an area near Williamstown, in the hundred of
Barossa, and a low-grade deposit has been opened near
the Warren Reservoir in the hundred of Para Wirra.
The country about the Rifle Creek mica area near
Cloncurry is said to be in hornblendic and micaceous
schist, in which a dyke of pegmatite was discovered to
be made up almost exclusively of large crystals of mica,
the thickness of the dyke being from 10 to 12 ft. A
large number of pegmatite dykes, some with quartz
predominating, occur in the locality, but have not been
examined, although the mica-bearing belt is said to ex-
tend for several miles. Samples for examination have
been rece'"'Pd from the outcrops of these deposits, but
np .. ireatment.,s (q have been made to determine the
employed on eacl,ality of the mica below the surface
completion of ibe\n,uch stained with iron oxides, and
The following partly defective condition, as might be
expected, but no doubt any blemishes in this surface
material would disappear if the mica were obtained in
deeper ground. Some of the crystals have well-de-
veloped cleavages, are roughly 9 in, square, and after
being stripped and trimmed, even in tlieir weathered
condition, have given very satisfactory tests, electrical
and otherwise. The deposits near Arltunga are in mica
schist in the form of large pegmatite dykes of felspar.
quartz, and mica. Some of the mica crystals obtained
were several feel in diameter, and one specimen is said
to have yielded 7cwt. of trimmed mica sheets.
The question for consideration so far as Queensland
is concerned is whether the Kifle Creek deposits con-
tain mica equal in quality to that imported from
America and India, and if so whether mining and dress-
ing operations could be carried on cheaply enough to
allow of competition with this imported material. Im-
perial demands for mica in connection with electrical
and wireless work have stimulated the interest in these
deposits and should induce miners to open up the out-
crops, and obtain some estimate of the value of the
very large mica sheets at a depth where they are not
affected by weathering agencies. The distance from
Rifle Creek to Cloncurry is 68 miles by road, and from
Cloncurry to Townsville by rail -ISl miles, altogether
making 549 miles over which the product would have
to be carried. In the mineral belt of country extend
ing for many miles to the north-west and south-east of
Cloncurry. and embracing the Rifle Creek deposits to
the west, there is a large number of outcrops of granite
and schist which all appear to be the result of the altera-
tion of the associated sedimentary rocks. This area
contains pegmatite dykes in the granites and schists
which have never been prospected and the conditions
are ideal for the occurrence of mica in qualities and
sizes suitable for manufacturing purposes.
Vanadium in the Transvaal. — In the September
issue reference was made to a company called the Afri-
can Vanadium and Lead Co , formed in the Transvaal
for the purpose of working lead vanadium deposits at
old Doornhoek lead mine, 17 miles south-east of Zee-
rust. The November issue of the South African Jour-
nal of Industries publishes the report made by Mal-
colm Ferguson, Inspector of Mines, Krugersdorp. and
Dr. P. A. Wagner. Government Geologist. This report
is reproduced herewith.
The deposit occurs in the upper portion of the dolo-
mite formation. It consists of soft decomposed bedded
manganese earth containing thin layers of chert and
large masses and boulders of unaltered dolomite. Ga-
lena is scattered through the manganese earth in ir-
regular nodules ranging in diameter from a fraction of
an inch to over 2 ft. The nodules are often covered with
a thin film of brilliant red minium, and some of them
show traces of the original bedding of the dolomite. In
addition, cerussite, vanadinite. and pyromorphite are
present. These minerals occur in irregular layers fol-
lowing the bedding of the manganese earth, also in
pockets, and finally encrusting vertical and steeply-in-
clined joint-planes. In the eastern part of the workings
there is a big exposure of dolomite containing irregular
masses and patches of galena, which has clearly devel-
oped by the replacement of the dolomite It is associa-
ted with fluor-spar and talc. Whether this dolomite
forms part of a great horse in the manganese earth, or
whether it represents a projecting portion of the wall
of the deposit, is not clear.
The deposit clearly owes its origin to a long and com-
plex succession of metasomatic processes. In the first
place galena appears to have been introduced from a
series of inclined fractures striking N.E.-3.W. by min-
eralizing solutions that spread along the bedding planes
FEBRUARY, 1921
121
of the dolomite. The alteration of that rock to manga-
nese earth took place subsequently, in all probability
through the agency of descending meteoric waters.
The formation of the vanadinite appears to have been
connected with the conversion of the dolomite into
manganese earth, but the evidence on the pomt is not
quite conclusive.
The mine is situated on the east side of a valley, and
has been opened by quarrying into the side of the hill,
and up to the present the work has consisted mainly in
turning over the quarried earth and extracting by hand
the galena lumps which are sufficiently large to be pick-
ed out. Additional amounts of galena have been re-
covered from shafts sunk from the surface outside the
quarry and from drives driven off the shafts and pushed
in from the faces of the quarry. The eastern face of the
quarry against the hillside is about 100 ft. high. The
walls of the quarry practically everywhere appear to
carry lead minerals. The mineral-bearing deposit is
found to continue in the floor of the quarry and in the
shaft and underground workings beyond, so that it is
at present impossible to estimate the probable extent of
the deposit. A rough traverse by prismatic compass
was made of the most westerly underground workings
at the 60 ft. level, and some samples were taken for an-
alysis. Further samples were taken at various parts of
the face of the quarry, and one from the dump. In the
underground workings above referred to, and at the
lower portion of the western face of the quarry, lead
and vanadium ores were found to occur in fairly con-
sistent quantities throughout the deposit over a con-
siderable area and thickness. These workings cannot
be looked upon as having opened up any tonnage of ore
reserves. They merely serve to prove that the deposit
exists over an extended area and carries the minerals
referred to beyond the horizon of the present workings.
The samples taken on the face of the quarry show the
consistent nature of the lead contents throughout the
deposit. The writers are of opinion that a consider-
able deposit carrying lead and vanadium oresexists. but
that the extent of it cannot be determined at present.
Dr. James Moir, Government Mining Chemist, re-
ports as follows on seven specimens of ore from the
Doornhoek mine ;
Vanadium
Lead. Pentoxide.
% %
A 995 090
B 115 060
C 8 15 0 -tS
D 15-5 1 35
E 14 3 0 40
F 14 4 Uncertain trace.
G 14-3 Trace about 02% .
Antimony Oxide as a Pigment. — At a meeting of
the Oil & Colour Chemists' Association held last month,
H. E. Clarke gave particulars of a new antimony oxide
pigment put on the market under the name " Timonox."
This pigment is said to be free from coarseness of crys-
talline structure and yellow impurity that have been
the great drawbacks in the past. Two brands have
been introduced, the "red star" being a very pure
white colour, and the "green star" a pale ivory cast.
The specific gravity of this antimony oxide is about 5 4,
which is approximately that of zinc oxide. The two
pigments, however, differ sharply in their behaviour
with oil ; antimony oxide is readily wetted, while its
oil absorption is so much lower that good paste can be
ground containing 10% of oil. It is said to be possible
to prepare from such paste oil paints with as much as
78% pigment, which flow well under the brush and give
coats of great opacity and purity of colour. For glossy
finishes good results are obtained with about 1 0% le
pigment. The drying rate is carefully adju'ited, as
there would seem to be a tendency to flatti ng ivhen the
drying is undulydelayed. Matt and semi -g lossy effects
are readily obtained. Antimony oxide has been found
to have no accelerating effect on the dr ying of linseed
oil, but this deficiency can be overcome by the incor-
poration of a small proportion of drier. Th is may take
the form of litharge, white lead, man ganese borate,
zinc oxide, gold size, or a drying resin ale or linoleate.
These mixtures, however, require to be broken with
rather more oil and less volatile thinner than white
lead pastes. Durability and colour sta bility tests have
shown that this pigment has excellent wearing proper-
ties. The films show practically no cracking and very
little chalking. Zinc oxide has proved itself a useful
auxiliary to antimony oxide, acting first as a drier and
later as a hardener of the film.
Geology of Killifreth Mine. — At a meeting of the
Royal Geological Society of Cornwall, held in Novem-
ber, M. H. Kitto read a paper describing the geology
of Killifreth mine, near Redruth, with special reference
to the middle lode. The mine is situated in the clay-
slate a mile and a half north of the granite outcrop, but
granite is met with in the 70 fathom level in the form
of a tongue or apophysis, and again as a tongue in the
20 fathom level, where it is seen to pass in to schorl rock.
Quartz-porphyry dykes are met with at the 50 fathom
level and again in the 40 fathom level. The middle
lode has yielded blende, cassiterite, chalcopyrite, mis-
pickel, molybdenite, pyrite. and wolfram, while smaltite
has been found in a cross-course. The mineral values
are irregularly distributed. The lode shows comb
structure and in places is filled with cassiterite in tour-
malinized slate, clean quartz with wolf ram, clean quartz
with wolfram and molybdenite in separate layers The
author comes to the conclusion that there has been
chiefly lateral movement with little or no vertical dis-
placement in the cross-course which cuts the middle
lode.
Geology of Cam Marth. — At a meeting of the Royal
Geological Society of Cornwall, held in November, G.
M. McPherson, Jr., read a paper on the geology of
Carn Marth, and of the district lying immediately to
the east of Redruth. He describes some interesting
cases of differentiation in the granite and concludes that
four types of rock are represented: (1) the original
coarse muscovite biotite granite which forms the bulk
of the mass ; (2) an intrusion of fine-grained granite
which penetrated the coarse type with an irregular line
of contact along which it is seen to contain coarse
crystals of felspar; (3) an intrusion of fine-grained
schorl granite which penetrates the fine granite but does
not reach the coarse type; (4) an intrusion of pegma-
tite, and in the coarse granite only narrow dykes of
aplite. The author also describes a contact of two
quartz-porphyry dykes (elvans) which occurs at the
junction of the granite and clay-slate.
SHORT NOTICES.
Mine Signalling. — The Colliery Guardian for Janu-
ary 7 describes the Granville audible and visual sig-
nalling apparatus, as applied at the Granville colliery,
Bur ton -on -Trent.
Ventilation in Mines. — The November Journal of
the Chemical, Metallurgical, & Mining Society of
South Africa contains an article by E J. Laschinger
describing ventilation tests at Village Deep undertaken
with the object of ascertaining the amount of fresh air
re(|uired to remove the fumes after blasting in develop-
ment drives.
122
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
Kata-thermometer. — In a paper published in llic
November Jon r»iii/ o( the Chemical, Melalliir^iical, &
Mining Society of South Africa. II. J. Irelanii describes
Dr. Leonard Hill's kata-lhermometer, which is used
for measuring the cooling power of the atmosphere
Copper Smelting in Jnpan. — In the Em^itwcring
and .MiMiii!,' Journal (or January 8, C. F: Mason de-
scribes the operation of the Hidachi copper smeller in
Japan
Bunker Hill. — In the Mining and Scicttti/ic Press
for January S, T. A. Kickard describes the Bunker Hill
& Sullivan Company's lead-smelling plant.
Cadmium. — Chemical and Metallurgical Engi-
necruifi for December 29 contains a paper by H. R.
Hanley on an electrolytic process for producing cad-
mium as devised by the author at the Mammoth electro
lytic zinc plant of the United States Smelting, Refining,
& Mining Co . at Kennett, California.
Cyaniding. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for January 15 and 22. Alfred James reviews
the position of the cyanide process.
American Sulphur. — Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for January 12 reprints a paper read by
R. F. Bacon and H. S. Davis before the American In
stitute of Chemical Engineers on December 6. describ-
ing the American resources of elemental sulphur, par-
ticularly those in Texas, and comparing the relative
advantages of pyrites and sulphur as a source of sul-
phuric acid.
Midland Coalfields. — A paper was read by H. H.
Ridsdale at the January meeting of the South Siaflord-
shire and Warwickshire Institute of Mining Engineers
on the geological relationship of the South SiafJ'jrd-
shire, Warwickshire. South Derbyshire, and Leicester-
shire coalfields.
Oil in India. — The Geological Magazine for Janu-
ary contains a paper on the geology of the oil regions
in the northern Punjab. India, by H. Preiswerk.
Old Sussex Iron Industry.- At the meeting of the
New':omen Society, held on January 27, Rhys Jenkins
read a paper on the rise and fall of the iron manufac-
ture in Sussex
World's Copper Production. — In the Geological
Magrtsinc for January, Dr. F. H. Hatch writes on the
growth of the world's copper production.
Low-Temperature Carbonization. — At a meeting of
the Society of Chemical Industry held on January 3,
G. H. Thurston read a paper describing the Smith low-
temperature system of carbonization.
Building Stones. — At the meeting of the Concrete
Institute held on Januarv 27, J Allen Howe read a
paper on geology in relation to building stones.
Cementation at the Mazoe Dam. — In a paper pub-
lished in the November Journal of the Chemical,
Metallurgical, & Mining Socieiy of South Africa, G A.
Voskule described the hardening of the substrata of
the Mazoe dam in Rhodesia, effected by means of the
Francois cementation process.
Trestle Viaducts. — The Engineer for January 21
gives particulars and drawings of the old timber via-
ducts on the Great Western Railway in Cornwall and
Devon. These 'oridges were built in Brunei's days,
but have gradually been replaced by stone viaducts.
At present two are being removed on the Kingswear
branch and two of the eight on the Falmouth branch
are to be removed shortly.
Arthur De Wint Foote. — The Mining and Scien-
tific Press for December 25 contains the report of an
interview between Mr. Foote and Mr T A Rickard
giving the former's record. Mr Koote's svork at the
North Star gold mine, in Grass 'Valley, California, is
of great interest to mining engineers.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED.
f-^^A cofty ()/ the st^cciticttfion of auy o/ the f^atfuts men-
liotii-it tn tilts cnlitmn can Iw o/i/iliritv/ tiy .si-iti/iMi: ts. to
titc l\ltcnt O.ttioc, Soutlutmt>ton tiniltiinns, Cltiiitcery
/.(iKC. I.tnttton, \V C.2., with a tiute of the nttmbcr iinil year
of the l>.iteiit.
14,865 of 1917(155.600). C.J. Head, London.
Produrtum of tungsten powder by heating sodium with
sal ammoniac and carbon.
4.376 of 1919 (155,855). A. R. Mangnall,
Chester. Boring machine lor forcing aheadingthrough
soft ground.
11,184-6 of 1919 (126,625-7). P Desachv,
Paris. Method of preparing an anhydrous zinc sul-
phide from hydraled sulphide precipitated from solu-
tions by chemical reactions.
19,316 of 1919 (142,432). C. P. Madsen,
Newark. New Jersey. Improved method of electro-
lytic plating with nickel.
20,891 of 1919 (125,875). W. Broadbridgk,
E. ICdsei!, W. W. Sti£nning, and Mineisals Sep-
akation. Ltd , London In the seoaration of coal
from stone by the agitation froth method the use of a
flocculating medium which will serve as a binding agent
in the production of britjueites.
22,174 of 1919 (137,273). Brown, Bovf.ri &
Co., Baden, Switzerland. In air-compressors of the
rotary type, methods of preventing the surging of tlie
delivery.
22,370 of 1919 (155,349). L A. Wood and
Minerals Sf.paration, Ltd., London. In the agi-
tation-froth concentration process, in which air is in-
troduced below the agitator, the arrangement of a grid
just above the agitator.
22.825 of 1919 (155,373). H. T. Arrowsmith,
Burslem. Method of making acid pots used in the
manufacture of white lead.
23,352 of 1919 (155,644). (;. He.n^e and E.
Weber, Brussels. .An internal combustion engine
suitable for use on mine locomotives.
25,545 of 1919 (155,945). P. A. Mackay, Lon-
don. Method of making sulphate of lead from metal-
lic lead by the attack of strong sulphuric acid.
26,231 and 28.489 of 1919 (155,692). J J
Hood. London. Method of purifying sulphur.
26.310 of 1919 (155.953). G. Becker, Magde-
burg. Germany. Improvements in conveyors of the
jigging type.
27.784 of 1919 (135,186). Aktiebolaget Fer-
rolegeringar, Stockholm. Method of preparing
manganese and manganese alloys low in carbon and
silicon.
27.785 of 1919 (135,187). Aktiebolaget Fer-
ROLEGERINGAR. Stockholm. Method of removing
silicon and carbon from chromium and chromium
allovs.
1,715 of 1920 (138,083). W. Friederick,
Cologne. Detonating caps, loaded with a suitable ni-
tro compound, primed with an initial charge of lead
azide, and lead tri nitro-resorcinate placed over it.
3,279 of 1920 (139,160). B. Raedek and A. S.
ZiNK Co., Christiania, Norway. Arrangement of dry-
ing, heating, and reduction chambers in electric fur-
naces for producing zinc.
3,892 of 1920 (155,145). G. H. Elmore and
H. L. McLean, Scranton, Pennsylvania. Jigs for
coal washing.
4,369 of 1920(138,924). New Jersey ZiNC Co.,
F.G. Brever, and E H Bunce. New York. Method
of treating impure zinc oxides by heat for the improve-
ment of their colour and their suitability for use as pig-
ments.
I
I
FEBRUARY, 1921
123
5,532 of 1920 (156,019). J. Dean, Racine, Wis-
consin. Mechanical method of preparing the surface
of aluminium to permit of coating, tinning, or soldering,
6,049of 1920(139,520). SociiiTi; Anonvme des
Charbonnages de Beeringen, Liege. Improve-
ments in the method of shaft-sinking by means of freez-
ing.
9,633 of 1920 (155,739). Metal & Thermit
Corporation, New York. Method of introducing
tungsten metal into molten steel for the formation of
tungsten steel.
15,884 of 1920 (144,728). Fried Krupp Gru-
sonwerk, Magdeburg-Buckau. Germany. Improve-
ments in the chlondizing-roasting process, particularly
with the object of separating lead and silver from com-
plex zinc-lead ores.
16,162 of 1920(145,047). Siemens-Schuckert-
werke, Berlin. Improved transporter for use in con-
nection with tunnelling and mining m.ichines.
16,559 of 1920 (146,108). R. M McKenna,
Washington, U S.A. Purification of ferro-tungsten,
by treating with hydrochloric acid few the removal of
sulphur, carbon, and phosphorus.
17,690 of 1920 (155,S22). L A. Irazusta,
Guipuzcoa. Spain. Use of pure alumina and water as
binding agent for fine iron ores, in the manufacture of
briquettes for smelting
17,760of 1920(145,600). P. Goldberg, Berlin.
Electrolytic process for separating copper and nickel.
24,854 of 1920 (151,260). G. Haglund, Falun,
Sweden. Improved electrolytic cell for the deposition
of nickel from solutions.
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, Etc.
IIW"Copies of the books, etc , mentioned below can be obtained
thiQugti the Technical Bookshop of The Mining Magazine,
724, Salisbury House. London Wall, E.C.2.
Coal; being one of the Monographs on Mineral Re-
sourceswith Special Reference to the British Empire,
issued by the Imperial Institute. By J. H, Ronald-
son, M.Inst M.E., M.Inst.M.M.. F.G.S. Paper
covers, octavo, 166 pages. Price6s.net. London:
John Murray.
In this littlevolume Mr. Ronaldson hasattempted the
almost impossible task of producing an account of the
coal resources of the entire British Empire. To do this
adequately, many such volumes and at least as many
authors would be needed ; no one man can possess all
the requisite information, and no one book can contain
it. Mr. Ronaldson's book is of course only a compila-
tion of matter already published, but it can fairly claim
to present in a convenient form a sketch of thecoalBelds
of the British Empire and to act as an index to the vast
mass of scattered publications on the subject. The
author has of course drawn mainly upon the great work,
" The Coal Resources of the World." published in 1913
in Canada under the auspices of the International Geo-
logical Congress, and most of the statistics given are
quoted from this. Unfortunately the author has drawn
some of his statistical matter somewhat indiscriminately
from other sources, as, for e.xample, for Great Britain
from the Report of the 1904 Commission on Coal Sup-
plies or from Hull's work on the Coalfields of Great
Britain, and uses at times the figures from one source,
at times from another, and even in places puts down
two sets of estimates and leaves it to the reader to select
whichever he may happen to fancy. The same want of
care in the due co-ordination of his sources of informa-
tion may be seen in such an example as in the spelling
of the same coalfield as "Jharia" and "Jherria" re-
spectively on two adjoining pages. The portion of the
book that will probably strike the reader as the least
satisfactory is that relating to the coalfields of Great
Britain, though this may be merely due to the fact that
information concerning these is better known and more
readily accessible. It is noteworthy that Mr. Ronald-
son has given only 15 references to literature concern-
ing the United Kingdom, and has omitted some of the
most important ; thus he would no doubt have written
differently from what he has done had he consulted
Stanley Smith's %vork on the Limestone Coals of the
Northumberland coalfield, while again he seems to
have made no use of A. E. Ritchie's book on the Kent
coalfield. It is at least as surprising that he has not
availed himself of the mass of valuable matter to be
found in the Transactions of the Institution of Mining
Engineers. In spite, however, of such imperfections
and limitations, the book should be found decidedly
useful to a wide circle of readers, particularly if care is
taken to consult on all matters of detail the more exten-
sive works, of which the present volume may be re-
garded in the light of a convenient abstract.
Henry Louis.
The Platinum Metals. By A. D. LuMB. A.R S.M..
F.G.S . Assoc. Inst. M.M. Octavo, paper covers. 63
pages. Price 3s. 6d. net. London : John Murray.
This book is one of the monographs on mineral re-
sources with special reference to the British Empire,
prepared under the direction of the Imperial Institute.
The 63 pages are divided into three chapters. Chapter
I deals with the occurrences, characters, and uses of
the platinum metals, and contains interesting tables
giving various analyses of platinum from different parts
of the world, a list of the principal platinum and pal-
ladium alloys, the world's output of platinum from 1910
to 191S. and others. As regards the world's output of
platinum, the author on page 13 mentions that "it ap-
pears to have been a tendency for private enterprises
(in Russia) to keep these published outputs as low as
possible in order to avoid registration." In this re-
spect the author iswrongly informed, and such a serious
statement should certainly never have been made with-
out closer investigaiion. The real discrepancy between
official and actual figures is solely due to theft either
by workmen from their employers or by marauders
working without licence or authority. Chapter II.
which deals with the sources of supply of the platinum
metals from the British Empire, contains in condensed
form descriptions of occurrences throughout the Em-
pire. It is very complete and useful. Chapter III is
devoted to the supply of platinum metals from foreign
countries. It lacks accuracy ; the geological data for
some of the countries are decidedly antiquated and a
good many mis-spellings (or are they printer's errors?)
should have been avoided. In France there is no De-
partment of " Charaste," but " Charente " ; " Chate-
lard " is given as " Chatalard " : in French Guiana the
river " Aporuague " should be " Apronaguel " and
" Danmer " should be " Damoiir." The platinum de-
posits in Germany, according to the author, are quite
real and practically ready to start exploitation. Yet
Krusch, the author cited, entitles his treatise on these
deposits: " Die Platinverddchtigen Lagerstatten etc,"
that is, the deposits 5t*.s/>eci^(i of containing platinum,
etc. Krusch cites assay-results made by one and the
same method, on the same material but in different
laboiatories. thus :
1st Laboratory 2nd Laboratorv
Grammes per Ton. Grammes per Ton.
No. 1 30 00 Traces
No. 2 35 05 3 8
No. 3 8 00 OS
In the face of such facts, by simply saying that his
124
THE MINING MAC.AZINE
samples yielded values varying from a trace to 33 5
j;rammes per ton, a uronn impression is beint; con-
veyed. The (lerman deposits from a technical point
of view are far from being proved As regards Hnssia,
the statistical data are substantially correct, but the
geography dealing with the deposits is not properly
co-ordinated and rather confusing, even wrong. Des-
cribing the methods in use in certain parts of Russia
when %vorking the deposits in winter, the author states
(page -10) that the deposits are allowed to freeze and
the frozen ground is mined after having partially
thawed. This method is. however, only resorted to
for prospecting purposes, as has been extensively des-
cribed in Leon Ferrets paper in Volume xxi. of the
Transactions of the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy. The references to literature on the platinum
metals, while extensive in many instances, are second-
hand ; besides, they are not sufiiciently up to date. A
publication by Visotski is mentioned which dates
back to 1903 and which in the original is entitled " Pre-
liintnary Notice on the i'laiinum Deposits, etc " His
completed treatise was published in 1913 and bears the
title " The .-Mluvial Platinum Deposits of the Iss and
of Nijnv Taguil in the Urals." The latter publication
should have been consulted Some of the eminent
workers on th^ geology of platinum deposits are not
mentioned at all, for instance, Feodoroff, Nikitin, I.e
vinson-Lessing, etc. The book under review is framed
on a comprehensive basis and deserves re-ediling. Its
shortcomings could readily be amended ; they should
certainly not have escaped the vigilance of the scien-
ti5c and technical staff of the Imperial Institute.
A. L. Simon.
Geology of the Non-Metallic Mineral Deposits other
than Silicates. Volume 1. Principles of Salt
Deposition. By Amadeus \V. Gkahau. Cloth,
octavo, 430 pages, illustrated. Price 30s. New
York and London : The McGraw-Hill Book Co.
Those who have carefully studied the author s "Prin-
ciples of Stratigraphy " will welcome the appearance
of the present volume, which deals in a most lucid
manner with the practical application of those princi-
ples in so far as they affect salt deposition. In this
term "salt" are included nitrates, phosphates, borates,
common salt, and similar deposits, thus embracing a
wide field of investigation, and the author has spared
no pains to treat the subject as systematically and or-
iginally as he expounded his theories of stratigraphical
geology in his former standard work, though with this
exception : that a somewhat heavy style and cumber-
some nomenclature characteristic of the " Principles"
find no place in this later production, to its very dis-
tinct advantage.
As in so many phases of applied stratigraphy, our
knowledge of the geology of salt deposits has its de-
cided limitations, and even the standard textbooks are
astonishingly vague or stereotyped in their treatment
of the matter ; certain well-defined theories of salt de-
position (using the word salt in its more restricted
sense), modelled on the lines of the famous Stassfurt
occurrence, recur in nearly every publication on the
subject with monotonous frequency, with little, if any,
review or modification in the light of advancement of
genera! ideas on stratigraphy. There is nothing vague
or stereotyped in this book, and its advent anticipates
and lays the foundation for a distinct line of progress
to be followed in future researches of this branch of
economic geology.
The author first considers the natural salts, their min-
eral characteristics and classification from a strictly
chemical standpoint ; this includes a valuable glossary
of the principal properties and mode of occurrenceof the
non metallic salts (<itlier than silicates), oxides, hydro-
carbons, and non metallic native elements. This is fol-
lowed by a very succinct account of Van t Hoff's fa-
mous researches on oceanic deposition, illustrated by
saturation and crystallization diagrams, in the chapter
dealing with the sea as a source of saline deposits ; in
this chapter, (Jrabau's treatment of the biological fac-
tors involved is good, but we would have preferred a
fuller discussion of the parts played by marine bacteria
and alg:r in the secretion of lime salts than he has
given us, on the lines of Drew's excellent paper of 1914
(Carnegie Institute of Washington), to which theauthor
makes only passing reference. Although he anticipates
this criticism in the preface to a certain extent, it is
doubtful whether a sudden Hood of illustrations of
modern and extinct organisms included at this stage
makes up for the omission of details so essentially cog-
nate to the subject The succeeding four chapters are
devoted to a consideration of the several phases of ma-
rine salt deposition, and include a short description of
those interesting "cyclic salts," illustrated with refer-
ence to Holland and Christy's account of the well-
known Sambhar Lake of Kajputana. This type of
deposit is defined as salt which has been lifted from
the sea with the spray, blown inland and deposited
either near to the coastal margin, or under special cir-
cumstances (as at Sambhar) in inland drainage basins.
The next section deals with terrestrial salt deposi-
tion, and in our opinion is the most valuable part of
the book ; all deposits of this description are classified
with reference to both the source of the material and
the cause of deposition ; with this as a basis, the reader
is presented with a very able thesis on this phase of the
subject. In particular chapters 9 and 10 deserve
special mention ; in the former he discusses "connate
salts." a phrase happily chosen to define a type of in-
organic sediment of which little account is usually
taken by the average geo-physicist. Connate salt im-
plies just that deposit derived from seawater and en-
closed with the sediments actually laid down therein,
and when not removed by subsequent leaching action,
constitutes a fundamental factor in the formation of
salt deposits, and one hitherto unappreciated at its full
stratigraphical significance.
The succeeding pages are devoted to a consideration
of nitrates, phosphates, and salts derived from hot
springs, mineral springs, and the like, and in the pen-
ultimate chapter the author discusses several theories
of origin of those curious salt-dome structures which
are so imperfectly understood and at the same lime of
such far-reaching importance, particularly in oilfield
technology.
We strongly recommend this volume to all those in-
terested in problems of salt deposition and economics,
and we look forward to the promised volume 2, and
also to the volume on hydrocarbons at which theauthor
hints in his preface.
H. B. MlLNER.
Mineralogy. By Drs. E. H. Kraus and W. F. Hunt
Cloth, octavo, 580 pages, illustrated. Price 27s. net
New York and London : The McGraw-Hill Book Co
The volume is described as an introduction to the
study of minerals and crystals. In the introduction the
authors point out the intimate connection between min-
eralogy and mining and agriculture, and hence also
commerce and industry generally. Its relations to the
other sciences is indicated, and its origin on a scientific
basis is justly credited to Werner. The introduction is
followed by chapters on crystallography, wnich are il-
lustrated by photographs of actual crystals and crysta
FEBRUARY, 1921
125
models, in addition to line drawings. This should help
the student, whose training in solid geometry is usually
slight, to master the initial difficulties of the subject.
Chapters dealing with the polarizing microscope and
chemical properties of minerals follow, and the mtro-
ductory matter is completed by chapters on the forma-
tion and occurrence of minerals and on qualitative
blow pipe methods. Descriptive mineralogy, including
a chapter on gems and gem stones, occupies about 150
pages, followed by classification tables and a glossary
of terms. The text is copiously illustrated by figures
and photographs, and also by portraits of eminent min-
eralogists. The definitions of the terms "drusy" and
" hydration " as given in the glossary might be improv-
ed, and it is to be noted that while the names of some
plutonic rocks are given others are omitted . An inspec-
tion of the blow-pipe tests shows them to be complete
and up-to-date, but it should be mentioned that some
varieties of cassiterite refuse to yield a satisfactory re-
sult with the zinc and hydrochloric acid test. The book
can be thoroughly recommended to the student as an
introduction to the subject, and is especially suitable
to one attempting to improve his knowledge of minerals
without access to lectures and demonstrations.
E. H. Davison.
The Ore Deposits of Utah. By B. S BUTLER, G.
F. LouGHLiN, V. C. Heikes, and others. Profes-
sional Paper No. Ill of the United States Geological
Survey.
A discussion of the numerous ore deposits of a State
that has produced nearly a thousand million dollars
worth of metals, and written by such a galaxy of emi-
nent economic geologists as the experts of the United
States Geological Survey, is a work of exceptional in-
terest to mining geologists aiid engineers in general.
Such is this volume. It contains accounts of copper,
silver, gold, lead, and zinc deposits of great variety, be-
sides descriptions of deposits of many other less com-
mon metals, together with critical discussions of the
modes of genesis of the several kinds of deposits. While
most of these deposits are derived from igneous sources,
many occur in sedimentary formations often showing
no obvious connection with igneous rocks and of doubt-
ful affinities. Covering such a wide range of types the
work is practically a textbook on ore deposits and their
modes of genesis. It is profusely illustrated both with
field photographs and photomicrographs illustrating
important points in occurrence, and contains numerous
statistical diagrams. Among features of special interest
may be mentioned the descriptions of alunite veins and
a critical discussion of the genesis of sulphuric acid
under magma'.ic conditions and the general problems
of primary sulphate veins. Alunite veins and aluniti-
zation are geological features that are particularly well
developed in Utah. The volume also contains much in-
formation on the problems of metamorphism and some
very interesting applications of quantitative methods
for elucidating the probable characters of the solutions
or emanations that have brought about metamorphic
changes and the deposition of ore minerals. Altogether
fhe work is one that may be studied with profit by all
interested in the problems of ore occurrence and ore
genesis. W. H. Goodchild.
The Geology and Ore Deposits of Ely, Nevada. By
Arthur C Spencer, Professional Paper 96 of
ihe United States Geological Survey.
This volume is of great interest to the general student
of ore deposits as a treatise on the occurrence and gene-
sis of the huge disseminated copper or mineralized por-
phyry deposits that have contributed so largely to the
establishment of America's pre-eminent position as the
producer of such a large proportion of the world's cop-
per supply. In addition to and apart from its local in-
terest as a descriptive treatise on the ore deposits of a
particular region, it is of special interest in that it gives
a very full account of the processes of primary or ig-
neous and secondary or katamorphic metamorphism,
both of which processes have been necessary to gene-
rate rock sufficiently impregnated with metalliferous
material to rank as commercial copper ore. The chem-
istry of secondary enrichment of lean primary iron
and copper sulphides is discussed in considerable de-
tail. The primary or igneousmetamorphism and miner-
alization of the monzonitic porphyry intrusives, which
carried little or no mineral as originally formed, is fully
described, and the extensive changes wrought in the
rock-masses are ascribed to magmatic waters emanat-
ing from an internal magma reservoir undergoing cry-
stallization, the reservoir being the parent reservoir of
the monzonitic extrusions. It is of interest and indeed
somewhat striking that the theory of primary sulphide
mineralization and wholesale metamorphism here quite
independently put forward, as a result of careful and
detailed geological surveying in this region, to account
for the introduction of the enormous quantities of py-
rite and accompanying copper, together with the ac-
companying silicate metamorphism, is identical in prin-
ciple with the theory put forward elsewhere by the re-
viewer to account for the wholesale metamorphism of
the Witwatersrand series and the introduction of iron
sulphides and gold in large quantities into the con-
glomerates and their associated rocks. There seems to
be a marked parallelism between the two types of oc-
currence, which, though differing considerably in de-
tail, are closely allied in principle, so that it seems
possible that a study of the copper porphyries of the
New World might be helpful in the elucidation of the
great gold problem of South Africa.
W. H. Goodchild.
Chemical Analyses of Igneous Rocks. By Henry
Stephens Washington. Professional Paper 99
of the United States Geological Survey.
This volume is a revised and greatly enlarged edition
of the original tables of rock analyses collected by the
same author, and published as Professional Paper 14
of the United States Geological Survey. This edition
embraces the analyses of no less than 8,602 igneous
rock samples as against 2,281 in the original paper. It
is undoubtedly the most complete collection of igneous
rock analyses extant and, having regard to the care
with which it has been compiled, may be regarded as
thestandard work of reference on this important branch
of petrological research. The tables give the analysis
of each rock, together with its ordinary name, the lo-
cality from which the specimen was obtained, the name
of the analyst, the bibliographical reference to the
source of information, its position in the quantitative
system, and remarks. To quote the author's words,
" it is coming to be recognized by petrologists in general
that the study of igneous rocks is in large part the
study of silicate solutions and their equihbria, often
complicated by the presence of volatile components,
and is thus to be regarded as essentially a branch of
physical chemistry." For such a study rock analyses
are all-important and, indeed, indispensable. Hence
the importance and value of this work to all geologists
concerned with the study of igneous rocks, and, it may
be added, to mining geologists in particular, since so
many ore deposits are derived from such rocks or the
molten masses from which they have crystallized. The
tables are prefaced with a critical discussion of the char-
acter and use of such analyses and contain much in-
126
rill': MINING MAGAZINE
formation of value to jjeolo^iisis who may not bo fa
miliar with tin- chemical methods of rock analysis and
the possible errors in ordinary rock analyses The well-
known quantitative system of classification is adopted
in the presentation of the analysis. Whatever may he
said as to the limitations and shortcomings of this sys-
tem as at present developed, there can be no question
as to the usefulness of this volume as a dictionary of
igneous rock analyses. The construction of the system
and a general explanation of its principles and practical
working is given in an appendix, so that the work is
complete in itself and can be used by those who may
not be accustomed to its peculiar conventions and
usages. The work is one that should find a place in
the library of every petrologist and mining geologist.
\V. H. GOODCHII-D.
Wire Ropes for Hoisting. Quarto, 284 pages, with
many illustrations. Price20s.net. Johannesburg:
The South African Institution of Engineers.
This volume contains a reprint of extracts from
articles, etc., appearing in the publications of the
South African Institution of Engineers and of the pre-
viously existmg societies of which it is the successor.
The papers and articles are not by any means given
in full. In most cases parts of the discussion are
given also. The followmg are the titles of the papers :
Winding Plants for Great Depths, by Hans. C Hehr
(1902) ; Rope Statistics, extracted from CHickauf
(1903) : Notes on the Corrosion of Wire Kopesby Mine
Waters, by W. S Thomas (igO'l) ; An Investigation
Regarding the Effect of Kinetic Shocks on Winding
Ropes in Vertical Shafts, by ]. A. Vaughan (1904);
The Risk Arising from Using Winding Ropes with too
High an Initial Factor of Safety, by H. J. S. Heather
(1905) ; Some Interesting Repairs to Machinery, by K.
Schweder (1906) ; Wire Ropes Used for Wmdmg :
Their Strength and Some Causes for its Reduction, by
J. A. Vaughan and W. M. Eplon (1905) ; Some Notes
on an Electrical Apparatus for Ascertaining the Cross
Sectional Area of Wire Ropes, by C. McCann (1906) ;
A Few Notes on Resultsof Tests of Worn Ropes, by W.
M. Epton (1907) ; Record Keeping as Applied to the
Resident Engineer's Department of a Mine, by H. L.
Templer (1909) : The Kimberley System of Handling
Large Quantities of Ground in the Minimum of Time,
with Notes Regarding the Life of Wire Ropes, by k. F.
Williams (1911) ; Notes on the Margin of Safety Re-
quired by Government for Man Haulage at Great
Depihs, by R. B. Greer (1912) ; Hauling from Great
Depths, by H. Kesiner (1913) : Notes on the Value of
Annealing the Connecting Attachments on Winding
Plants, by J. A. Vaughan (1916) ; The Factor of Safety
of Wire Ropes Used for Winding in Mine Shafts, by
J. A. Vaughan (ls/17).
Geology of the Northern Portions of the Districts
of Marico and Rustenburg, Transvaal. By H. Kyn-
ASTON, W. A. Hlmphkey, and A. W. Rogers.
Pamphlet and maps published by the Geological Sur-
vey of South Africa.
Geology of Pondoland. By A. L. Du ToiT and
A W. Rogers. Pamphlet and map published by the
Geological Survey of South .'Africa. Thecoppernickel
deposits at Insizwa lie on the north western border of
the area covered by this work
The Limestone Resources of the Union of South
Africa II. By W. Wybergh. Memoir No. 11 of
the Geological Survey of South Africa, dealing with
the limestones of Natal, the Cape, and Orange Free
State.
Corundum in the Northern and Eastern Transvaal.
By A. L. Hall. Memoir No. 15 of the Geological
Survey o( South Africa, 220 pages, with many maps
and other illustrations. This volume gives detailed in-
formation as to the many corundum deposits of the
Transv.aal with an account of the geology of the coun-
try .\ paper on tliis subject by Dr. P. A. Wagner was
quoted in the Mac.x/ini-; for September, 1918.
Asbestos 1913 to 1919. Pamphlet published by
the Imperial Mineral Resources Huieau. Price Is.
Manganese Deposits, Peak Hill Goldfield. By A.
MoNTiuiMKUV. Slate Mining Engineer for West Aus-
tralia. This report describes manganese deposits at
Horseshoe Range in the Peak Hill goldfield.
Geology of the Enterprise Mineral Belt. By II. B.
Maufi:. Director of the Rhodesian (leological Survey.
Geological Survey Bulletin No. 7.
COMPANY REPORTS
Wolhuter Gold Mines. — This company was formed
in ISS7 to work a gold-mining property on the outcrop
on the central Rand. The control passed from the
Neumann group a year or two ago to the Central Min-
ing & Investment Corporation. The report fbr the
year ended October 31 last shows that 396,292 tons of
ore was raised, and. after the rejection of waste, 359,600
tons averaging 5 9 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill.
The yield of gold by amalgamation was 71,841 oz. and
by cyaniding 31,828 oz., being a total of 103,669 oz. or
5'6 dwt. per ton. The par value of this gold was
^■435 337, but an additional income of /133,000, aris-
ing from the premium, was realized. The working
cost was ^433,001, or 23s. 5d. per ton, leaving a profit
of ^"135, 336. Dividends absorbing £107,500 were dis-
tributed, being at the rate of 12J%. The ore reserve
is estimated at 661.904 tons averaging 5 7 dwt. The
mine is fully developed and the number of available
slope faces is gradually decreasing. In order to main-
tain the output it becomes necessary to draw from re-
clamation sources ore of lower grade. Thus in the
future smaller profits will be made, and it will only be
by means of the gold premium that the mine can be
kept working.
Messina (Transvaal) Development. — This company
was formed in 1905 to work copper properties in the
northern Transvaal. Though the ore was rich it was
not possible for some lime to make profits owing to the
high cost of shipment to England. Subsequently, when
treatment plant was provided, the richer ore had become
exhausted. The only dividends paid were for the years
ended June 30, 1916. and June 30, 1917. The cessation
of shipments of matte during the latter part of the war
was another adverse factor. As already recorded, it
was decided recently to build a new mill and a new
smelter and refinery, the financing of which was pro-
vided by a subsidiary company called the Transvaal
Smelting & Refining Co., Ltd., which would treat
other ores as well. The report for the year ended
June 30 last shows that 11,659 tons, averaging 51%
copper, was raised from the Vogelenzang mine, and
80.488 tons, averaging 251%. from the Messina
mine The results of concentration were : 55 tons of
picked shipping ore and concentrate, averaging 68%.
and 5.871 tons of concentrate, averaging 33 4%, suit-
able for smelting on the spot. The matte produced by
smelting 6,284 tons of ore and concentrate was 3,036
tons, averaging 63 6%. Concentration and smelting
were suspended at the beginning of May, owing to the
operations not being profitable, and the building of the
new plant was commenced. Owing to the usual delays
it is not expected that the new plant will be finished
until April of this year. The accounts show an income
of £^174, 089 from the sale of products, and the adverse
FEBRUARY, 1921
127
balance was jf 12-4.424. The proved ore reserve at the
Vogelenzang mine is estimated at 28,370 tons, averag-
ing 5'12%, and at the Messina 124,071 tons, averaging
3'84%. Taking into account the probable and possible
ore. these figures become 85.202 tons, averaging 3 72% .
and 433.508 tons, averaging 3'14%. respectively.
Tanganyika Concessions. — Thiscompany was form-
ed in 1899 by Robert Williams to develop lands in nor-
thern Rhodesia. The Kansanshi copper-gold mine was
opened, but is not now being worked. Subsequently
tent. Combustion tests show that the coal is useful for
steam-raising but not for coke manufacture. The com-
pany is also largely interested in the Benguella railway,
the Katanga Railway, and the Rhodesia- Katanga Rail-
way. Recently a substantial interest has been taken in
the Nile-uongo Divide Syndicate, which has been form-
ed to investigate mineral deposits in the Sudan along
the Nile-Congo watershed. The utilization of water
power derived from falls on the Lualaba and Lufira
rivers is still under consideration, the chief object being
y>
3w(Hs bemg worked
' MINES -kCotd mCopper Oiin
\t^^.:itij Capper Mi/fiJiff Coiwessum.
— ^ jT jj — **Tg ^-f-^ t,^-r^^ ^-\
rked .^_._L^ Rtulways projected \ ^ s ^"^-^
limestone ^ho
ijTsxsui/i Tat Mimng \C(mcessieJi.
26E;. of Gr,
a 40% interest in the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga
was acquired. This Belgian company operates copper
and other mines in Congo State. The report of Tan-
ganyika Concessions for the year ended June 30 last
shows that the output of copper during 1919 was 23.004
tons, and that the output for 1920 isestimated at 19,000
tons. The output of tin concentrate at the Busanga tin
mine to August 31 last was 272 tons. The present out-
put is about 50 tons per month, and is expected shortly
to be increased to 80 tons. Prospecting for tin has been
conducted at several points in the Kasonso district with
encouraging results. Coal deposits have been discov-
ered by drilling close to the railway near Sankishia, and
the evidence indicates the coal to be of considerable ex-
to secure cheap electricity on a large scale for the elec-
trolytic treatment of low-grade copper ores. As already
recorded , the debentures have been paid off by means of
funds raised by the issue of a million new shares at /3
each. The company has taken its proportion of a new
issue made by Union Miniere, namely, 9,800 shares at
800 francs each. The accounts show the receipt of a
dividend from the holding in Union Miniere shares,
4,900,000 francs, which, at 56 5 francs to the pound,
realized /86,725 Interest on loans and investments
brought /45,918. The net profit was /89,666, which
was carried forward.
Wankie Colliery. — This company was formed in
1899 to acquire coal lands in Rhodesia, north of Living-
128
THE MINING MAGAZINE
stone Falls, about 200 miles north-west of Bulawayo.
The railway from Bulawayo northwards, passing;
through the properly, w.is opened in 1903. Kdmund
Davis is chairman and managing director, and A. K
Thomson is manager. The report (or the year ended
AuKusi 31 shows that the sales of coal were 320,476 tons
and of coke 102. 6S1 tons. The revenue for the year
was £309.('07, and the profit was ^57.5D5, out of which
.f 56,733 has been paid as dividend, being at the rate of
10% ■ The mine was idle for 5-1 days, due to strikes and
shortageof truck supply. Nevertheless the outpiit show-
ed an increase of 17% on the previous year. A strike
which lasted from December 22, 1919, to January 3,
1920. was not directed against the company, but was in
sympathy with strikers at other mines. The supply of
native labour has greatly improved. The developed
reserve isestimated at 6.015.000 tons, and the probable
reserve within a two mile radius at 54,000.000 tons. As
recorded a year or more ago, it is not convenient to ex-
tend operations ai the present workings, so new work-
ings are being opened at another site, where shaft-sink-
ing is now in progress.
Premier (Transvaal) Diamond Mining. — This com-
pany was formed in 1902 to work diamond pipes north
of Pretoria. Control was obtained by Harnaio l?roihers
in 1912, and it was transferred to the De Beers company
in 1917. The report for the year ended October 31 last
shows that 4.660.498 loads (16 cu. ft. each) was washed
for a yield of 820,564 carats, or 0 176 carat per load.
The pipe has been developed to the 460 ft level, above
which the quantity of ground available for mining is
41,000,000 loads. At this level there is no sign of any
contraction of the pipe. The accounts show credits o(
/2, 098, 482 on diamond account, and working e.\penses
2749,410, Of the profit, 60% was paid to the Union o(
South Africa as its share, absorbing .^799,400, and
;f 72,205 was paid as taxes. The preference shares re-
ceived /lOO.OOO. being at the rate of 250% , and the de-
ferred shares ,^440.000. being at the rate of 1.100%.
Champion Reef Gold Mining of India. — This com-
pany was formed in 1SS9 by John Taylor & Sons to ac-
quire property in the Kolar goldfield. Mysore State,
South India. From 1894 to 1905 big dividends were
paid : afterward, on the ore becoming of lower grade,
the rate of dividends was much lower. For the year
ended September 30. 1919. no distribution was made.
The report for the year ended September 30 last, now
issued, shows that, owing chiefly to better conditions
ruling for the sale of gold, it has been possible to re-
sume the payment of dividends During the year.
143,386 tons of ore was treated for a vield of 79.274
oz. o( gold. The income from the sale of gold was
/376.222. or about £40,000 more than par value. The
working pro6t was /66,575, of which £16.000 was
written off for depreciation and £10,000 was placed to
reserve The shareholders received £34.666. or 4d.
per 2s. 6d share, the rate being 13?,%. The ore reserve
at September 30 was estimated at 248.846 tons, a reduc-
tion of 44.669 Ions as compared with the previous year.
Sufficient work has not been done on the new shoot
of ore on the 63rd level in Carmichael's Section to
warrant a definite estimate of the ore being made. The
mine continues to suffer from rock bursts, which inter-
fere with sloping operations. Recent bursts have caus-
ed a drop in the output, and it will be some months
before the normal figures are reached once more.
Huelva Copper and Sulphur. — This company was
formed in 1903 to work the Monle Romero and other
pyrites mines in the south of Spain, previously worked
by the Huelva Central Copper Mining Co. Under the
management of Henry F, Collins, a smelting plant was
erected The company now produces smelted copper.
cement copper, washed pyrites, and complex ore. The
report (or the year ended June 30 last shows that 66.243
tons of ore was raised, and thai 5,862 tons o( ore and
precipitate was purchased The output o( copper was
1.649 tons, and 3.068 tons o( complex ore was sold
The financi.al result o( the year's work was a loss o(
£5.632 Since the end o( ilie period under review,
more (avourable conlracts have been made (or the sale
of the copper, complex ore, and washed ore. The com-
pany had great dillicully in securing coal and coke, but
recently were able lo make a contract (or supplies with
the I'enarroya Company. The outlook, therefore, is
now more favourable.
Rafinpa (Nigeria) Tin. — This company was formed
in 1912 to acquiie alluvial tin property 62 miles east of
Zaria, Northern Nigeria This property was not a suc-
cess, and other properties have been acquired since
An interest has also been secured in stream deposits at
Bissoe, Cornwall. The report for the year ended
March 31 last shows expenditure o( £7,413, o( which
£1,349 represented interest on loans, as against £2,469
received from the sale of tin concentrate Since the
close of the period covered by the report, the first unit
of the treatment plant at Bissoe has been started, but
additional plant has been necessary to improve the re-
covery and lo save by products.
South Bukeru (Nigeria) Tin. — This company was
(ormed in 1910 lo acquire alluvial tin properly in Ni-
geria, and other properties have been acquired since.
S R. Bastard ischairman, and C. G. Lush isconsulting
engineer. The report for the year ended June 30 last
shows that the output of tin concentrate svas91i tons,
as compared with 53 tons during the previous year.
The sales of concentrate brought an income of £17,356,
and the net profit was £95. but if it had not been for a
re(und of excess profits duty, £2.384, there would have
been a considerable adverse balance.
Bullfinch Proprietary. — This company was formed
in 1910 lo acquire gold- mining property 23 miles north-
east of Southern Cross, West Australia. It was recon-
structed in 1919. The report for the thirteen months
ended September 30 last shows that 70,250 tons of ore
was raised and sent to the mill, where 15,560 oz. of
gold was extracted. The par value of the gold and
silver won was £67,353, to which is added £27.438 for
gold premium realized. The working cost at the mine
w.is £77,984, and £6.997 was spent in testing other pro-
perties, notably the Victory North, on Hampton Plains.
The net profit for the year was ;f5,S06, which was car-
ried forward. A large amount of development work has
been done during. the period The reserve isestimated
at 50,710 tons, averaging 18s. 8d. per ton at par.
Deebook Dredging. — This company was formed in
Victoria in 1913 to acquire alluvial tin properties at the
northern end of Bangnon Valley, Renong, Western
Siamese States. One dredge commenced work in 1914
and another twelve months later. The property not
proving satisfactory, one of the dredges was sold in
1917 to the Ronpibon Extended, and in 1918 negotia-
tions were entered into for the sale of the other dredge
to the Taiping Tin Dredging Co. The report for the
year ended May 31 last shows that the Ronpibon dredge
extracted 282 tons of tin concentrate from 678.000 cu.
yd. o( ground, and that the Deebook company received
£1.125 as dividend on its holding in Ronpibon Ex-
tended shares. The company has not been able to
acquire any other suitable property, so the directors
have decided to distribute the money received from the
Taiping company in payment for the dredge as a return
of capital. The first instalment of £5.000 has already
been paid, and further sums will be distributed as the
debt is liquidated.
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director. Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House, London Wall, London, E.C.2.
Telephone: London Wall S93S. Telegraphic Address: Oligoclase. Codes: A7cJVetiZ. both Editions.
Branch Offices :
420. Market Street. San Francisco.
600. Fisher Bdfi.. Cfaicat^o.
2,222, Equitable Building, New York.
Siii.=roi»xin~ i '*5- P" annum (Single Copy Is. 6d.) inclu-
bUBSCRiPTiON ^ jijjjg postage to any part of the WorJd.
Vol. XXIV. No. 3.
LONDON. MARCH, 1921.
Price Is. 6c1.
CONTENTS.
Editorial
Notes 130
Mr. H. C. Hoover in the Harding Administration:
The Institute of Metals: Effects of Oil on Ma-
rine Life ; Geological Survey of Cumberland.
The Wave-Transmission Rock-Drill... 130
Attention is drawn to the article on this subject else-
where in this issue.
The Excess Profits Duty 131
Comment is made on the evil influence of this tax
on the development of new mining properties.
The Imperial College's AthleticGround 132
Particulars are given of the new Sports Ground, and
subscriptions are invited in order that the debt
may be cleared oft.
Deep Shafts 133
Comment is ma-te on the paper on the City Deep
shaft by Mr. E. H. Clifford, discussed at the last
meetinfi of the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy.
Review of Mining
Articles
The Transmission of Power by Waves
P.J.Risdon 139
135
Flats" and
Sops" in Furness
J. D. Kendall
145
Theauthor discusses the Hematite Deposits known
as '* Flats " or Bed-like Deposits, and " Sops " or
"Pots," with Special Reference to those of Fur-
ness.
On the Estimation of Phosphoric Acid
by the Molybdate Method
/. E. Clennell 151
Book Reviews
Emmons' " Geology of Petroleum "
H. B. Milner 154
Duparc and Tikonowitch's " Le Platine et !es
Giles Platiniferes de I'Oural et du Monde"
A. L. Simon 155
Vogt's "Die Sulfid-Silikatschmelzlosungen, I i
Die Sul6dschmelzen und die SulBdsilikat-
schmelzen" R. H. Rastall 156
Vogt's " Die Sulfid-Silikatschmelzlosungen "
R. H. Rastall 156
Letters to the Editor
TheGreensideLeadMines ...Interested 158
Genesis of Cumberland Iron Ores
J. B. Atkinson 158
News Letters
Vancouver, B.C 159
Mineral Production for 1920 ; Smelters ; Coal
Prices; Dolly Varden ; Vancouver Island Cop-
per; Premier; Iron Ore.
Toronto 161
Porcupine; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt; The Macken-
zie River Oilfield.
Melbourne 162
Tasmanian Oil-Promotions ; Prospecting for Coal
in Tasmania; North-East Tasmania.
Personal 16+
Trade Paragraphs 165
Metal Markets 165
Statistics of Production 168
Prices of Chemicals 171
Share Quotations 172
The Mining Digest
The Kirkland Lake Gold Mining District
A. G. Burrows and P. E. Hopkins
The New City Deep Shaft E. H. Clifford
The Greenawalt Sintering Process
W . E. Greenawalt
Electrostatic Deposition of Potash • Bearing
Dust.-.fi. Bury, O. Ollander, and F. Bain-
bridge 185
Quicksilver Mining in China.... Frank Trythall 187
Bau-xite in West Africa A. E. Kitson 189
Flotation Applied to Coal A. F. Bury and
A. Bicknell 189
Silver-Lead in Yukon W. E. Cockfield 190
Short Notices 190
Recent Patents Published 192
New Books, Pamphlets, Etc 192
Company Reports 192
De Beers Consolidated ; Exploration Company : Geevor Tin
.Mines; Taquah Central Mines.
173
179
183
EDITORIAL
THE memorial tablet erected lo tlie nieiii-
ory of members of the MininR and Metal-
lurgical Club who fell in the war was unveiled
on March 7, ttie ceremony being performed by
Mr. Walter McDermott, who spoke a few brief
but touching words.
THE appointment ol Mr. H. C. Hoover
as Secretary of Commerce in Mr. Hard-
ing's administration is a source of gratification
to minmg men in all parts of the world. His
administrative and financial abilities are ap-
preciated on this side as widely as they are in
his own country, and his friends here will unite
with those in .\nierica in wishing him good luck.
FEW technical societies have enjoyed such
rapid and solid success as the Institute
of Metals. Though only in its twelfth year,
its membership is already 1,350. The Insti-
tute already has local sections at Birmingham,
Sheffield, and Glasgow, and the latest move
has been the formation of a London section.
The council also has in view the establish-
ment of local sections at Newcastle-on-Tyne
and Swansea.
STUDIES of the behaviour of rocks under
great pressure are to be instituted at the
University of Wisconsin, which has been able,
by means of funds supplied by Mr. W. A.
Clark, the copper magnate of Butte and Ari-
zona, to install a hydraulic press capable of
exerting a pressure of 200 tons per square inch
for prolonged periods of time. The press is
fitted with devices for raising the temperature
of the material under treatment and for meas-
uring it. It is hoped, with this machine, to in-
vestigate many points connected with the meta-
morphism of rocks.
A branch of the Geological Survey of Eng-
land and Wales has been established in
Whitehaven, with Mr. Bernard Smith as dis-
trict geologist. The re-mapping of the Cum-
berland and Furness iron and coal districts is
to be undertaken, and investigations are also
to be made in connection with lead, zinc, and
copper deposits. It is to be hoped that Mr.
Bernard Smith will invite the assistance of
Mr. J. D. Kendall; whose, knowledge of this
district is unrivalled. There is one point in
relation to these industrial activities of the
Geological Survey that requires comment.
We refer to the fact that the Survey is now
130
in the control of the Department of Scientific
and Industrial Research, a department which
does not give the entireresultsof the researches
to the public. In this case we wonder who
will get the benefit of such discoveries or
recommendations as may be made by Mr.
Bernard Smith and his coadjutors.
L.AST month reference was made to the
alleged injury to marine life caused by the
escape of oil-fuel from oil-burning steamers.
Many of the statements on this subject are un-
supported by direct evidence and are rather
\ague, so it is desirable to draw attention to
definite and reliable pronouncements. For
instance, in Nature for February 24, Professor
Walter E.Collmge.of St. Andrews, writes to the
efTect that during the past five years numbers
of birds which dive beneath the surface of the
water in order to obtain their food have been
washed up on the Fife coast and elsewhere
dead or in a dying condition and covered with a
thick coating of oil. In one day he counted
more than threehundred kittiwakes.and almost
the same number of razorbills and guillemots,
and dozens of little auks and puffins.
The Wave-Transmission Rock-Drill.
Last month we published an article by Mr.
P. J. Risdon explaining the principle of the
wave-transmission rock-drill, and in this issue
appears his second article describing the drill
and the wave-generator. A general account of
the drill was given in our issue of June last, so
thatthere is little left to be said on thisoccasion.
Some of our readers may remember that this
drill was tried in South Africa between four
and five years ago, and an illustrated note of
the trials was made in these pages at the time.
War conditions then prevented the continua-
tion of the trials and the making of modifica-
tions suggested by the result of these trials.
The application of the principle to the syn-
chronizing of aeroplane-engine with hind gun-
fire took up all the attention of Mr.Constantin-
esco, the inventor, and Messrs. W. H. Dorman
cV Co., Ltd., the makers. It is only since the
end of the war that attention has once more
been given to the drill. In the South African
tests one of the weaknesses revealed arose from
the use of a spring for effecting the back stroke
of the drill. In the improved drill as at present
working both the back and the forward motions
areobtainedby the wave power. Aseconddiffi-
culty in the early days was to find a pipe that
MARCH, 1921
131
could withstand the high pressures employed.
The introduction of the jointed steel piping
known as " flexstel " has overcome this draw-
back. A third problem that caused consider-
able trouble at first was to find some way of
preventing a continuous increase of pressure
when the generator was workmg and the drills
were out of use. This source of danger has now
been removed by the introduction of the vessels
called " capacities " as part of the structure of
the generators. Naturally the employment of
such high pressures has made it necessary to
use considerable thicknesses of metal in the
experimental work, for it was obviously desir-
able to eliminate or reduce risks. Thus the
drill asat present mademayseem bulky, though
it would not appear so by comparison with the
heavy drills of a dozen years ago. With ex-
perience it will, of course, be possible to reduce
the weight eventually. The drill as at present
exhibited and in use is applicable for develop-
ment rather than for stoping, but judging by
the success of the firm's rivetters and caulking
hammers there is no reason why light stopers
and sinkers should not be made. As regards
the structure of the drill itself, it will be seen to
be extremely simple. There are no valves, and
a close fit of the moving parts is not an absolute
necessity. The prevention of dust is easily
effected, for the water is allowed to pass down
the central hole by its own pressure. As regards
efficiency, the drill gives blows at a greater
rate than the ordinary hammer-drill, and the ac-
tual drilling time is proportionately decreased.
It is claimed by the makers that the ratio of
work done to power put into the drill is much
higher than when the compressed air is used.
This is quite likely to be so, for only a small
proportion of the power of compressed air is
utilized in the drill. On the other hand, the
power cannot be efficiently conducted along a
great length of water pipe, so that it is out of
the question to place the generator at the sur-
face and carry the pipes down the shaft. The
plan is to bring the power as near the working
faces as possible by electric current and to feed
anything up to ten drills from each generator.
The drill has arrived at a practical stage, and
is being put to work at a number of mines and
quarries. It has also been shown in full work
at the Efficiency Exhibition at Olympia, and
it is always to he seen at Messrs. Dorman's
works at Stafford.
The Excess Profits Duty.
As briefly recorded last month, the Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer has announced that the
Excess Profits Tax is to be abandoned, and
3—3
for a gloomy enough reason. That is to say,
the Government anticipates a severe drop in
the receipts from this source owing to the seri-
ous depression in trade, and is moreover frigh-
tened that the demands for refunds will become
overwhelming. The position of the Chancel-
lor is humorously reminiscent of that of the
colonel of volunteers of early days, who sten-
toriously gave the order " Cease firing ! " when
the corporal told him that the ammunition was
exhau-^ted. It is hardly necessary to say much
at this juncture as to the expected relief to in-
dustry which this withdrawal of the tax will
bring, for the depression is so general and the
causes for it are so numerous that the removal
of one of the causes will have little effect for
the time being. It is true that another cause
of the dullness, the high cost of living, is show-
ing some signs of abatement. Here and there
also wages are being reduced. Both of these
movements, however, must go very much
farther before the trade position can be ap-
preciably affected, and, finally, the rate of work
must be speeded-up enormously.
The Excess Profits Duty is one of those
projects which are theoretically ideal but prove
in practice to bring evil results in their wake.
It was originally introduced for the purpose of
equalizing war profits and war expenditure, and
as such It was willingly accepted by the nation
and by the war contractors. Hardly anybody
realized at first that the Act as passed brought
every business in the country into its net.
Least of all did the mining companies, whose
assets automatically deteriorate, imagine that
they would be subjected to the same tax as the
manufacturing companies and the producers
whose assets renew themselves annually. In
glancing back through the pages of the MAGA-
ZINE in the latter part of 1915, we renew our
recollection of the incredulity and the state of
appal which came over the mining profession
when this fact was realized. It then became
clear that new mining business based on moder-
ate capitalization was virtually doomed. It is
true that, subsequently, the terms were made
easier by the maximum untaxable return being
raised, but this relief was grudgingly given and
only to individual companies or groups of com-
panies that brought a petition. It is not too
much to say that the present parlous state of
metalliferous mining is due to some extent to
this penalizing of the beginner. The old mines
have continued at work, and are correspond-
ingly nearer to their end, while few new enter-
prises have been developed. Now that the tax
is withdrawn, the effect of the relief will un-
fortunately be a negligible quantity, for the
132
TllK M IN INC. MAGAZINI-:
prices of metals are so low and the output so
ditlicult to sell that the complete or partial clo-
sure of operations is the oriler of the day and
the consideration of new business is out of the
question. But this depression cannot last for
ever, and when better times arrive the life of
the promoter and investor will be sweeten-
ed by the knowledge that profits will not be
rationed.
Of the many evil results of the tax two have
become notoriously conspicuous. One is the
flouting of prudent policy by the abstraction on
the part of llie Government of the profits that
should go to reserve funds. The other hasbeen
the tendency to dodge the tax by inaugurating
extravagant expenditure. Both of these inter-
ferences with the strict principles of economics
have had very bad influence on business
methods. The aberrations from the narrow
path have not only been bad for the business
man himself, but the infection of his careless-
nessandextravagance hasspread to the worker,
and has had the effect of making the worker's
present indifference more pronounced. The
business man may be able to retrieve the posi-
tion when the irritating cause is removed, but
the worker, not being able to diagnose the
symptoms, is not so easy to convert once more
to principles of diligence and economy. It is
not possible, within the bounds of a short edi-
torial, to weigh all the constituents of the com-
plicated problems of labour, business adminis-
tration, and taxation bearing on this question
of Excess Profits Duty. All that we can say
is that the abolition of the tax constitutes an
important step toward bringing about cheaper
and more profitable operations once more,
benefiting capital and labour alike.
The Imperial College's Athletic
Ground.
It will be remembered that about a year ago
a committee was formed representing the
Royal School of Mines, the Royal College of
Science, and the City & Guilds College, which
are the constituent schools of the Imperial Col-
lege of Science and Technology, for the pur-
pose of inaugurating a War Memorial. Wisely,
the idea of an elaborate structure in stone or
bronze was ruled out at the beginning, and it
was decided that the records of the men who
had fallen in the war should be inscribed on
simple tablets to be placed in each of the
schools ; thus the funds to be subscribed would
be available for a more permanently useful
memorial, one which would help in the incul-
cation of an esprit de corps, and at the same
time cultivate hardihood, personal daring, and
ability to command and obey. South Ken-
sington has for long enough been short in op-
portunities for athletic exercise, though it is
clear that bodily fitness should form part of
the equipment of an engineer. The appro-
priateness of recording war services by doing
something to remove this anomaly was there-
fore obvious, and the committee had no hesi-
tation in embarking on a scheme commensur-
ate with the dignity of the Imperial College.
After many inquiries and investigations had
been made, a suitable site for the grounds,
comprising 23 acres, was discovered between
Wembley and Harrow. This district is a well-
known habitat for Sports Clubs of all kinds.
The Harrow School playing fields are nearby.
University College School has it grounds the
other side of Wembley. There are numerous
first-rate golf clubs within easy reach. Moie-
over, a number of big business houses have
established sports grounds for their employees
at various points along the railways that inter-
sect the district. The one drawback is the dis-
tance of the ground from the College, but this
is a drawback that is unfortunately unavoid-
able in London. Those who have cars or
motor-bikes will not complain of the journeys
to and fro, but, it cannot be denied, those who
go by train or tram will find the travel tedious.
The grounds are most easily accessible from
North Wembley station on the Bakerloo line,
and the nearest station to the College is across
Hyde Park at Paddmgton. Sudbury Town
station on the District Railway is about a mile
away from the grounds, and the trains serving
this station come from South Kensington by
way of Ealing. The grounds can also be
reached from Preston Road station on the
Metropolitan, and from Sudbury station on the
Great Central, though there are very few trains
on the latter line. An alternative route is by
tram from Edgware Road and Paddington,
along the Harrow Road to the Sudbury ter-
minus at the junction of the upper and lower
roads to Harrow. Considering London con-
ditions generally, the position of the ground is
perhaps not so very inconvenient as it might
appear at first sight.
The committee estimated that the total cost
would amount to ;^1 2,000, the actual price of
the freehold of the 23 acres of ground being
/7,500. A three months' option was obtained,
and a campaign for raising funds was at once
commenced. The response was sufficiently
encouraging to warrant the committee com-
pleting the purchase, by the help of a bank
advance on security of a mortgage. It has
been possible during the winter to use part of
MARCH, 1921
133
Hendon
Greenford
Map showing position of the Imperial College Athletic Grounds
the ground for football purposes, but funds are
required for putting the fields into condition
for other sports, and a suitable pavilion is still
wanted. In addition it is necessary to payoff
the overdraft from the bank. The actual posi-
tion at the end of 1920 was that ^7,000 had
been subscribed, while ;^2,000 had been bor-
rowed. On behalf of the committee we take
this opportunity of appealing to all Associates
of the Royal School of Mines to send contri-
butions. Those who have not yet responded
are asked to give liberally, and those who have
already sent something to send a little more.
City men who prize technical and administra-
tive ability at the mines and works they con-
trol are also encouraged to help in completing
the endowment of this necessary phase of en-
gineering education, this branch of education
which makes managers and not dreamers.
Deep Shafts.
The paper discussed at the February meet-
ing of the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy put in a concise form the main problems
involved in mining at great depths. In this
paper Mr. E. H. Clifford gave particulars of
the new vertical shaft now being sunk at City
Deep for the purpose of attackingground down
to 7,000 ft. In the Mining Digest we repro-
duce the first part of the paper, dealing with
the mechanical details of the shaft, but we have
omitted the second part, in which the theory
of the ventilation of deep and hot mines is dis-
cussed, for the reason that there has been much
in the Magazine recently on this branch of the
subject. In the first place, Mr. Clifford's ac-
count of the ventilation problem at City Deep
was given in our issue of September, 1919, and
a paper on the problem at St. John del Rey,
written by Mr. Eric Davis, was published in
the issue of October, 1919. Then the whole
subject of ventilation of deep mines was treated
by Mr. David Penman in an article in June,
1920. The physiological conditions as induced
by heat, cold, moisture, and air currents have
been very fully studied by Dr. Leonard Hill,
a distinguished London physician, and his
writings should be in the hands of all mining
engineers interested in ventilation. In par-
ticular should be mentioned his reports on the
science of ventilation written for the Medical
Research Committee and published by the
National Health Insurance organization. His
modified hygrometer, called the kata-ther-
mometer, has been designed to indicate the
cooling effect due to the motion of the air,
and thereby to test the physical efficiency
of a ventilating current. As regards the
general question of cooling by the introduc-
tion of dried air, there is one special feature
of mining on the Rand that has to be con-
sidered ; that is to say, if the current is too
rapid the natives are likely to be attacked by
pneumonia, so there is a very definite limit to
134
THE MINING MAGAZINE
the amount of air- motion allowable. On the
other hand, the mines on the Hand are at a
great advantaRe over mines in many other dis-
tricts. For instance, a large proportion of
them are dry, and the incoming air is also dry.
Also the rise of temperature with depth is com-
paratively slow, so that the rock temperature
at 7,000 ft. is not likely to be much more than
95°F. The other items deciding the feasibility
of deep mining are the amount of pumping
necessary, and the ability of the walls to stand
the strain due to the weight of the overlying
strata. In both cases the conditions at City
Deep, and indeed on the Rand generally, are
favourable. It is true that in some sections
of the Rand the incoming water is large, but
these wet mines are mostly in the Far East
basin, where mining in depth is not to be con-
sidered in the same light as at City Deep,
Crown Mines, or other properties in the cen-
tral Rand.
There are a number of points in Mr. Clif-
ford's description of the new shaft that are of
interest. In the first place, he indicates the
limit of hoisting from depth in a vertical shaft.
A consideration of ruling conditions showed
the engineers that 4,500 ft. should be the maxi-
mum depth for a single hoist. The only doubt
that existed was as to whether the hoisting
from 7,000 ft. should not be divided into two
equal hoists of 3,500 ft. each, but the point was
decided by the fact that the electric winders
which were to be installed underground for the
lower lift would give out a great amount of
heat, and that the ventilation problem would
be complicated accordingly. It is often for-
gotten by engineers that electric motors give
out heat proportional to the difference between
the total electrical input of the winder and the
net work of raising the load. This is an im-
portant point in connection with electrical en-
gineering, and mining men and others who
have an idea that electrical machinery is en-
tirely self-contained in its influence and action
should make note of this circumstance. In
many cases, of course, the disadvantage has
been overcome by the use of hoists driven by
compressed air. At the City Deep new shaft it
was found desirable to have the first lift as deep
as possible, so that the underground electric
winder should be of the minimum size pos-
sible. Even then the electrical winders for
the lower 2,500 ft. are found to require a ven-
tilating current of 75,000 cu. ft. per minute, or
practically one quarter of the total amount of
air sent under-ground. The ventilation prob-
lem for deep mining is therefore csmplicated
by the necessity for having double lifts.
\ second point of interest in the City Deep
equipment is that skips are not used, hut that
double-deck cages are employed, the lower
deck acromiiiodating an 8 ton ore car, and both
decks being adapted for a hundred men being
carried on each trip. Each cage measures
15 ft. 6 in. by 5 ft. 3 in. Instead of there being
a divider between the track of the two cages,
two so-called dividers are placed one on each
side of the shaft, and guide rails are employed
instead of guide ropes. It will be seen from
the illustrations accompanying the paper that J
the area of the shaft is put to good advantage. |
The only other vertical shaft which has been
described in our pages is thatsunk at theCham-
pion Reef of India, particulars of which were
given in the issue of January, 1912. By refer-
ence to the drawing then given, it will be seen
that there are two cages on one side of the cen-
tral divider and two skips on the other side,
both skips and cages being held in position by
guide rails. As regards the discussion as to the
advantages of circular shafts as compared with
rectangular shafts on the Rand, nothing need
be said here, as the question was fully dis-
cussed in papers quoted in the MAGAZINE for
April and May, 1919. In this discussion it
was made manifest that the engineers of the
Central Mining group were strongly in favour
of the vertical shaft. One of the points in the
City Deep design that wants some farther ex-
planation is the arrangement of the upper and
lower shaft so close together in the vertical line.
The idea was no doubt to reduce the lateral
movement of the cars at the intermediate sta-
tion to a minimum, but a number of speakers
at the meeting expressed the view that some i
method more economical in power than the ]
traverser should be employed, and that it would
be better to have the shafts farther apart so as
to afford leeway in case of any hitch in con-
nection of the machinery of either shaft. For
ourselves we do not think that this point is of
as great importance as the critics suggested,
but Mr. Clifford's reply.givingdetailson which
the decision to adopt this system was based,
will be of considerable interest. There is one
question which we should like to put to Mr.
Clifford: Why does he call Holman sinking
drills Leyners ? We had an idea that Leyners
were made by the Ingersoll-Rand Company.
Whether the latter company or Holman Bro-
thers, or either of them, will feel flattered by
this mixture of terms we are not prepared to
say. In the interests of precision of nomen-
clature we consider that the word " Leyner "
should be a trade mark of the makers of the
Leyner drill.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — The tendency toward lower
prices for food and clothing and also toward
lower wages is growing more marked. Coal
mining and the railways are being released
from Government control, and the wages ques-
tion will be immediately tackled. In spite of
the present severe depression in trade, there
is a general impression that, as there is an ob-
vious cure, the outlook is not really bad. In
metal and mining circles the curtailment of
production and the low prices have caused many
hardships, but the belief is gaining ground that
an approaching lowering of wages and costs
and a renewing of demand will restore normal
conditions. There is certainly a revival of in-
terest in new mining properties. The political
situation with regard to Germany has arrived
at another state of crisis, and the severance of
negotiations with regard to reparations and the
decision of the Allies to occupy certain Ger-
man towns indicate a stiffening of policy which
will be all for the best.
Transvaal. — The triumph of General
Smuts at the recent general election has had a
steadying effect in businessandpoliticalcircles,
and the controllers of the gold mines in particu-
lar feel a substantial accession of confidence.
The strike which broke out at Consolidated
Langlaagte just before the General Election
and spread rapidly among workers at other
mines did not last long, for the men's unions
were against a general strike and also con-
demned the precipitate action at Langlaagte.
It is settled that the present rate of wages shall
continue until the end of the year.
The exploratory work that is being done in
the Bantjes property by the Consolidated Main
Reef company is giving disappointing results.
It will be remembered that this work was done
with the object of testing Bantjes ground at a
considerably greater depth than the present
lowest levels. An exploratory drift in the
Consolidated Main Reef ground was carried
into the Bantjes, and the intention was to con-
tinueitfor3,500 ft. to a point a distance of three
levels under the Bantjes incline shaft. About
1,500 ft. has been driven so far, and it is in-
tended to continue for another 500 ft. in hopes
of something valuable being found. If the re-
sults continue unfavourable, the directors will
propose the liquidation of the Bantjes com-
pany. During the past month there were ru-
moursthat Consolidated Main Reef was intend-
ing toabsorb Bantjes, but such a scheme would
be quite out of the question.
The ore reserves at Modderfontein Deep, as
calculated at the end of December last, show
agratifying increase. The figuresare4, 100,000
tons averaging 9'4 dwt. over 77 in. ; these com-
pare with 3,775,000 tons averaging 9T dwt.
over the same width at the end of 1919. As
recorded last month, the other Far East Rand
property of the Union Corporation group, the
Geduld, shows a similar improvement.
The Daggafontein mine has had to close
down owing to the continued want of success
in development and to the exhaustion of work-
ing capital. This event was not unexpected by
those who had followed development reports,
but nevertheless it has given a nasty jar to the
mining market. It is only eighteen months
since the property was defined, according to the
system devised by the Transvaal Government.
Reference to a map in our issue of August, 1919,
will show that the property consists of 2,059
claims to the east of Springs and south of the
Cassel-Clydesdale. One cause of the trouble
has been the faulting by dykes, which occurs
to a greater extent than is usual in the Far East
Rand. As regards finance, the Consolidated
Mines Selection Company, on the reorganiza-
tion in 1916, subscribed ^300,000 by the pur-
chase of 300,000sharesat par,and subsequently
took^ll5,874sharesatpar. In 1919thecom-
pany advanced ^250,000 on loan and a further
;^100,000 was lent last year. The question
at the present juncture was whether the loans
should be increased, the finances reorganized,
orthe work suspended until a time arrives when
additional funds can be raised under more aus-
picious conditions. The policy adopted is to
let things lie quiet for a while until more geo-
logical evidence is obtained in the adjoining
Springs workings.
The Consolidated Mines Selection Company
has declared its dividend for 1920 at the rate
of Is. 6d. per 10s. share. This compares with
3s. 6d. for 1919 and 3s. for each of the two pre-
ceding years. In spite of the fall in the rate,
the result can be considered quite good, when
the general depression in the Rand market dur-
ingthepast year is considered. In factinsome
quarters it was believed that there would be no
distribution at all. The company has done
notable work in financing Brakpan, Springs,
West Springs, and Daggafontein. In all pro-
bability it will have to find further funds for
the last named.
The liquidators of Village Main Reef have
announced a first distribution amounting to
135
136
THE MINING MAGAZINli
i 157,000, being at the rati* of 6s. 8ci. per share.
It is officially estiniateil that a further 3s. 4d.
will he available for ilistribution.
Two of the old Barnato companies that went
into liiiuidation recently have announced their
first distribution of assets. Glencairn is pay-
ing 2s. per share and Ginsberg 5s. per share.
One of the depressing elements in the mar-
ket for South African gold- mining shares has
been the uncertainty .'tsto thedisposal of enemy
shareholdings. The terms of sale offered by
the Custodian in South .\frica and the Trustee
in England were not acceptable to the finance
houses, and also they to some extent clashed
with each other. These difficulties are now
under consideration by the authorities, and as
theSouth .-Xfrican Custodian is in London, con-
ferring with the Trustee and others, some com-
prehensive and satisfactory scheme for the sale
of these shares will no doubt be evolved.
The appeal of Sir J. B. Robinson against the
award of the lower court in the Randfontein
Estates case has been dismissed, and he will
have to pay ^460,000. This would be a large
sum in ordinary transactions, but the Randfon-
tein Estates is a big finance company, and has
lent more than this amount to the Randfontein
Central. Nevertheless, the money will be ac-
ceptable, seeing that the reorganization of the
lattercompany's mine has cost so much money.
Diamonds. — The depression in the market
for the sale of diamonds is becoming more ac-
centuated, and the steps taken by the mines,
as reported last month, to prevent over-pro-
duction are proving by no means sufficient to
meet the position. At the Premier mine the
work had already been reduced from three to
two shifts per day, but new's is now to hand that
a further curtailment has taken place. Only
one shift per day is now being worked. At the
De Beers group it has been found necessary to
close the Wesselton mine for a time. This
closure involves the dismissal of five hundred
white employees. The companies, in dismiss-
ing the white employees, give them bonuses of
/flOO each.
The Frank Smith diamond mines are to be
closed down, owing as much to the want of suc-
cess that has attended operations since the re-
opening some months ago as to the slackness in
the diamond trade. The funds recently sub-
scribed are exhausted, and the present is not the
time for raising more capital ; otherwise the
directors would have tested other parts of the
ground. Possibly, when conditions improve,
this latter policy will be adopted.
Congo State. — Reference has been made
many times in the Mag.^ZINE to the fact that
the river Congo is of little use in navigation
owing to shallows and rapids. The Belgian
Government recently established an air way
along the river from Kinshasa to Stanleyville
for the transportof passengers and goods. One
of the difliculties was to provide landing places
along the route and toaflford relief to aeroplanes
that might have to land on account of engine
troubles. Many parts of the country are so iso-
lated and the communications so bad that an
aeroplane making a forced landing might be
irrevocably lost. The plan adopted is to send
two or more aeroplanes together, so that if one
of them fails the others can notify the fact and
bring relief. It is hoped eventually to estab-
lish wireless- telephone stations able to com-
municate with each aeroplane. This service
of aeroplanes will eventually be of great service
in the prospecting of the Congo State and the
regions behind.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during Janu-
ary was returned at 46,956 o/-., and the value
at ^293,784. As the value per ounce works
out at Cb. 5s., it is clear that the authorities are
not yet able to fix even approximately the
premium receivable for each month's produc-
tion and that the figure for January includes
some accumulation of premiums. The other
outputs for the month in Southern Rhodesia
were: Silver 12, 529oz., copper 240tons, arsenic
34 tons, tin 3 tons, coal 54,534 tons, chrome ore
5,285 tons, asbestos 2,501 tons, mica 14 tons,
diamonds ZZ carats.
The labour trouble at the Rhodesian mines
has at last been brought to a definite head
by the firm attitude of the Mine Owners' As-
sociation. For a long time the men's unions
have been squeezing the companies one by one,
and when each had agreed to new terms the
unions commenced anothercircuit of themines.
On this occasion the trouble started at Shamva,
when the pien came out on February 19. At
the Wankie Collieries trouble arose with regard
to the employment of non-union men. Even-
tually the Mine Owners' .Association gave
notice of a general policy of lock-out. .Mready
the Lonely Reef has been closed down.
West Africa. — At the meeting of the
Taquah Central Mines, the chairman, Mr. T.
F. Dalglish, was able to gi vea much more hope-
ful account of the labour position in West Africa
as affecting the gold-mining industry than he
could when presiding at the Taquah and Abosso
meetings two months earlier. The Governor
of the Gold Coast and the Colonial Office at
homehavelistened to representations, andsteps
are being taken to meet the gold industry's re-
quirements. Mr. Dalglish'sgroup.incombina-
MARCH, 1921
137
tion with the Ashanti Goldfields, are devising
a scheme, with the consent and assistance of
the Government, for recruiting in the northern
territories, and a recruiting officer is being ap-
pointed who will be fullyaccreditedby the Gold
Coast Government. One of the competitors
for labour, the cacoa industry, is tending to
slacken, and this fact will also benefit the gold
mines.
Nigeria. — The collapse of the British West
.African Trading Company is a matter of regret,
not only to the shareholders but to all interested
in the prosperity of British trade with Nigeria
and the Gold Coast. The company was until
a few months ago known as the Tin Areas of
Nigeria. Foundedonthetin industry, itgradu-
Ij ally e.\tended its interests, and there was every
prospect of it becoming a sound trading con-
cern. The slump in Nigerian products caused
financial difficulties, and an attempt was made
to provide further funds by offering debentures
in October last. In December a member of a
firm of chartered accountants was made re-
ceiver and manager, and on February 23 an
order was made by the Court for the compul-
sory windingup of the company. It is believed
that not only will the shareholders get nothing
but that the debenture holders will not be paid
off in full. _
Australia. — The position of the Broken
Hill minescontinues to be serious, owing partly
to the low price of metals and partly to the fire
at the Port Pirie smelting works. As regards
the lead-smelting question, the Sulphide Cor-
poration has undertaken to treat 600 tons of
concentrates weekly from the other mines at
Broken Hill, making with its own concentrates
fromtheCentral mine a treatment of 1,100 tons
weekly. In addition the mines will produce
400 tons weekly to be exported for smelting in
Europe. It is not believed that any profit will
be made by this scheme of operations, and it is
only to hold good for two months or so, after
which the future policy will have to be decided
according to conditions then current. At Port
Piriea temporary roasting plant is to be erected
capable of treating 2,000 tons of concentrates
weekly, but the cost of roasting will be greater
with this plant than at the plant that was des-
troyed by fire, so it is doubtful to what extent
it will be eventually of value in easing the posi-
tion.
The Broken Hill Proprietary hashad trouble
at its iron and steel works as well as at Broken
Hill. Owing to the shipping strike communi-
cation between the smelter and steel works at
Newcastle, New South Wales, and the iron ore
deposits in South Australia was suspended.
The result was that the furnaces went out of
blast andsubsequently the steel works stopped.
Later cables announce that the seamen's strike
has been settled, and that the steamers have
commencedtorunagain. Still later cables state
that the strike of the men at the company's iron
mines has also been settled, so that the position
is once more clear.
The Queensland Government is contempla-
ting the building of a railway from Croydon
eastward to Georgetown and Forsayth in the
Etheridge goldfield, thus connecting the rail-
way starting from the Gulf of Carpentaria
with the railways coming westward from Cairns
and serving the Chillagoe and the tin districts.
The idea is that such a railway would help the
Etheridge goldfield, which is now practically
deserted. The Einasleigh copper mine, in the
Etheridge district, was once well known in
London. As regards the building of this new
railway, the doubtful question is whether the
Government can raise the capital. To put for-
ward such a project at the present time when
there has been a hitch in the payment of deben-
ture interest and in the redemption of deben-
tures of the Chillagoe Company does not seem
good politics.
New Zealand. — Last month we announced
that the Waihi Gold MiningCompany wascon-
templating the return of ir250,000 capital in
cash and the concurrent reduction of the £\
shares to a denomination of 10s. Notices have
now been issued for the holding of the neces-
sary meeting on March 17 for the purpose of
obtaining the consent of shareholders prior to
the scheme going before the Court for its sanc-
tion.
India. — The Mysore Gold MiningCompany
announces a final dividend for 1920 amounting
to Is. 3d. per 10s. share, together with a bonus
of 6d. per share. The total distribution for
1920 is therefore 2s. 6d. per share. In compar-
ing this distribution with those of recent previ-
ousyears,ithas to be remembered that the capi-
tal was doubled a year ago, when 610,000 new
shares of 10s. were subscribed at par by the
shareholders for the purpose of embarking on a
comprehensive scheme of development in depth.
Thus the 2s. 6d. for 1920, when compared with
the 2s. for 1919, represents a correspondingly
greater profit. This increase is partly due to
various items of cost being covered by the new
capital instead of beingprovidedoutof revenue;
but it is chiefly due to the more favourable terms
obtained by the company as regards the dis-
posal of the gold produced.
Malaya. — In January the Federated Malay
States Government undertook to buy tin at a
138
TilK MININC. MACAZINI-:
price corresponding to 1236 delivered in this
country, in order to sustain the local industry.
In tlie middle of I'ebru.iry this price was re-
duced to the equivalent of /'J04. At the end
of February the "peg" was withdrawn alto-
gether, an action which indicates that the Gov-
ernment considers drastic restriction of output
the only possible remedy for the present la-
mentable condition of the tin market.
Cornwall. — The position of the tin mining
industry continues to cause anxiety throughout
the county. The men out of work are not able
to find other occupations and have to subsist
on the doles. The mines owned by public com-
panies have all closed down, and the only ques-
tion is whether all of them will be able to stand
the heavy cost of pumping necessary to keep
the workings clear. The Geevor mine is in a
particularly unfortunate position owing to short-
ness of funds. The cause of this arises from
the inability of certain shareholders, both indi-
viduals and financecompanies,to meet the calls
due on the newshares issued at the end of 1919.
The present position is that the company is
/^15,000 in debt, and a sum of ;^5,000 is also
required wherewith to continue pumping and
to keep the plant in repair. In order to raise
these funds, the directors have decided to oflfer
pro rata to shareholders ^25,000 8% tax-free
debentures redeemable in two years at par.
The shareholders who have not been able to
pay their calls have agreed to hand over suffi-
cient fully-paid Geevor shares to give a bonus
of 25 of these shares to every subscriber of
^100 debentures.
The report of East Pool & Agar shows a loss
of /19,421, or when depreciation, etc., is al-
lowed, ^28,007. This position is entirely due
to the fall in the price of tin, arsenic, and wol-
fram, and the increase in the; cost of coal, ma-
terials, and labour. The mine has never looked
better, and new discoveries of high-grade ore
have added substantially to the reserves. The
outputs for the year were : tin concentrate 874
tons, wolfram 46 tons, and arsenic 500 tons.
As recorded last month, mining was suspended
on February 12 until conditions improve.
Canada. — The nickel industry of Canada
is suffermg owing to the lack of demand for
the metal following on the slackening of naval
and military construction work. The mines of
the British American Nickel Corporation at
Sudbury have been shutdown. Thesmelterhas
also been closed, and the refinery will be closed
when the matte in hand has been treated. At
the Mond Nickel Company'smines andsmelter
the men have agreed to a reduction of wages
averaging 40 cents per day.
Owing to the low price of silver the Mining
Corporation of Canada has closed down its
mines at Cobalt. The Kirklaiul Lake Proprie-
tary reports the disco\ery of high-grade ore at
its 'Cobalt property, and also promises to issue
a report on the Kirkland Lake properties.
Mexico.— The speech of Mr. R. T. Hayliss
at the meeting of the Exploration Company
contained much that was cheerful with regaril
tothe future of Mexico. He considers that the
position in that country has vastly improved
during the past year, though there still remains
much to be done for improving its economic
and industrial stability. He believes that the
large public revenue accruing from the export
of oil will in itself be sufTicient to re-establish
the finances on a sound basis, and that this
revenue will amply make good the losses due
to the fall in the price of silver and the reduced
outputs of silver, gold, copper, and lead. As
to the fall in silver and the consequent closini^
of many mines, he sees in this the economic
opportunity for bringing wages down once more
toareasonable level. Taking things altogether
he considers the outlook hopeful, and feels en-
couraged to increase the company's interests in
Mexican mines whenever reasonable proposals
are put before him.
Peru. — Another attempt is to be made to
put the San Antonio de Esquilache Mines, Ltd.,
on its feet again. The present company was
formed in 1914 to take over the properties, and
under the management of the late Mr. Sydney
A. R.Skertchly a large amount of newdevelop-
ment was done. The mines are near Puno,and
have been producers of silver and lead. The
celebrated Caylloma silver mine is in the same
district. Mr. Skertchly had not completed his
scheme of development before the funds were
exhausted, and his death complicated matters.
The directors invited the help of Mr. G. R.
Bonnard with a view of raising further funds.
The present times are not favourable for
schemes of this sort, and the proposals put for-
ward by Mr. Bonnard are naturally somewhat
onerous, though if all shareholders take their
part in the scheme their position will be right
enough. The proposal is that ;^20,000 addi-
tional capital shall be raised by the issue of
10% cumulative preference shares, which shall
have the right to a cash bonus of /^40,000 out
of the first profits of thecompany; alternatively
notes might be issued instead of preference
shares, carrying the same interest and bonus.
This proposal is now being considered by the
board and principal shareholders. The latest
news from the mine is that a silver-lead ore-
body has been struck in the long adit.
THE TRANSMISSION OF POWER BY WAVES.
By P. J. RISDON.
(Concluded fyoin the February issue, page 7'JJ .
Pariiculars are given in this article of the new method of transmitting power by wave
motion, invented by G. Conslantinesco and developed by W. H. Dorman & Co., Ltd.
Particular reference is made to the application of the system to the driving of rock-drills.
L\ST month I gave anoutlineof theprinciple
J of transmission of power by waves. In
the present article I will describe the applica-
tion of this principle and give details of the
construction of the several machines.
The Wave Generator. — In a typical 10
h.p. plant (Figs. 6 and 7) the wave generator is
mounted upon the same bedplate as the electric
motor for driving it. The bedplate is cast in
the form of a pair of tanks, one for holding
water and the other oil, and may be arranged
for bolting to a concrete foundation or for
mounting upon two pairs of wheels and axles.
If required the plant can be made self-propel-
ling. Upon thebedplate is bolted the generator
crank-case, also of cast iron, which accommo-
dates the crankshaft bearings and cross-head
guides. The top of the crank case is provided
with an inspection cover which serves as a
ventilator and comprises an anti-splash plate.
The steel crankshaft runs in phosphor bronze
bearings, registered in housings integral with
the crank-case. There are two cranks opposed
at an angle of 180°. Each crank works a con-
necting rod, cross-head, and plunger or wave-
power ram. On each side of the crank-case is
a spherical water chamber known as a capa-
city." The outer ends of the plungers, which
are fitted with special U-shaped packing rings,
enter the " capacities " : the other ends are en-
larged and work in the cross-head guides. The
plunger has a stroke of 29/32in.,and a diameter
of slightly more than l^n in. The two ' capa-
cities" are connected by an overhead pipe, at
Fig. 6. Section of Genf.ratok throcgh the "Capacities.
139
140
THE MINING iMAGAZINlC
the higliest point in which is an air-release
needle valve, opened and closed by hand.
From each of these " capat ities " one or more
pipes are led to the machines to be served.
At the forward end of the nenerator are the
oil and water pumps operated by worm gearing.
The former provide forced-feed lubrication of
all working parts. The water pump is regula-
ted by a pressure-dilTerence valve fitted to one
of the "capacities" so as to maintain a con-
stant water supply at a minimum pressure of
IOC lb. per sq. in. through the system, even
although there may be a leakage or water may
be led olT to rock-drills. When the minimum
pressure in the " capacity " is greater than the
pump pressure, the valve is closed, but im-
mediately it falls below that of the pump it
opens. This water pump must not be confused
with the wave-power plungers or rams, driven
by the crankshaft, which set up the wave im-
pulses. A heavy steel tlywheel is mounted on
the crankshaft between the power unit and the
generator.
The generator is so free from vibration that,
when at work, a coin can be balanced edgewise
upon it. It may be driven by any convenient
and efficient means, such as an electric motor
or by a steam, oil, or petrol engine. Even belt
driving is permissible, but direct-coupled drive
without intermedia te gearing is preferable when
a power-unit capable of the exact requisite
speed is available.
It is not necessary to have closer governing
than 5% when the transmission line is short,
that is, up to about 300 ft., but with longer
pipe-lines it is advisable to have the speed of
the generator more constant ; this, however,
automatically adjusts itself within limits. The
dimensions and weight of a wave generator
compared with those of an air-compressor set,
for a given power output, are in the ratio of
about 1 to 6 in favour of the wave generator.
Two or more generators can be run in parallel,
supplying power to the same pipe-line.
Supposing the "capacities" and pipe-lines
to be empty, the method of charging is to admit
water, which has been properly strained to rid
it of loose matter, to the system, by gravity if
possible. The generator is started up and the
water pump compresses the water to an initial
pressure of 100 lb. per sq. in. The air-release
valve is then opened to release air from the
system, which would otherwise create surges
and fluctuating pressures and greatly reduce
the etTiciency. The air-release valve is then
closed again, and thereafter the generator coo-
tinues to work automatically until further
orders. Generators such as that described have
been in constant use for experimental and de-
monstration purposes in Messrs. Dorman's
works for several years, during which time it
is stated that they have proved the elliciency
and economy claimed for them by tlie makers.
MicANS OF Tkansmission. — Ten horse-
power waves are transmitted through 1 in. pip-
ing for a distance of 240 ft. But there is no
theoretical limit to the length of transmission.
The longer the distance the greater the dia-
meter of pipe necessary, and the practical eco-
nomic limit is only reached when the initial
cost of the pipe line and the drop in efficiency
compare unfavourably with the corresponding
items in electrical transmission. Hut although
pipe- lines miles in length are practical proposi-
tions, the system accommodates itself to short
distance transmission as well, so that a genera-
tor and wave motor may form integral portions
of a self-contained machine, such as the port-
able rnetter made on this system.
Although long pipe-lines require to be laid
underground or to be otherwise protected
against frost in winter time, it Is an interesting
fact that so long as waves are passing, the water
in a pipe-line cannot freeze. Indeed, suppos-
ing a main to have frozen up except for a small
core of water, waves passed through the system
will soon melt the ice. At first it might be sup-
posed that, since ice in the system can be melted
and heat is obviously generated, there must be
heat losses. But that is not so. Heat generated
is absorbed in the act of expansion at the tool
end, so that in point of fact after a plant has
been at work for an indefinite period, the pipes
are quite cold.
From what was said last month, it might
not unreasonably be assumed that every wave
motor must necessarily be inserted at an exact
wave or half-wave length from the generator
in order to secure maximum efficiency.
Although in ordinary field plants there would
be no difficulty about this, in the cases of fac-
tories and workshops it would clearly entail in-
convenient odd lengths of piping for individual
motors in order to bring them to within mul-
tiples of half-wave lengths from the generator.
This is overcome by a device called a conden-
ser, comprising a small cylinder, of larger dia-
meter than the pipe main, which may be inser-
ted at any point. In this cylinder is a floating
piston which is normally maintained in a cen-
tral position by a spring on either side. From
the cylinder a branch is led to a wave motor
which it is desired to operate. Struck by the
power wave on one side, the piston passes on
the impulses to the water on the other side of
it. But the cylinder serves as a ' capacity,"
MARCH, 1921
141
Fig. 7. Section of the Generatok through the Pump Gear Box-
Fig. 8. The Generator. Transmission Pipes, and Rock-Drill.
142
Till': MiMN(. macazinl:
causinj; a transfurmation in piiase and pressure
of the waves. Simple as is the principle in-
volved,each condenser has of course to be care-
fully proportioned for its particular function.
In motors for percussive tools such as rock-
drills the monophase system is obviously the
best, as will be explained later. But where it
is required to utilize wave power in rotary
motors the three-phase system presents dis-
tinct advantages, as for example in startint; up
a motor. This will be instantly appreciated by
the electrical engineer, who will also best ap-
preciate the fact that wave- power transmission
bears a remarkable resemblance to electrical
transmission of power. Indeed so similar are
the two systems that there is no expression
used in connection with alternating current
appliances which has not its counterpart in
wave- power transmission parlance.
The wave velocity is 4,800 feet per second,
the same as the speed of sound in water. This
velocity, divided by the number of generator re-
volutions per second, gives the wave length.
Thus with a speed of 2,400 revolutions per
minute, 4,800 -^ (2,400 ^ 60) = 1 20 ft., which is
the wave length.
The pipe mains may consist of ordinary hy-
draulic piping, which, however, has to be rigidly
anchored at intervals to minimize vibration.
From the mains, " flextel " piping with flexible
joints branches to the machines. There is no
reason why the pipes should deteriorate in con-
sequence of the waves passing through them,
if they are of suitable section and the material
is not stressed beyond its elastic limit. Messrs.
Dorman have had pipes in constant daily use
for the past three years, and state that they
have never had a case where a pipe has given
out owing to fatigue. All joints are conical and
metal to metal, entirely dispensing with all
packing materials. The joints can be broken
and re-made any number of times without a
sign of leakage.
The maximum wave pressure in a typical
10 h.p. installation is 1,500 lb. per sq. in., the
mean pressure being 750 lb. In the unlikely
event of a burst there is no danger whatever to
be apprehended. Higher or lower pressures
can be adopted in wave-transmission. The
higherthepressureadopted for agiven diameter
of pipe, the greater is the power that can be
transmitted and the higher the efficiency. The
conditions for best efficiency in a pipe-line are
large diameter of pipes, high pressure, and
high frequency; the length of pipe-line must
be a multiple of half-wave lengths; the dia-
meter of pipe can be reduced as power is taken
off at various points ; it is not necessary to pro-
vide V junctions for branch lines, square tees
being equally eflicient.
\\'a\I'; MoH)KS. — We have nowtoconsider
theconversion of power waves into useful work.
As already indicated, the waves could be made
to operate a rotary motor by direct impact, but
the necessity for self-starting motors renders
the direct or monophase system unsuitable for
the purpose. Monophase waves are therefore
converted into a three-phase system, so that
self-starting rotary motors of the three-phase
or collector type may be employed. The rotary
motors as manufactured by Messrs. Dorman
are of simple construction. They may be
either synchronous or asynchronous. They are
self-starting. Thestartingtorquecanbegreater
than the driving torque. With asynchronous
motors it will be equal to or but slightly less than
driving torque, but with synchronous motors
the starting tortjue will be low. The power
input to the generator is proportional to the
work done by the motors, so that if two or three
motors in a system are cut out, the power in-
put to the generator is proportionately reduced.
If the wave power is not being absorbed by the
motor, waves are reflected back to the genera-
tor and give up their energy to the generator,
thereby reducing the power necessary to drive
it. Synchronous motors essentially work at
constant speed, and in the case of these ma-
chines variable speed of the driven shaft can
only be obtained by gearing or slipping devices
external to the motor. Asynchronous motors
work with a slip, that is, run at a speed slightly
less than synchronous speed; loading increases
the slip and decreases the efficiency in propor-
tion to the slip. The starting torque with these
motors is much larger than with synchronous
machines. These motors correspond to the
electrical squirrel-cage motors, in which vari-
able speed cannot be obtained without loss of
power.
Collector motors are another typewhich have
a maximum torque at starting which will be
five times the running torque with machines
designed to run at approximately twice the
synchronous speed. Variable speed can be
obtained most favourably with this type. The
single-phase system can be adapted to working
rotary motors in several ways: (1) By mono-
phasedisplacement motor, (2) by ratchet motor,
(3) by dividing up the last wave length into
three parts and using a three-phase rotary
motor. The single-phase system is best for
driv'ing resonators, percussive tools, and for
long-distance transmission. The three-phase
system is best for rotary motors. A static
phaseconverter can be used forconvertingfrom
MARCH, 1921
143
Figs. 9 and 10. Sections through the Rock-Drill.
single-phase to polyphase at any point in the
system and is a very simple device.
The best frequency for a particular case is
determined largely by the class of work that
has to be done. .As an example, assume a
plant consisting of a single line driving a rock-
drill, the most suitable speed is determined by
the quality of drill steels in use, and the grade
of rock to be drilled. In practice this has been
found to be 40 to 50 cycles per second, giving
2,400 to 3,000 blows per minute.
The frequency of the generator is not de-
pendent on the natural speed of the prime
mover used, as obviously this can be adjusted
by interposing suitable speed reducers or gear-
ing. In practice it is advisable to avoid in-
termediate gear, so that every effort is made to
obtain a prime mover of the desired frequency.
The length of pipe plays no part at all in de-
termining the frequency.
Figs. 9 and 10 show a rock-drill in which
both the percussive and rotary motions are
effected by the same monophase waves, so that
absolutely perfect synchronization is ensured
although a separate motor is provided for each
of the two motions. One end of the hammer
works in a bearing and ends in a small chamber
filled with water and communicating with the
pipe-line. The striking end of the hammer,
of smaller diameter, also works in a guide with
Fig. 11 The Rotating Device
144
THE MINING MAc.AZlNE
U packiriRs. The body of the hammer is en-
larged in diameter and is enclosed in a chamber
("died with water. A stop cock, operated by
hand from outside, admits power waves, which
drive the hammer forward against the end of
the drill shank. In thus moving, the striking
end of the hammer passes out of the chamber,
while the larger end, entering the chamber,
compresses the water therein. The result is
that the instant the wave impact is ended, the
water in the chamber, acting under compres-
sion like a spring, drives the hammer back
again ready for the next power wave.
At the forward end is a rotating chuck for
gripping the end of the drill shank (see Fig.
11). The chuck is fitted with si.\ pawls which
engage a circular ratchet, working in a guide,
formed by an e.xtension of the main body cast-
ing. The ratchet is formed with a lug which
is engaged by a slotted plunger, the ends of
which work in guides communicating with
water chambers. Power waves, admitted at
one end, drive the plunger forward, causing a
partial turn of the ratchet chuck and drill.
Water at the other end of the plunger is com-
pressed and, acting as a spring, drives the
plunger back again ready for the next wave.
It will be seen that the only springs are the
six small pawl springs ; otherwise the drill and
all its parts are of simple and solid construc-
tion, fool-proof and extremely unlikely to get
out of order, as there are no finely-fitting parts.
A tube passes right through the hammer from
a small water chamber at the back end of the
machine, and enters the shank of the hollow
drill steel about 2i to 3 in. Through this tube
water is forced from the wave power main, the
quantity being regulated by a valve.
The perfectly synchronous action of the two
wave motors combined with their independent
operation is a feature of great importance, as
mining engineers will quickly realize.
The complete drill is about the same weight,
power for power, as a pneumatic drill. The
only lubrication required is an occasional drop
of oil on the rotation motor and on the screw-
feed. The drill delivers about 2,400 blows per
minute. Other types of Dorman rock-drills
are worked in a similar manner.
Rivetting hammers are operated by a per-
cussion motor in just the same way as the
hammers of rock-drills. In the typical port-
able rivetting machine we have an example of
wave power generated in close proximity to
the wave motor without intervening piping.
In this instance oil is used instead of water.
In the top of the framing is a small dome-
shaped chamber into which oil is pumped and
maintained at a constant pressure. This cham-
ber communicates through a pressure dilTer-
ence valve with the generator " capacity " be-
low it, in which the generator plunger or ram
impinges on the oil. When the pressure in the
capacity " falls below the normal minimum
pressure, the valve automatically opens, and
by admitting more oil increases the pressure
again, and when the normal pressure is restored
the valve closes. The "capacity " communi
cates with the rivetting hammer beneath it
through a hand-operated valve. The hammer
is operated in exactly the same manner as the
hammer of a rock-drill. The oil pump is lo-
cated in the upper portion of the frame, which
is divided off by a horizontal partition so as to
constitute an oil-storage tank. The hammer
delivers 2,400 blows per minute. As in all
other wave-power appliances, when the rivet-
ter is not in use no power is consumed by the
wave generator beyond overcoming friction of
working parts, the " capacity " serving to store
and give back again all the energy imparted to
it. To start the rivetter it is only necessary to
pull down the valve handle and admit the wave
impulses to the hammer head. The generator
may be driven by electric motor, belt, or any
other convenient means. The other mechani-
cal features of the portable rivetter need no ex-
planation, beyond mentioning that special pro-
vision is made for rapidly adjusting a toothed
quadrant so that when the table is raised to
the height required it will not rise higher.
Efficikncy. — We now come to the all-im-
portant question of efficiency. However won-
derful an invention may be, its commercial
value depends upon how it emerges from the
searching test of efficiency which has doomed
so manyotherwise clever, scientific discoveries.
Wave power has been through the test, and has
emerged with such success that, if Messrs. W.
H. Dorman's statements are even approxi-
mately correct (and they are backed by guar-
antees), the manufacturers of compressed-air
plant must be living in anxious times. Prob-
ably no one deplores the shortcomings of pneu-
matic plant and appliances more than the
makers themselves. Against a system entail-
ing such wastage, Messrs. Dorman ofler wave-
power transmission plant with a guaranteed
minimum efficiency of 50%, increasing to as
much as 85% in many cases.
Messrs. Dorman & Company give practical
demonstrations of working plant at their Staf-
ford works, where those interested receive
every attention and courtesy. Engineers are
recommended to pay a visit to these works to
make investigations for themselves.
"FLATS" AND "SOPS" IN FURNESS
By J. D. KENDALL.
The Author discusses (he Hematite Deposits known as " FUts "' or Bed-hke Deposits,
and " Sops " or " Pots, ' with Special Reference to those of Furness.
Flats,
In the Memoir of the Geological Survey,
\'ol, viii,, Iron Ores: Hematites of West
Cumberland, Lancashire, and the Lake Dis-
trict, we find, in the last paragraph on page 25,
the following statement : " A noticeable ab-
sence of flats in the limestone of Furness may
be due to the superabundance of fissures that
lay ready for alteration." Again, on page 41,
" In Furness, where flats are usually absent,
vertical bores have less chance of success, &c."
As there is not a "flat" referred to in that part
of the Memoir devoted to Furness — except at
Stank, and that reference is from information
gleaned from another work — it may, I think,
be reasonably inferred that the writer of the
Memoir did not know of any. Yet many such
deposits have been worked there.
Ore- bodies of this form are usually found as
contact-deposits in limestone, on or under beds
of sandstone or shale. For example, the flats
in the top or first limestone of the Whitehaven
district occur either immediately under the
Millstone Grit formation, or on the sandstone
underlying that limestone. In the first case
they have a regular roof of sandstone or shale
andan irregularfloor of limestone, except where
the deposit has the full thickness of the first
limestone. There the sole or floor is sandstone.
If the ore occurs mainly along the floor of the
limestone, the sole will be sandstone and regu-
lar, the roof limestone, sometimes very irregu-
lar, the ore extending, at places, in "guts" up
to the sandstone roof.
When the ore occurs as a flat in the seventh
or bottom limestone of the Whitehaven dis-
trict, it generally has a fairly regular floor of
shale and an uneven roof of limestone, but in
some places there is a layer of limestone be-
tween the ore and the underlying shale, as for
exampleatUllcoats, Fig. 1, whichis wronglyre-
ferred to in the Memoir (p. 10)as a fair example
of an irregular ore-hody. On the contrary, it is
entirely a flat, notwithstanding the thickening
of the ore adjoining the fault. The irregular
ore-bodies mainly occurred in the fourth lime-
stone and were quite different in character from
the Ullcoats deposit.
The most important flats have been found in
one or other of the aforesaid positions, but they
occur in all the limestones of the Whitehaven
field, and in every case they have either a sand-
stone or shale roof, or a sandstone or shale
floor, the sole or roof in the respective cases
being limestone, unless, as was the case at No.
5 pit, Eskett Park, the ore had replaced the full
thickness of the limestone and both roof and
sole were shale.
The Carboniferous Limestone series of the
Whitehaven district being split up into seven
distinct beds of limestone, separated by beds
of shale or sandstone, there are many horizons
on which flats may occur.
The Carboniferous Limestone series in Fur-
ness is developed differently from that of the
Whitehaven district. In Furness the lime-
stone occurs in practically one solid mass, ex-
cept near the top, where it is split up by com-
paratively thin layers of black shale leading up
to the base of the Yoredales. It rests on the
lower limestone shales, which are underlain by
the Basement Conglomerate. It is clear there-
fore we can expect to find flats only at or near
the top or bottom of the limestone, and then
only in connection with faults. The most
faulted part of the district and the part too that
has been by far the most explored, is a belt of
the Carboniferous Limestone, less than half-
a-mile wide, bordering on the Silurians. I will
therefore confine my remaining observations
mainly to that area, or rather to part of it,
where most work has been done. The lime-
stone there, resting on the Lower Limestone
shale, is within easy reach of the surface and
numerous flats have been found and worked
on the same geological horizon as the flats in
the neighbourhood of Egremont and Woodend
in the Whitehaven field.
The section in Fig. 2 intersects ten of these
flats in the neighbourhood of Lindal Moor, and
they are not all by many ; but I do not propose
to deal with all the flats in the district, merely
to give some ground for my complaint as to the
conspicuous incompleteness of the Memoir on
a matter well known to mining men who have
had a general experience of the district. It will
be noticed that the flats are all on the down-
side of the faults, which is very remarkable if
the hematite-producing solution came from
above. Much the same thing is seen in the
flats near Egremont in Cumberland.
None of the faults in the above section is
145
146
THE MININC". MAGAZINE
shown on the map prepared by the (ieological
Survey, notwithstanding; their importance to
the explorer. The fact of deposits havintj been
exhausted alont; certain parts of tliose faults
does not diminish their importance, nor the
need for their appearing on a map tiiat is to be
of any use to the explorer.
1 had occasion some time back, in a review
of the Memoir, to point out some of its numer-
ous inaccuracies, but I was rehictant to en-
croach upon the valuable space of Tiiic Min-
ing M.\C..-\ziNii; or I could have gone much
farther. There is, however, one serious error
relating to some of the rocks of Furness, herein
referred to, which I ask permission to rectify
now. On p. 21 of the Memoir the thickness of
the shales and limestones (the Lower Lime-
stone shales), bored through between Dunner-
holm and Ireleth, is given as 1,136 ft. The
authority for the statement is said to be on pp.
64-67 of the Iron Ores of Great Britain and
Ireland. But the thickness there given is 714
ft. 10 in., not 1,136 ft.
" Sops" ok " Pots."
On p. 31 of the Memoir we read: "The Fur-
ness swallow-holes, after removal of the ore,
show a smoothing of the walls that is charac-
teristic of water, and presumably was effected
in pre-Triassic times. When a hole ceased to
serve as an open conduit, falling material filled
the bottom with breccia, including masses of
limestone-shales. Disintegrated shaleand mud,
washed in, formed a rough lining to the whole
mass, and in some cases formed a plug at the
bottom. Subsequently Triassic sands and
clays filled the top of the swallows and covered
the limestone-plateau. The mineralizing solu-
tion,entering from above, attackedthis breccia,
which was in a particularly vulnerable condi-
tion. As the alteration progressed the new ore
packed together and led to the collapse of
the roof and the overlying sands in jumbled
masses."
Had the Memoir been produced 40 years
ago, as it ought to have been, when the writer
would have been able to see the deposits before
mining operations had obscured their original
features, I do not think the above passages
would have been written, nor others depending
on them. They are very far from explaining
the facts to be seen at the time referred to.
But if we look at the Park deposit, as repre-
sented by Fig. 23 on p. 137 of the Memoir,
and reproduced here, in part, by Fig. 3, there
is no appearance of the jumble referred to in
the Memoir. There are a number of masses
of sand and clay, of various sizes, distributed
in, and adjoining, the ore-body, but they all
occur in positioiiswhichconldnot possibly have
been occupied if the supposed ovt-t lying sands
and clays had collapsed and fallen on to the
ore in the manner suggested by ihe Memoir.
Fig. 23 of the Memoir does not show clearly
the clay which occurred between the sand and
the ore, and between the ore r\nd the surround-
ing limestone. I therefore give, in Fig. 4, a
plan of the Park deposit, at the 50 fathom
level, which does show them, as proved bv the
mining operations prior to 1882.
1 1 is necessary to say here that there was not
any material mixing of the different minerals
in and ad joining the ore- body. The ore, whether
rich or poor, was always ore. There was clay.
In places, in the interstices of the fragmentary
hematite constituting the mass, which had evi-
dently been washed down from the overlying
glacial deposits. There was a large quantity
of broken kidney-ore in the deposit and a few
small loughs. The sand also was without ad-
mixture. So, practically, was the clay, al-
though it had, in places, a few pieces of ore
and stone in it. The limestone adjoining the
clay was decomposed for aboutan inch in depth,
itshardnessdecreasing fromtheunaltered stone
toward the clay, against which it was quite
friable. The junction of the clay and ore, in
every case, was well defined ; there was no
mixing of the two. liqually distinct was the
junction of the clay and sand and that of the
sand and ore. At the 60 fathom level the sand
was mainly white, but some of it was red.
That immediately adjoining the red was mot-
tled. Both red and white were in places quite
hard and bedded; the red then looked exactly
like St. Bees sandstone. It seemed as if the
binding material was being decomposed through
exposure. Blocks that were quite hard in the '
centre became softer outwards and ultimately
quite incoherent. Another feature of the de-
posit which IS irreconcilable with the collapses
suggested by the Memoir is that many of the
blocksof sand and clay are either nearly plumb,
or their sides, adjoining the ore, are in parts
more or less vertical, as in Fig. 3. If we sup-
pose that the several spaces occupied by sand
were originally occupied by limestone which
had not been replaced by ore, that subse-
quently the limestone was dissolved and car-
ried away, leaving cavernous spaces in the ore,
into which the red and white sand was after-
ward deposited, we have a complete explana-
tion of the existence of these sandy masses.
I have seen one or two deposits in another
part of the district which consisted of a con-
glomeration of heterogeneous, non-ferrous, ma-
MARCH, 1921
147
A. Boulder Clay. &c.
B. S"^ Sees Sandstone
C. Perm IS n Breccia.
D. Carboniferous Limestone
E Hematite
F. Lower Limestone Shale.
too 200 300 -*oo 500
Scale oF Feeh
'/zmile
A Limestone B Shale. C Conglomerafe. D Coniston Flags !. Grits. WHemahte
Fig. 3.
A Limestone C Hematrite.
B Red 8, White Sand -*-^ Clay
Fig. 4.
3—4
148
THE MINING MAGAZINE
terials, through which a considerable quantity
of ore was scattereci, but they scarcely de-
served to be called ore deposits. Yet even they
could not be explained in the way suRRested by
the Memoir. Here is a description of the ma-
terials seen in one of them, taken from one of
my 1879 notebooks: "The deposit consists
mainly of brown and yellow clay, black muck,
and anpular bunches of what at a distance looks
like white sand, but is really partly decomposed
limestone. The clay is, in places, laminated,
and occurs in layers of different colours, but
these are not parallel to any particular plane,
dipping and twistmg in all directions. Ore —
mostly hard pieces — is scattered sparsely
through the clay generally, but, in places, it is
packed in it in bunches 12 to 14 inches in di-
ameter, the interstices of the pieces, in the
bunches, being filled with soft, greasy-looking
red ore. The black muck occurs, in patches
too, in the brown and yellow clay, and in it
there are small pieces of hard, bluish, fibrous
ore, Ij in. diameter, and less. The white
sandy-looking material gives to the mass the
appearance of a breccia. Each patch of that
material is distinctly defined at the edges and
they are mostly angular in form" (as in Fig. 5).
In the same notebook there is a description
of the ore of a deposit having the ordinary
" sop " character. It is as follows : " This
deposit consists of closely packed angular frag-
ments of blue ore, up to 3 or 4 inches di-
ameter, and broken lamina? of kidney-ore. In
the interstices there is a soft, greasy-looking
red ore. In several parts of the deposit I found
small loughs — up to 5 inches across — lined
with quartz spar. Bunches of clay, 6 to 12
in. across, are met with occasionally in the ore.
More rarely, large masses, 10 to 12 yards
through them, are come across, which contain
small fragments of ore. Clay also occurs in-
terruptedly on the outside of the ore-body, be-
tween the ore and the limestone. In places it
is only a few inches thick, in others several
feet. These clayey masses occur much oftener
and more abundantly between the ore and the
enclosing limestone — that is, on the outside
of the ore — than within it. For a foot or
two from the top the ore is much mixed with
' pinnel,' that is, boulder clay by which the
deposit was overlain, glaciated stones, in
places, lying completely buried in the ore 12
in. or more below the top of it, and numerous
pieces of ore occur in and near the base of the
pinnel."
There were not any masses of red sand in
either of these deposits — which were at Cross-
gates — as there were at Park and Ronhead.
These masses are confined to deposits on the
western side of the fault extending southward
from Greenscaw. The reason for this will ap-
pear later.
.Ml the sops are overlain by boulder clay
which, in some cases, is much mixed with the
ore, as shown in F"ig. 6, a section of Rawlin-
son's open-cut, near Martin, as I sawit in 1874.
In explanation of the distribution of "sops"
the following passage occurs on page 24 of the
Memoir: "It may be assumed that in the pre-
New Red times the main limestones formed a
plateau, extending from the Duddon estuary
north of Sandscale to near Lindal (plate III.)
and tlominated on the south by an escarpment
of Yoredale beds. On such plateau swallow-
holes and caverns abound, and to this origin
the sops of ore which are found from Ron-
head to Lindal, and possibly those at Kirk-
santon, and Water Blean, near Millom, may
be ascribed. In New Red times both plateau
and escarpment were overspread by New Red
deposits, relics of which still survive in several
places (pp. 24, 137, 142). In post-Triassic
times an uplift ensued, as a result of which the
Sandscale-.Mdingham fault came into exist-
ence. Near Sandscale it coincided with the
foot of the Yoredale escarpment, but south of
Dalton it broke across it. In Newton and
Yarlside mine, farther south, the fault escarp-
ment has the irregular outline of a present-day
liinestone cliff. The New Red Sandstone is
banked up against it."
In the first place let me say that the assumed
clifT from Dalton to Lindal does not mark the
limit of the sop area. To mention one in-
stance only, as showing the inaccuracy of the
assumed line, there was a sop on the boundary
of the Highfield House property and that
worked by the Dalton Mining Co. which was
1,200 ft. east of the assumed Yoredale cliff.
I cannot find any evidence of this supposed
Yoredale escarpment at any of the three points
mentioned. Nor can I find any evidence of a
fault having the direction of that marked on the
map (plate III. of the Memoir) between Sand-
scale and the railway from Dalton to Furness
Abbey. The New Red Sandstone at Yarlside
was not banked up against the Yoredales. The
two formations were placed side by side by a
fault, as shown in Fig. 7. Further, I am satis-
fied, if such an escarpment, as is assumed by
the Memoir, ever existed, it could not have in-
fluenced the distribution of any known sops of
ore. Fig. 8 is a sketch section of the geo-
logical conditions pictured by the above ex-
cerpt from the Memoir on a line between Bol-
ton Heads and Park mines, showing a few
MARCH, 1921
149
100
A Clay. B ParHy decomposed Limesrone.
Fig. 5.
A Boulder Clay. B Hefnatlte. C Limestone.
Fig. 6.
Scale of feet
ABoulderClay DHematite
D Red RocUs E Carboniferous Limestone
C Yoredales F St^ff Clay. Lamm. ce Parallel to Fault.
Fig. 7.
sops under the Triassic sandstone. Since
the days when those conditions existed, the
rocks have been so denuded that the rise edge
of the Yoredales is now about a mile and a
half east of the supposed escarpment (c, Fig.
8) and the surface of the ground is at the level
represented by the dotted line a b, so that the
sops, which were supposed by the Memoir to
have been formed immediately below the Red
Rocks, were destroyed ages ago, and the postu-
lated escarpment as well.
Let us now see if there is not a simple ex-
planation of the occurrence of the masses of
sand and clay associated with the sops that
does not require any collapsing caverns, nor
the assumption that the ore in the sops was
foimed otherwise than by the replacement of
solid limestone like that in all the other de-
posits.
In mining the sops, it was not an uncom-
mon thing to break into a cavernous space be-
tween the clay or black muck and the lime-
stone. These caverns were sometimes several
feet wide and extended up to the boulder clay,
as well as horizontally along the deposit. In
wet weather great quantities of water came
down them into the mine, which were costly
and troublesome to deal with. So long as
there was a through passage for free circula-
tion there would not be any deposit in such
caverns, but if the circulation were impeded
there would be a deposit and the cavern would
eventually be tilled with clay, or clay and black
muck, perhaps including a few pieces of ore
or stone.
A Red Rocks
B Yoredales
C Carboniferous Limestone
1^ Hematite
The initiation of these caverns and of all
those now filled with clay between the ore and
the limestone, or between the ore and sand —
whether on the outside of an ore-body or within
it — most probably arose as follows : The ore,
consisting chiefly of packed fragments, would
allow water to circulate through it, and as the
outlets would be less than the inlets, the sops
would soon be saturated with water, which
would extend to the walls in all directions. If
that water was acidulated — as it almost cer-
tainly would be, being rain water which had
passed over decaying vegetable matter — it
would attack the limestone walls wherever it
reached them, unless they were too silicious,
and produce a number of caverns along the out-
side of the deposits, and, in a similar way,
round about the pieces of limestone included
in the ore-body. These would afterwards be
filled with clay and black muck, the junctions
of which with the ore would be quite distinct,
as we actually find them.
150
THE MINING MAGAZINE
The clay existing between the ore ami the
sand must liave been deposited before the sand.
The hinestone which preceded the sand must,
therefore, have been removed by dissokition
after the clay, adjoining the ore, had been hlied
into the first- formed caverns, in the same way
as the Hmestone w-as dissolved out of where the
two clay loughs now are in Fig. 1 of ' 'J"he
Distribution of Ore in Depth" (see THE Min-
ing Magazine, May, 1920). It is not neces-
sary that the caverns into which either the clay
or sand was deposited should have been of the
final size of the clay or sand masses before
being filled, as dissolution and formation might
be going on at the same time.
I am satisfied the source of the clay was the
boulder clay overlying the deposits and the
sand came from the large area of Red Sand-
stone, about half a mile south of the sops,
where disintegrated rock occurs abundantly.
The top of any of these sops is not more
than about 25 ft. above sea level. But the Red
Sandstone area to the south of them, from
Thwaite Flat to Sinkfall, is from 125 to 225
ft. above that level. To anyone familiar with
the swallow-holes of Furness — and the dis-
tances to which the water is carried under-
ground by them — the deposition of sand from
this source in the sops of Ronhead and Park
will appear a very simple process, and one in
strict conformity with what we know is going
on in the district to-day. There 'would be an
average hydraulic gradient of at least 1 in 30,
which is more than sufficient for the purpose,
and would allow a good deal of current retarda-
tion.
There are not any sand masses in or on the
sops occurring in the eastern part of the dis-
trict, as there ought to have been if the Red
Sandstone had been deposited on all the sops
alike, as the Memoir supposes. Why is this?
The answer is that the ground in the eastern
part of the district, where the sops occur,
is higher than that in either of the Red Sand-
stone areas, being from 250 to 375 ft. above
sea level, whereas the highest Red Sandstone
does not exceed about 225 ft.
Let us now devote a little further consider-
ation to the ore. It is not necessary to look
long at any of these sops to be convinced
that the ore in them has been subjected to some
severe internal strain by which the fragmentary
condition now existing was brought about. In-
controvertible evidence of this is furnished by
the broken " shells " (concretionary layers) of
kidney-ore which form so large a part of most
of, if not all, these deposits. In some deposits
half of the ore seems to be broken kidney. This
form of hematite, as is well known, was formed
on the walls of loughs, but there are very few
loughs now in the sops, and the broken con
cretionary layers of the kidney-ore are buried
indiscriminately in the fragmentary mass. An-
otlier thing to be borne in mind is that the
kidney-ore is in places very soft and easily
broken or crushed into powder. Here is a note
made on the Parkside Co.'s Pennington mine
in 1877: " Much of the kidney-ore near the
hanging wall is as soft as clay, but has the true
kidney structure."
We may now conveniently direct our minds
back to the dawn ot the Glacial period, when,
by the ordinary forces of denudation the upper
part of the ore deposits, as originally formed,
had been removed, the lower part, or sops,
only remaining. The ore in them was then
doubtless in the loughy condition of its forma-
tion, and the loughs would as certainly be full
of water. Soon the intense cold of that period
would freeze the water and exert such an ir-
resistible strain on the ore in all directions and
from so many centres in each deposit that the
ore would be ruptured throughout and the frag-
mentary condition produced that is so charac-
teristic of the sopore to-day.
When the glaciers receded, and acidulated
waters began to circulate through the broken
ore, the limestone would be attacked and cav-
ities produced in which clay first and after-
ward sand accumulated. It ignores the work
done by the forces of denudation to assume, as
the Memoir does, that the red sand was de-
posited in Triassic times. As shown in Fig.
8, the limestone on which the Red Rocks were
laid was hundreds of feet above the Park and
Ronhead deposits and disappeared in days
that are now far distant even in a geological
sense.
The above explanations regarding the sand,
clay, and ruptured ore were first put forward
in " The Hematite Deposits of Furness " (see
Transaction, North of England Institute of
Mining and Mechanical Engineers, Vol. xxxi.,
1882), but with much less detail than I have
thought it necessary to introduce here.
The Ceramic Society, of Stoke-on-Trent,
will hold a joint meeting with the French Ce-
ramic Society in May. After the sessions in
Paris, there will be excursions to pottery dis-
tricts in Alsace and Lorraine. Train will be
taken to Metz, and afterward Merzig, Mett-
lach, Sarreguemines, Strasbourg, Soultz-sous-
Foret, and Oberbetschdorf will be visited. On
the return to Paris a visit to the Sevres porce-
lain works will probably be arranged.
ON THE ESTIMATION OF PHOSPHORIC ACID
BY THE MOLYBDATE METHOD.
By J. E. CLENNELL, B.Sc, Assoc.lnst.M.M.
Difficulties of the Molyhdate Method.
The fact that this method has already been
the subject of a large amount of experiment
is evidence that its execution, as generally
carried out, presents considerable difficulties.
These difficulties arise from the following
causes: (I) the variable composition of the
precipitate according to the conditions of pre-
cipitation ; (2) the solubility of the precipitate
in water or in the liquids from which it is de-
posited ; (3) its liability to decomposition on
heating ; and (4) its hygroscopic nature.
The errors due to these causes may be avoid-
ed, or at least minimized, by working under
strictly defined conditions, and the writer has
recently carried out a number of experiments
to determine the correct conditions in the case
of such substances as the soluble phosphates
of thealkalisandammonium.and of phosphates
like that of aluminium which are insoluble in
water, but soluble in dilute acids.
Literature of the Subject.
The chief causes which affect the composi-
tion and physical condition of the precipitate
are temperature, dilution, acidity, the presence
of certain salts such as those of ammonium,
and the addition of a larger or smaller excess
of the precipitant. Some of these conditions
have been fully investigated by other workers,
and the following references may be consulted :
Hundeshagen, Zeit. Anal. Chem., 28, 141 (1889).
J. C. Olsen, "Text-book of Quantitative Chemical
Analysis" (1904), p. 113.
A. Blair, "Chemical Analysis of Iron," 3rd ed.
A. H. Low, "Technical Methods of Ore Analysis,"
5th ed. (1911), p. 209.
J. W. Mellor, "Quantitative Analysis (Ceramic In-
dustries)," 1913, p. 590.
O. Bauer and E. Deiss, "Sampling and Chemical
Analysis of Iron and Steel " (1915). p. 223.
Lord and Demorest, "Metallurgical Analysis," 4th
ed. (1916), p. 49.
Conditions of Precipitation.
From these writers it may be gathered that
the precipitation of phosphoric acid by molyb-
date solutions proceeds best at a temperature
of about 43° C. In cold solutions, the precipi-
tate settles slowly and is difficult to filter, and
at a temperature above 60° C. white needles of
ammonium tetra-molybdate may be produced.
Free HCl or H.2SO4 must be absent, but a
small amount of free HNO3 is necessary. A
large excess of any of these acids causes in-
complete precipitation. Ammonium nitrate
hastens precipitation, but ammonium chloride
and ammonium sulphate retard it. With re-
gard to dilution, Olsen (loc. cit.) states that the
phosphate solution should have 100 mgr. P2O6
in every 25 cc. Free H N O3 should be present
to the extent of 26 molecules to 1 molecule of
P3O.,. 80 cc. of the standard molybdate
(which represents 6 grm. of ammonium molyb-
date) should be present for every 100 mgr.
P2O5 ; this standard solution contains 75 grm.
ammonium molybdate and 250 cc. concentra-
ted HNO3 per litre. Enough ammonium ni-
trate, 750 grm. per litre, should be added to
constitute 15% of the total volume.
Conditions of Settlement and Filtration.
After precipitation, the mixture should be
stirred vigorously, say for 5 minutes, and allow-
ed tosettle. Thetime and temperature of settle-
ment are variously given by different writers,
but in general not less than onehourisrequired,
and the mixture should be allowed to stand in
a warm, but not too hot place, until the super-
natant liquid is perfectly clear. It is then fil-
tered. Owing to the solubility of the precipi-
tate in pure water, it must be washed with a
liquor containing free HNO3 and NH4NO3.
When the volumetric determination by alkali
is to be used, a final wash of potassium nitrate
is given, to remove all free HNO3 and am-
monium salts.
Final Treatment of the Precipitate.
The final treatment of the precipitate may
be varied in many ways, thus :
(1) It may be collected on a weighed filter,
washed as directed above, dried, and weighed
direct as ammonium phospho-molybdate. This
involves all the difficulties due to the solubility,
variable composition, instability, and hygro-
scopic nature of the precipitate.
(2) It may be filtered off, redissolved (say)
in ammonia and re-precipitated as magnesium
ammonium phosphate, and finally ignited and
weighed as magnesium pyro-phosphate. This
method avoids the difficulties involved in pre-
paring ammonium phospho-molybdate of con-
stant composition, and the necessity for a
weighed filter, but still involves the filtration of
the phospho-molybdate and errors due to the
solubility of this compound, together with the
additional errors involved in the manipulation
151
152
THE MININC. MAGAZINE
of the magnesium compound (solubility of the
latter in the mother liquor and impurities re-
tained after ignition to magnesium pyrophos-
phate).
(3) Theammoniumphospho-molybdate pre-
cipitate,after filtering and washing, is dissolved
in any suitable way and converted into lead
molybdate, which is filtered off, ignited, and
weighed. This is an indirect gravimetric meth-
od in which the amount of P.^Oo is deduced
from the amount of molybdenum used to pre-
cipitate it, and involves any error due to vari-
able composition of the original phospho-
molybdate precipitate.
(4) Various volumetric methods are in use,
in which the PoOr. is indirectly determined,
either by estimating the amount of alkali which
the compound is capable of neutralizing, after
it has been washed to remove all free acid, or
by estimating the molybdenum content, for ex-
ample, by permanganate after reduction with
zinc and sulphuric acid.
Author s Modification.
I will now give an account of my own ex-
periments. These experiments were made
chiefly on methods involving (1) the direct
weighing of ammonium phospho-molybdate ;
(2) the volumetric estimation by consumption
of alkali. The preliminary operations are the
same in both cases, and the method finally
adopted was as follows: A weighed quantity
of the salt or a measured quantity of solution is
taken, containing about 50 to 75 mgr. of P2O5
(the amount should be approximately known
by a preliminary test). This is dissolved in
water if necessary; if insoluble in water, it may
be dissolved in 25 or 50% HNO3, warming till
solution is complete.
Precipitation of Soluble Phosphates.
In the case of a neutral (aqueous) solution,
this is then mixed with 60% of its volume of
acid ammonium nitrate (3 volumes cone.
HNO3, 2 volumes cone, ammonia, and 7 vol-
umes water). The mixture is heated to 45° C.
and mixed with a small excess of 8%ammonium
molybdate, previously heated to the same tem-
perature. It is important to avoid a large ex-
cess of molybdate. About 33 parts by weight
of ammonium molybdate was found to be suffi-
cient for complete precipitation of 1 part of
P2O5 under the conditions of the test. Olsen's
figures imply 60 parts ammonium molybdate
for 1 part of P2O5, but the present writer finds
that any considerable excess beyond that indi-
cated above results in the formation during
settlement of a white crystalline deposit con-
taining molybdenum and ammonium, presum-
ably the ammonium tetra- molybdate referred to
by Mellor (loc.cit.),even when the temperature
is kept strictly within the limits recommended
during precipitation and settlement. The mix-
ture is then agitated briskly for 5 minutes and
set aside to settle m a moderately warm place
for at least 2 hours. It is not desirable to let it
stand too long, as in some cases the white de-
posit referred to gradually forms.
Treatiiietit of Aluiiniiinr)! Pliosphate.
In testing aluminium phosphate, 100 mgr.
of the finely ground substance, after recent ig-
nition and cooling in a desiccator, is weighed
out and warmed with 30 cc. of 50% UNO..,.
This generally dissolves it completely in a few
minutes. Ammonia,50%strength,is thenadded
till the mixture is just alkaline, then 30 cc. of
the acid ammonium nitrate referred to above,
and the mixture boiled. Occasionally a minute
residue remains. This is filtered ofT, dried, ig-
nited, fused with sodium peroxide, extracted
with water, and the extract added to the main
solution. Experiment showed that this insol-
uble matter does not, as at first supposed, con-
sist of silica, but is only a part of the aluminium
phosphate which, for some cause not ascertain-
ed, shows great resistance to the action of the
HNOs. This refractory material usually occurs
in acid phosphates, formed by precipitation of
aluminium with a large excess of soluble phos-
phate. When a perfectly clear solution has
been obtained, this is heated to 45° C. and
mixed with ammonium molybdate at the same
temperature. Usually 25 cc. of an 8% solution
of ammonium molybdate is a suitable amount,
but this must beregulated by theapproximately
known P2O5 content of the substance to be
analysed. From this point the procedure is ex-
actly the same as with soluble phosphates.
Gravimetric Datennitiation as Phospho-
Molybdate.
For the direct determination as ammonium
phospho-molybdate, the clear liquid is decanted
through an alundum crucible which has been
previously ignited and weighed. Portions of
the filtrate are used for transferring the whole
of the precipitate to the crucible. The filtration
generally proceeds rapidly under slight vacuum,
yielding a perfectly clear filtrate, which should
not give any further deposit on adding a small
quantity of nitric acid or of ammonia, when
warmed to 45° C. and allowed to stand. It
should also give no yellow precipitate with fur-
ther addition of ammonium molybdate, but if
much of the latter be added, a white precipitate,
as stated above, will eventually appear. Three
or four washes are now given with dilute acid
MARCH, 1921
153
ammoniumnitrate(5%NHiN03 + 2/oHN03),
filling the crucible up each time and allowing
to drain completely before giving thenextwash',
then 2 or 3 washes of 2% H NO3 applied in the
same way. This is apparently sufficient to ex-
tract all soluble impurities and the excess of
ammonium salts without redissolving any ap-
preciable amount of the ammonium phospho-
molybdate. The crucible is now placed in a
drying oven at 1 10° C. and weighed at intervals
till constant weight is obtained. This is the
most unsatisfactory part of the whole operation,
as prolonged drying is required to eliminate
every trace of moisture, and at some point not
determined the precipitate begins gradually to
decompose at a temperature not exceeding
120°C. The difficulties due to the hygroscopic
nature of the precipitate were overcome by
weighing the alundum crucible and contents
inside a larger vessel with a fairly close-fitting
cover (for example, a nickel crucible with lid)
to which it is quickly transferred from the de-
siccator previous to weighing. The weight of
precipitate is found by deducting the combined
weights of the empty alundum crucible and
containing vessel. While accurate results were
sometimes obtained by this method, the uncer-
tainty as to the true final weight made the pro-
cedure very troublesome. Further tests would
be necessary to determine the best conditions
for drying the precipitate to constant weight.
Volumetric Method.
After precipitating and settling as above, the
clear liquid is decanted through a 9 cm. paper
filter, leaving the precipitate as much as pos-
sible m the vessel in which settlement took
place. The precipitate is then washed by de-
■cantation 5 times with dilute acid ammonium
nitrate (5% NH4N03 + 2?4 HNO3), then with
a 3% potassium nitrate solution, until the wash-
ings no longer react with litmus (this requires
5 or 5 washes). All decanted liquor is passed
through the filter. The material on the paper
is then washed back as far as possible into the
vessel containing the bulk of the precipitate by
means of a jet of hot water from a wash bottle.
N/10 caustic soda is then run slowly from a
burette through the paper until every trace of
yellow precipitate has dissolved from the latter,
collecting in the vessel containing the precipi-
tate. Enough NaOH is added from the burette
to dissolve all the precipitate and give a clear
solution, distinctly alkaline to phenol -phthalein.
The paper in the funnel is then washed 4 or 5
times with small quantities of hot water, which
also runs into the containing vessel. The com-
pleteness of the washing may be tested by add-
ing a drop of phenol-phthalein to the paper.
The mixture is allowed to stand a few minutes,
and the excess of alkali is then titrated with
N/10 sulphuric acid. The end-point of the ti-
tration is not absolutely sharp, perhaps owing
to the unavoidable presence of ammonia in the
final liquor, but as 1 cc. N/10 alkali represents
only 0307 mgr. PoOs, the error from this
source is negligible.
Illustrations of above Methods.
(1) By the gravimetric method :
Sodiutn Phosphate. — A solution was pre-
pared containing 0'5/oof thesalt, supposed to be
Na2HP04,12H20. Duplicate tests were made
on portions of 50 cc. = 250 mgr. of the salt.
No. 1 No. 3
Grm. Grm.
Combined weight of nickel and alundum I ci-o^^ ^o-f^i^
crucibles f 6' ^^^ 62 936
Successive weights of crucibles and pre- I fi ),« ctoof
cipitate. weighed at intervals J gjj" 64297
Accepted weight of dry precipitate 1'292 1*297
P2O5 mgr. on 50cc 4884 49'03
PaOs per cent m the dry 'alt I •'54 19'6I
(theoretical) 19'-0
Factor assumed. Precipitate x 0 0378 = P^Os.
AfTtfnonium Phosphate. — A solution was
prepared containing 0'25% of the salt, supposed
to be (NHJ2HPO4. Tests on 50 cc.= 125
mgr. of the salt.
No. 1 No. 2
Combined weights, nickel and alundum I ^, q,^ ^2 qfi?
crucibles f
Successive weights of crucibles and pre- t ^, ^7? ^4-091
cipitate. weighed at intervals J 63 664 64 813
Accepted weight of precipitate 1628 1'826
PaOs mgr. onSOcc 69"10 69 02
P2O5 per cent in the dry salt 5528 5521
(theoretical) 33'8
Aluminiutn Phosphate. — 100 mgr. of two
different samples treated as described above.
No. 1 No, 2
Combined weights of empty crucibles ■■■ 6r843 53'103
Successive weights of crucibles and pre- I g^ 375 50 771
cipitate weighed at intervals j 6yi77 59'771
Final weight of precipitate 1534 1668
P3O5 mgr. and per cent 5799 63 05
Theoretical for AIPO. = 58 15.
(2) By the volumetric method :
Ammonium Phosphate, 025%.
c . — c « — .Q —-o c
I 2 :Sz. i| <^ t-B <l o^l OSS
cc. cc. cc. cc. cc. cc.
1 25 15 15 123'4 11 1I2'4 3451 552
2 25 15 15 123'4 10 5 112'9 3466 555
3 50 30 30 227 8 18 226 0 69 38 555
4 50 30 30 2i7'3 9'7 227 6 6 ■'67 55 9
Factor : 1 cc. N/10 alkali = 0'3O7 mgr. PjOs
Aluminium Phosphate, 100 mgr., 3 differ-
ent samples.
N/IO N/IO NnO PaOs
No. Alkali H2SO4 Alkali oigr. or
taken added consumed ^er cent
cc. cc. cc.
1 19S9 9'2 1897 5825
2 198'9 6'6 192'3 5)04
3 198 9 6 7 192 2 59'01
Theoretical for A1P0» 58 15
154
THE MINING MAGAZINK
BOOK REVIEWS
Geology of Petroleum. By \V. H. Emmons.
Cloth, octavo, oJ5 [xiBes, illustrated. Price
36s. New York and London: McGraw-Hill
Book Company.
With the very rapid advancement of oilfield
geology, and in view of the enormous amount
ofgeologicaldataaccumulateddurinKthecourse
of exploration for petroleum in all parts of the
world within the last twenty years, it seems
almost incredible that the much-needed text-
book on the subject should have been delayed
until the present time, more especially when
we consider the magnitude of the literature
dealing with most of the other important eco-
nomic aspects of natural science. We do not
for one moment suggest that the various tech-
nical publications on oil that have appeared m
the past have been deficient in quality or want-
ing in scope, but they have comprised essen-
tially specialized, general, or popular treatises
on the subject, and have had their obvious limi-
tations in each case.
To students of petroleum technology, and
more particularly to those framing as oil geolo-
gists, a knowledge of the geologic conditions
obtaining in the principal oilfields of the world
must be a sine qua non to their technical edu-
cation ; such knowledge in the past must of
necessity have been derived from lectures at a
training college or from laborious research into
the official memoirs of geological survey for
oil issued by the several countries concerned,
and only those who have applied themselves
to such intensive study can appreciate the diffi-
culties and enormous range of the task.
It is not so much a question of the funda-
mental principles of oil technology, or of the
technique of oil andgasproduction ; thesebran-
ches of the subject are treated exhaustively in
many well known publications. But when it
becomes a matter of thestratigraphy, structure,
mode of occurrence, and economics of a par-
ticular oilfield, where is the textbook to which
we can refer to save recourse to the more de-
tailed official volumes ? The answer to that
question is to be found in the publication of the
present book, since Dr. Emmons has fortunate-
ly decided to deliver his course of Geology of
Petroleum lectures (customarily given at the
University of Minnesota) to a larger audience,
and in offering these lectures in their present
form he has filled a gap which both teacher and
student will gratefully acknowledge.
The book contains two distinct sections ; the
first, occupying about one-third of the volume,
deals with the first principles of the subject by
way of introduction to a broader and more de-
tailed consideration of the world's oilfields,
which composes the larger section. On first
taking up the volume, we were inclined toglance
somewhat cursorily at these first fourteenchap-
ters of introductory matter, because we instinc-
tively expected a repetition of the orthodox
story of oil with its origin, causes of migration,
accumulation, etc., but certain headings attrac-
ted attention, particularly those defining chap-
ters 2, 10, 12, and 14, dealing with surface in-
dications, structural features of oil and gas res-
ervoirs, metamorphism of petroleum by dyn-
amic agencies, and petroliferous provinces re-
spectively. A careful perusal of these led to a
closer study of the associated chapters, and any
preconceived ideas were soon dispelled by the
fresh, convincing manner with which the author
handles this introductory subject matter. There
is no " laying down the law " in this section, and
the elasticity of argument which the author has
allowed himself not only gives the reader food
for thought, but stimulates interest in the more
purely philosophical criteria engendered. In
this connection his passing reference to petro-
graphic methods of determination of the com-
position of reservoir rocks (p. 58) will doubt-
less set many geologists thinking hard, for
though by no means a new idea, such methods,
with their far-reaching importance in strati-
graphical correlation over small areas, have yet
to be more generally applied.
Passing now to the larger division of the
work, that dealing with individual oilfield geol-
ogy, the plan adopted in the description of each
region consists of a discussion of the general
features, stratigraphy, subterranean structures,
mode of occurrence, and economics of oil pro-
duction, supplemented with more local details
of the better known districts within the region
underconsideration. Maps, horizontal andver-
tical sections, well records, statistics of produc-
tion,and explanatory diagrams are lavishly dis-
tributed throughout the book, making reference
easy and text details simple to understand ; in
addition, the short bibliography appended to
each discussion of a particular region greatly
enhances the value of the volume.
It is probably only natural that by far the
larger part of this section of the work is devoted
to a consideration of the oilfields of the North
American continent ; possibly in this fact alone
are we able to level a slightly adverse criticism
of the book, since the proportion of a little over
300 pages to those fields and about 86 to the
rest of the world seems at first somewhat in-
congruous. It must be realized, however, that
the amount of technical literature on the North
MARCH, 1921
155
American oilfields far outweighs that of any
other country, and further, the excellence and
thoroughness of that hterature renders a more
universal understanding of the oil conditions of
that continent a matter of comparative simpli-
city. It is therefore not surprising that the de-
scriptions of these fields are fuller and, on the
vhole, more comprehensive than those of the
European, Asiatic, and other fields, a matter
which will probably receive adjustment in fu-
ture editions of the work.
For after all, the educational value of the
book is not so much centred about the discus-
sions of American oilfields (notwithstanding
their superlative importance in regard to actual
oil production) as about the broader geologic
principles to be deduced from a study of fields
all over the world ; it is the author's grasp of
this essential which completely justifies the
publication of the volume and which proclaims
it as unique in the literature of petroleum geol-
ogy, and we hope that this wider view of the
scope of the work will be even more rigidly
taken in future editions than in the present case.
In this way Dr. Emmons will maintain a live
textbook which can never become out of date.
We venture to congratulate both author and
publishers on the production of a volume which,
for excellence of material and literary merit,
deserves a very wide circulation.
H. B. MiLNER.
Le Platine et les Gites Platinif^res de
rOural et du Monde. By Louis Du-
PARC and Marguerite N. Tikonowitch.
Paper covers, quarto, 542 pages, illustrated,
accompanied by an Atlas containing 5 Geo-
logical Maps and 8 Plans. Geneva : Societe
Anonyme des Editions Sonor.
Ever since 1900 Professor Duparc and his
scholars have devoted considerable time, in-
tense energy, and genial thought to the study
of platinum and platiniferous deposits. The
result of their study is contained in the book
under review. It is divided into 1 7 chapters, an
introduction, and a list of 123 reference books.
All is so extremely thorough and interesting that
we do not hesitate to mention the titles of the
various chapters.
(1) The Urals from the topographical and
geological aspect.
(2) Matrix of platinum, distribution, and
general characteristics of the primary platinif-
erous centres.
(3) Petrography of the primary platinifer-
ous centres ; dunite and the peridotites.
(4) Pyroxenites and koswites.
(5) The rocks of the gabbro group.
(6) The vein rocks.
(7) Metamorphic rocks adjacent to the plat-
iniferous eruptive zone.
(8) Distribution of the platinum in the mat-
rix and primary platinum deposits.
(9) Analysis and chemical composition of
the platinum compounds.
(10) Secondary deposits and platiniferous
alluvials.
(11) Platinum extraction from alluvial de-
posits.
(12) Description of the dunitic centres in
the Urals.
(13) Description of the pyroxenitic centres
in the Urals.
(14) The world's platiniferous deposits out-
side those of the Urals.
(15) Metallurgy of platinum.
(16) Industrial uses of platinum.
(17) Platinum production and general sta-
tistics.
Duparc establishes most convincingly that
dunite is the pre-eminent matrix of platinum,
that pyroxenite may be a matrix of minor im-
portance, and that gabbros for all practical pur-
poses may be considered sterile. The relation-
ship of these rocks is very closely studied, and
numerous varieties of transitional character are
minutely described. The transitions from one
rock into another are closely gone into, and the
origin of uralization is explained.
The platiniferous dunite centres, moreor less
of elliptic shape, are generally within a band of
pyroxenite, the latter being surrounded by ex-
tensive masses of gabbro. Dunite is held to be
aproduct of magmatic segregation from pyrox-
enite, the latter being similarly derived from
gabbro. Dunite, which consists essentially of
olivine and chromite, contains the platinum as-
sociated with the latter, but never in sufficient
quantity to allow of a remunerative mining of
platinum from the rock in situ.
Dunite is a deep-seated rock, and exposed
only in consequence of extensive denudation.
In the majority of cases, rivers which take their
origin indunitecentres, or after passingthrough
these, contain platiniferous gravels; exception-
ally pyroxenite centres of definite composition
have yielded platinum to river gravels origin-
ating in or passing through them. Eleven dun-
ite centres have been located in the Urals, where-
as only five pyroxenite ones are known. The
crude platinum from different dunite centres is
of variable composition and contains from
60'39?^ to 84"60% of pure Pt, while that derived
from pyroxenite centres contains from 78'40%
to 88'54% of pure Pt.
One cannot speak too highly of the geologi-
156
THF. IMININC. MAGAZINE
cal and petroRraphical work contained in the
book, and unstinted praise is due to the thor-
ough elaboration of a rehable chemical analysis
for crude platinum.
There are also mentioned in the book prac-
tical results of applied economic geology, sev-
eral platinum deposits having been located by
theauthor and hispupils as results of geological
lield-work. The platiniferous deposits in other
parts of the world are summarily described as
results of personal inspection by the author or
at the hand of trustworthy information.
The criticisms of the book chiefly apply to
the purely technical part, where we find meas-
urementsgiven indiscriminately in metric, Eng-
lish,or Russian units. On page410 thealluvial
deposit of the river BolshaiaSosnowka is given
in Russian units, and overleaf (page412),when
describing the river Logwinska of the same
river system, metric units are applied. It is
also regrettable that platinum contents in the
gravels are chiefly given in doli or zolotnik per
100 pood, which do not convey anything to the
reader unacquainted with Russian units. At
least a conversion table should have been pro-
vided. The same remark applies to the plans
of machinery where archines.vershoks, metres,
and feet are used anyhow. The frequent use of
foreign words should be avoided, such as lojok,
ouwal, retchniki, peski, and many more, when
describingRussianplatinumdeposits. Ail such
words jar, and moreover cannot be found in a
French dictionary. The climax in the use of
foreign words is to be found on page 475, where
the author says : " The bore-holes carried out
by Mr. Orueta on thealluvial deposits of the Rio
Verde as well as on other rios of the region."
When discussing the methods which have
been used for prospecting platiniferous alluvial
deposits the author claims that results obtained
with the Empire drill are unreliable, and that
the drill is quite useless for the prospecting of
such deposits. That may be so, yet he describes
the drill fully and gives numerous illustrations
thereof, and even calls it a diamond drill in a
photo facing page 284.
The only reference of a dry assay for plati-
num from its matrix is to be found on page 194,
where it is mentioned that when platinum is
not visible in a rock the latter may be crushed
and panned appropriately, or it may be subjec-
ted to a lead fusion and the leadbuttoncupelled.
This method is, however, far from reliable, and
deserves special study and elaboration. The re-
sults contained in the tabulated statement of
page 195 and referring to platinum contents in
dunite are thereforenotconvincing; furtherde-
tails of the methods employed by the various
operators would be generally welcomed.
These criticisms are, however, trilling, and
the causes leading thereto can readily be avoi-
ded in a revised edition. In all other respects
the publication is and will remain a standard
text- book on platinum and its deposits. All
those interested in that precious metal, be it
from the geological, petrographical,orchemical
point of view, will welcome this publication of
undoubtedly great merit. The geological maps
published in connection with the book are
models of accuracy and valuableguides for sim-
ilar investigations. The illustrations generally
are clear and good ; particular interest attaches
tothose of famous platinum nuggets which have
vanished during the Russian revolution.
. A. L. Simon.
Die Sulfid - Silikatschmelzlosungen, I :
Die Sulfidschmelzen und die Sulfid-
silikatscHmelzen. By J. H. L. Vogt.
X'idensk. Selsk. Skrifter, I Mat.-nat. Klasse,
1918, No. 1. 132 pp., with 45 text-figures.
Kristiania, 1919.
Die Sulfid-Silikatschmelzlbsungen. By
J. H. L. V'OGT. Norsk. Geol. Tidsskr.,
vol. iv., 97 pp., with 13 text-figures. Kris-
tiania, 1917.
(This review appeared in the Oeolosical Magazine for Feb-
ruary, and is reproduced here by permission of the Editor. 1
These two publications contain the results
of researches undertaken by Professor Vogt
during the last few years on the physical
chemistry and mineralogy of the sulphides
and their relation to silicate melts, with special
reference to the slags obtained in the smelting
of copper matte. The first-named and larger
work forms a third part of Professor Vogt's
well-known work " Die Silikatschmelzlosun-
gen " ; the second contains a summary of the
results set forth in the larger volume, publish-
ed at an earlier date owing to difficulties en-
countered on the production of the complete
work under war conditions. We are also in-
formed in a preface that another memoir is in
preparation dealing specially with the nickel-
iferous pyrrhotite ore-bodies, which are here
only referred to incidentally. The publication
of this will be anticipated with much interest
by all mining geologists. Professor Vogt also
states that he has in hand a nearly completed
work on crystallization and magmatic differen-
tiation in the basic intrusive rocks.
The facts here set forth are of the greatest
possible interest, both in their technical appli-
cations to furnace practice and in their bearing
on theoretical petrology and the genesis of the
sulphide ores. It is now generally accepted
MARCH, 1921
157
that silicate melts of whatever composition are
completely miscible in all proportions, but with
regard to the relations between fused silicates
and sulphides the conditions are quite other-
wise. Silicate and sulphide melts, as well as
silicates and molten metals, possess only very
limited mutual solubilities, and in the fused
state must form systems of two liquid phases.
This proposition is, in fact, self-evident, since
it forms the foundation of all smelting proces-
ses. Pig iron and slag separate in the blast-
furnace, not because the molten iron is heavier
than the slag, but because the two liquids are
mutually insoluble at the furnace temperature,
and the same applies to the separation of sul-
phide and slag in copper matte-smelting. In
both these processes it is obviously desirable
tohavethecleanest possible separation of metal
or sulphide and slag, and it is the investigation
of the conditions most favourable to this clean
separation that is the chief object of Professor
Vogt's researches.
Inthe firstplace, it is evidently desirable that
the slag should be as liquid as possible, partly
in order that it can be drawn off easily and
partly to facilitate the sinking of globules of
sulphide, which might otherwise remain en-
tangled in a viscous slag. This can be obtained
partly by employment of a very high furnace
temperature, which is undesirable from the
point of view of fuel consumption and running
costs. It is found, however, that the viscosity
of the slag is very clearly a function of its
chemical com posit ion, and especially of its silica
percentage. This also has a very important
bearing on the solubility of sulphide in slag;
this solubility varies inversely as the silica per-
centage, and directly as the temperature. Very
basic slags at a high temperature cause the
greatest losses of copperin matte-smelting, and
this loss is apparently increased by the presence
. of much zinc. The practical problem is there-
fore to find the best working conditions, so that
the two opposed factors may compensate each
other. The lo-s of copper inevitable with a
liquid basic slag in which the solubility is high
has to be balanced against the loss of copper
in a viscous acid slag with low solubility, but
with a strong tendency to mechanical retention
of sulphide. This is a nice example of the ap-
plication of mineralogy and petrology to prob-
lems of the highest practical importance, a
point of view which appears to be scarcely ap-
preciated by British petrologists.
Rather more than half of the smaller work
here reviewed is devoted to a discussion of the
nickeliferous sulphide segregations and their
relation to the norites. This is presumably a
summary of the forthcoming larger publication
before mentioned. It is shown that nickelifer-
ous sulphides have a strong tendency to occur
along with rocks rich in rhombic pyroxenes,
which are mainly magnesia- iron silicates, rather
than with the more calcareous diopside-rocks
or normal gabbros. A few sulphide masses of
this type are found along with olivine rocks,
especially peridotites. The physical chemistry
and equilibria of the norite magmas are dis-
cussed, and it is shown that many of them
approximate closely to eutectic composition
(anchi-eutectic rocks). Most of the great pyr-
rhotile deposits are associated with norites that
contain more hypersthene than corresponds to
the eutectic limit between labradorite and hy-
persthene ; where felspar is in excess sulphide
segregations are much less common. In the
cases described it is quite clear that the pyr-
rhotite crystallized later than the pyroxenes,
olivine, and felspars. Incidentally it is of in-
terest that, however quickly cooled, sulphides
are always completely crystalline; no such
thing as sulphide glass is known to exist. This
behaviour is in strong contrast to that of the
silicates. Likewise, it appears that owing to
the highly mobile nature of fused sulphides,
under-coolingdoesnot occur to any appreciable
extent, but sulphides crystallize sharply close
to their true freezing-point.
All the phenomena attending the occurrence
and crystallization of the sulphide segrega-
tions and their consanguineous silicate rocks
become easily intelligible when it is once fully
realized that silicates and sulphides possess
very limited mutual solubility, and at the nor-
mal temperature of intrusion must of neces-
sity form two liquid phases ; this conception
greatly helps in the solution of the problem of
the genesis of the great nickel deposits of Sud-
bury and others, a problem which has of late
years led to so much discussion by many pet-
rologists, both from its inherent interest and
from its great technical importance.
R. H. Rastall.
[Other notices of new books and pamphlets
page 192.1
vill be found on
The Australasian Association for the Ad-
vancement of Science was not able to hold its
annual meeting at Hobart owing to the ship-
ping strike, and the sittings were held in Mel-
bourne instead. Sir Baldwin Spencer deliver-
ed the presidential address, and Sir Edgworth
David gave a lecture on " The Romance of
Ice." There were special discussions on "The
Physical Sciences in Warfare " and " The
Constitution of the Atom."
158
Tin: MININC. MAC.AZINE
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
The Greenside Lead Mines.
The Editor :
Sir— 1 shall be glad if you will find space for
a reply to your correspondent who contributed
to the January issue an article under the head-
ing: North of England Lead and Zinc-Min-
ing in 1920. I think it would only be fair to
say in regard to the Greenside Mines that the
sole reason the present company do not propose
to continue operations after a certain time is
because the proposed royalties for the granting
of a new lease were too high in the opinion of the
directors of the company. It is early yet to say,
as your correspondent puts it, that it will per-
manently close down. Knowing the proposi-
tion perhaps a good deal better than your writer,
I may say it is not likely to cease as quickly
as supposed. The mines have been in opera-
tion over a century without a stoppage of
any moment, and within the last 60 years
have returned to shareholders approximately
^400,000, a return equal to 14% on the actual
capital. It may not be out of place to say the
present company offered to purchase the royal-
ties, but as the price could not be agreed upon,
it remained to try and get better terms on a
royalty basis, which was not considered favour-
able at the time. The property is a low-grade
proposition, but under a favourable royalty it
could carry on even with lead at its present
price, and there would be no need to close, as
in the case of most mines in this country.
The total cost of working for a series of years
was under 15s. per ton crude and the mine paid
when pig lead was down to ^12 per ton. It
always carries a large reserve of broken ore
underground, which is important to successful
mining, and is able to treat 100 tons per day
when required to cope with prices.
Too little attention has been paid in the past
in this country to working costs above and
below ground, and how such can be met in the
most efficient way. Lack of development of the
ore-bodies and working from hand to mouth,
combined with asmall output of treatment, lead
and zinc-mining in this country is in an unsatis-
factory state. It has been a sore point with
the average miner that the more he makes on
his contract over a certain wage, when the same
comes to be re-let the price would in most cases
be cut. This has come about by inefficient
valuation and not knowing what a worker or
workers can do when letting the contract. To
my mind no contract should be let on what an
individual has done the previous month ; the
value should be put on the ground to give the
worker u living wage from the ground in sight,
if he works. I am afraid the managements
have done more to kill contract work than the
worker himself. Hence the demand for a
minimum wage with a go-as-you-please policy.
A maximum wage was never too much, but a
standard wage irrespective of capacity or in-
telligence is fatal to all. There are many mines
in this country run on modern lines that could
show good returns if handled in the right way,
and keep capital at home, where it is certainly
needed.
As your correspondent was anonymous, 1
take the liberty of Ijeing ditto, and sign myself
iNTERliSTEU.
London, February 18.
Genesis of Cumberland Iron Ores.
The Editor :
Sir — Mr. Kendall, in hisletter of January 28,
states that I offer no evidence in my letter of
December 14 in favour of my conjecture as to
the course of geological events in the Lake
District. As I said, it is only a conjecture de-
pendingon speculative considerations on which
we have now and may never have certain know-
ledge. My conjecture is founded on as little
certain knowledge as Mr. Kendall's positive
statement that the Carbon if erousand later rocks
never extended over the Lake District. Per-
haps the most that can be said for either view
is that it is not impossible.
I am not satisfied with the conclusion Mr.
Kendall draws from the facts he states relating
to the occurrence of fragments of hematite
found in the Permian Breccia near Orebank
House, Bigrigg. I do not know if at the time
(40 years ago) the possibility of the hematite
deposits in the limestone being formed from
iron oxide from overlying rocks was in view.
Anyone finding fragments of ore in the breccia
would naturally conclude they were derived
and may not have examined them with special
regard to being replacements of limestone frag-
ments. Mr. Kendall states he sliced the frag-
ments 40 years ago for microscopical examina-
tion and found no difference between them and
pieces taken from the mine, yet some peculi-
arities in the structure of the fragments from
the breccia would, I am advised by geologists,
have afforded some evidence as to whether they
were derived fragments of hematite or frag-
mentsof limestonereplaced by ironoxide. The
question is too important to be finally decided
without the fullest evidence, and I hope Mr.
Kendall will pardon me if I say that wh^t was
observed so long ago and cannot now be veri-
fied does not satisfy me.
MARCH, 1921
159
It is to be hoped that Mr. Kendall's inter-
pretation is correct as this would open up the
probability of hematite being found in the lime-
stone below the Cumberland coalfield in situa-
tions where the lines of faulting are known and
where deposits might easily be located. My
observations in the few cases where the lime-
stone has been proved under and at sotne dis-
tance from the outcrop of the Coal Measures
in Cumberland is not in favour of Mr. Kendall's
views as to the source of hematite, but this evi-
dence is slight and negative only.
I cannot see any objection to my statement
to which Mr. Kendall takes exception that
great light would be thrown upon the genesis
and age of hematite deposits by a microscopi-
cal examination of the pebbles and fragments
found in the Permian Breccia." Perhaps Mr.
Kendall thinks that I assume the result would
be against his view. One of three results
would follow : (a) Found to be derived frag-
ments ; (bj found to be replaced fragments of
limestone; (c) no evidence either way. As
(c) is unlikely, I think I was justified in my
statement.
Apart from enclosed fragments of hematite
the red staining of the breccia over large areas
in the Cleator and Egremont districts is a fea-
ture to be noted. This staining appears to be
subsequent or secondary. I feel great diffi-
culty in ascribing it to the ascent of iron bear-
ing solutions or vapours, it is so regular and
widespread. It seems more likely to be due
to the percolation of water through overlying
Trias carrying down iron oxide. The same
feature is observed in some parts of the Lan-
cashirecoalfield where Carboniferous rocks are
stained red for some hundreds of feet in depth
where overlain by Trias.
Mr. Kendall seems to think that we might
as well suggest a relation between the boulder
clay and hematite as between the Trias and
hematite, as both formations are found directly
overlying deposits of hematite in the limestone.
The objections to such a view are : (l) There
is not sufficient iron in the boulder clay to ac-
count for the masses of hematite in the lime-
stone ; (2) boulder clay is not readily perme-
able to water; (3) in many districts boulder
clay is found lying on the limestone with no
accompanying deposits of hematite. My con-
tention is that all these conditions are satisfied
by the Trias.
In conclusion, my answer to Mr. Kendall's
contention thatexplorationbased on a supposed
connection between the Trias and hematite in
the limestone will result in "a great waste of
time and money " has not been met, and I in-
vite him to do so. Even if there is no connec-
tion I do not see how the waste comes in.
J. B. Atkinson.
86, St. George's Terrace,
Newcastie-on-Tyne, February 17.
NEWS LETTERS.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
January 21 .
Mineral Production for 1920. — In the
latter part of January, the Provincial Depart-
ment of Mines issued the annual preliminary
review and estimate of the mineral production
of the Province of British Columbia. This
report is issued at the commencement of each
year for the purpose of placing an approximate
estimate before the public, without waiting for
the compilation of the actual production, which
cannot be completed much before the middle
of June. It is understood, therefore, that the
figures in the preliminary estimate are subject
to revision, but most of them have been found
to closely approximate the final figures. The
following is the estimate for last year, with the
1919 production, for the sake of comparison:
1919 1920
Gold, placer oz. 14.325 13.250
Gold, lode oz. 152.426 118.176
Silver oz. 3,403.119 3.404.926
Copper lb. 42.459.339 4J.773.660
Lead lb. 29 475.968 21,545.CM7
Zinc lb. 56.737.651 75.765.268
Coal long tons 2,267.541 2,712,228
Coke long tons 91,138 68,190
The estimate of the value of the mineral
production of last year exceeds the value of the
1919 production by more than two and a quar-
ter million dollars. This increase is due al-
most entirely to the increased production of
coal and zinc. The increase in the production
of coal is due very largely to a shortage of fuel-
oil during the latter half of the year ; a short-
age so serious that it necessitated the Imperial
Oil Co. closing it refinery, near Vancouver,
and the Canadian Pacific Railway converting
a number of its oil-burning locomotives into
coal-burners. Several coast-going steamships
and industrial plants have had to make a simi-
lar change. Some idea of how this has in-
creased the demand for coal will be gleaned
from the fact that the C.P.R. has had to place
an additional order with the Canadian Col-
lieries, Ltd., for 25,000 tons more coal per
month. With regard to the zinc figures, it is
difficult to see how either those of last year
or this year are obtained, unless it is on the
assay- value of the ore raised and not on the zinc
produced. Whatever the method, it is quite
certain that both the 1919 production and the
estimate for last year, as given by the Provin-
160
THE MINING MAGAZINE
cial Departtiient of Mines, is fully 45'o above
the actual protluction of zinc from British Co-
lumbia ores. The Consolidated Mining &
Smelting Company produces at least 85% of
the zinc made from Hritish Columbia ores, and
thecompany'sproduction wasabout 26,000,000
lb. in 1919 and 37,000,000 lb. in 1920, as
compared with 56,000,000 lb. in 1919, and
76,000,000 lb. given by the local department.
There unfortunately is a tendency at times to
try to boost output for political reasons, and it
looks very much as though that has been the
case with the zinc output of the last two years.
As was to be e.xpected, the gold production
shows a decrease, the reason for which is quite
evident, not only in British Columbia but
nearly all over the world. Silver and copper
both show an increase in production, but a de-
crease in value, owing, of course, to market
fluctuations. For the same reason the value
of the lead production shows an increase, while
the production of actual metal shows a de-
crease. Owing to labour troubles that have
tied up the Slocan and Slocan City mines for
the greater part of the season, this erstwhile
silver district shows a marked falling off in out-
put ; fortunately, however, the Dolly Varden
and Premier mines, in the north-west section
of the Province, have made up the deficit, and
the total output is slightly greater than that of
the previous year.
Western Canada has not as yet started to try
to catch up in building for the four years com-
paratively idle period during the war, conse-
quently the production of building materials
does not show any appreciable increase over
that of 1919. Labour prices have been very
high, and buildmg materials have been kept
at such an e.xorbitant figure that people have
held off reconstruction as long as possible.
Just towards the end of the year there was a
break in prices of both labour and materials,
and considerable activity in building may be
looked for during the coming year.
Smelters. — The Granby Consolidated
Mining, Smelting & Power Company insti-
tuted a cut of 75 cents per day in its wage-
scale on the first day of the year, and the men
agreed to accept it rather than suffer a shut-
down, which was the alternative offered to
them. Despite the laying-off of some 300
men, Granby is turning out about two and
three-quarter million pounds of copper per
month : a greater amount than at any time
during the past eighteen months. This has
jjbeen reflected on the shares of the company,
jj, j'jiich have advanced 10 points above the mini-
value'b°^ 15 reached during November.
The Consolidated Mining tV Smelting Com-
pany has cut day wages 55 cents per day and
those paid by the month $15 per month. The
company has an enormous stock of metals on
hand, and, as a conseiiuence, has had to notify
individual mine-owners that it is no longer able
to pay cash for metal contents of ores received,
but can give only warehouse receipts. This,
it is feared, will mean the closing of a number
of the small interior mines, as freight-rates
prohibit shipment to smelters in the United
States. Probably 85% of the ore treated at
Trail comes from the Consolidated Company's
own mines, and the output of these is being
maintained. During last year some 60,000
tons more ore was treated at Trail than in 1919,
and metallurgically, that is with regard to high
extraction, it is said to be the best year that
the company ever has had. Only a small quan-
tity of copper ore is being treated at Trail, so
that Granby may be said to be practically the
only copper producer at the present time.
Coal I^kices. — The boards of trade of the
big cities have demanded a Government in-
quiry into the price of coal, the high price of
which is checking industry in the Province.
In Victoria and Vancouver, according to qual-
ity, coal ranges at from !j>13 to $15 per ton,
while in its official estimate the Department
of Mines places the price at the pit's mouth at
$5. As it is only about an 80-mile haul by
water from the Nanaimo mines to Victoria and
less to \ancouver, the middlemen appear to be
profiteering pretty extensively. No great cut
can be made at the pit's mouth, as a majority
of the companies have wage-agreements with
the men that do no expire until the end of next
year.
Dolly Varden.— The Taylor Mining
Company has completely closed the Dolly
Varden mine for the winter, the directors of
the company having decided that, as it is likely
that there will be a considerable reduction in
the cost of wages next year, it would be cheaper
to push development at the same time as pro-
duction next spring, as it is impossible to ship
during the winter months on account of the
heavy snows blocking the railways.
Vancouver Island Copper. — The Tide-
water Copper Co., which has been developing
a property and installing machinery at Sidney
Inlet, \'ancouver Island, for the past three
years, shipped its first consignment of 400 tons
of concentrate to the Tacoma smelter last De-
cember. Although nothing has been an-
nounced, evidently the return from the con-
signment was found to be insufficient to guar-
antee the continuance of production with cop-
MARCH, 1921
161
per at its present price, for the concentrating
plant lias been closed down, but the develop-
ment of the mine is being continued.
Premier. — The winter shippingai the Pre-
mier mine, in the Salmon River district, is pro-
gressing favourably, 850 tons of ore, running
$400 per ton, already having been shipped, while
another 500 tons will be sent to the Tacoma
smelter by the next boat. A survey isnow being
made for an aerial tramway from the mine to
tide-water, and when this is completed the
Premier will be able to ship throughout the
year. The Algunican Development Company
will commence to ship ore from the Spider
mine early in February. This will make the
second shipping mine in the Salmon River dis-
trict. The ore is a complex one, containing
sulphides of zinc, lead, copper, and iron, and
is rich in native and ruby silver, some of it run-
ning several thousand ounces per ton. About
100 tons of such ore will be shipped during the
winter.
Iron Ore. — British engineers have been
investigating the iron-ore resources of the
Province for the past four months, and it is
stated that steps will be taken toward the
founding of an iron and steel industry in the
neighbourhood of Vancouver during the pre-
sent season.
TORONTO.
February 10.
Porcupine. — The output of gold has been
greatly curtailed by reason of the shortage of
electric power, which is likely to continue for
a few weeks longer until the breaking up of
winter brings relief. As soon, however, as
power is available a great expansion in the
mining industry seems assured, as several pro-
perties now closed will be reopened and new
companies are preparing to enter the field. At
the Dome Mines an important discovery of rich
ore has been made at the 1,050 ft. level, where
several large ore-bodieshave been encountered.
Much of the ore will run as high as §20 per
ton. The mill is now only working at about
one-third capacity. The shareholders of the
Davidson Consolidated have decided to sell the
property to an English syndicate, which has
purchased 1,000,000 shares of the treasury
stock at 75c. per share and will buy the stock
outstanding in the hands of shareholders at
$1T8 per share. Mr. Rowland C. Feilding,
consulting engineer, who examined the mine
for the British interests, estimates the tonnage
of ore disclosed by the work done including
probable ore at 350,000 tons averaging $11 per
ton recoverable. The mine will be reopened
about March 1, and it is intended to erect a 500
ton mill. The annual financial statement of
the Porcupine Crown shows profits of $28,788
which, added to the balance carried forward,
makes a surplus of $242,532. Milling opera-
tions were obliged to be discontinued and de-
velopment much restricted owing to power
shortage. The Premier Paymaster, formerly
the Standard, which has been closed for some
time after about $100,000 had been expended
upon it, is to be reopened, having been financed
by Boston capital. Theshaft,nowdown200ft.,
will be sunk to the 500 ft. level. A large ore-
body has been developed at the 200 ft. level.
The Porcupine Associated Goldfields, Ltd.,has
been organized, capitalized at $5, 000, 000, to op-
erate a large group of mining claimsin the east-
ern part of the field. Among the properties in-
cluded in their holdings are the La Palm and
Three Nations, on which a good deal of work
has been done, and the Jermy Veteran claim.
Altogether the company will control about 720
acres. A large block of the stock is being un-
derwritten by an English syndicate. Negotia-
tions are in progress looking to the amalgama-
tion of the West Dome and the Dome Lake.
As the veins of the Dome Lake run into the
West Dome it is proposed to work both pro-
perties through the Dome Lake shaft. The
long disputed question as to whether the mills
of the mining companies were liable to muni-
cipal taxation has been finally settled by a de-
cision of the Supreme Court of Ontario, declar-
ing them exempt. As the properties involved
in the Porcupine district are valued at about
$2,000,000 the matter is of considerable im-
portance to the mining companies.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The power situation is
not soserioushere asinthe other mining ramps,
butthe supply of electric energy is by no means
equal to requirements. The position of the
Lake Shore has been greatly improved by de-
velopment on the 200 ft. and 400 ft. levels,
which have been opened up for 2,000 ft. and
1 ,000 ft. respectively, encountering a large ore-
body which is stated to rank with the Porcu-
pine deposits in size and to show higher enrich-
ment. ThemillduringDecembertreated 1,865
tons of ore for a yield of $34,670. The Wright-
Hargreaves mill, with a capacity of 150 tons
per day, has been completed and will be put in
operation as soon as power can be obtained.
Thecompany is expected to be one of the largest
producers of the district. The Ontario Kirk-
land is developing a good shoot of high-grade
ore which has been opened up for about 100 ft.
on the 450 ft. level. The vein also carries
galena, chalcopyrite, and molybdenite. A mm-
162
THE MINING MAGAZINE
iiiR plant is being installed on the Wood- Kirk-
land and work will shortly be resumed. The
vein at a depth of 100 ft. is 4 ft. wide, carrying
good commercial ore. At the Hunton-Kirk-
land rich ore showing visible gold has been en-
countered in the shaft at a depth of 95 ft. The
King- Kirkland has installed a mining plant. A
shaft is down 40 ft. on a promising \ein. The
Kirkland Lake mine during December pro-
duced approximately ,^300,000 in gold. De-
velopment is in progress on the ^00, 700, and
900 ft. levels. Exploration work is being un-
dertaken on the 400 ft. level to open up the
western part of the property where a second
ore zone is believed to occur. The capacity
of the mining equipment of the Bidgood is be-
ing doubled preparatory to the resumption of
operations on a large scale. The shaft will be
put down from 300 ft. to deeper levels.
CoHALT. — With the arrival of spring a gen-
eral resumption of activity on many of the
smaller properties, where operations have been
suspended or temporarily curtailed, is antici-
pated. The lower wage scale which comes
into force on the I5th, involving an all-round
reduction of 75c. per day, will be an impor-
tant factor in restoring normal conditions.
During December the Nipissing produced
silver to the estimated value of $139,882 and
cobalt valued at §18,200. The company is in a
strong financial position, with cash and bonds
in hand to the amount of $3,432,201, and ore
and bullion valued at $1,488,802, making a
total of $4,921,010. The Kerr Lake has se-
cured an option on the two Hargraves claims
adjoining, -which will be worked from the Kerr
Lake shaft at the 375 ft. and 425 ft. levels.
The annual report of the Crown Reserve is a
disappointing one, as owing to adverse condi-
tions development had to be discontinued, re-
sulting in a deficit of $72,055. The diamond-
drilling campaign, carried on to a depth of
1,500 ft., will be continued to 2,500 ft. An im-
portant strike has been made on the first level
of the University property of the La Rose,
where a vein 2 in. in width carries high-grade
ore in addition to milling ore of a good width.
At the Bailey a recently discovered vein is be-
ing followed up and shows good milling ore
over a width of 3 to 4 ft. with some patches of
high-grade ore. The Ruby was driven for
about 100 ft. on the 110 ft. level, on a vein
which has widened to 18 in. and carries native
silver, with well-mineralized wall-rock. Anew
company, the Primo Silver- Cobalt Mining
Co., Ltd., has been formed with an authorized
capital of $1,000,000 to operate the Barber
property, about a mile and a half west of the
Montreal River and some ten miles west of
the producing area of the camp. The pro-
perty contains several veins having low silver
content and a high percentage of cobalt metal.
A mining plant has been purchased.
Tin-: Mackknzik River Oil Field.—
The discovery by the Imperial Oil Co. of oil
in the Mackenzie River district, close to the
Arctic circle, created much excitement and led
to the taking up of extensive areas in Western
Canada. .X rush of prospectors to the north
would have taken place but for the action of
the Government, which, fearing a repetition of
the hardships and disasters attendant upon the
gold rush to the Yukon in '98, issued orders
that all prospecting parties which were not
well provisioned and supplied to encounter
the rigours of an Arctic winter should be turn-
ed back by the Mounted Police. This has
more recently been followed by an Order in
Council suspending the negotiations for the
disposal of oil lands in the North-West. This
is merely a temporary measure to give the
Government an opportunity to consider the
whole situation in the North-West and adopt
a permanent policy in regard to oil develop-
ment, which it is expected will be made public
in a few days. In the meantime the Imperial
Oil Co., which had laid out an extensive pro-
gramme for this season's operations, is hold-
ing it in abeyance until the new regulations
are promulgated.
MELBOURNE.
January 10.
Tasmanian Oil- Promotions.— Owingto
exaggerated statements issued by promoters in
connection with the so-called oilfields in the
Barn Bluff and Pelion areas, Mr. Loftus
Hills, Government Geologist, has found it ad-
visable to address a report on the subject to
the Secretary of Mines. We quote Mr. Hills
in full herewith.
" I would first wish to bring under your
notice that statements have been attributed to
an officer of the Geological Survey which are
not in accordance with the conclusions arrived
at and the wording of his report. The article
referred to appeared in the Zeehan and Dun-
das Herald of November 30, and was, I be-
lieve, copied from the Melbourne Age of some
days earlier. The article in question contains
the following : 'It has been estimated by the
Assistant Government Geologist of Tasmania
that there are nearly 4,000,000 tons of material
very rich in oil and wax.' The only statement
published by the Geological Survey in connec-
tion with the Barn Bluft coalfieldof recentdate
MARCH, 1921
163
IS that by Mr. A. Mcintosh Reid, in Geological
Survey Bulletin No. 30, pages 75-80. Mr.
Mcintosh Reid does not make the statement
that there are nearly 4,000,000 tons of material
rich in oil and wax. What Mr. Reid has
stated is as follows: 'The quantity of pelionite
in the Barn Bluff area has been put at ap-
proximately 1,700,000 tons, and that of the
second grade cannel is estimated at i, 200, 000
tons.' In describing the properties of the pe-
lionite in regard to oil production, the only
statement made by Mr. Reid was that the dis-
tillation test by Mr. W. F. Ward, Government
Analyst, showed that pelionite contained 92
gallons of oil and tar per ton of coal. As the
report appearing in the press makes Mr. Reid
appear to state that there are nearly 4,000,000
tons of material rich in oil and wax, there is
clearly a misrepresentation which isapt to mis-
lead the public.
I further desire' to draw your attention to
the fact that a great number of the articles that
have appeared in the press within the last few
days contain assertions that the material, which
they term ' albertite,' occurring in the Barn
Blufif field, and the general geological features
of the country, are indications of the existence
of liquid oil, and it is proposed to raise capital
to carry out boring operations. While not de-
siring in any way to interfere with the investi-
gations of our natural resources, I consider it
my duty to draw attention to what are really
mistaken ideas in regard to the possibility of
the discovery of oil in this area. There is a
very great attraction to the general public in
the possibility of striking oil, and it would be
a most regrettable thing if money were sub-
scribed and wasted on carrying out boring op-
erations in an area where there is no chance of
striking liquid oil. The main reason adduced
in favour of Barn Bluff area as an oilfield is
the so called discovery of albertite. In the
first place, this is not a discovery, as the sub-
stance was discovered about thirty years ago.
It is described in several publications of the
Geological Survey as pelionite, and it is shown
in Bulletin No. 13 of the Geological Survey
that it is a variety of sapropelic coal. It has
since been demonstrated that this substance
occurs in practically horizontal beds of Permo-
Carboniferous age, and the geological data in
connection with this are contained in Bulletin
No. 30 of the Geological Survey. All of these
sapropelic coals have kerosene- like products,
together with more or less tar on being sub-
jected to distillation. The fact that this pe-
lionite, which has been referred to as albertite
in the recent press paragraphs, gives oils on
3—5
distillation is no fresh discovery, and of no
special significance. In fact, the kerosene
shale of Preolenna and the other sapropelic
coals occurring in that district have been de-
monstrated to yield a similar proportion of
crude oil on distillation. The two occurrences
are in fact on the same geological horizon, and
of the same general geological character. If,
therefore, there is to be any attention paid to
the possibility of liquid oil, the first investiga-
tion should be that of the accessible Preolenna
district rather than the very remote Barn Blufif
districts. One is tempted to conclude that the
very remoteness of the Barn Bluff deposits has
lent enchantment to the proposition.
" On the geological evidence in the posses-
sion of the Geological Survey, there is no more
chance of finding liquid oil in the Barn Bluff-
Pelion area than in the Preolenna district. It
is further the opinion of the Geological Sur-
vey, based on the knowledge of the geological
structure, and the geological history of Tas-
mania acquired during the investigations of
the last thirty years, that the conditions essen-
tial for the formation and existence of an oil-
field do not occur in either of these districts.
The reference to pelionite as the mineral al-
bertite is misleading, as albertite occurs in
nearly vertical fissures, and is inspissated pe-
troleum, whereas pelionite is a defined coal bed
from which the volatile matter has not been
distilled. Investigation of the Barn BlulT-
Pelion area from the point of view of its po-
tentialities as a coalfield is a justifiable and a
very desirable undertaking, but I consider it
my duty to point out that money spent in the
hope of locating liquid oil will be surely wasted.
The persons responsible for the paragraphs
recently appearing in the press, and the claims
made therein, must produce more evidence
pointing to the possibility of finding liquid oil
than the reasons put forth up to the present.
In the absence of such more definite indica-
tions, I am compelled, by a realization of my
duty to the general public, to warn them that
on the evidence in our possession there is no
hope of any discovery of liquid oil in the Barn
Bluff-Pelion area."
Prospecting for Coal in Tasmania. —
The George Town Coal Prospecting Associa-
tion has been formed in Launceston to pro-
spect a coal-bearing belt adjacent to the pro-
posed deep-water port at Bell Bay, on the
Tamar. A boring machine, supplied by the
Government Geologist, Mr. Loftus Hills, and
used during the war on the Western front, is
being utilized for the purpose of testing the
belt. Small seams have been discovered, and
164
Till-: MINING MAGAZINE
certainly the coal possesses excellent qualities,
in fact, equal to anything that has so far been
discovered in the State ; but the bore alone
will reveal whether the seams will develop to
such an extent as to warrant the opening up
on an extensive scale. Mr. Loftus Hills con-
siders that the coal-bearing nature of the coun-
trv is well worthy of a thorough test.
NOKTU-E.AST T.\SMANI.\. — The restricted
water supply has caused mining operations
throughout the north-eastern district of Tas-
mania to ease ofl". The recent slump in the
tin market will afTect prices very considerably,
and the higher prices ruling for all mining re-
quisites, as well as labour, are having a deter-
rent effect on mining generally. At the Briseis
mines sluicing operations have been proceed-
ing at Krushka's Flat main face and also at the
Kingarooma high-level drift face, but owing to
the shortness of water the latter work has been
suspended for the present. Krushka's Flat tin
face IS looking well. The drainage water is
now considerably less, and there is no trouble
from that source now, nor will be during the
summer months. Preparations for turning the
river are in progress, but it will most likely be
a year or two before this is accomplished.
PERSONAL.
A. W. Allen has been appointed associate editor of
the Milling and Scientific Press.
D. H. .i^NGUS has been appointed manager of the
Bidgood mine, Kirkland Lake.
]. A. Bancroft, professor of geology at McGill, is
serving for a year as assistant general manager of the
Anyox copper mines of the Granby ConsoHdated Com-
pany.
W. ]. Barnett has left for Spain.
H. Bertram Bateman is back from Arabia.
.\.Chaston Chapman has been appointed president
of the Institute of Chemistry.
Dr. J. Mackintosh Bell has returned to Ontario.
Frank Cogill has left for West Africa.
C. V. Corless is nominated for the presidency of
the Canadian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.
E. H. Cunningham Craig has been making a re-
port on the properties of the Oilfields of Egypt.
G. D. Delprat has resigned the general manager-
ship of the Broken Hill Proprietary and is succeeded
by EssiNGTON Lewis. Mr. Delprat preserves his
connection with the company as consulting engineer.
Henry S. Drinker has been made an honorary
member of the .\merican Institute of Mining and Metal-
lurgical Engineers. He is one of the original members,
and he attended the organization meeting in 1871.
P. Ross Frames is here from South Africa.
Charles W. Goodale is to be presented with the
gold medal of the Mining and Metallurgical Society of
America.
H. A. Guess has gone to South America for the
Guggenheim interests.
Sir Robert Hadfield has been awarded the John
Fritz Medal.
William IIdskino is the new president of tlir
Cornish Institute of Kngineers.
OWKN Li; i(lii:u has been appointed editor of the
South Africiin MniinU <'■ Enfiinccrinfi Journal .
T. H. MoTiUAM ha^been appointed Chief Inspector
of Mines for the United Kingdom.
C. H. Mi-nro has returned to the Federated Malay
Stales from America.
C. T. Nicoi.soN.of the Bucyrus Company, is back
from the United States.
K. II. Kasiall, lecturer on economic geology at
Cambridge and editor of the Geological Magazine,
has taken the degree of Doctor of Science in Cambridge
University.
J B. Richardson is back from Bolivia.
J H . Ron ALDSON is on his way home from Australia.
Edgar F. Smith is the new president of the Ameri-
can Chemical Society. It is worthy of note that he
was president of this society twenty-five years ago.
He is well known in this country as the author of the
book on Electro-Analysis.
D. A. Thompson has left for West Africa.
G. H. Thurston is back from West Africa.
Professor Thomas Turner will deliver the an-
nual May lecture before the Institute of Metals,
T. Weir is expected from tlie Bongwelli, Nigeria,
J, S. Wetzlar. the London managing director of
the Consolidated Mines Selection Company, has left
for South Africa.
W. R. Whitney, director of the research laboratory
of the General Electric Company, at Schenectady, New
York, has been awarded the Perkin Medal.
M. Y. Williams, of the Canadian Geological Sur-
vey, has been appointed professor of paleontology in
the University of British Columbia.
]. H G. Wilson has been appointed manager of
the Akim Alluvials, and left England on February 16,
L, B, Woodworth has been elected president of the
South African Institute of Electrical Engineers.
Fergus L. Allan, manager of the Mexico Mines of
El Oro, died in November last.
EwenCattanach, a director of the British Platinum
and Gold Corporation, died on February 21.
G. A. Prentice died on February 20. He was a
notable figure in Stock Exchange circles, particularly
in the South African market.
Frederick Walker died on February 18. He was
a London solicitor and took part in many successful
resuscitations of mining companies that had got into
difficulties,
C. F.H. Leslie, atonetimechairmanof the Kyshtim
Corporation and of the Messina (Transvaal) Develop-
ment Co., died last month. In early days he was a
distinguished cricketer, playing for Oxford and Mid-
dlesex, and being a member of one of the English teams
visiting Australia.
Frederick Close died of tubercular trouble in
Switzerland last month. He was a mining engineer of
varied experience. He did a great deal for the flotation
process in early days. Later he was manager of gold
mines in Sumatra. His article in the Magazine a few
years ago on the mining developments behind Juneau,
Alaska, showed his sagacity of judgment,
G. J. Snelus died on January 21 at the Jos Hospital,
Nigeria, of blackwater fever. Mr. Snelus was serving
his first term in Nigeria, whither he proceeded in De-
cember, 1919. tolakeuptheassistant managershipof the
Kaduna Syndicate, Ltd, and KadunaProspectors, Ltd,,
while the manager, J. E. Snelus, his brother, was on
leave. He had served in many parts of the world be-
fore going to West .-Xfrica, and he was particularly well
MARCH, 1921
165
known on the Continent. From 1895 to 1900 lie was
in Belgium with the Societe John Cockerill, Seraing,
I. lege, and from there he went to France for two years.
He then returned to England, and worked as an in-
^[lector of iron and steel. Subsequently he worked in
New Caledonia, Spain, Canada, and Cornwall. From
1912 to 1919 he was in Madagascar on gold and gra-
phite prospecting and on land irrigation work. During
the war be was British Vice Consul at Majunga, Mada-
gascar. He was born at Dowlais, Glamorgan, in 1869,
and was the eldest son of the late G.J. Snelus, the dis-
tinguished steel metallurgist.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
Low l1 Bonak, Ltd., of Dundee, send us their chart
showing the monthly prices of raw jute and hessian
cloth during the past six years.
The Carborundum Co , Ltd., of Trafford Park,
Manchester, send us Catalogue No. 6, dealing with
manufactures of carborundum and aloNite, used for
grinding and abrasive purposes.
Hyatt, Ltd., of Thurloe Place, South Kensington,
London, S.W.7, send us a new pamphlet describing
fully the application of Hyatt Roller Bearings to indus-
trial trucks and trollies.
The Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co.,
Ltd., of Manchester, send us two pamphlets. One of
these. No. 7855/lB, describes buffing motors, and the
other. No. 7974/2A, deals with the electrical equipment
of cinematograph theatres.
John & Edwin Wright, Ltd., of the Universe
Rope Works, Birmingham, are well represented at the
British Industries Fair, held at Birmingham. They
have a special show of steel ropes used in mine haulage,
aerial ropeways, and for oil-well drilling purposes.
Guthridge, Ltd., of Sydney, have recently made
further improvements in their "Curvilinear" concen-
trating table. This table is small but of large capacity.
The London agents are James Smith & Partners, Ltd.,
of 36, CamomileStreet, E.C.3, who will supply pamph-
lets and other information on application.
G. A, Harnev & Co. (London), Ltd., of Suffolk
House, Laurence Pountney Hill, London, E.C.4, and
Woolwich Road, S.E.7, inform us that their Galvanized
Tank IJst No. 225 is now subject to 60% discount in-
stead of 55% as hitherto : also that their galvanizing
rates have been reduced 10%, that is, tariff rates are
now being charged without any addition.
The Sullivan Machinery Company, of Chicago,
and Salisbury House, London, E C 2, are now giving
displays of their cinema show in England. Particulars
of this interesting enterprise were published m the
Magazine for July, 1920. The pictures give a vivid
record of the business of a machine shop where drills
and coal-cutters are made, and of the doings of the coal-
cutters underground. They might to advantage be
shown in coalmining centres in this country, where
they cannot fail to have considerable educative influ-
ence, for they show why American coal is mined cheaply.
We have received catalogues from a number of firms
making Acetylene Lamps suitable for the purposes
of the mining engineer. These names will be of use to
many of our readers, so we give them herewith : Car-
Bic, Ltd.. 51, Holborn Viaduct, London, E.C.I;
Thorn & Hoddle Acetylene Co., Ltd., 151, Vic-
toriaStreet, Westminster; Allen-Liversidge,Ltd.,
106, Victoria Street, Westminster; The Phos Com-
pany, Dalston Lane, London, E.8. ; The Wolf
Safety Lamp Co , Star Works, Sheffield ; and The
Premier Lamp & Engineering Co., Ltd., Moor-
field Works, Wortley, Leeds.
The Hardinge Company announces that, owing to
expanding business, it has removed its London offices
to larger premises at 11, Southampton Row, WC.l
Satisfactory arrangements have now been made for
manufacturing in England on a much greater scale in
order to ensure prompt deliveries. The latest design
of Hardinge mill embodies important new features, en-
suring rapid feed and discharge of large tonnages for
both wet and dry grinding. The company has recently
issued two new pamphlets, one dealing with the appli-
cation of the Hardinge mill to the grinding of cement
clinker, and the other to the grinding of foundry waste
and the reclamation of brass and other metal therefrom .
Nobel Indi'stries, Ltd., of 6. Cavendish Square,
London, W.l. send us particulars of their exhibit at the
British Industries Fair, Birmingham. The details of
the exhibit are as follow : Hardware products : metals
and metal fittings, Kynoch lanterns and stoves, power
presses, thermit welding, metal alloys : ammunition :
cartridges by Eley, Kynoch, and Nobel, smokeless
powders, components; incandescent mantles: iron-
clad, shocking machine : bicycles; "all-weather " and
"speed "models, 1921 improvements, transfer machine;
industrial collodions: " Necol " products, cements,
varnishes, lacquers, textile stains. Circularsand other
printed matter relating to the foregoing and also to
mining and other explosives will be sent on application
to the firm's advertising department at 5, PalaceStreet,
London, SVV.l.
METAL MARKETS
Coppek , — The position in copper so far as the fun-
damental factors are concerned has really not altered
during the past few weeks. That is to say, the stocks
of the metal still remain more than abundant, whilecon-
sumption is at a very unsatisfactory rate. An event of
some interest recently was the arrangement carried
through in the LInited States between the Copper Ex-
port Association and a syndicate headed by the Na-
tional City and Guaranty companies, whereby some
400,000,000 lb. of copper was financed. Against this
bankers were offering 40,000,000 dollars of 8% notes
with the copper as collateral. This metal has therefore
been set aside as exportable surplus, and a good deal
was made of the fact at the time by those interested in
getting prices higher. In the long run it has had little
effect upon the situation. According to reports to hand
from .America recently, copper production is being pared
down to the lowest limit. The January output figures
of several leading mines show that current production
is just about 50% of the 1917 rate. This reduction of
output must affect the situation in the end. The stan-
dard market in London showed some tightness at one
time so far as positions maturing up till April were con-
cerned. This was brought about by the covering of
bears or possibly of others who had sold short in standard
against purchases of refined. These shorts seemed to
become somewhat nervous on the report that some
.American buying had been done here, but after the
more pressing demand was satisfied values eased oft
again. It is understood that with the return of a further
action of the miners, the strike at the Rio Tinto mines
is now completely over.
Average prices of cash standard copper : February
1921, .^71. Os. 9d. ; January 1921, /71. Is. 4d. ; Feb-
ruary 1920. O20. 6s. 2d. ; January 1920, .^118. 4s. Id.
Tin — This market continues to fluctuate without
any very definite tendency. So far as the consuming
industries are concerned, business is very unsatisfactory.
The demand from America has been very disappoint-
ing, while little can be expected to be done with home
166
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Metal Prices: Official Closing
Copper, Lead, Zinc, and Tin per Lone
Copper
Standard Cash
Standard (3
inos,)
Electrolvtio
Wire-Bars
Best Selected
Feb.
C s. d.
I s. d.
i s.
d.
i s.
d.
t.
s.
d.
I
s. d.
i
s.
d.
£
s.
d.
s.
d.
I 8. d.
10
71 IS 0 to
72 0 0
72 5
Oto
72 7
6
78
0
0 to
80
0 0
78
0
oto
80
0
0
76
10
0 to
77 10 0
11
71 7 6 to
71 10 0
71 15
Oto
71 17
6
78
0
0 to
79
10 0
78
0
0 to
79
10
0
76
0
0 to
77 0 0
14
71 0 0 to
71 5 0
71 7
6 to
71 10
0
77
10
0 to
79
0 0
77
10
0 to
79
0
0
76
0
oto
77 0 0
15
71 12 6 to
71 15 0
71 12
6 to
71 15
0
77
0
0 to
78
0 0
77
0
oto
78
0
0
0
0 to
76 0 0
16
72 5 0 to
72 10 0
71 12
6 10
71 17
6
76
0
0 to
78
0 0
76
0
0 to
78
0
0
0
0 to
76 0 0
17
73 5 0 to
73 10 0
71 10
0 to
71 15
0
76
0
0 to
77
0 0
76
0
0 to
77
0
0
0
0 to
76 0 0
18
73 5 0 to
73 7 6
71 0
0 to
71 5
0
76
0
0 to
77
0 0
76
0
0 to
77
0
0
0
0 to
76 0 0
21
72 5 0 to
72 10 0
70 10
0 to
70 15
0
75
0
0 to
77
0 0
75
0
0 to
77
0
0
0
0 to
76 0 0
22
70 15 0 to
71 0 0
69 17
6 to
70 2
e
74
0
0 to
76
0 0
74
0
0 to
75
0
0
0
0 to
75 0 0
3
70 15 0 to
71 0 0
70 0
Oto
70 5
0
74
0
0 to
76
0 0
74
0
0 to
76
0
0
0
0 to
75 0 0
24
70 0 0 to
70 5 0
69 5
0 to
69 10
0
73
10
0 to
75
10 0
73
10
0 to
75
10
0
0
0 to
75 0 0
25
69 5 0 to
69 10 0
68 5
Oto
68 10
0
73
0
0 to
75
0 0
73
0
0 to
75
0
0
10
0 to
73 10 0
28
68 5 0 to
6S 10 0
67 10
Oto
67 15
0
73
0
0 to
75
0 0
73
0
0 to
75
0
0
10
0 to
73 10 0
Mar.
1
68 5 0 10
6S 10 0
67 15
Oto
68 0
0
73
0
0 to
74
10 0
73
0
oto
74 10
0
0
Oto
73 0 0
2
67 10 0 to
67 15 0
67 5
Oto
67 10
0
73
0
0 to
74
0 0
73
0
0 10
74
0
0
0
Oto
73 0 0
3
67 12 6 to
67 15 0
67 7
6 to
67 10
0
73
0
0 to
74
0 0
73
0
0 to
74
0
0
0
0 to
73 0 0
4
66 15 0 to
67 0 0
67 5
0 to
67 10
0
72
0
0 to
73
0 0
72
0
oto
73
0
0
69
0
0 to
71 0 0
7
66 0 0 to
66 2 6
66 5
Oto
66 10
0
71
0
0 to
72
0 0
71
0
0 to
72
0
0
69
0
Oto
71 0 0
8
66 0 0 to
66 5 0
66 5
Oto
66 10
0
71
0
0 to
72
0 0
71
0
0 to
72
0
0
68
0
0 to
70 0 0
9
65 10 0 to
65 15 0
66 0
Oto
66 5
0
70
0
0 to
71
0 0
70
0
Oto
71
0
0
68
0
0 to
70 0 0
consumers in view of the slack conditions prevailing in
the South Wales tinplate industry. A certain amount
of inquiry has been seen from the Continent, and a fair
amount of business has resulted, mostly apparently in
Banka tin. Generally speaking, however, the outlet
for the metal among actual users has been small , Mean-
while the standard tin market remains based virtually
upon the stocks of Chinese and English tin which are
in this country, other brands such as Straits, Banka,
Billiton, and Australian metal all commanding pre
miums. In the middle of the month the Federated
Malay States Government reduced the " pegged " price
from 115 dollars to 100 dollars per picul. The reduced
5gure equalled something like ;f 204 for the tin landed
here, which therefore was still above the level of the
market in this country, and business consequently con-
tinued suspended in that quarter. .\t the end of Feb-
ruary the peg was withdrawn altogether, and this had
a somewhat depressing effect on the market here. It
is understood that the Federated Malay States Govern-
ment do not intend sacrificing the stocks they have ac-
cumulated, but when they will be able to sell them at a
profit is hard to say. Batavia has also been reserved,
but China has sold from time to time. The net result
of these price-pegging policies is that supplies of the
metal tend to accumulate, and are apt to become a men-
ace to the market in the future. Meanwhile, in other
directions output is being cut down. The Cornish mines,
in consequence of the continued fall in the price of
tin, wolfram, and arsenic, have suspended operations.
What is more important from the market point of view
is that cables from Bolivia say that mine-owners there
have put into force a sharp cut in production. The
January exports were only 1,400 tons (reckoned in fine
tin), while those for February, March, and April are
only expected to average 700 tons (fine) per month.
Average prices of tin : February 192 1, ;f 166. 9s. Id. ;
January 1921, /190. 13s. Ud. ; February 1920, /395.
16s. 6d. ; January 1920. /376. 12s. 8d.
Lead. — Values of this metal declined materially
during the month of February, the price having indeed
come to within measurable distance of an ordinary pre-
war level. In this respect lead was somewhat of a lag-
gard, the other non-ferrous metals having come already
to such prices as usually ruled prior to the war. Prob-
ably the value is now below the average cost of produc-
tion, but with the consumption very unsatisfactory and
stocks accumulating theconsequent liquidation had the
inevitable effect. Business with users, as already indi-
cated, has been very unsatisfactory. At one time the
cable makers took fair quantities, but latterly this tended
to ease off, although the decrease may have been partly
off-set by an improvement in some other lines. Gener-
ally speaking, however, the aggregate consumption is
poor. It is understood that production in Spain is being
curtailed to some extent by the stoppage of some mines,
but it is generally believed that the bigger concerns
continue operating, no doubt with the object of keeping
their staffs together and preventing unemployment. It
is believed that there is a stock of lead in Spain amount-
ing to something like 32,000 tons, though this figure
cannot be confirmed. Arnvalscontinuallycomein here
from that quarter, but it is doubtful if producers are
doing more than getting rid of their current production.
The production in America last year increased, and
business in the consuming industries in that country is
apparently very unsatisfactory. Consequently prices
there have eased off, the last Trust price quoted being
4' 10 cents. It would not, therefore, be surprising to see
additional quantities coming forward from that quarter
to Europe before long. Meanwhile, owing to the fire
at the Port Pirie refinery, Australia is almost out of the
picture as a producer. This would be serious were con-
sumption normal, but present supplies are sufficient
apparently without shipments from there.
Average prices of lead ; February 1921, /21 : Janu-
ary 1921, /23. 12s. 6d. ; February 1920, ;f50. 12s. 9d. ;
January 1920, /-t?, 7s. Id.
Spelter. — This market has been showing a moder-
ately steady tendency recently, the fluctuations being
really only of a minor character. The general situa-
tion shows little material alteration. Business with
consumers still remains very unsatisfactory, and. al-
though at times there are signs of inquiry waking up a
little bit. this is seldom sustained. Some demand, how-
ever, has been seen from the East and metal has been
sold for shipment from here to Japan, America has
not continued her buying policy here, owing no doubt
to the improvement in the rate of dollar exchange,
coupled with the easing of the price in America having
MARCH, 1921
167
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Tons : Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tin
Silver
Zinc
GOL
D
Soft Foreign
English
(Spelter)
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
£ s.
d. £ s.
<i.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£ s.
d. £
s.
d.
^
d.
Feb.
22 0
0 to 22 10
0
23
15
0
26
0
Oto27
0
0
165
0
0 to 165
5
0
170 0
Oto 170
5
0
36j
34l
105
10
10
21 5
0 to 22 0
0
23
0
0
25
0
0 to 26
0
0
168
0
Oto 168
5
0
172 10
Oto 172
5
0
36i
34i
105
6
U
20 15
0 10 21 12
6
23
0
0
24
15
0 to 25
15
0
172
0
0 to 172
5
0
175 10
0 10 176
0
0
352
34
105
6
14
21 5
0 to 22 0
0
23
0
0
24
17
6 to 25
12
6
170
5
0 to 170
10
0
173 10
Oto 174
0
0
34i
34i
33:
105
1
15
20 15
0 to 21 10
0
22
10
0
24
15
Oto 25
15
0
163
0
0 to 163
10
0
167 10
0 to 168
0
0
34
104
7
16
20 0
0 to 20 12
fi
23
0
0
24
12
6 10 25
12
6
168
0
Oto 163
10
0
172 0
010 172
10
0
34|
34
104
11
17
20 0
0 to 20 10
0
22
0
0
25
10
0 to 26
5
0
173
10
0 to 174
0
0
176 10
Oto 177
0
0
335
33!
105
6
13
19 5
0 to 20 5
0
21
10
0
25
10
Oto 26
5
0
170
0
0 to 170
5
0
173 10
Oto 173
15
0
33
32;
106
0
21
19 0
0 to 19 15
0
21
10
0
25
2
6 10 25
12
6
170
0
0 to 170
10
0
173 0
Oto 173
10
0
333
32|
33g
105
6
22
18 10
0 to 19 7
6
20
15
0
25
7
6 10 26
0
0
169
0
0 to 169
10
0
172 10
0 to 173
0
0
323
105
8
23
IS 5
0 to 19 0
0
20
10
0
25
10
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15
0
168
10
0 to 169
0
0
171 15
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0
0
32,
32
105
11
24
16 10
0 to 17 5
0
19
0
0
23
15
0 10 24
15
0
165
10
0 10 166
0
0
169 10
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0
0
3lg
3li
106
4
25
17 10
0 to 13 2
6
19
10
0
23
15
0 10 24
10
0
159
10
0 to 160
0
0
163 10
0 to 164
0
0
33
32i
106
1
28
Mar.
1
17 10
0 to IS 5
0
19
10
0
23
15
Oto 24
15
0
158
0
0 to 159
0
0
162 0
0 to 162
10
0
324
32
105
10
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0 to 19 0
0
20
0
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23
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155
10
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31
105
8
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0 to 19 7
6
20
10
0
23
12
6 10 24
17
6
154
15
Oto 155
0
0
158 0
Oto 158
10
0
Hi
31}
105
7
3
18 12
6 to 19 5
0
20
10
0
23
12
6 to 25
2
6
133
0
Oto 153
10
0
156 10
Oto 157
0
0
Hi
30
30
105
3
4
18 2
6 to IS 15
0
20
0
0
24
5
Oto 25
15
0
153
0
Oto 153
10
0
156 10
Oto 157
0
0
Hi
105
3
7
IS 0
0 to IS 7
6
19
10
0
26
5
Oto 26
10
0
150
15
Oto 151
5
0
154 10
Oto 155
0
0
3'l
3ii
105
6
8
18 5
0 to 18 12
6
19
10
0
26
15
Oto 26
15
0
148
0
0 10 148
10
0
151 0
010 151
10
0
30|
105
11
9
ma<3e such business unprofitable. Germany sells here
from time to time, and in view of the amount of metal
that has been sold here by that country the market may
be said to have held up very well considering the fact
that consumers are taking so little. There still seems
to be a good deal of metal to come forward from Ger-
many, and it remains to be seen whether the market
herecan absorb this without prices suffering. Belgium
does not offer very much, and is considerably reducing
production. It is expected that by March the produc-
tion will only amount to about 4,000 tons, or half the
December output. Were trade anything like normal
the existing supplies of spelter would no doubt get
quickly used up, as there is certainly no superabun-
dance for normal times, but with industry everywhere
as stagnant as it has been, there is more than enough
for present requirements.
Average prices of speller: February 1921, /25. 5s.
5d. ; January 1921, ^25. 15s. 7d, : February 1920. ;^62.
3s. 6d. ; January 1920, ^59. 10s. 4d.
Zinc Dust. — There is little fresh to report regard-
ing this market, which continues very quiet. High-
grade Australian stands at about £'70 to ;^80 per ton,
with American at ;f 65, and English at ^75. Continen-
tal material can be had at lower figures.
Antimony. — English regulus continues at /37 to
£40 for ordinary brands, and at /38. 5s. to /42 for
special brands. Foreignregulus has been quiet. Down
to /23 c i.f. has been done for shipment from the East.
Arsenic. — Business continues very idle, and the
current quotation for Cornish white is nominal at /50
per ton delivered.
Bismuth. — The price has had a sharp drop to 7s. 6d.
per lb. Business is quiet.
Cadmium. — The current price is about 6s. 3d. per lb.
Aluminium. — The price has been reduced 10 £150
per ton for home and export.
Nickel. — The price has been reduced to ^200 per
ton for home and export.
Cobalt Metal. — The price has been reduced to
20s. per lb
Cobalt O.xide. — Black oxide stands at 16s. and grey
at 17s. 6d. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — These metals can be
had at around /17 per oz., although more is asked for
small quantities or in manufactured form.
Quicksilver. — The market has continued quiet,
but in the absence of selling pressure values have been
steady at about ^12, 10s to ;^12. 15s, per bottle.
Selenium. -Theprlcestandsat 10s, 6d. to 13s. per lb.
Tellurium. — The quotation continues at 90s. to
95s. per lb.
Sulphate OF Copper, — Business isquiet, and prices
are easier at about /34 to .^36 per ton.
Manganese Ore.— Values are lower at about Is.
9d. to Is. lOd, per unit c.i.f. U.K. for Indian grades.
Tungsten Ores. — The current quotation for wol-
fram is about 14s. per unit c.if.
Molybdenite. — 85% stands at 57s. 6d. to 65s. per
unit c.if. U.K.
Chrome Ores. ^48% is quoted at about £5 c.if.
U.K.
Silver. — On February 1, the price of spot standard
bars was 34jd, per oz., values improving to 37id, on
the 3rd. Subsequently 31id. was touched, the price at
the end of the month being 33d.
Graphite. — Soft velvety flake 85 to 90% is quoted
at ^60 to /80 per ton. Madagascar 80 to 90% is quoted
at ^20 to .^25 per ton.
Iron and Steel. — The past month has again been
far from satisfactory to the British iron and steel trades.
Pig iron makers have found their product almost un-
saleable owing to the hesitation on the part of buyers
to place orders here owing to slack trade and the lower
prices quoted by the Continent Prices have in conse-
quence been reduced. No, 3 Cleveland G.M.B, stand-
ing at £7. 10s, for the home trade and £7. 15s. for ex-
port. Makers are being forced to curtail their output,
and already sixteen Cleveland blast-furnaces have been
blown out. In the finished branches of the trade many
works are closed, or partly closed, owing to the lack of
orders, and trade is gradually being brought to a stand-
still. Drastic reductions in prices have made their ap-
pearance, being desperate eftbrts to keep plants going,
but orders are few and far between. The competition
from the Continent is exceedingly keen, not only with
this country, but there is also much scrambling among
the Continental producers themselves to secure any
business that is going, with the result that prices are
ruthlessly cut.
l^^
THE MININC. MAGAZINE
STATISTICS.
Production or Goli> in tmk Transvaal.
Transvaal Gold Outputs.
Rand
I 0«-
Year 1919 S.111.271
January. 1920- 653,295
February 607.918
March 6WJ.615
April 607.9.'6
.May 6S1,551
June 659.199
July 7is.5-'l
.\ugust 683.601
September 665.4.'<6
October 645. »ly
November r)ls.525
December ■. 617.549
Total, 1920 7,949.038
January. 1921 ■■ ' 637.425
Else-
where
Oi,
218.820
' 17.208
17,412
17 391
19.053
17.490
16,758
17,578
18.479
16.6S7
16.653
15.212
14,666
Total
Ol.
8,330,091
670,503
625.330
707.036
686.979
699.041
715.957
736,099
702.083
682.173
662.472
633,737
632,215
Price of
Gold per oz,
s. d.
V67 6
110 0
105 0
102 6
105 0
102 6
105 0
112 6
115 0
117
117
20t,587 8,153.625
14.168 I 651.593 I 105 0
.Natives Employkd in the Transvaal Mines.
Gold
mines
Coal
mines
January 31. 1920 176.390
February 29 185,185
March 31 188,564
April 30 ■• 189,446
May 31 184,722
June 30 179.827
July 31 174,187
AuEust31 169,263
September 30 163.132
October 31 159.426
November 30 158.773
December 31 '59.671
January 31. 19^1
165.287
Diamond
mines 1
Total
12,766
4.796
12,708
5,217
12.788
5,232
12.951
5.057
12,897
4,793
13,036
4,596
13,005
4,521
13,535
4,244
13.716
4,323
13 858
4.214
14,245
3.504
14,263
3.34f) I
193.952
203.110
206 584
207.454
202.412
197.459
191.713
187.042
181.171
177.498
176,522
177.274
3,319
183,147
Cost and Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines. The profit available for dividends is about
65% of the working profit. Figures for yield and profit for 1919
based on par value of gold ; subseciuently gold premium included.
Work'gjWork'6 1 Total
cost profit working
per ton per ton profit
f
6,605.509
Tons
milled
Yield
per ton
Year 1919 I 24,043,638
January, 1920.-
February
March
April
May
June
July
.\ueust
.September ..
October
November
December
2.038,
1,869,
2,188.
2,065.
2.117,
2,146
2.194,
2.057,
1,950,
1,871.
1.799.
1.797,
,092 \ 34
.180 I 35
104
,446
,725
,890
,050
,560
.410
,140
,710
,970
31 10
33 6
36 11
38 II
39 9
40 2
39 11
s. d
22 11
24 2
28 3"
25 2
26 3
25 11
25 2
s. d.
5 6
10 2
6 10'
6 6
5 2
5 10
6 8
9 0
11 11
13 5
13 8
13 1
13 3
1,036.859
644,571'
716.610
533.940
618.147
692.510
985.05S
1.226.906
1,276,369
1,278,385
1,255.749
1.193,672
' Results aflec
with new wages
ted by the back-pay disbursed in
agreement.
accordance
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
January ....
February ..
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total .,
1919
1920
£
oz.
211,917
43,428
220,885
44.237
225,808
45.779
213.160
47.000
218,057
46.266
214.215
45.054
214.919
46,208
207,339
48,740
223,719
45,471
204,184
47,343
186,462
46,782
158,835
46,190
1921
2,499,498
January
I Treated
Aurora West
brakpan
City Deep
Cons. Langlaagte
Cons. Main Reef
Crown Mines
Durban Koodepoort Deep
Fast Uand P.M
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburti
Goch
Governmeui G.M. Areas
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
LHiiglaagte Estate
Luipaard's \'lei
Meyer tV Charlton
Modderfontein
Modderfontein B
Motlderfonlein Deep
Modderfontein East
New Unified
Notirse
Primrose
Princess Estate
Randfontein Central
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodepoort United
Rose Deep
Simmer 6; Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates..
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
West Rand Consolidated
Witwalersrand (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolhuter
Tons
9. ICO
54.000
83.500
38.000
47.000
185.000
26,450
116.000
52.500
45,000
<4.300
3,184
16,100
132.500
47.060
23,000
38.300
14.775
13.700
91,000
55,000
42.600
25.700
11,300
42,700
19.500
117.000
38.01
50.11
22.800
53,800
61.500
39.700
9.700
16.65(1
30.750
49.8C0
47,700
33,400
31.700
32.400
32.500
Yield
February
Treated Yield
Oz.
£13,064*
22,627
35.867
£61.172'
16,243
52.018
8.714
30,716
10.112
15,644
12.635
£6.203'
£19,390'
£280,930'
12,868
6.013
£62.492'
£17.683'
£43,135'
43.560
26.540
22.864
10.572
£13.239
13,550
£21.879'
£l76.773'i
7.892
14.435
£22.956'|
12.414
13.193 I
16.989
5.265
£25.746'
£48,763'
£137.046'
14.567
£50.444'
£46.352*
£46.076'
7.617
Tons
7.080
48.500
52.51.0
14 300
33.000
124.000
24,550
112.000
22.500
40.000
39.760
5.560
12.000
111,500
43.800
21.300
27.100
9,700
8i,000
50.000
39.400
25.000
9.300
35,600
20,300
100,500
26.700
39.200
22.000
47.500
53.200
29.500
9.500
14.835
28.100
46.800
43.300
30.100
28.500
23.600
Oz.
£10.0301
19.937
22,266
£27.9871
11.515
42.328
7.719
29.099
7.457
14.058
10.804
£5,5eo:
£13,8981
£231,4001
11,723
5,469
£45.2831
£31.5401
39.580
25,324
21,656
9.-883
£10.7621
11.678
£22.3281
£162.6051
5.769
12.208
£22.2241
10.748
12.657
12.843
5.066
£26.129:
£44.5191
£127.8771
13,475
£45,7891
£43.0411
'£5. 5s. Od. per oz I £5. 3s. 9d. per oz. t £5. 2s. 9d. per oz
Returns not yet to hand.
West African Gold Outputs.
December
Treated
Tons
5,029
5.440
206
46,956
Abbontiakoon
Abosso
AWoko ■'■- >•-•■•!
Ashanti Goldfields I 5,110
Obbuassi I 670
Prestea Block A | 8.545
Taguah I 2,720
Value
Oz.
£11, 175'
2.178
156
3.251
£2,5861
£16.523'
1.500
January
Treated Value
Tons
6.330
5,000
4,691
680
7.898
2.755
Oz.
£9.304'
1.989
5.375
£2.2521
£14,534'
1,620
' At par. + Including premium.
Rhodhsian Gold Outputs.
December
January
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
London & Rhodesian ,
Lonely Reef
Planet-.\rcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia. Ltd
Rhodesia G.M. & I
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian •
Treated
Tons
15.130
3,558
5.560
3,844
5.280
5.900
5,700
660
50.300
Oz.
Treated
2,9911
1,175
7.611
£2,4671
5,115
2.713
2.513
Tons
15,301
2,813
5.949
5,350
5.750
5.436
228 661
£41.312: 50.700
£5.278t 1.550
2.803'
1,383
7,200
5.219
2,535
2,536
253
£40.450.5
£5,440t
* Also 241 tons copper. § Gold at 1
copper. : Gold at 105s.
10s. per oz. Il Also i
per oz. I At par.
MARCH, 1921
169
West Australian Gold Statistics.— Par Values.
Reported
for Exporl
lanuary, 1920
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September .-
October
November ■.
December ..
January, 1921
February
836
1,928
835
227
502
167
141
174
128
321
523
684
Delivered
to Mint
oz.
25.670
49.433
54.020
56.256
50.976
56.679
48,341
5t,258
54.940
53,801
54,729
53,595
50,934
26,872
Total
oz.
Total
value £
26.506
51.381
54.020
57.091
51.203
57.181
48.341
54.425
55.081
53.975
54,857
53,916
51,457
27,556
112,590
218,251
229,461
242,506
217,495
242,638
203,340
231,185
233,963
229.275
233,017
229,057
218,571
117,050
Australian Gold Returns.
Victoria.
QUKENSLAND.
New South
Wales
1919
1920
1919
1920
1920
1921
i
Oz.
(.
Oz.
£
i
January .-
36,238
7,105
37.100
4.724
28.000
20.463
February
46.955
8,677
43,330
7.200
15.000
—
March
40.267
24,126
48,000
6.973
22.000
—
April
63,818
6.368
61,200
8.368
12.000
—
May •—
37 456
13 ^63
38 200
8.432
13.800
13.725
8.700
July
37.393
12,782
42.060
9.596
17.410
—
Aueust ...
51,564
1 2. 809
49.700
9.973
17.168
—
September
76,340
13.973
37.120
11,789
13.872
—
October ...
39.018
13,432
36.100
9,300
24.752
—
November
40.735
9.245
32.720
10.200
16,907
—
December
63.311
15,305
44.500
12,874
18.137
—
Total ...
575.260
152.792
514.630
114,181
207,746
20,463
Australasian Gold Outputs.
Associated G.M. IW.A.) .
Blackwater (N.Z.)
Bullfinch (W.A.)
Golden Horseshoe (W.A.)
Great Boulder Pro.(W.A.)
Ivanhoe (W.A.)
Kalgurli (W.A )
Lake Vievf & Star (W.A ).
Menzies Con. (W.A.)
Mount Boppy(N.S.W ) .
Oroya Links (W.A )
Progress (N.Z.)
Sons of Gwalia(W.A) —
South KaleurlK W.A.) ....
WaihKN.Z.)
Waihi Grand J unc'n (N.Z.)
Vuanmi (W.A.)
December
January.
Treated 1
Value
Treated
Value
Tons
£
Tons
£
5.069
6,050
2,677
2,90711
2.700
5,822
2,129
3,47111
5.500
5.738
5.350
5.32S
5.064
1,9451
3,528
1.772:
4,479
18,25111
3.544
10,62311
6,960
2,760:
4,987
2.193:
2,707
4,64211
—
—
3,330
11,9951
—
—
1.160
2,132
1.360
2.289
3,385
2,283:
5,672
1,760:
12,917
15,8061
—
z
4,308
9,6451
—
—
11,393 {
4,192:
23,993§
7,087 1
1,787
5.630 1
2,384:
11,1538
-{
—
1,460
5,029*
1,320
4,123*
t Including royalties : tOz. gold ; §0z silver; II At par;
* Including premium.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs.
December
January.
Treated | Value I Treated | Value
Tons
Brit. Plat & Gold (C'lbia)l —
El Oro (Mexico) I 31,500
Esperanza (Mexico) —
Frontino& Bolivia (C'lbia) 2.670
Mexico El Oro (Mexico)... 12,200
Mining Corp. of Canada... —
Oriental Cons. (Korea) 15,931
Ouro Prelo (Brazil) 6,200
PlymouthCons.!Califrnia) 8,350
St. John del Rey (Brazil) —
Santa Gerlrudis (Mexico) 37,588
Sonora (Mexico) —
Tolima (Colombia) 55*
Tomboy (Colorado) 15.000
66§
210,000tl
3,241tt
7,833
164,410+
196,033*
106,211+
2,1121!
10.832
34,000
16,827t
Tons
2,020
12.050
6.300
9.000
37.588
I £
I 221§
! 200.000+
1,249:+
5,558
163,240+
♦75,500+
2,08211
11,435
35,000
10.104;
75*'
t U.S. Dollars, t Profit, gold and silver. II Oz
§ Oz. platinum and gold. ** Production
79.000+ 15.000 ' 71.000+
Production of Gold in India,
1917
1918 1919
1920
1921
January
February ...
March
oz.
44.718
42,566
44,617
43,726
42,901
42,924
42.273
42,591
43.207
43.041
42.915
44.883
oz.
41,420
40,787
41,719
41,504
40,889
41,264
40.229
40.496
40.088
39.472
36.984
40.149
oz.
38.184
36.834
38.317
38.248
38.608
38.359
38.549
37.850
36.813
37.138
39.628
42.643
oz.
39.073
38.872
38.760
37.307
38.191
37.864
37.129
37.375
35.497
35.023
34,522
34.919
oz.
34,028
32.529
May
July
August
September
October
November
December
-
Total ...
520.362
485.236
4')1.171
444.532
66.557
Indian Gold Outputs.
Balaghat
Champion Reef-...
Mysore
North Anantapur -
Nundydroog
Ooregum
January.
Tons Fine
Treated Ounces
3.200
11,293
16,515
700
8.553
12,900
2,323
5,512
11,798
920
5.021
8.464
February.
Tons
Treated
3.000
10.831
15.950
700
8.324
12.500
Fine
Ounces
2.220
4.561
11.563
917
4,901
8.367
Base Metal Outputs.
Arizona Copper Short tons copper,
( Tons lead cone
British Broken Hill ""
Broken Hill Prop
\ Tons zinc cone
I Tons carbonate ore.
j Tons lead cone
Tons zinc cone
Broken Hill South Tons lead cone
r, ^ f Tons refined lead ■
Burma Corp \ q^ ^^^^^^ ^-^^^^^ _
Fremantle Trading ...Long tons lead
Hampden cioneurry.. ] S°" g"d"!"..:::::::
Kafue Copper Short tons copper....
( Tons copper
Mount Lyell ", Oz silver
Oz.gold..
J Tons copper
■ lOz. gold
I Tons lead
I Oz, silver
Mount Morgan
North Broken Hill
Pilbara Copper Tons ore
Poderosa Tons copper ore
Rhodesian Broken Hill. ..Tons lead -...
S'th American Copper Tons cop. oreship'd..
^ , ... ,, .. j Tons lead cone
Sulphide corporation -j ^^^^ ^j^^ ^^„^
Tanganyika Long Ions copper
„. _ J Tons zinc cone
Zinc Corp ITonsleadconc
Jan.
2,
280,
325
,330
120
580
533
,207
,445
.210
352
282
141
357
.279
352
587
.517
132
200
1.323
1,373
1,979
1,130
1,320
1,190
40
845
2,460
1,693
2,548
234.487
473
672*
24,277*
726'
340
4.485
170
150
1.442
1.585
2.580
4.015
287
* For period December 16 to February 9.
Imports OF Ores. Metals, etc.. into United Kingdom.
Jan., 1921. Feb.. 1921
, gold. * Oz. silver,
of silver ore.
Iron Ore Tons ..
Manganese Ore Tons ..
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons ..
Copper Ore. Matte, and
Precipitate Tons ..
Copper Metal Tons ••
Tin Concentrate Tons •
Tin Metal Tons .
Lead. Pig and Sheet Tons -.
Zinc (Speller) Tons .
Quicksilver Lb. ..
Zinc Oxide Tons ..
White Lead Cwt. .
Barytes. ground Cwt. .,
Phosphate Tons .
Sulphur Tons ■
Borax Cwt. .
Other Boron Compounds Tons -
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. .
Nitrate of Potash Cwt. ...
Petroleum :
Crude Gallons
Lamp Oils Gallons
Motor Spirit Gallons
Lubricating Oils Gallons
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil Gallons
Total Petroleum Gallons
569.515
48.312
61.924
843
7,508
1.379
2.662
12.113
7.945
2.277
389
12.602
31.738
92.705
600
1.306
138.880
744
19.387.468
32.124.702
10.8S8.366
4.690.163
28.691,484
95.782,423
283,839
35.193
40.719
3.3S5
7.186
2.546
1.581
14.684
4.319
16.982
239
5.939
22.646
37.465
960
1.428
133.664
7.525
920.111
14.621.854
13.775.416
3.392.702
3.193.753
33.515.259
69.420,821
170
THl': MINING MAC.AZINK
Outputs OF Tin Mining Companirs.
In Tons of Concentrate.
Nigeria ;
Associated Nitierian
Benue
Bisichi
BonRwelli
Champion (Nigeria)
Dua
Es-Lands
Filani
Forum River
Gold Coast Consolidated..
Guruui River
Jantar
Jos
Kaduna
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Kuril
Kwall
Lower Bisichi
Lucky Chance
Minna
Moni4u
Naraguta
Naraguta Extended
Nigerian Consolidated
Ninghi
X.N. Bauchi
OBin River
RayBeld
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Varde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Cbenderiang
Gopeng
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamnnting *
Kinta
Labat
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Rambutan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
Grenville
South Crofty
Other Countries :
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia)
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook (Siam)
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal)
Macready (Swaziland)
Mawchi (Burma)
Porco (Bolivia)
Renong (Siam)
Rooiberg Minerals (Transvaal) .
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam)
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
Nov.
Tons
20
16
IJ
3
i4
35
S
7}
2}
13
10
24j
17i
9
31
8i
1
2
40
45
15
22i
5*
35
71
35
115
72
I9j
13
32j
595
785
166
16*
31
30
31
38
74 1
60|)
Dec.
Tons
20
20
265
15i
8}
7i
1
lA
50
42
17
23
5
50
9}
37
126
4
44
15
15
-
44
4
4
4
5
893 1
62+
170
154
157
27
18
24
23
13
U
19*
30J
20
—
247*
—
"~
19»
93i
89|
90
15
-
45
631
711
83
76
73
67
28
27
21
Jan.
Tons
7
10
2S
i\
S
li
19
28
35
30
5i
4
101
-
3
3
12
11
14
6
91
1
51
35
10
17
45
86
4
IS
1
4
55
103*
—
66
72
175
—
194
191
120*
—
35i
311
601
68i
83*
80i
166
166
15
16*
30
33
30
254
27
21
29
36
95 f
55t
NiciKMiAN Tin Prodiic i kin.
In lonR Ions of concentrate of unspecilied oonteiil.
JVo/e Thenc finutes itre taken from the monthly returns
MMtle by indii'iiiuiil com/>iinies ref>ortinn in London, and
Probiihly reftrescnt ii5% of the ttctunL outputs.
* Three months. I Tin and wolfram.
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
January
531
667
678
613
347
438
February ..
328
646
665
623
477
—
March
347
655
707
606
505
—
April
486
555
584
546
467
—
May
536
309
525
483
383
—
June
310
473
492
484
435
July
306
479
545
481
484
—
August
498
351
571
616
447
—
Seiitember
533
538
520
561
528
—
October
384
578
491
623
628
—
November ..
679
621
472
536
544
—
December ..
634
655
318
511
577
—
Total ..
1 6.594
6,927
6,771
6.685
6.022
438
Pkoduction of Tin in Federated Mai.av States.
Estimated at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters.
Long Tons.
January ■■■
February ■-
March
April
May
June
July
August
September .
October
November .
December .
1917
1918
Tons
Tons
3.358
3.030
2,755
3.197 ,
3,286
2.609 1
3,251
3.308 1
3,413
3.332 '
3.489
3,070
3,253
3.373
3,413
3.259
3.154
3.157
3,436
2.870 1
3.300
3.132 1
3,525
3.022
39,833
37.370
1919
1920
Tons
Tons
3.765
4,265
2.734
3.014
2.819
2.770
2.858
2,606 ;
3.407
2,741 1
2.877
2,940
3,756
2.824
2.956
2.786
3.161
2.734
3.221
2.837
2.972
2.573
2.409
2.838
36.933
34.928
Tons
3.298
3.298
Total Sales of Tin Concentkate at Redruth Ticketings.
August 25. 1919 •
Septembers ....
September 22 -...
Octobers
October 20
November 3
November 17 —
December I ....
December 15 ....
December 31 ....
Total and Average.
1919
Long tons
1304
1154
1334
72
32
344
39
38
29
14j
2.858
Value
^18.297
;Cl6.588
£19.557
£10,867
£5,093
£5,235
£6,161
£5.905
£5.133
£2,884
Average
£366.569
January 12. 1920..
January 26
February 9
February 23
March 8
March 22
April 6
April 19
May 3
May 17
May 31
June 14
June 28
July 12
July 26
August 9
August 23
September 6 —
September 20 ....
October 4
October 18
Novemoer 1
November 15 ....
November 29 ..••
December 13 ....
December 28 ■.■■
January 10. 1921..
January 24
31
511
53!
18
44
444
334
6l4
44
10
243
43l
10*
104
271
19
10
9
394
9
44
84
84
84
£6.243
£10.574
/^
112,120
£4,038
£8.286
£8,367
£6.375
£11.641
£6.151
£1,578
£3.278
£ 1,932
£6.133
£1.643
£1.664
£4,022
£2.563
£1,552
£1,359
£5,225
£1,329
£597
£965
£981
£946
£l40 4
£143 12 ■
£l44 6
£150 18
/:i59 3
£151 15
£157 19
£155 S
£l76 10
£195 10 10
£l28 5 0
£201 8 0
£204 6 10
84
74
£991
£671
£210 2
£225 10
£224 7
£188 6
£188 0
£190 6
£189 5
£139 16
£157 16
£132 9
£133 4 10
£140 4 0
£l56 10 0
£l58 10 0
£147 12 0
£134 18 6
£155 5 0
£151 0 7
£132 5 11
£147 14 5
£132 17 6
£113 12 0
£115 8 6
£111 5 10
£116 13 0
£89 11 4
Ticketings suspended.
MARCH, 1921
171
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Lone Tons.
Straits and Australian Spot
Ditto. Landing and in Transit...
Other Standard. Spot and Land-
ing
Straits. Afloat
Australian. Afloat
Banca. in Holland
Ditto. Afloat
Billiton. Spot
Billiton, Afloat
Straits. Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto, Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United Slates...
Stock in America
Dec. 31 I Jan. 31
Total .
2.170
1,138
3.855
1.183
250
3.511
278
755
264
485
1,734
2.856
18.479
2.701
40
4.960
345
264
3,341
356
755
141
60
2.595
2,546
Feb. 28
2,12S
10
5 365
40
295
3,187
209
755
1,385
3.546
16,900
Shipments. Imports. Supply, and Consumption of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co, Long tons.
Shipments from :
Straits to UK
Straits to America
Straits to Continent
Straits to Other Places
Australia to U.K
U.K. to America
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe ■-
Supply :
Straits
Australian
Billiton
Banca
Standard
Total
Consumption :
U K, Deliveries
Dutch .,
American
Straits. Banca & Billiton. Con-
tinental Ports, etc,
Total
Dec.
Jan,
Feb.
915
825
485
225
250
150
35
960
60
106
350
985
2.225
250
250
1,500
1.518
366
2.580
347
4.811
1,055
350
498
1.290
1,254
269
1.555
490
3.568
20
220
33
100
715
800
240
100
1.321
164
1.585
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
Company
,, 1 ^„f Amount of
"li^arefl D-"-!
March 8—
March 9...
Feb. 16...
Feb. 10...
March 4...
March 4...
March 9 ..
March 9-,
Feb. 24...
March 3,-.
March 10.
Feb. 24..
March 3-.
Feb. 14..
March 4..
Feb. 15..
March 1--
Feb. 18-
Feb, 22.-
Consolida-
Borax
ted
Broken Hill Block 14
Consolidated Mines
Selection
Exploration Co. •
Ginsberg
Glencairn
Great Boulder .-.-
Mexico of El Oro
Mysore Gold
Nechi Mines
New Gold Trust
North Anantapur I
Gold Mines )
Oroville Dredging -.
Rambutan
South African Gold
Trust
Vereeniging Estates
Village Main Reef ...
Witbank Colliery ...
Witwatersrand Deep
Def Ord.
£i.
J Pref.
I 6s.
10s.
10s,
£l.
£1.
2s.
£1.
lOs.
Ord, 10s
Cu
Pref.
£1.
£i.
£i.
£i.
£i.
£1.
2s. less tax
5%
15% less tax
10% tax paid
Ss.'
2s.'
6d. less tax
4s. tax paid
Is. 9d. less tax
5s. less tax
Is. tax paid
20% less tax
9d. less tax
8d. less tax
Is. 3d. tax paid
5% less tax
6s. 8d.'
I7i% less tax
5% less tax
' First distribution of assets on liquidation.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. March 8.
These quotations are not absolute : they vary according to
quantities required and contracts running.
£ s. d.
Acetic Acid, 40% percwt- 1 5 0
80% 2 10 0
Glacial 3 6 0
Alum per ton 19 0 0
Alumina. Sulphate of .- 16 0 0
Ammonia. Anhydrous per lb. 2 6
0 S80 solution per ton 46 0 0
Carbonate per lb. 4
Chloride of. grey per ton 54 0 0
„ .. pure percwt. 5 0 0
Nitrate of per ton 50 0 0
Phosphate of 95 0 0
Sulphate of 24 0 0
Antimony. Tartar Emetic per lb 2 7
Sulphide. Golden 1 6
Arsenic. White ••— per ton 50 0 0
Barium Carbonate 11 0 0
.. Chlorate per lb. 1 0
.. Chloride per ton 20 0 0
.. Sulphate 10 0 0
Benzol. 90% per gal. 3 0
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 55 0 0
Bleaching Powder. 35% CI 19 0 0
Liquor. 7% 7 0 0
Borax .. 38 0 0
Boric Acid, crystals ■• 74 0 0
Calcium Chloride •• 10 0 0
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% ■•■ per gal. 110
crystallized. 40% per lb. 8
13 10 0
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton i to
U 10 0
Citric Acid per lb. 2 3
Copper. Sulphate of per ton 33 0 0
Cyanideof Sodium. 100% per lb. 1 0
Hydrofluoric Acid " 7*
Iodine per oz. 1 0
Iron. Nitrate of per ton 10 0 0
..Sulphate of 4 0 0
Lead. Acetate of. white 50 0 0
..Nitrate of 50 0 0
„ Oxide of. Litharge 40 0 0
„ White 46 0 0
Lime, Acetate, brown 12 0 0
.. .. grey 80% 19 0 0
Magnesite, Calcined 21 0 0
Magnesium. Chloride 12 0 0
Sulphate 10 0 0
Methylated Spirit 64° Industrial per gal. 7 0
Nitric Acid. 80° Tw per ton 37 0 0
Oxalic .\cid per b 10 0
Phosphoric Acid Per Ih. 1 6
Potassium Bichromate P" lb. 1 1
Carbonate 85% per ton 45 0 0
Chlorate per lb. 0 6
Chloride 80% per ton 24 0 0
Hydrate (Caustic) 90% 48 0 0
Nitrate »S 0 0
Permanganate per lb. 2 0
Prussiate. Yellow <• 1 '^
Red 2 0
Sulphate. 90% per ton 25 0 0
Sodium Metal per lb. 13
., Acetate per ton 33 0 0
„ Arsenate 45% 45 0 0
„ Bicarbonate 9 0 0
„ Bichromate per lb. 10
„ Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton 15 0 0
(Crjstals) 7 0 0
„ Chlorate per lb. 4J
„ Hydrate. 76% per ton 27 0 0
,. Hyposulphite 20 0 0
„ Nitrate, 95% 22 0 0
„ Phosphate 25 0 0
„ Prussiate per lb. S
„ Silicate per ton 11 0 0
„ Sulphate (Salt-cake) 9 0 0
(Glauber's Salts) 9 0 0
„ Sulphide 30 0 0
„ Sulphite 13 0 0
Sulphur, Roll I! 9 2
Flowers 15 0 0
Sulphuric Acid. Fuming, 65° ^* ° °
„ free from Arsenic. 144° 6 5 8
Superphosphate of Lime. 30% 8 10 0
Tartaric Acid per lb. 2 0
Turpentine percwt. 3 3 0
Tin Crystals per lb. 1 7
Titanous Chloride .X
Zinc Chloride per ton 27 0 0
Zinc Sulphate " 19 0 0
THIC MINING MAGAZINi:
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares are £l par value except where otherwise noted.
West Australia:
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe '.£5)
Great Boulder ProprietaryC2s.)..
Great Fineall (10s).
Hampton Properties
Ivanhoe (£5)
Kalgurli
Lake View Investment (10s.) .-
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurli (lOs.)
GOLD. Sir.VER.
DIAMONDS:
Rand :
Brakpan
Central Mininit 1^8)
City & Suburban (£4)
City Deep
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidated Laii|i:laa^le
Consolidated Main Reef
Consolidated Mines Selection (10s.)
Crown Mines (10s )
DaKKafonteiii
Durban Roodepoort Deep ....
East Rand Proprietary
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Gov't Gold Mining Areas
Heriot
Johannesburg Consolidated
Jupiter
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Estate .*.
Meyer iSi Charlton
Modderfontein (10s.)
Modderfontein U(5s.).
Modderfontein Deep(53.)
Modderfontein East
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (Ss.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central
Robinson (£5)
Robinson Deen A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Simmer Deep
Springs
Sub Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.)
Van Ryn
Van Uyn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
West S|irings
Witwatersraud (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolhuter j
Other Transvaal Gold Minks : I
Glynn's Lydenburg j
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates.... .
Diamonds in South Africa :
De Beers Deferred (£"2 10s.) ]
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa .
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Shamva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa ■
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
Abosso
Ashanti (4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taquah
Nfar.
5.
Mar.
7.
1920
1921
£ s.
d.
£
s.
d.
3 15
0
2
10
0
11 3
9
6
2
6
8
0
6
9
3 5
0
2
0
0
2 2
6
16
3
1 8
0
12
6
15
6
10
3
1 13
3
13
9
4 0
0
2
0
0
1 0
6
2
6
11
3
2
6
14
6
5
0
13
0
9
0
2 15
0
2
5
0
15
0
6
0
4 17
6
3
15
0
12
0
9
6
1 15
0
1
2
0
7
0
3
3
16
3
6
0
6
9
3
6
12
6
12
6
1 0
0
10
6
4 17
6
4
2
6
4 3
9
3
5
0
7 17
6
1
5
0
2 13
9
2
0
0
1 8
9
17
6
1 10
0
1
2
6
16
9
6
9
4 6
3
2
2
6
5 2
6
2
5
0
1 2
0
8
6
13
0
9
3
1 10
0
11
3
1 3
9
12
6
6
9
2
6
3
3
—
2 18
9
1
12
6
1 0
0
11
3
1 3
6
16
0
1 2
6
11
3
5 0
0
3
2
6
17
3
7
0
9
0
12
9
1 5
0
15
0
1 4
3
11
3
14
0
6
9
6
9
3
9
17
6
8
9
16
9
8
3
30 0
0
9
15
0
6 15
0
1
17
fi
12 5
0
4
5
0
13
0
7
6
1 I
0
12
0
14
9
6
6
15
6
S
6
14
0
18
6
3 6
3
1
17
6
3 15
0
2
12
6
2 3
9
I
7
6
6
9
5
3
5
0
2
0
14
0
8
0
1 2
9
11
3
4
9
1
6-
1 0
0
/
6
5
6
2
6
5
6
2
6
9
0
6
1 6
3
12
6
8
9
5
6
2
6
1
6
1 IS
9
fi
3
2 7
6
18
9
iV
9
7
6
19
0
9
9
10
0
5
0
6
3
5
6
Gold, Silver, coHi.
Otiikrs in Ai'stralasia ;
Blackwater. New Zealand
ConsolidalcdG.F. of New Zealand
Mount Boppv. N.S.W. (10s )
Progress, New Zealand
Talisman, New Zealand
Waihi. New Zealand
Waihi Grand Junction. New Z'Ind
America :
Buena Tierra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
EI Oro, Mexico
Esperanza, Mexico
Frontino & Bolivia, Colombia
Le Roi No. 2 (ifS). British Columbia
Mexico Mines of F.I Oro, Mexico .
Nechi (Href. 10s.). Colombia
Oroville Dredging. Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California
St. John del Rey, Brazil
Santa Gertrudis, Mexico
Tomboy. Colorado
Russia :
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balaghat (lOs.)
Champion Reef (2s. 6d.)
Mysore (IDs.)
North Anantapur
Nimdydroog (10s.)
Ooreguin (10s.)
COPPER:
Arizona Copper (5s.), Arizona
Cape Copper iCz). Cape and India.
Esperanza. Spain '
Hatnpden Cloncurry. Queensland '
Mason & Barry, Portugal
Messina (5s.), Transvaal
Mount Elliott (jC5), Queensland -.
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount NIorgan. Queensland
Mount Oxide. Queen.^iland
Nama^iua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Timo (f 5), Spain
Russo-Asiatic Consd.. Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika. Congo and Rhodesia
LEAD-ZINC :
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia :
Burma Corporation llO rupees) -.
Russian Mining
Rhodesia ;
Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
Mar, 5.
1920
€ s. d.
Mar. 7.
1921
£ 9. d.
TIN:
Aramayo Francke. Bolivia
Bisichi, Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania
Dolcoath. Cornwall
East Pool (5s.) Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.). Nigeria ...
Geevor (lOs) Cornwall
Gopeng. Malay
Ipoh Dredging. Malay
Kamunting. Malay
Kinta. Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay
Mongu (IDs.). Nigeria
Naraguta. Nigeria
N. N. Bauchi. Nigeria (10s.)
Pabang Consolidated (5s.), Malay.
Rayfield, Nigeria
Renong Dredging, Siam
Ropp (4s.). Nigeria
Siamese Tin. Siam
South Crofty (5s.), Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals. Cornwall
Tekka. Malay
Tekka-Taiping Malay
Tronob. Malay
8
3
5
1
8
6
11
12 6
1 6
15 3
17 0
II
10
8 5
10
1 7
I 1
18
1 15
13
1 8
2 10
6
3 10
1 6
1 fi
s
1 12
46 10
14
16
1 7
2 16
1 6
2 5
3 2
1 7
2 7
2 18
1 0
1 1
12 17
15
5 5
16
5
8
IS
4
1 2
2 8
1 9
1 10
3 1
2 13
1 8
18
9
15
14
2 13
16
4 10
17
1 7
5 5
1 11
2 15
3 9
15 0
5
5
1 10
0
0
0
0
6
3
3
6
0
9
5 0
10 0
2 6
15
15
1 15
10
1 2
1 1
11
7
7
5
1 15
6
2
3
1 10
II
1 7
1 10 0
1 2 6
II
12
1
6
3
1 5
5
2 5
3
6
9
0
6
0
0
0
0
10 0
lOTupee sbares of Indian Co.
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and paiiiplilcts, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
THE KIRKLAND LAKE GOLD MINING DISTRICT.
Plan showing Principal Workings and Lodes at Kirkland Lake.
KIRKWNDf
KIRR
AND
IAK[--|0RP* 'fC-niJGMfS 1*
-LAKE
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KirKlana
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Holt; Fne'0ng'Mi'>a! SKlion il'PS 60° :ct :^ i, *i:f 'J :k jupron^dre a>B 0
Section of Principal Workings along the Line oh Lode.
Last month we quoted the report by A. G. Burrows
and P. E. Hopkins on the Kirkland Lake district, made
for the Ontario Department of Mines, reproducing that
part of the report dealing with the general geology and
the ore deposits. Herewith we give their account of
the development work done at each mine.
Elliott Kirkland. — This property lies to the west of
the Kirkland Lake mine. It includes three claims, on
the principal of which the shaft and mine buildings are
located. The main fracture zone has been traced
westerly through low land from the Kirkland Lake
mine. A vertical shaft has been sunk 537 ft., with
cross-cuts on five levels and drifts on the third, fourth,
and fifth levels along fault planes. The rocks encoun-
tered are porphyry, lamprophyre, syenite, and reddish
felspathic quartzite. During the time of the strike at
Kirkland Lake the workings were allowed to fill with
water and no further exploratory work has since been
done.
Kirkland Lake — The Kirkland Lake Gold Mining
Company is operating the claim formerly known as the
McKane, situated one-quarter of a mile south-west of
the lake. Native gold had been discovered in the main
vein by the early operators, who also sank No. 1 shaft
to a moderate depth. Theoriginal discovery was made
through about 20 ft. of overburden, the strike of the
vein having been determined from workings on the
Teck-Hughes and other properties. There are two
vertical shafts on the property. No. 1 is in the north-
east part of the claim near the Orr line and has been
sunk to a depth of 700 ft. (April 1, 1920). The mineral-
ization was followed to 104 ft., where the vein left the
shaft on the south side. From the different levels
cross-cuts were run to the south to intersect the vein.
Since the vein dips approximately 85° S., the cross-
cuts are slightly longer at each succeeding level. Drifts
have been run on seven levels, but those on the first
and second are short, the values obtained not having
been as good as those from the 300 ft. to the 700 ft.
Scale of Feet
Plan of- Mining Properties at Kirkland Lake.
levels. A main hoisting shaft is 600 ft. south-west
from No. 1 shaft and to the south of the main vein as
exposed on the surface. This contains two hoisting
compartments and amanway compartment, and is con-
nected on the third, fourth, and fifth levels with the
main workings along No. 1 vein. With depth the con-
necting cross cuts become shorter owing to the dip of
the vein to the south.
The main vein is recognized by the presence of fault
planes, which dip to the south. These are called the
foot-wall and hanging-wall planes, and they vary con-
siderably in distance apart in different sections of the
mine. At the cross-cuts from No. 1 shaft on the 400 ft.,
500 ft., 600 ft., and 700 ft. levels they are respectively
19 ft., 33 ft., 40 ft., and 40 ft. apart. The area between
the principal faults is very much disturbed, since minor
173
174
THE MININC. MAGAZINl':
fault planes and cross-slips have in part controlled the
ore deposition. Kxploration has shown that there is
consequently ^;reat irregularity in the mineralization in
the fractured zone and values change quite rapidly in
driving alonj; the vein. The development has been
carried on with regard to the two principal planes or
vein boundaries. On the ^00ft. and 500 ft levels
drifts have been run on the foot-wall and hanging-wall
sides of the vein for some distance, and up to the pres-
ent time the greatest amount of development has been
done on these levels, where large stopes have been
opened up, that on the -tOO ft. level being about 300 ft
in length and Zi ft. wide at one point. The assay plans
of the stopes have shown the greatest values to be in
the foot- wall section of the vein Development has
also shown that the ore sometimes extends beyond the
recognized vein boundary planes The best grade of
ore has been obtained where the fault planes or vein
boundariesare moderate distances apart, roughly 15 ft
to 25 ft, Where they are within a few feet of each
other the values are not so good, and where very widely
apart the values have a tendency to become more scat-
tered. The ground between the fault planes is so
broken and contains so many slip planes that it has
been found advisable to leave solid backs above the
drifts to protect them from the weight of broken ore in
the stopes.
The development has so far indicated that the princi-
pal ore shoot e.xtends from above the 300 ft. level to be-
low the700ft level, thedeepestworkingsuptothistime
Theore-shoot pitches somewhat to the west, but suffici-
ent development has not been accomplished to delimit
its actual outline On the third, fourth, and fifth levels
theore-shootextends easterly to theOrr west boundary
Somegold values are generally obtained along the main
vein fracture, but these are not always of commercial
importance. However, this mineralization indicates
the possibilitv of exploration developing other ore-
shoots A lieavy fault plane is often in evidence in
the workings, the gouge being frequently several inches
thick. Considerable brecciation of ore has occurred,
indicating faulting subsequent to ore deposition. The
best ore is a bright red porphyry or syenite through
which there are ribbons of quartz carrying tellurides.
copper pyrites, iron pyrites, molybdenite, graphite,
calcite. and native gold. The vein is principally in
the porphyry and syenite that lies adjacent to a band
of conglomerate, greywacke, and quartzite, in which
the shaft has been sunk entirely from above the 300 ft.
level to the 700 ft. level. The dip of the contact is
approximately the same as that of the vein, or about
85" S. The north fault plane or foot- wall of the vein is
sometimes in the sedimentary formation. High-grade
ore with visible gold was observed on the 400 ft and
500 ft. levelstopes, which, together with a lower grade,
is expected to average approximately 810 a ton. The
ore is hoisted in the main shaft, passed through a
crusher, and carried to the mill bin on a conveyor belt.
The mill treats 140 tons per day and the recovery is
92 to 95 per cent.
Orr. — The main fracture of the area passes from the
Kirkland Lake mine across the north-west corner of the
Orr claim, otherwise known as the Orr Wettlaufer, and
extends to the Teck-Hughes and Lake Shore on the
north-east. The vein on the Orr property was dis-
covered in 1913 and some work done. In 1917 the
property was optioned to the Kirkland Porphyry, and
considerable underground work was done. Ore was
developed on the 280 ft. and 400 ft. levels during 1918.
In 1919 a long cross-cut. 700 ft. in length, was driven
on the 400 ft. level to the south-east to reach a parallel
vein that outcrops 575 ft. to the south. The cross-cut
was thought to be within a few feet of the objective in
June. 1919, when the miners went on strike and all work
was suspended. The main No. 1 vein, on which some
ore has been developed, is approximately 300 ft. in
length on the surface and 400 ft, on the fourth level,
the gain in length being due to the vein dipping ap-
proximately S3 to the south. .'\ vertical shaft has been
sunk toadepthof 420 ft. On the 150 ft . 240ft., 280 ft..
and 400 ft. levels the vein has been cross-cut ai 12 ft..
18 ft,, 23 ft., and 50 ft. respectively, to the south of
the shaft. The vein is similar in character and struc-
ture to the main vein on the adjoining properties. For
a depth of about 300 ft. the vein is on or near the con-
tact between the sediments and a red hornblende syen-
ite. The shaft at a depth of 310 ft. passed from con-
glomerate into syenite On the 400 ft. level the vein in
places is entirely in the syenite, while in the west work-
^^ ~ TECK-HUGHES
<
o
2
Claim N? 16626
/
Legend
"V^*-
-J
1 ^J^' 1 -Oiz/f p/ones
'••H
,'i. '
%^
^^
Scale of Feet.
lOo » 0 K» an xo
•1:
I'LAN OF Orr Mine at 400 i-t. Le\-f.i,.
ings it is in the contact between quartzite and syenite.
There are two main faults from 12 ft. to 25 ft. apart,
along and between which the ore occurs. A central
fault is also quite pronounced, and there are numerous
minor slips. A narrow drift 400 ft. in length has been
driven along the central fault in ore. Several cross-
cuts on this level show that there is high-grade across
narrow widths on both the hanging wall and foot-wall.
The high grade is comprised of silicified porphyry with
numerous molybdenite streaks and much iron pyrites,
chalcopyrite, altaite, and gold.
Teck-Hughes. — The main ore-bearing zone of the
Kirkland Lake area passes through a southern portion
of the Teck-Hughes property, where it is known as vein
No. 3. The bulk of the gold produced at the mine,
namely S316.S82 up to the end of 1919. has come from
this vein , It occurs largely in the porphyry and syen-
ite, but passes for several hundred feet along the con-
tact between the intrusives and the conglomerate.
Practically all the early development work in 1913 was
done on vein No. 1, which lies about 100 ft. north of
the main zone. The main vertical No. 1 shaft at the
east side of the property was commenced on vein No.
1. which dips SO' to the south. The vein is composed
of brecciated porphyry and quartz from 2 ft. to 6 ft.
wide and carries low contents of gold. Shafts Nos 2
and 4 are to the west on a narrow vein in the con-
glomerate which may be a continuation of the No. 1
vein. This vein resembles the vein in the conglomer-
ate on the Ontario-Kirkland. No. 3 shaft near the
south boundary of the claim has been sunk 200 ft. on
the main ore deposit with winzes down on ore to the
fourth level. Cross-cuts from the No. 1 shaft have cut
the main No. 3 ore zone at distances ranging from
MARCH, 1921
175
100 ft. to 170 ft. to the south. Drifts, each approxi-
raatelj' 1,000 ft. long, e.xtend along the main zone on
the second, fourth, and fifth levels. A cross cut to the
vein has been made on the sixth level. Over 10,000 ft.
of underground work has been accomplished to date
above the 600 ft level. The section shows the work-
ings and ore-shoots on the main vein, as recognized up
to March, 1920. Vein No. 5 is a branch from the
hanging- wall side of the main vein and dips about 60°
to the south. The ore in the main No. 3 vein, which
is typical of the ore described on other properties,
occurs in shoots usually between two prominent, nearly
parallel mud seams or faults, from 6 to 40 ft. apart,
and dips 85° to the south. The faults or slips are often
filled with gouge from an inch to six inches in thick-
ness, narrowing down in places to mere cracks. In
many places secondary minerals such as quartz, calcite.
and reddish barite fill the faults. The ore, which is
similar to that on the adjoining properties, is comprised
of brecciated syenite, porphyry, and quartz cut by vein-
lets of quartz, the whole containing numerous slip
planes. The minerals present are pyrite, copper py-
rites, molybdenite, altaite, and gold.
a consolidation of five claims along the main frac-
ture zone that passes through Kirkland Lake. It in-
cludes an area on the south side of the lake and also
the southerly part of the lake bed itself. The first
work was done on No. 1 vein on the south shore of the
lake, where a vertical shaft has been sunk to a depth
of 400 ft. and drifts run on the 100 ft., 200 ft., 300 ft.,
and 400 ft. levels, the greatest amount of work having
so far been done on the third and fourth levels. De-
velopment has shown that the vein dips slightly to the
north above the 200 ft. level. A strong fault was en-
countered just above the 200 ft. level, dipping 25° to
the south. The fault displaced the vein a distance of
28 ft. From the 200 ft. level to the 400 ft. level the
vein is nearly vertical. The 400 ft. level is also con-
nected with the surface by rises. With the exception
of a small amount of ore from back-stoping and rises,
all the ore obtained from No. 1 vein has so far been
taken from the drifts. The ore occurs chiefly in the
reddish porphyry, but parts of the vein have con-
glomerate and lamprophyre as wall-rocks. Owing to
the small amount of cross-cutting the distribution of
these bands of other rocks has not been worked out.
p._^
N°5 Ve(n>. ^
Main Ore Zone
Oalum
900 ft
«'Teck-Hu5hes Shaft
'.''' ' '
r
Lmc 300 rr.jbov. Sea Lc>
600 fr-
el.
Cross Section of Teck-Hughes.
The ore-shoots are irregularly distributed throughout
the faulted zone. Usually the shoots lie on the inside
and adjacent to one of the main fault walls. In places,
however, the ore is continuous between the two fault
walls, while in other places the ore extends out beyond
a fault wall. Two or three main faults are apparently
subsequent to the ore deposition, but act as guides in
following the ore. The shoots range in size from a few
feet to over several hundred feet in length, being at
times over 40 ft. in width. It has been found that the
best ore usually occurs where the faults are a consider-
able distance apart, or where there is a sharp roll in
the dip along the main faults. The south or hanging
wall has produced more ore than the foot-wall. The
values are so erratic that the careful sampling of every
face or round is required to locate the ore-shoots.
Stoping, however, has shown that the values are not
so uneven as lateral work would indicate. In 1917-18
the ore averaged |7 87 per ton, which was a lower
value than was indicated by the underground sampling.
This was due to a dilution with waste rock caused by
the easy breaking qualities along numerous slips in
stoping. Ore, however, occasionally extends behind
one of the fault planes or the supposed ore wall, hence
horizontal drill holes are put in at regular intervals be-
yond the supposed ore wall for testing purposes. The
west shoot was found to extend from the surface to the
fifth level and to be still continuing as shown on the
section. The values in the large slope above the 400 ft
level near the eastern boundary of the property were
more even than in the other ore-shoots. The frac-
tured zone between the ore-shoots assays from 40 cents
to $4 00 in gold, per ton ; hence the grade of ore varies
according to the amount of lower-grade material that
is mined with the higher-grade.
Lake Shore. — The Lake Shore Mines property is
Pi..»N OF Workings, etc.. Lake Shoke Mint.
Thaw house. 10
Carpenter shop. 11
Boiler house. 12
Compressor and hoist house. 13
Transformer house. H
Water tank. 15
Shaft house. 16
Dry. 17
Crusher house.
Blacksmith shop.
Lime house.
.\ssay office.
Relinery.
Manager's residence.
Office and store room.
Meter house.
Bungalow.
On the 200 ft level, 100 ft. west of the shaft, lampro-
phyre has been faulted over porphyry. A strong cross
fault, 310 ft west of the shaft, on the400 ft. level, strik-
ing nearly north and south and dipping nearly verti-
cally, has displaced the part of the vein lying to the
west of the fault 20 ft. to the south. This fault is also
indicated in the workings in the west drifts on No. 2
vein. The work on the vein in the vicinity of this fault
was rendered difficult by the occurrence of several sub-
sidiary faults.
Cross-cuts have been run from the shaft north-
westerly on the 200 ft. and 400 ft. levels to intersect
No. 2 vein under the bed of Kirkland Lake. This vein
is on the main fracture that is being developed at a
number of mines over a distance of 2J miles. It has
176
THE MINING MAGAZINE
been driven on north-easterly and south-westerly from
the cross-cut on each level, the greatest amount of
driving having been done on the 200 ft level. Here
the vein is opened up for a distance of 1.500 ft., for the
greater part in ore. With the exception of some back-
stoping, preparatory to timbering for mining, the ore
extracted h.is come from development. Red felspar-
porphyry and syenite occur with the vein over most of
the distance so far developed, but in the west drifi.
J30ft. from the crosscut, this rock is associated with
bands of conglomerate and lamprophyre to the face of
the west drift (April 15, 1920), about 800 ft. from the
cross-cut. The west face isentirelyconglomer.-ite, and
for a distance of about 150 ft. the vein is in this rock
and is of commercial grade. Ore also occurs where
lamprophyre is the wall-rock. Development on the
400 ft. level is similar to that on the 200 ft level, the
vein where opened being principally in the red por-
phyry and syenite with conglomerate showing in the
west drift. A long slope has been opened on tliis level
and at the time of visit was almost through to the
200 ft. level. Fracture planes occur along the vein.
the ore-body showing slickensided, nearly vertical
walls with a slight dip to the south. The ore is largely
of the red porphyry type, associated with which is
quartz in lenticular masses and ribbon-like structures.
Brecciation of the ore is evident in the fractured charac
ter of the porphyry and the vein quartz. Minor slip
planes occur along the ore-body, and commercial values
sometimes cease at one of these slips and come in agam
on other slips in driving along the vein. Constant
assaying of faces is necessary, since the ore sometimes
turns off, from where it has been following a well de
fined wall, diagonally along another wall. In addition
to the fracture planes with which the ore is associated
there are heavy faults showing much clay gouge in
places that in part have followed the ore-bodies, and
again are not near the ore-body. One of these faults
was driven on for 210 ft. easterly from the cross cut on
the 200 ft. level, being mistaken for the vein. Later
it was discovered that the ore-body had turned off from
this heavy fault 40 ft. from the cross-cut on the north
side. Beyond this it was followed north-easterly for
several hundred feet nearly to the Wright- Hargreaves
boundary. The ore-bodies vary in width, and it is
difficult to determine the widths along the drifts, which
are usually about 5 ft. wide, and frequently all in ore.
Much of the ore in the 400 ft. slope on No. 2 vein will
average 11 ft. in width. In mining in the slopes the
walls are tested by horizontal drill-holes at regular in-
tervals and the sloping continued to the boundary of
the ore.
Wright - Hargreaves. — The Wright - Hargreaves
mine is situated on the main ore-bearing fracture near
the centre of the productive area, where the porphyry
rocks have the greatest exposed width in the area. The
mineralized zone has been traced intermittently for
2,400 ft. on the surface, and it undoubtedly extends for
1,500 ft. across ihe western part of the property, which
is covered by a portion of Kirkland Lake and passes to
the Lake Shore mine on the west. The zone is roughly
parallel to the longer boundaries of the properly. It
was in veinlets in this fracture that gold was first found
in the area m 1911 by W. H. Wright, During that
autumn two core drill holes were put down on the vein
with a shot-drill. The holes were driven only to shal-
low depths, partly on account of the hardness of the
porphyry. Cartwright look an option on the property,
and in 1913 discovered a small rich vein about 550 ft.
north of and parallel to the main vein A 60 ft. shaft
was sunk on this vein, which is 5 ft, or 6 ft. wide, and
also in the porphyry, from which i'4 tons of ore was
shipped giving returns of #331 to the Ion. The option
was allowed to lapse, and the property lay idle for a
long time before the present Wright- Hargreaves com-
pany commenced operating. Two shafts about 950 ft.
apart have been sunk on the main fracture to Ihe JOO ft.
and 400 ft. levels respectively, and a drift on the 300 ft.
level to connect these shafts is about half completed.
The vein and ore are very similar to those ol the Lake
Shore The vein varies in width from a few feet to
over twenty feet. The north, or No. 2 vein, is similar
in appearance to the main vein. The strike of the
western portion of the vein suggests thai it may be a
branch from the main vein. This No 2 vein where
located at the 300 ft level by a long cross-cut from the
main shaft was reported to contain high grade ore over
a sloping width. The vein at this point occurs slightly
to the north of the vertical projection of the 60 ft. shaft,
which would indicate that the vein either dips to the
north or has been faulted in that direction. The un-
derground workings of this mine were filled with water
at the time of inspection, but the owners state that ore
of good grade occurs in a number of faces. Sulficient
work has not been done to show the sizes and number
of oreshoots. However, the property gives promise
of becoming a substantial producer. A 175 ton mill
was commenced in the spring of 1919, but owing to the
miners' strike during that sum.mer all work was sus-
pended until May, 1920.
TougliOakes. — The property was the first to be
operated in the area following the discovery, in Janu-
ary, 1912, of gold-bearing veins in the porphyry and
conglomerate. It consists of five claims situated along
the boundary lines between Teck and Lebel townships.
Surface prospecting in the early years of the mine re-
sulted in the finding of 1 1 veins in the porphyry, grey-
wacke, and conglomerate, some of the veins passing
from one to the other formation. The veins are
roughly parallel with the average strike, somewhat
south of west. The principal development has been
on veins Nos. 2, 3, and 6, the first two producing most
of the ore already taken from the mine. The veins
were traced on the surface by trenching. No. 2 vein
was traced for 370 ft. ; No. 3 for 830 ft. ; No. 6 for
1,460 ft . entirely in porphyry, with 740 ft. of it show-
ing an assay-value of about f 12 per ton for a width of
60 in. ; No. 7 was trenched for 245 ft. in the greywacke,
the quartz rib of which averaged 18 in. with stringers
in both walls. In the first three years of operations
high-grade ore was hand-sorted and shipped to smel-
ters. The richness of the ore can be judged from ship-
ments. In 1912 and 1913, 101 tons with a value of
$46,221, or $457 per ton. were shipped to smellers. In
1914. 212 tons, with a value of 9781,590 38. or $350
per ton. were shipped. After being hand sorted the
remaining ore was treated in a 5-slamp mill by amal-
gamation, with a recovery of 55%. The tailings from
this treatment were impounded, and later treated in the
new 100 ton cyanide plant in operation in March, 1915.
The operations of the small stamp mill may be judged
from the statement that during 1914 there were treated
3,493 tons of ore with a head value of $22 35 per ton
for a recovery of $43,353. The ore raised from the
mine in 1914 had an average value of $4118 per ton.
The veins that were developed were comparatively
narrow, and the average sloping width was about 5 ft.
.An idea of the value of the ore along drifts is obtained
from statements in annual reports of the company.
For instance, in No. 2 vein one section of ore on the
200 ft. level had an assay-value of $78 for a length of
218 ft, and width of 65 in, .A section on the same vein
on the 300 ft. level showed an assay-value of $32 over
65 in. ; 180 ft. of driving on vein No. 3 on the 200 ft.
MARCH, 1921
177
The Lakk Short Mill.
level had an assay-value of ?32 over a sloping width of
63 in. The early development was on No. 2 vein, the
first work being an open-cut, from which the first ship-
ments of high-grade ore to smelters were made. An
incline shaft (A) was then sunk on the vein, which has
a dip of 55 ' south, and the main ore shoot developed
on four levels. The workings that started in con-
glomerate passed into porphyry and the high-grade
character of the ore was maintained. In driving west-
ward on different levels the vein was found to be faulted
by a basic dyke a few feet in width that strikes N. 20"
W., and dips nearly vertically. Within the dyke there
are heavy fault planes. The dyke was encountered
295 ft. west of the shaft on the 200 ft level. The e.\-
tension of the vein on the west side of the fault has not
been determined definitely ; one theory is that No. 1
vein, exposed on the surface 340 ft. south of No. 2 vein,
is the faulted portion of No 2 vein. High-grade ore
in No. 2 vein was cut off abruptly against the dyke,
and consequently the solving of the fault problem is of
great importance to the mine. The dyke is known to
have displayed a strong east and west fault, dipping
87" S. on the Burnside to the south, a distance of only
about 8 ft. horizontally; while No. 11 vein, with a dip
of 80' S. on the Tough Oakes 180 ft. north of No. 2,
has been apparently faulted only very slightly. In
view of these facts it is probable that the displacement
has been largely in a vertical direction. The main
ore-shoot on No. 2 vein has a stope length of about
250 ft. on the 300 ft. level. The easterly margin of
the ore-shoots indicates a pitch to the west. Ore-
shoots were also developed on subsidiary veins to No.
2. Shaft B was sunk on No. 3 vein, which also dips
to the south, and development continued below the
100 ft. level by means of a number of winzes to the
400 ft. level. The main ore-shoot on No. 3 vein also
pitches to the west. No. 6 vein and other parallel
veins near No. 3 vein were also opened from the work-
ings at B shaft. The workings on No, 3 and parallel
veins are connected with A shaft on No. 2 vein by a
long cross-cut on the 200 ft. level. The ore from dif-
ferent parts of the mine is hoisted through the A shaft.
Since the amalgamation of the Burnside with the
Tough-Oakes, No. 2 shaft (vertical) on the Burnside
has been deepened and connected with A shaft on the
400 ft. level by a long cross-cut. This shaft will be
used for handling men and supplies. C shaft, sunk to
the 100 ft. level on vein No. 1, and shaft No. 3 on the
Burnside are not as yet connected with the main work-
ings of the Tough-Oakes.
Part of the Tolgh-Oakes Property.
178
THli MINING MAGAZINK
Sylviinite — This properly lies belween the Wrijjlii
llarKreaves and ToiinhOakes mines with workings in
llie felspar porphyry along fracture zones The pro
perty was not in operation in 1919. but during 1917 a
shaft was sunk to a depth of IJO ft and 169 ft. of cross
cutting and driving was done on the 100 It. level. The
mineralization as exposed where the vein is stripped
on the surface is similar to otlier occurrences, where
altered porphyry with quartz veinlets form the ore.
Kirklatui Combined. — The Kirkland Combined
Mines is operating the Pay Claims wliich adjoin the
Sylvanite on the north, and corner the Tough Oakes
on the nortli-west. These two claims were formerly
known as the Wishman claims, and considerable
trenching and surface sampling were done in 1913.
Theclaims, which were allowed to revert to the Crown,
were restaked and operated in the autumn of 1919 by
the Kirkland Combined Mines. .Air was delivered
from the electrically driven compressor on the Sylvan-
ite. The west claim is practically all laniprophyre,
while the east claim, on which most of the work has
been done, has about eijual proportions of conglomer-
ate, lamprophyre. and porphyry Extending along
the porphyry-lamprophyre contact and passing into the
lamprophyre to the west is a pronounced fracture zone,
which is 5 ft. wide and traceable on the surface for over
500ft. in an east-west direction. Veinlets of quartz
and considerable iron pyrites and some molybdenite
occur in the fault zone. Samples yielding low gold
contents on assay have been obtained from a few places
in the vein. By diamond-drilling it was found that
the fracture zone was mineralized with pynte to a
depth of about 200 ft. At a point on the surface where
the vein passes from the lamprophyre into the por-
phyry-lamprophyre contact a vertical shaft was sunk
to a depth of 200 ft. and a 106 ft. cross-cut driven to the
south. The vem passes out of the shaft on the south
wall at a depth of 85 ft. In the cross cut on the 200 ft.
level two nearly parallel mineralized fractures were
encountered. 20 ft and tOft. respectively south of the
shaft upon which dri\ing is being done, the south frac-
ture being on the porphyry-lamprophyre contact.
Black — The Black claim lies immediately south of
the Wright-Hargreaves east claim Near the north
boundary is a vein striking north-east in the conglomer-
ate, on which a shaft has been sunk to a depth of 155 ft.
No mining was being done in the summer of 1919, but
tbevein, which is mineralized conglomerate withquartz
stringers, is lenticular and narrow. It is said to con-
tain in places high-grade ore o%'er a width of 4 or 5
inches.
Ontario-Kirkland. — The Ontario-Kirkland Gold
Mines owns two claims, formerly known as the Hurd,
which are situated about three-quarters of a mile south
of the central ore zone of the Wright-Hargreaves.
These claims were optioned during the early part of
1917 to the La Rose Mines, who stripped and sampled
a part of the surface and sank a 100 ft. shaft on the
main vein, after which the option was dropped. The
present company continued the shaft to a depth of
300 ft., where 1.000 ft. of driving and cross-cutting and
930 ft. of horizontal diamond drilling have been done,
resulting in the finding of som.e ore. Recently (May
23, 1920) the shaft reached the 450 ft. level, where two
gold bearing veins were encountered at points 25 ft
and 37 ft. respectively south of the shaft, and upon
which additional lateral work is being done. The
rocks consist of schistose conglomerate and greywacke,
which have been intruded by typical reddish felspar-
porphyry The largest porphyry mass in the area ex-
tends across the northern part of the property. It is
250 ft. wide on the surface and one-half that width
where it has been pierced by a diamond drill hole on
the 300 ft. level. The porphyry in the south west part
is unusually schistose. Six veins have been found on
the surface, all of which are practically vertical, with
a nearly east-west strike. They occur largely in the
sediments. Two extend from the conglomerate into
the porphyry, while another is entirely in the porphyry.
The main No 1 vein, on which most work has been
done, has been traced for 400 ft , the western part in
a yellowish sediment resembling altered porphyry
schist. At the shaft the vein passes into conglomerate,
and farther east it has been faulted and probably ex
tends into the porphyry. Two narrow short veins
occur about 60 ft and 80 ft. respectively to the south
Plan of Ontario-Kirklanu. 300 ft. Level.
of the main vein. A fourth vein carrying high values
in gold has been exposed by trenching in the south
central part. It is a narrow, rusty band containing
disseminated pyrite, chalcopyrite. and a little quartz.
Pits have also been sunk on two rusty pyritous por-
phyry bands in the north-east corner of the property
The main No. 1 vein passed out of the shaft on a fault
on the south side. On the 300 ft level the vein was
located at a point 25 ft to the south of the shaft, and
driven on for 180 ft . over which length the values
were reported by the manager to average 912 in gold
per ton across 5 ft. The deposit consists of altered
conglomerate and greywacke, quartz veinlets, iron py-
rites, copper pyrites, and some molybdenite. Little
gold is visible. The ore has been cut off at both ends
by faults. The portion of the vein to the »^ast of the
fault has not been definitely located, but a mineralized
porphyry fault zone in the north east cross-cut may be
this extension. To the west of the west fault a some-
MARCH, 1921
179
what similar ore deposit, but not necessarily the con-
tinuation of the No. 1 shoot, has been located 35 ft. to
the north. A drift on this deposit for a length of 150 ft.
was reported to average $17 per ton across 6 ft.
Montreal Kirkland. — These claims are situated
^;outh of the Ontario- Kirkland, A shaft has been sunk
on claim number L. 66S1, but was full of water at the
time of mspection.
Hunton. — The Hunton property is situated nearly
a mile south of the south-west end of Kirkland Lake
and consists of two claims. A porphyry dyke with
strike N. 66° E. intrudes the schistose sedimentary
rock near the line between the claims ; most work has
been done so far on the northerly claim. A mineraliza-
tion occurs along the south contact, extending into
both formations. An open-cut was made along a series
of narrow quartz veinlets 1 in. to 3 in. wide, which in-
tersect the sediments and porphyry, the cut passing
from the sediments to the porphyry to the north-east.
A shaft was sunk to a depth of 40 ft. in the sediment
with the porphyry on the north wall. The mineraliza-
tion is reported to extend to the bottom of the shaft,
while visiblegold was encountered down to about 30 ft.
Diamond drilling indicated gold in the core from a
depth of 254 ft. from the surface, vertically. By open-
cuts and pits the mineralization has been traced for
300 ft. along the surface. Just north-east of the shaft
three quartz stringers dipping south are exposed in the
open-cut ; while 25 ft. from the shaft there is a quartz
vein 2 in. wide running diagonally across the trench,
N. 30° E. in the porphyry, carrying extremely rich
showings of gold with pyrite. The gold is very fine,
almost like mustard gold, and shows as a yellow stain
throughout the quartz. The porphyry and quartz
along the rich streak carry abundant iron pvrites. This
mineralization is adjacent to a fault plane that strikes
in the same direction as the vein.
Chaput'Hughes. — A power plant has been installed
on this property and a shaft has been commenced.
Hotter. — This property is just west of the Hunton.
The rocks are sediments intruded by narrow dykes
of red porphyry striking north-east and south-west.
Several quartz veins have been found, the principal
one of which is in the southwest part of the claim. It
has been traced about 300 ft. and prospected by means
of several pits and a shallow prospect shaft. It occurs
in schistose sediment on the north-west side of a por-
phyry dyke. Where seen in one pit the structure
shows a somewhat banded character of quartz veinlets
in the sediment over a width of 6 ft., with the wider
quartz bands toward the centre of the deposit. The
quartz veins dip 70° to 80° S.E., and the best values
are reported to occur in the foot-wall side in the nar-
row seams of quartz. The principal metallic sulphide
is iron pyrites. A working shaft was being sunk near
the north-east end of the exposure of the vein,
Canadian Kirkland. — The property is situated a
few hundred feet south of the Swastika- Kirkland Lake
road, Ij mile south-west of Kirkland Lake. The sur-
face exposures are schistose sediments, conglomerate,
greywacke, and slate, intruded by narrow dykes of red
felspar-porphyry and a younger diabase dyke that runs
south-west through the property. There is a thin
mantle of drift on much of the surface, requiring
trenching to expose the rocks. Two vertical shafts
and several pits have been sunk on mineralized zones.
The main shaft was sunk on a mineralized zone in the
greywacke, consisting of quartz veinlets and greywacke
impregnated with iron pyrites, copper pyrites, galena,
and calcite. The strike of the mineralized zone is
E.N.E. and W.S.W. A section exposed in the shaft
shows a series of quartz veinlets about one inch wide,
dipping steeply to the south across the shaft to the
150 ft. level. A short cross-cut was made southward
at the 100 ft. level, and on the 150 ft. level a cross-cut
was made to the north and south of the shaft.
Promising assays were obtained for about 85 ft. in the
shaft, but no driving was done to determine whether
the mineralized zone pitched eastward or westward.
The cross-cut at the 150 ft. level is in greywacke
with fine-grained slate-like rocks 85 ft. south of the
shaft.
THE NEW CITY DEEP SHAFT.
At the meeting of the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy held on February 17, a paper by E. H. Clifford
was presented describmg the City Deep South Shaft
which is being sunk to a depth of 7,000 ft. in order to
work the deepest parts of the gold bearing reef on this
property.
The claims of the City Deep cover an approximately
rectangular area 2 3 miles along the strike by r2 on the
dip. The Main Reef Leader, which is virtually the only
reef worked, lies at a depth of about 2,000 ft. at the top
or northern boundary, and at the southern boundary
its depth probably ranges between 6,600 ft. and 7,300
ft. The mean dip is rather less than 40°. The mine is
now being operated from two vertical rectangularseven-
compartment shafts, 4.000 ft. apart, having depths of
3,300 ft. and 4,000 ft. respectively. From the bottom
of these shafts there extend two five-compartment in-
clines which underlie the reef and are connected with
it by cross-cuts at each level. The inclines have two
double hoisting ways and a ladder and pipe compart-
ment. The West Shaft has reached the 20th level and
the East the 18th level ; the vertical depth of the 20th
level being 4,950 ft. In addition, there is a ventilating
shaft 2,200 ft. deep near the northern boundary. The
monthly output is about 80,000 tons. While incline
shafts of short length and in firm ground are an excel-
lent means of opening a mineral deposit inclined at a
dip less than 45°, it is found in practice that they become
3—6
unsatisfactory under opposite conditions. On account
of the difficulty of filling very large skips, it is not pos-
sible to increase loads indefinitely, nor is it possible to
reach the winding speeds that are common in vertical
shafts, consequently the shaft capacity falls away very
rapidly when a certain length is reached, usually about
3,500 ft. Furthermore, inclines are difficult to manage,
and expensive to sink and maintain, in bad ground or
where the pressure becomes heavy, and obviously this
difficulty is most serious where the span is large. The
City Deep inclines will before long not only have reach-
ed the vertical depths at which troubles with rock pres-
sure are likely to become serious, but at the same time
their length will also have reached the economic limit.
In this instance, the latter will be about the 22nd level,
at a vertical depth approximately 5,300 ft. below the
surface. There will remain, therefore, an area equal to
about one-third of the property which is not provided
for by present appliances, and the problem was how to
exploit it. Briefly, the scheme adopted consists in sink-
ing a vertical shaft of circular section 7,000 ft. in depth,
in two stages of 4,500 ft. and 2.500 ft. respectively.
The upper section will stop at the 17th level, where it
will make connection with the two incline shafts, and
the reef will be attacked from the lower section of the
shaft by cross-cuts at each level.
The capacity required of the shaft is 2,000 tons of
oreper24 hours plus all the men, natives, and materials
180
THE MINING MAGAZINE
V«nl)litionSnaa(Pny«tet)> No 2 SHAFT
HriormiMvr&taUvrl H<iqhtdtwvtSt«l(vfl
4 n«ft 'Wi (."t^
Oeoih 22
below Sue
§
SOUTH SHAFT
Height above 6ealfvel
SiiBOOft.
i;;^
^'sth
Engine Chamber^
Mam Loading Station
SCALE IN FEET
V>H
2nd Level
0th Level
DepthatSI 1220
2950 ft. below Surface-^;
Transfer ::Station
■s^l7th Level Main Cross Cut 45_OOft.r^»tflbeiowSLtrface
N-^XiBih Level
%^?^ 19 th Level
Depth «il:l!^H°'"-""
5000 ft. Oelow Surface ^■.'■*.?'*^»\^'
..N»*
,^»"
^;.5000ft.
'IbelowSurface
Limit of Incline Shaft
22n(J Main Crou Cut fti Haulage
X.
■-■i;25fd Level
-^JEathLevel
■ ilZSthLevel
26ihX:---ji*6OO0ft.
Projectea work shotun dottea
>».27lh
l?r--.---.-.;-.:i'|ix30th
J ^7PP.Q ft-.*>''?«Surf«?
Fig. 1.
Main Loading 5tation:32ti*. *-:-." :--.-: •---i=-:
Vertical Section of City Deep showing position of New Shaft.
necessary for this output, together with a liberal allow-
ance for contingencies. In addition to this the shaft
must be capable of carrying 300.000 cu. ft. of air per
minute, without undue consumption of power. It may
be questioned whether it would not have been prefer-
able to divide the distance into two equal portions of
3,500 ft. each , thus requiring a moderately large winder
on the surface instead of a very large one. The reply
is, that the heat released by an electric winder located
underground is a serious matter, therefore the smaller
it can be made the better. The total heat produced is
equivalent to the difference between the total electrical
input less the net work of raising the rock, and with the
size of winder required for a depth of 2.500 ft. the loss
would be about 18,000 B.T.U. per minute while the
winder is at work. This considerable quantity of heat
can only be got rid of by conveying it to the air, and as
it is most desirable that it should be kept away from
the lo%vest workings of the mine, some 75,000 cu ft. of
air per minute must pass through the engine and con-
verter set chamber and along the 17th level cross-cut.
In regard to the hoisting of the ore, the work is well
within the capacity of one engine, and in view of the
enormous cost of large electric winders at the present
time, to say nothing of operating costs and duplication
of shaft equipment, it is obvious that this is an impor-
tant consideration. Using a single engine, however,
necessitates an alternative route both for men and ma-
terials, and this is provided for by means of the 17th
level cross-cut which is directly connected with the
western incline shaft, and also by means of a main trans-
port drive, with the eastern or No. 1 incline. The trans-
port drive is some distance below the reef and therefore
out of harm's way when the slopes cave, and both it
and the cross-cut will be equipped with an overhead
electric locomotive system. It will thus be possible to
bring any ore in the mine to the 17th level, whence it
can be diverted to either of the two present winding
shafts or to the new main shaft. This elasticity, which
is almost complete, is an extremely desirable condition
and worth a great deal of trouble to attain. It safe-
guards the continuity of the mine output in case of acci-
dent toany of theshafts and renders possible the laying-
off of either of the old main shafts when the output of
ore in its neighbourhood becomes too small to keep it
busily employed.
The shaft is 20 ft. in diameter in the clear and is fitted
with concrete rings spaced at 10 ft. vertical intervals,
each ring being 18 in. deep by 15 in. wide. The function
of the rings is to provide adequate fastenings for the
shaft guides, pipes, cable, etc., and also to afford a
foundationforanykindof lining, such as bricks or mono-
lithic concrete, should such lining be found necessary.
In this particular case 22 sections near the surface were
MARCH, 1921
181
Fig. 2. Cross-Sections of the City Deep Shaft.
so lined, but the remainder of the shaft as far as it has
gone at present needs no support, although it is quite
possible that signs of local deterioration may show
themselves subsequently, in which case the remedy will
be simple. The rocks of theWitwalersrand System are,
for the most part, extremely strong and rarely need sup-
port, at least in a vertical shaft. The concrete formmg
the rings is moulded round steel pegs about 20 in num-
ber and 24 in. long, driven into drill-holes in the rock.
The guides are 80 lb. standard section flat bottom steel
rails specially strengthened and fastened to 10 in. by 10
in. pitch pme dividers connected by special fish-plates
machined to ensure accurate registration at the jomts.
It will be observed that the base of the guide rails is at
right angles to the divider and not bolted to it directly.
The latter method, which results in the heads of the
rails facing outward, commonly referred to as the Bri-
an system, necessitates the use of a guide shoe embra-
cing the head of the rail, obviously requiring great accu-
racy of gauge. This accuracy is not easy to achieve
during installation, and still less easy to maintain. The
method used in this instance, without sacrificing strength
or safety, admits of some latitude in gauge and asimple
adjustment for wear. The dividers are placed at the
sides instead of one divider in the middle, as the latter
scheme necessitates long and rather fragile girders
which are bound to be damaged by an accident to either
cage, thereby probably putting both cages out of action.
Another rather serious objection to a central divider is
that it prevents the use of a stage for shaft repairs, an
important point in a shaft not provided with ladders.
It will be noticed that this form of construction admits
of scarcely any timber being used in the shaft equip-
ment, a most important consideration in view of the
necessity of keeping the shaft absolutely dry. A timber-
ed shaft should be either wet or dry ; if it is damp the
timber rots, and if it is alternately wet and dry the
shrinkage of the wood leads to continual difficulties in
the alignment of the guides. Furthermore, a dry tim-
bered shaft is in perpetual danger of fire. In this in-
stance, wood has not been entirely dispensed with,
since, when repairs are necessary, it is a much more
convenient material to work with, as anybody who has
had experience of an accident to steel-work in a shaft
well knows. The position of the guides with relation to
the cage is not perhaps ideal ; a symmetrical disposition
at the centres of the ends would, from thispointof view,
have been better, but this arrangement would entail
the breaking of the guides at landing stations, which is
a dangerous practice, and also necessitates short guide
shoes which cannot be strongly fastened, instead of the
shoes shown, which, if need be, maybe made the whole
length of the cage.
The concrete rings are moulded in plain steel forms,
20 ft. in diameter, made for convenience in handling in
seven sections, which are suspended from the last ring
up. The bottom of the form is filled with short lengths
of wood to hold the concrete. The filling and removal
of the forms is, of course, done from the stage and does
not interfere with the sinking. The plumbing arrange-
ments are carefully carried out and consist of a gallery
under the collar of the shaft, equipped with four per-
manent geared winches and ^\ in. stranded steel plumb-
bob wire. It takes very little time to check the concen-
tricity of the rings and give the sinkers their marks.
The lay-out at the transfer station is shown in Fig. 3.
By means of hydraulic pushers the cars are transferred
from cages to traversers operated from a continuously
moving rope by ordinary tramway clips. The track
arrangements provide all necessary facilities for trans-
182
THE MINING MAGAZINE
yFint'noWht*!: ^ ■> ; ' Main Crosscut to No. Z Incline Shaft
Fig. 3. Plan and Elevation of Internal Hoisting Installation.
ferring cars, both fulls and empties, either direct to the
surface or through the cross-cut to No. 2 shaft and vice
versa.
The cage is 15 ft. 6 in. by 5 ft. 3 in , with two decks.
It is intended to make it of alloy steel, as the saving in
weight thereby effected will, in this instance, materially
increase the working life of the winding ropes, diminish
the consumption of power, and more than compensate
for the additional cost. The rock will be carried in a
single 8-ton bottom discharge truck in the lower deck,
the upper deck being provided for men. the load amount-
ing to 50 on each deck, or 100 in all. The great length
of the cage will permit of timber, drill steel, and other
stores being taken to their destination in the mine on
trucks without any rehandling at the landing stages, an
important matter in saving time. The condition deter-
mining the size of the equipment is, in this instance,
capacity in handling men and material rather than rock-
hoisting capacity. The rejection of skip-winding and
the adoption of the cage and truck system is a depar-
ture from standard practice in this and most other metal-
liferous districts. The great advantage of skips is, of
course, their low tare and ease of loading or unloading.
The first advantage is undoubted, but the latter does
not show up so well when compared with truck loading
into cages by power, especially if the units are large.
The disadvantages of skips are, their very low capacity
for men and materials, thegreater danger of overwinds,
and the fact that they do not permit of a large capacity
in the headgear ore bins unless the headgear is built of
an inordinate height The men and material question
can be overcome either by duplicating the winding
plant or by interchanging cages for skips, but both these
remedies are subject to obvious disadvantages. In this
MARCH, 1921
183
particular instance, skips show still less advantage be-
cause at the transfer station on the 17th level it is ob-
viously easier to send ore already in a truck either di-
rect to the surface through the South Shaft or to the
other shafts, and vice versa, than it would be to do the
same thing if the ore had to be taken from or put into a
chute. This could only be done by branch chutes with
deflecting doors, which, although satisfactory enough
for small tonnages, are a source of continual trouble
when the tonnages are large.
THE GREENAWALT SINTERING PROCESS.
In the Mining and Scientific Press for January 15,
W. E. Greenawalt gives a description of the sintering
process and plant invented by J. E. Greenawalt, of
50, East 42nd Street, New York A number of these
plants are in use, the largest, having a capacity of 2,000
tons per day, being employed in sintering magnetite
concentrate and flue-dust from iron blast-furnaces re-
spectively. The process, as practically developed, is
intermittent in operation. A charge of the material to
be sintered is placed in a pan-shaped furnace and sub-
jected to a down-draft blast of air ; the upper surface
of the charge is ignited and the sintering action pro-
ceeds through the charge from the top downward.
After sintermg, the charge is dumped from the pan and
the operation repeated. The apparatus consists es-
sentially of the furnace in which the charge is sintered ;
an exhauster which creates a blast of air downward
through the charge ; a mi.xer ; a charge-car ; and an
igniter. The mixer, the charge car, and the igniter,
may serve from one to ten or more sintering-pans.
Mixing is an important preliminary step to sintering.
A properly mixed and proportioned charge sinters
readily and the resulting sinter is usually in large
chunks. A poorly mixed, or poorly proportioned,
charge is likely to give inferior results, in which a con-
siderable portion of the charge has to be returned for
re-sintering. The charge should have about 10% mois-
ture. The mixing may be done in a rotary drum like a
concrete-mixer, in a rotary cylinder, or in a pug-mill.
With thorough mixing, the charge becomes uniform in
moisture and the combustible content is evenly distri-
buted through the charge. The combustible content
of the charge is important. It is impossible to get a
good sinter from a concentrated sulphide material, or
from iron-ore fine, containing an excessive amount of
coke. The sulphur content in sintering lead or copper
ores may vary from 5% to 15% sulphur. In sintering
iron-ore flue-dust or magnetic concentrate the coke con-
tent may vary from 3% to 10% carbon. A good sinter
may be made on some charges with as little as 2% car-
bon. Ordinarily, from 4% to 6% carbon, in the sinter-
ing of iron-ore flue-dust, will give the best results. In
the sintering of copper-ore fine or flue-dust, from 5% to
10% sulphur will give uniformly good results. In sinter-
ing iron-ore fine, low in sulphur, the sulphur can be re-
moved almost entirely. On the other hand, when it is
desired to retain a high percentage of sulphur in the
sinter, as in sintering copper-ore fine for the blast-fur-
nace, this may be done by stopping the operation after
the material has been sintered and before the sulphur
is all removed. In cases where the material to be sin-
tered contains too much combustible, such as coke or
sulphur, the best method to adjust it is to dilute it with
other fine material desired in the blast-furnace charge,
such as any fine having a low combustible content. In
sintering copper-sulphide concentrate the sulphur con-
tent can usually be adjusted to the desired amount by
mixing flue-dust or fine crude ore with the sinter charge.
In cases where such mixtures cannot well be made, as
in galena concentrate, the material may be pre-roasted
to bring the sulphur down to about 12% or 15%. Pre-
roasted material sinters readily. The moisture in the
charge, to get the best results in sintering, may vary
somewhat with different material, but 10% moisture
will be found a fair average.
The sintering pan consists, essentially, of a pan-
shaped sintering-furnace, mounted on hollow trunni-
ons, and divided into an upper and a lower portion by
the grates. The upper portion receives the charge for
sintering, and the lower portion communicates, through
the hollow trunnions, with the exhauster, which cre-
ates a suction in the lower portion, or chamber, and
causes a flow of air downward through the charge and
through the hollow trunnions and exhauster into the
stack. The grates are secured to the pan and inter-
locked. They are easily inserted and easily removed.
The pans are made in various sizes. The usual sizes
are: 6 by 8 ft., 8 by 12 ft., 9 by 16 ft., and 10 by 24 ft.
The depth of the charge is the same for all the pans,
and varies from 8 to 10 or more inches, depending on
the material to be sintered. The 6 ft. by 8 ft. pan repre-
sents the smallest commercial unit and has a capacity,
under ordinary conditions, of about one ton of sinter
per charge. The 10 ft. by 24 ft. pan is the unit for the
larger installations, and has a capacity of from 150 to
250 tons per day of 24 hours. These larger pans are
arranged to dump directly into standard railroad cars.
A sintering plant usually contains from one to ten or
more pans. The pans are made of cast-steel and are
practically indestructible They are rotated on hollow
trunnions by means of a special mechanism. When
the sintering is completed the pans are rotated to dump
the sinter and rotated back into position for a new
charge. The small pans may be dumped without any
special rotating mechanism. Connection is made with
the exhauster by means of a stuffing-box at the ends of
the hollow trunnions.
The exhauster is usually of the regular fan type. It
is rotated at a high speed and has to be well made and
the exhaust-wheel well balanced. A suction of from
30 to 35 in. of water is easily obtainable in the pans by
this means. This is due largely to the fact that in the
stationary charge there is no leakage and all the air and
gases have to pass through the charge to get at the
chamber below and through the hollow trunnions to
the exhauster. There is an advantage in using a high
suction. The sintering is more uniform, there is less
unsintered fine, and the sinter is firmer and in larger
chunks. In sintering iron-ore flue-dust, if the coke con-
tent is a little high, water is sometimes showered on
the charge to cool it during the sintering. The tem-
perature on such occasions may rise so high as to lique-
fy portions of the charge. The best way, however, to
avoid thiscondition, is to work with a lowercombustible
content. It is, of course, desirable to sinter a charge
at as high a temperature as practicable to get a firm
sinter and as large chunks as possible, for the reason
that the firm hard chunks add considerably to the de-
sirability of the sinter in the operation of the blast-fur-
nace.
The charge-car receives the mixed material and de-
livers it to the pan. In charging the pan, the car
spreads a porous bed, or layer, of non-sinterable ma-
terial over the grates, delivers the charge on top of the
permeable layer, and levels the charge even with the
top rim of the pan. This is all done in a few seconds,
while the car travels with moderate speed over the pan.
The charge-car is usually motor-driven, but may be
184
THE MINING MAGAZINE
moved in any other convenient way. In small units
the pans may be charged with hand-labour bv simply
spreadmg a permeable layer over the grates and shovel-
ling in the charge and levelling it. This adds some-
what to the cost of sintering, but saves a little in the
cost o( installation. It may also do as a temporary ex-
pedient. The porous bed, or permeable layer of non-
sinterable material, which usually varies from J to ii in.
thick, serves several important purposes : it prevents
the fine material of the charge from passing through
the grate ; it serves to distribute uniformly the air pass-
ing through the charge; and it prevents the charge
from being sintered to the grates. If the charge were
placed directly on the grates and the sintering com-
pleted, the charge would be sintered to the grates and
the removal of the sinter would be diflicult and expen-
sive ; besides the grates would be quickly destroyed.
This porous bed acts as a buffer between the grates and
the charge, so that when the pans are inverted the en-
tire charge drops out and leaves the grate clean. The
porous bed may be any comparatively non-sinterable
material, such as fine sinter, crushed limestone, or
crushed silicious or oxidized ore.
The ignition is one of the most important steps in
sintering. Unless the ignition is uniform, the sintering
will be uneven and some of the charge will remain un-
sintered. If the ignition is uniform the sinter will al-
ways be good on a suitable charge, and little fine will
have to be returned. Manifestly, the quick and uni-
form ignition of the entire surface of the charge pre-
sented something of a problem, especially in connection
with the 10 ft. by 24 ft. pans. This problem was
thoroughly solved by the ignition-hood, or igniter,
which temporarily covers the charge while the ignition-
fuel is projected over the entire surface of the charge.
The air for the combustion issucked through thenumer-
ous perforations in the hood. The ignition fuel may
be oil or gas. Both are being used successfully. Crude
oil is satisfactory. Distillate, or kerosene, is a good
ignition-fuel if cheaply obtainable. Gas is usually
cheaper than oil. Either natural gas, blast-furnace
gas, or producer-gas may be used and are giving excel-
lent results. The combustion should be complete. A
sooty flame is not as good as a flame which does not
show any unconsumed carbon. The oil or gas is so
finely atomized and so intimately mixed with the in-
rushing air through the perforations in the hood that
there is little or no difficulty in getting a clear flame.
When the combustion is complete the temperature in
the igniter is intense. The ignition can usually be
made in a minute. The igniter itself does not become
very hot ; this is due to the cool inrushing air and to
the momentary time required for ignition. In the
operation of a commercial plant the igniter is mounted
on wheels and runs on the same tracks as the charge-
car. The hood, or igniter, is normally about half an
inch above the upper rim of the pan, so that it can be
freely moved over all the pans. When ignition is to be
made the hood is temporarily lowered, and makes a
close connection with the pan, so as to give a uniform
ignition over the entire surface of the charge, and es-
pecially around the edges. If it were not for this, the
inrushing air around the perimeter of the pan would
divert the flame, and result in incomplete ignition.
When the ignition is made, the hood is raised, and the
igniter is ready for another pan. After the ignition has
been made, the sintering of the charge proceeds with-
out the igniter. The igniter is usually motor-driven,
the same as the charge-car For the smaller pans the
igniter may simply be pushed from one pan to the other.
If oil is used for ignition, it will usually take from 0 75
to 10 gallon per ton of sinter. In a small plant, in
Mexico, sintering copper roncenlrate and flue-dust, the
oil consumption was materially reduced by sprinkling
a little waste coke or charcoal dust over the lop of the
charge. It was found, in this connection, that, if fine
coke or charcoal were mixed with the sinter charge of
copper concentrate and flue-dust, much of the carbon
would remain unconsumed and fixed in the sinter so as
to make it available in the blast furnace.
The sintering of a charge may be briefly described
as follows : The mixed material, asalso the porous bed,
is deliveretl to the charge-car ; the car is then run over
the pan, and in passing over it the porous bedding is
uniformly spread over the grates by the distributor at
the front of the car, and the charge immediately placed
upon the bedding and levelled off with the top rim of
the pan. This usually takes less than a minute, even
for the 10 ft by 24 ft. pans. The exhauster is then
started, or switched on to the pan. This creates a
strong downward draft of air through the charge. The
igniter is then run over the pan and the ignition-fuel,
under a high pressure, is atomized over the charge and
ignited. The flame and hot products of combustion
are sucked down through the charge and completely
ignite the surface, usually in less than a rninute. The
igniter may then be remo\'ed and used for another
charge. The time of sintering may vary from 15 to 60
minutes, depending on the nature of the material and
the results desired. The suction may vary from 10 to
35 in. of water. It is usually higher at the beginning
than at the end of the operation, for the reason that at
the beginning the mass is not as permeable. With a
high suction, there is not so much danger of short cir-
cuits of the air through the charge ; when a short cir-
cuit occurs, the temperature at that point becomes so
intense as to cause fusion, which automatically has a
tendency to close the larger air-passages through the
partly sintered charge, and make the sintering more in-
tense at other portions. When the sintering is com-
plete, the exhaust is shut off, the pan mechanically ro-
tated, and the sinter dumped. The pan is then rotated
back to its normal position, and the cycle repeated. In
some of the large plants the cycle is completed in about
20 minutes
The power required for sintering depends somewhat
on the nature of the material to be sintered. Ordinarily,
it will be from 5 to 6 5 kw.-hr. per ton of sinter. The
repairs are small and consist principally of the replace-
ment of grates.
Several interesting problems arise in reference to
sintering by the present method. One is the possibility
of sintering concentrate for shipping instead of drying.
Sintering requires about 10% moisture. Drying of the
concentrate, if sintering is contemplated, would there-
fore be unnecessary and could be eliminated. Concen-
trates contain their own fuel for sintering, as opposed
to extraneous fuel which has to be purchased for dry-
ing The sinter would be ready for smelting, and the
shipping weight would be reduced to from 15% to 20%
from theordinary dry shipping weight This reduction
in weight is due to the replacement of the sulphur with
the lighter oxygen, to the elimination of the water of
hydration, to the elimination of other volatile elements,
and to the evaporation of the uncombined moisture,
which in ordinary dr\ ing is never complete. A reduc-
tion of from 15% to 20% in the shipping and smelting
weight will ordinarily much more than pay for the sin-
tering. If the sulphur content in the concentrate is too
high for sinienng. the charge can often be diluted with
fine shipping ore low in sulphur, and this would tend
to give a greater porosity to the sinter charge, especi-
allv in the sintering process as applied to the treat-
ment of flotation concentrate.
MARCH, 1921
185
ELECTROSTATIC DEPOSITION OF POTASH-BEARING DUST.
At a meeting of the Cleveland Institution of Engi-
neers held at Middlesbrough on February 7, E. Bury,
A. Bury, O. Ollander, and F. Bainbridge presented a
paper on the electrostatic precipitation of dust from
blastfurnace gases and the extraction of potash there-
from. In our issues of February and March. 191S. we
quoted a paper and a discussion on ii relating to this
subject read before the same society. The present
paper gives further information in the light of subse-
quent experience. The paper contains two themes,
one the electrostatic precipitation of dust, and the other
the extraction of potash in the form of soluble salts.
We quote the first part of the paper fully, because it
reviews the subject generally. Hitherto most of the
literature on the subject has come from the United
States, and consequently many people think that the
idea originated with Dr. Cottrell. The present paper
puts the matter in a more correct light historically.
The second part of the paper contains much informa-
tion of use to those who are engaged in separating mixed
salts.
Precipitation of Dust. — The formation of dust and
fume in the iron blast-furnace takes place in four ways :
(1) Dust carried m with the burden, namely, coke, iron-
stone, and limestone dust ; (2) dust caused by attrition
between the pieces of material as they descend the fur-
nace ; (3) dust caused by spalling-off of particles as the
materials become heated : (4) fume, the result of vo-
latilization of various chemical substances, particularly
of chlorides, in the case of Yorkshire ores. The first
three, while usually constituting by far the greater por-
tion of the dust, are also the most easily removed, as
their carriage is almost entirely dependent on the
velocity of the gas stream. It has been stated by one
writer on the subject that the quantity carried varies
as the square of the velocity of the gas, and this seems
reasonable for particles of a mechanical size. By
" mechanical size" is meant particles large enough to
obey mechanical laws, in contrast to particles so small
that they may be compared to colloids, and will behave
in a manner similar to a vapour or fume, in which case
the law of the square of the velocity will not apply.
Another writer quotes a statement that the dust carried
varies as the seventh power of the velocity, but it seems
difficult to believe such can be the case
There remains the fume, the smallest proportion of
the total dust in the gas, the most diflficult to remove,
and usually the most valuable when recovered. It is
formed low down in the furnace, and is due entirely to
the heal volatilizing or subliming the various constitu-
ents, whose quantity depends entirely on that of the
constituents contained in the burden. With regard to
the water vapour, this will condense on a fall of tem-
perature to below the dew-point, and consequent low-
ering of the gas velocity, and probably bring down a
little of the chemical fume with it. The fume may be
compared to the colloidal state of matter ; that is.
matter so finely divided that when mixed with a liquid
it is beyond the laws of gravity, and refuses to settle
out even after prolonged rest, unless some other influ-
ence is brought into action.
The authors have had the opportunity of inspecting
two plants working under the Halberg Beth system,
and a very high efficiency has been reported. In one
case the gas has been cleaned down to 0 007 gramme
per cubic metre. The method employed is, after cool-
ing below dew-poini, to condense the water vapour,
and then, raising the temperature to slightly above the
dew-point to avoid any further deposition of moisture,
to pass the gas through the filter-bags, where the dust
is trapped. Apart from the loss of the sensible heat of
the gas. the plant is elaborate mechanically, and occu-
pies a larger ground space than the other methods.
With regard to the Kling-Weidlin system, theauthors
have had no experience of this, but have heard excel-
lent reports. It consists of a mattress of steel fibres,
through which the gas is passed, and is periodically
shaken to remove the dust caught in it. It should be
easy and inexpensive to install, it requires small space
and little attention, and has the advantage of removing
no sensible heat from the gas. The authors have seen
a sample of the dust removed by this method, where it
was installed on a plant using hematite ores. This dust
was very different from that to which the authors are
accustomed at Skinningrove, Yorkshire, being of ahard,
gritty nature, with particles of a relatively large size.
They are prepared to believe that, where dust of this
character has to be dealt with, the Kling-Weidlin mat-
tress will be highly efficient. They are afraid, however,
that where fume exists in the dust to more than a mi-
nute extent the mattress will be clogged very rapidly,
and no amount of shaking will dislodge it. Deposited
fume such as exists at Skinningrove. is a most difficult
material to dislodge, even when hanging on a perpen-
dicular surface, and the problem hasnot yet been solved
to the authors' entire satisfaction.
Coming now to the electrostatic method of deposi-
tion. Sir Oliver Lodge about 1880 patented a method
of depositing smoke for making lamp black, and in later
years considerable attention was drawn to his sugges-
tion for the dispersal of fogs — which consist of water
vapour and smoke intimately mixed — by means of an
electric discharge, such as is given by a Leyden jar or
Wimshurst machine. In recent years this method was
employed on a practical scale by both Lodge in Eng-
land and Cottrell in America for condensing SO., fumes
in sulphuric acid concentrating plants. The latter also
applied it to the recovery of dust from blast-furnaces
employed in reducing copper ores. Both employ
identically the same principle, the main differences be-
tween the two systems being in the manner in which
the electrostatic discharge is generated and then ap-
plied to the gas stream. In the case of the Lodge sys-
tem the discharge is generated by means of a static
transformer of the induction-coil type, selective devices
being employed for rectifying the discharge, sc that it
is uni-directional. Only a portion of the discharge is
employed, namely, the "peak of the break." that is,
the most intense portion. The apparatus employed is
very light in character, and for the quantity of gas
treated at Skinningrove a large number of such units
are required, 32, or two to each chamber. So that it
may be said that one of the features of this system is
that practically standard units are employed, the num-
ber varying with the type and quantity of gas to be
treated. The Cottrell system, on the other hand, em-
ploys much more massive plant for generating the dis-
charge, consisting of a rotary transformer and rectifier,
designed in accordance with the whole requirements
of the plant, and only divided into units for purposes
of stand-by, etc.
As regards the discharge electrodes in thegasstream,
the Lodge system at Skinningrove employs an arrange-
ment of vertical steel plates about IS in. wide and 10 ft.
long, placed edgewise to the flow of the gas in stag-
gered rows, and standing on a grid of light sections,
which are earthed They are built to form a unit of
85 plates. Suspended between them from insulators
in the roof of the treater chamber are vertical steel
tubes, provided with discharge points on either side of
186
THE MINING MAGAZINE
one diameter, and pointinj; to the steel receiving elec-
trodes immediately opposite, on wliich the dust is de-
posited. Such a unit of electrodes is served by one of
the dischart;e (jeneratiuj,' units already described, and
two of them are installed in each cliamber. The dust
is removed by cutting off the gas flow, and striking the
grids supporting the plates from below with hammers,
and in the case of the discharge tubes by striking the
frame from which they are suspended.
In the Cottrell system, vertical cast-iron pipes about
11 in. in diameter are employed, arranged in batteries
and set into a header at their tops, whicl) communicates
with the dirty gas main, their lower ends standing on
grids carried over the hopper in which the dust is de-
posited, with a side exit opening into the clean gas main .
Hanging down the centre of each pipe is the discharge
electrode, a chain sometimes being employed. The
discharge passes from this electrode to the wall of the
pipe, the dust being removed by mechanically-operated
hammers striking the outside of the pipe, and by a
shaking arrangement for the discharge electrodes. It
is obvious that such an arrangement must occupy a
much larger space for a given quantity of gas if the
velocity is to be the same as the Lodge system. The
authors have been informed, however, that the Cottrell
operates at a velocity of 5 to 6 ft. per second, as against
the Lodge at Skinningrove at 3 ft. per second. The
Cottrell, however, employs considerably more power
than the latter.
These are the main differences between the two sys-
tems In both systems it is essential to high efficiency
not only that the discharging electrodes should be all
symmetrically disposed with regard to the receiving
electrodes (plates or pipes), but that the gas should
pass through them in an even, steady stream, with
neither concentrations nor idle pockets. Should such
conditions occur, dust will pile up unevenly on the
discharge electrodes, so providing shorter paths for
the discharge in which it will naturally concentrate,
the result being that other electrodes will be robbed of
discharge, no dust will be deposited thereon, and a
free passage will be given to dirty gas.
The plant at Skinningrove consists of 16 chambers
in parallel through which the gas is passed, each
chamber containing two of the units of electrodes
aforesaid, in tandem. Any chamber can be isolated
for inspection, repair, etc. The plant is constructed
of ferro concrete, and although some cracking of the
chambers and gas mains has occurred, it has not hap-
pened to any serious extent, and in future structures
could be largely avoided by a better disposition of the
steel reinforcement, to take the bulging stresses set up
under the influence of heat. The 32 discharge genera-
tors are stationed in the top floor, which rests on sli-
ding shoes to allow for expansion, on the chambers
proper. The space between the top floors and the
roof of the chambers is occupied by the leads from
the generators to the insulators from which the dis-
charge electrodes are suspended, the arrangement en-
suring a very short and sheltered path for the discharge
from the generators to the chamber, thereby reducing
leakage to a minimum. The chambers themselves,
also resting on sliding shoes, are carried by the bridge
over the slag tunnel.
Extraction of Potash. — The soluble constituents of
the flue dust obtained from the electrostatic plant at
Skinningrove Ironworks are almost entirely in the form
of chlorides, only very minute traces of sulphate being
present and carbonate and cyanide not at all. The
average analysis is as follows : Soluble potassium
chloride, 20% ; soluble sodium chloride, 8% ; soluble
calcium chloride, 7% . On this account the separation
of pure potassium chloride presented few difficulties.
The method of separation finally decided upon is divi-
ded into two stages ; (1) Separation of the sodium and
potassium chloride from the calcium chloride as a mixed
salt. (2) Separation of the potassium chloride from
the sodium chloride. The first stage is accomplished
by direct evaporation, and is rendered possible by
reason of the extreme solubility of calcium chloride as
compared with the solubility of sodium and potassium
chloride. 31'? kg. of calcium cliloride requiring rather
less than -19 1 kg. of water for solution. If. therefore,
the strong liquor be evaporated to this concentration
and cooled, 90",, of the potassium chloride and sodium
chloride will be thrown out of solution. It is possible
further to reduce the KCI and NaCl content of the
liquor, but as the calcium chloride may be used to re-
move the carbonate from alkali-carbonatebearing flue
dusts by double decomposition, there is no need to en-
danger the purity of the mixed crystals by further con-
centration.
The second separation is based on the fact that the
solubility of potassium chloride increases with the
temperature, while the solubility of the sodium chloride
decreases, according to the following table of solubility
in grammes per 100 grammes of water :
Deg. C. KCI. NaCI.
0
11-2
30O
25
15'8
29 0
50
220
27 7
70
27 3
26'8
80
30 0
26' 4
100
3V7
25 8
On evaporating the solution no crystals are deposited
until a density of 46 " Tw. is obtained, when the solution
is saturated with potassium chloride. If evaporation
be now continued, potassium chloride crystallizes out
until a density of 49 5" Tw. is obtained. At this point,
the solution is cooled and potassium chloride crystal-
lizes out, finally reaching 25° C, which is the lowest
temperatureinactual practice. The solution isreheated
toa point at which the solution is saturated with sodium
chloride but not with potassium chloride. Evapora-
ting further, sodium chloride will be deposited, and if
the solution be filtered hot to remove the sodium chlor-
ide, potassium chloride again crystallizes out on cool-
ing. The operations now become a cycle.
The dry dust from the conveyor is lixiviated with
water or wash liquor as it falls from the conveyor chute
into the concrete slurry tanks below the electrostatic
plant. In order to prevent any settling this slurry is
circulated continuously through the chute and agitated
with blast, thus producing an intimate mixture, only
enough water or liquor being added to produce a slurry
thin enough to be pumped through the circulating sys-
tem and to the mixers. In the mixers, which are steel
vessels of about 800 gallons capacity, and provided with
efficient stirring arrangements, the slurry is boiled and
then continuously run down on to a series of revolving
vacuum-filter drums situated below the mi.xer. The
filter drums, which are 3 ft. 6in. diameter, and 7ft. 6 in.
long, are built of oak laths 3 in. apart covered with a
strong wire net, which carries the filter cloth. To pro-
tect thecloth an J in. steel wire is spirally wound round
the drums, which are driven by a worm-gear and re-
volve at 3 to 4 revolutions per minute. The wells in
which the drums revolve are built in concrete with a
cast-iron front, and in order to prevent any settling they
are made V-shaped, with a stirrer revolving along the
bottom. The dried cake containing about 50% mois-
ture is cut off by a steel knife placed in such a position
that the cake flaked off from one drum falls into a re-
pulping trough, and from thereinto the well of the next
drum. In order to break the cake up into a thin slurry
MARCH, 1921
187
this trough is fitted with a stirrer and an air Uft, which
continuously circulates the slurry from the drum well
through the trough. All feed liquors for each drum
are also fed into these troughs so as to get an intimate
mixture. By having four drums, four consecutive
washings with liquor of falling strength are obtained,
the last washing being done with water; and the last
cake, free from soluble salts, is transferred by a worm
conveyor to railway trucksoutside the building, whence
It is returned to the blast-furnaces. The liquors from
the four drums are drawn off by vacuum into separate
tanks, and from there delivered intermittently to the
respective storage tanks. The strongest liquorof about
JO^ Tw. from No. 1 drum is treated with air and lime
if any soluble iron salts are present, and then filtered
through a sand filter and delivered to the preliminary
evaporator. The liquor from No. 2 drum goes to the
slurry tanks, the liquor from No. 3 drum is used for
washing in No. 2, that from No. 4 drum for washing
in No. 3, and No. 4 receives water. The strong liquor
of about 30^ Tw. is transferred to a feed tank for the
preliminary evaporator, and continuously fed into a
Kestner salting-type evaporator, in which the separa-
tion of the sodium and potassium chloride from the cal-
cium chloride takes place. The crystallization starts at
about 62" Tw., and continues to about 94" Tw., when the
liquor is approximately saturated with all three salts ;
above 76° Tw. theevaporation isveryslow, and very lit-
tle mixed salt is obtained. The liquor also becomes very
viscous above this density and is difficult to filter. The
evaporator is therefore emptied at this point and the solu-
tion allowed to cool, whereby a crop of crystals is ob-
tained which contain approximately 10 to 15% calcium
chloride, the remainder being a mixture of potassium
chloride and sodium chloride. The mother-liquor
drained from the above contains 90% of the total calcium
chloride and only about 5% of the total potassium chlo-
ride in the original dust, and is further evaporated to
drynessin open pans After the mother-liquor isdrained
off, the crystals are dissolved in water or feed liquor for
No. 1 evaporator, and returned to the feed tank for this
evaporator. The crop of crystals received during the
evaporation from 62 to 76"Tw.'is from lime to time
emptied out of the separator of the evaporator on to a
vacuum filter, the mother-liquor drawn off, and the re-
maining mixed salt washed twice with a hot saturated
mixed salt solution in order to remove the calcium chlo-
ride, which generally amounts to 1 to 3% in the un-
washed salt, the wash liquor being each time returned
to the evaporator. The mixed crystals are dissolved in
hot water in a tank. The resulting liquor of about 30°
is filtered through a brick filter and passed on to the
feed tank, from whence it is fed into the evaporator
Evaporation is then commenced and continued until
the liquor has a density of 49° Tw. During this evapo-
ration potassium chloride crystallizes out, and more
liquor is added until the evaporator is completely full
of liquor of the required density, at which point the
whole contents of the evaporator are run out and passed
through a revolving crystallizer, more potassium chlo-
ride being deposited during the cooling. The mother-
liquor is drained from the crystals in a centrifugal hydro-
extractor and returned to the feed tank, from which it
can either be supplied to the crystal dissolver, or to the
evaporator for further evaporation. In the latter case
the liquor is evaporated until the density again reaches
49° Tw., but owing to the saturation of the liquor only
sodium chloride is thrown out of the solution during
this second evaporation. The sodium chloride is re-
moved from the evaporator by means of the vacuum
filter box, and the clear liquor run through the crystal-
lizer, when potassium chloride again crystallizes out.
From this point the process is cyclic, sodium chloride
crystallizing out on evaporation and potassium chloride
on cooling. It is obvious, of course, that the above
operations may be varied, and modifications are made
from time to time in order that the final evaporator may
be kept full of concentrated liquor. All crops of potas-
sium chloride are washed twice with a cold saturated
solution of potassium chloride in order to remove the
last traces of mother-liquor, so as to produce a product
containing at least 98% of potassium chloride.
Quicksilver Mining in China. — At a meeting of the
Cornish Institute of Engineers held on February 19,
Frank Trythall read a paper describing the mining of
quicksilver in the Toon- Yen prefecture, Kwei-chow
Province, South China. Quicksilver has been exten-
sively mined in Kwei-chow, for how long no informa-
tion can be obtained beyond the assertions of the land-
owners, who claim that their ancestors were mining for
quicksilver during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644).
Gunpowder was introduced for the first time as an ex-
plosive about the year 1870 by miners from Sze-chuan.
Previously fire-setting and the hammer and gad were
the only means of mining. The geological formation
of the region is magnesian limestone, in horizontally
stratified beds of several hundred feet in thickness. The
mineralized zone is roughly three miles square. The
quicksilver deposits are not continuous, and they are
irregular in shape. The country is cut by canyons run-
ning in various directions, and it is noticeable that those
deposits which are near the rim of the canyons are
richer and more extensively worked than those occur-
ring farther afield. The ore occurs : (1) As impregna-
tion of well-defined beds of limestone ; (2) along the
joints, cracks, and planes of stratification ; (3) in iso-
lated bunches, nests, or pockets, and in vughs or cavi-
ties which contain crystalline aggregates or well devel-
oped crystals of cinnabar in the form of penetration
twins of two rhombohedra, associated with quartz and
calcite ; (4) irregularly disseminated through a number
of beds which have, in most cases, undergone consider-
able local disturbances. There are two varieties of
cinnabar. One is a bright, transparent red, the other
a dark, opaque red with which antimony is almost in-
variably associated in small quantities. The former is
known as the "red, "and the latter as "black "cinnabar.
Pyrites is entirely absent. Native mercury is occasion-
ally met with, associated with the antimonial ores.
These deposits are similar to, and characteristic of,
others in the districts of Beh-mah-tung, Wuchuan, and
Pachai.
The methods employed in mining and smelting are
distinctly crude, and conform to no laws or regulations.
About the time of the writer's visit, mining regulations
were issued by the Imperial Government, but were
never enforced, nor was the slightest notice taken of
them. In the mines known as " private " mines, which
have been acquired by a company, the miners are re-
quired to sharpen their own drills before entering the
mine, and drill and fire two 15 in. holes. They drill
single-handed with 71b. hammers, a back hole counting
double. The drills, J in. diameter, are of iron, pointed
with steel at both ends. Other mines, described as
"public," are usually old workings which have been
abandoned by companies as too poor to work, but still
containing patches of sufficiently remunerative ore for
individual miners, who are allowed to work them on
payment of 600 cash (Is. 7d.) per month, known as
"hammer tax," to the local magistrate. The miners
work either on day's pay or on tribute. In the first case
the hours worked amount at most to six ; but every fifth
188
THE MINING MAGAZINE
day.being market and pay day, is regarded as a holiday,
when they receive -tOO cash (about Is). In adthtion to
the wages they are supphed daily with two meals, con-
sisting of boiled rice and vegetables, and on market
days a small portion of pork. The meals cost rouglily
50 cash or 16 pence each. Thus a miner on day's pay
earns, inclusive of hisfood, 130 cash (4 2pence) perday,
and works at the outside 24 hours in 5 days. Overtime
is paid on all lioles drilled above two in a shift at the
rate of 12 pence per hole. The tributer supplies his
own tools, e.xplosives, etc., and works without restric-
tion on a piece of ground allotted to him by a company,
and his ore has to be taken to the company's smelter
for treatment. He is paid for the quicksilver so pro-
duced at a rather lower rate than the prevailing market
price, and, in addition, the buyer retains such mercury
as remains in the furnace. All taxes are paid by the
company to the officials and land-owners, whether the
mines are worked on day's pay or tribute. In the blast-
ing operations, after the hole has been drilled to the re-
quired depth, a pricker is inserted and from two to three
ounces of gunpowder are tamped around it with an iron
rod, after which the hole is filled with clay, or fines,
nearly to the top. The pricker is then carefully with-
drawn by twisting it with a pointed bar inserted in the
eye of the pricker, and, in the space thus left, the fuse
is introduced and a conical-shaped piece of paper at-
tached to the end of the fuse, which, on being lit, smoul-
ders and acts as a time fuse until it reaches the powder.
The native fuse consists of a peculiar kind of brown
paper, treated with nitre, and rolled very tightly, en-
closing a minute quantity of gunpowder. When finish-
ed it has the appearance of a piece of whip cord. The
timing is very unreliable. Owing to the inferior quality
of the gunpowder (which is made on the mines from in-
gredients obtained locally), the explosive force is small,
only from 200 to 300 lb. of rock being dislodged per
hole drilled.
No system of driving, sinking, or stoping is observed
in the winning of the ore, the mmer simply following a
stringer on a mineralized band of ore, enlarging or re-
ducing his working face as the mineral widens or pinches,
resulting in a series of intricate workings. Timbering
is unnecessary, as the ground is compact and holds
well, even in the largest workings. The ore is trans-
ported from the working face to the surface by means
of baskets carrying 30 to 40 lb. , fastened to the coolie's
back by ropes which pass under the arms. In the very
low and narrow workings where it is impossible to stand
upright, wooden boxes containing the ore are drawn
along the floor by small boys, crawling, with a rope
passing around the neck, down the stomach, between
the legs and attached to the box. On the ore reaching
the surface, coolies, termed ore pickers, cob and pick
it, as much as possible of the barren rock being dis-
carded The large crystals of cinnabar are detached by
means of a stout pointed wire. The ore is crushed on a
large flat stone with hammers, to pass a J in. bamboo
sieve, and if the cinnabar is of the red variety, it is
panned, the concentrates removed, and the tailings
treated for quicksilver in the furnace retort. If the cin-
nabar is black, the panning is dispensed with, and the
whole put direct into the furnace.
During the winter months, when agricultural labour
is more or less at a standstill, a lar^e percentage of the
population turn their attention to the working over of
the old dumps, and may be seen wending iheir way to
the dumps at all hours of the morning, armed with a
basket, hammer, and rake, and sometimes a lamp to
enter the abandoned mines, returning in the evening
with perhaps 10 to 15 lb. of picked ore containing 1%
to 2% quicksilver. This ore is disposed of to the owners
of private furnaces, of which there are a number scat-
tered about the district. I'umping is a minor item, from
the fact that the deposits are not deep-seated, and the
deeply carved and fissured country does not permit of
the accumulation of large cjuantities of water, which
would prevent the natives from carrying out their primi-
tive modes of mining. Where water accumulates in
sufficient quantities to check operations, a bamboo or
wooden chain-pump is installed, similar to those used
for irrigation purposes, but if they prove inadequate,
the workings affected are abandoned until the water re-
cedes. Ventilation is also a question which does not
worry the Chinese miner. The imperfect combustion
of the explosive, the smoke arising from the oil lamps,
the filthy habits of the miners themselves, and the fact
that many absolutely live in the mine for fear of having
their rich ore stolen, tend to make the air as foul as it is
possible to conceive, and often, on entering a working,
it is almost impossible to see how many are at work or
what is being done. The miners will submit to all these
discomforts and dangers to health rather than do any
work which would cause expenditure without direct
remuneration.
The furnaces, built in pairs, are 2 ft. 6 in. in diameter
and I ft. 6 m. in height. Each consists of a cooking pan,
which serves as a receptacle for the ore, resting on a
round fireplace made of unburnt bricks, on which is
placed a similar pan inverted, with a 12 in. hole in its
centre. On this is built a collar of clay, 12 in. high,
strengthened by a plaited bamboo network, extending
a few inches above the clay collar, serving as a support
to the upper pan. The top of the clay collar is grooved
in the centre, and a third pan, with a 12 in. diameter
hole, rests on its inner rim, and this, being covered by
an earthenware pot which acts as a condenser, an an-
nular space is formed between the groove, the lower
part of the top pan, and the inner side of the bamboo
network. Three holes 3 in diameter are pierced through
the rim of clay on which the topmost pan rests, and are
known as "percentage holes." inclining towards the
centre of the furnace. The amount of quicksilver col-
lected in this annular space depends on the inclination
of the percentage holes, increasing in quantity as the
angle of inclination increases. The earthenware pot or
condenser is luted with fine residues and the bamboo
network is lined with clay. Wood fuel is used for heat-
ing purposes. The usual charge for one furnace is 50
lb, of ore. The quicksilver vapours condense in the
annular space and earthenware pot, which is changed
at intervals until the ore is exhausted, when the residues
are withdrawn by means of a shovel the blade of which
is at right angles to its handle, and replaced by another
charge. While the condenser is being changed, the
ore in the pan is stirred wiih a wooden pole, the fumes
escaping copiously during the operation. The conden-
ser becomes coated with minutesglobulesof quicksilver,
which on removal are run together hy rubbing the sur-
face with a rag forming a pool at the bottom of the pot.
The losses, as far as can be esiimated, vary between
30% and 40% of the total quicksilver. The amount
collected in thecondenser naturallvdependson therich-
ness of the ore treated, and sometimes as much as a
catty (1 3 lb ) is collected. The metal is poured into
bamboo flasks and eventually transported to the river
ports in pigs' bladders. The residues, especially in ihe
case of rich orts. which still contain imperfectly burnt
ore. are ground by hand, sluiced, and the concentrates
again retorted
In add. lion to the furnaces at work near the mines,
considerable numbers are owned by individuals who
carry on custom smelting, recei\ing in payment the
quicksilver collected in the annular space through the
MARCH, 1921
189
percentage holes. The ore treated in these furnaces is
obtained from the mines or from the dumps, and not in-
frequently by theft. The owners of private mines have
a set of furnaces for rich ore, and another for poor ore,
and, if the miner strikes a rich pocket, the ore is treated
in the rich-ore furnaces, the percentage holes being so
inclined that the furnace owner receives about 40% of
the total distillate as his share. This is an established
custom to which the miners willingly conform.
Bauxite in West Africa. — The report of Mr. A. E.
Kitson, the Director of the Geological Survey of the
Gold Coast, for the year 1919, just to hand, contains
further information relating to the bauxite deposit at
Mount Ejuanema discovered by him previously, and
described in his report for 1917- The latter report was
quoted in our issue for July, 1919, and we reproduce
the more recent report herewith. It will be seen that
some interesting notes are given, of value to those in-
terested in the formation of bauxite.
Thewholeof the shafts at Mt. Ejuanema sunk through
the bauxite deposits were carefully examined, the char-
acter of the bauxite noted, and numerous samples from
top to bottom taken for analysis or record from nearly
all the shafts. These shafts number 65 on the flat top
of the mountain and 68 alont: the sides. The shafts on
the top vary in depth from 19 ft. to 31 ft. to the bottom
of the bauxite, or 23^ ft. to33ift. in total depth. Those
on the sides vary from 3j ft, to 15j ft. of rubbly and
massive bauxite with soil, and in total depth from 4j ft.
to 33 ft. As disclosed by the shafts the average thick-
ness of massive and rubbly bauxite, with interstitial
finely granular bauxite, like red soil, is 20i ft. The
massive bauxite is 12i ft. thick, and the rubbly bauxite
7§ ft , but It is impossible at present to form more than
a very approximate estimate of the proportion of red
soil to the rest. Analyses of this material are in hand ;
those already received prove almost the whole of it to
be bauxite. The surface soil, which is also probably
very finely granular bauxite, has an average thickness
of 2 ft 10 in. It occurs only on certain parts of the top
of the mountain, for massive bauxite outcrops cover
considerable portions of it. The average of 17 analyses
already made of bauxite from various portions of the
deposit gives the following percentages: Al^O.,, 60'55 ;
Fe-jO:,, 975; TiO.,, 221 ; CaO+MgO, 0 73; SiOa.
1'42; water, 25 59. The total quantity of bauxite on
the mountain may be taken for the present at approxi-
mately 3 000,000 tons.
An interesting feature connected with the bauxite is
that in many of the deeper shafts on the top of the
mountain there was so much bad air caused by carbon
dioxide that complete observations could not be made
in all of them In many cases the light of a lantern low-
ered into the shafts went out instantaneously on reach-
ing depths varying from 5 to 15 ft. from the bottom of
the shafts. Time did noi permit repeated visits to these
shafts, nor to exhaust the bad air by extemporized
means, while no tornadoes supplied water when wanted
to dissolve the gas. Consequently some 10 shafts have
not been completely examined, for it was found that,
even protected by a rope for rapid haulage, it was not
safe to venture down owing to the bad effects of this
gas. The source of the carbon dioxide is undetermined,
but there is presumptive evidence that it is being ex-
uded from the pores and cracks in ihe bauxite. It is
certainlv not due to decomposing vegetation fallen into
the shafts, or to exhalations and exudations from the
native workmen. Only some of the shafts, and those
not the deepest, showed the presence of bad air. In one
case a shaft being sunk was found the following morn-
ing lo be so foul that the light vanished at once 10 ft.
from the bottom. Many shafts. 20 to JO ft. deep, with
6 to 18 in. of decaying vegetable matter, had no foul air,
for no bad effects were felt at the bottom. Further, rats,
mice, a squirrel, frogs, snakes, lizards, and insects of
various kinds, which were found at the bottoms of many
shafts, were quite lively, and even when burrowing into
the material at the bottom seemed to suffer no ill effects.
In other cases, usually in shafts without vegetable mat-
ter, they were somewhat torpid, possibly from starva-
tion or injury. If carbon dioxide is now coming from
the bauxite, there seems to be no reason to doubt that,
dissolved in water, it is acting on the clay-shales and
assisting in the formation of bauxite. Should this ac-
tion be taking place, it is evident that bauxite is still in
process of formation.
Flotation Applied to Coal. — Reference has been
made in these columns on several occasions to the ap-
plication of the Minerals Separation process to the flo-
tation of coal and the means thereby secured for separa-
ting fine coal from the dusty or slimy material obtained
from the screens or coal-washers respectively
A paper on this subject was read by A. F. Bury and
A. Bicknell before the Newcastle section of the Society
of Chemical Industry on January 26. The authors
said that the methods for separating impurities from
coal had hitherto depended on the fact that coal was
of less specific gravity than the waste, and the use of
jig washers, tables, and other forms of gravity separa-
tors had been steadily perfected. All the machines de-
veloped for that purpose, however, had failed lo treat
in an efficient commercial manner the finer portions of
the coal. Such a method had been evolved by the
Minerals Separation, Ltd., whose froth-flotation pro-
cesses had already created a revolution in the dressing
of metallic ores. The experiments carried out by
Minerals Separation, Ltd , showed that their flotation
processes could be modified and adapted to the re-
covery of the large amount of coal daily going to
waste in washery pit refuse, and to the reclaiming of
the vast tonnage of coal thrown away in previous years.
In 1919 it was suggested to the Skinningrove Iron Co.
that the process thus developed might be employed ad-
vantageously for the purification of coal for the mak-
ing of coke for blast-furnace use. Investigations show-
ed beyond doubt that the process offered a means for
the production of coal of very low ash, and subsequent
coking tests showed how admirably the washed coal
was suited to the pioduction of the finest metallurgical
coke.
Coal as delivered at the works might be briefly said
to consist of a mixture of the following substances in
varying proportions: (1) pure coal, having a low ash
of from 2 5 to 50% ; (2) bone coal, having a higher
ash of from 10 to 16% ; (3) shale containing a varying
amount of bituminous matter and an ash of from 60
to 85% ; (4) small quantities of other impurities such
as gypsum and pyrites. The shale, gypsum, and py-
rites could be removed by mechanical means providing
the coal was crushed sufficiently fine to ensure that the
shale was freed fiom coal, the tlegree of fineness vary-
ing with the extent to which the coal and shale were
interstratified. The bone coal presented quite a differ-
en problem Most Durham coking coals appeared to
contain approximately 10% of the high-ash coal, in
which the ash was so intimately mixed or even chemi-
cally combined that no separation was possible by me-
chanical means. It had been found that the ash of the
bone coal could not be removed or reduced even when
the coal was ground to pass a 200 mesh screen. The
separation of the bone coal from the better qnalites
was one of the most striking features of the llotaiion
process, and. it was believed, unattainable by any other
method of coal purification.
190
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Silver-Lead in Yukon. The CiinaJiiin Miniiif;
Journal for January 21 contains an article by W. K.
Cockfield on silver lead ore deposits in tlie Mayo dis-
trict. Vnkon Territory, some distance east of Klondyke
The press has contained news from time to lime during
the last few years of these discoveries, and brief refer-
ences to them have been made in the publications of
the Canadian Geolot;ical Survey. As attention has
recently been attracted to them again, it is opportune
to quote Mr. Cockfields article.
In the year I'.'H. with the opening of the rich de-
posit at Galena creek, an impetus was given to the
search for argentiferous galena, which resulted in the
discovery of a number o( promising properties These
include Keno llill. Lookout Mountain, Kambler Hill,
Stand-to Mountain, Mt, Cameron, and a number of
others.
Keno ridge is a long wedge-shaped ridge lying be-
tween the heads of Lightning Creek, Christal Creek,
and Ladue River about -tJ miles from Mayo by road
It has the characteristic flat top of the Yukon plateau
country, and is surmounted by a number of hillocks
known' locally as Keno Hill, Minto Hill. Monument
Hill, Caribou Hill and Beauvetle Hill Upwards of
600 claims have been staked on the ridge, and on most
of these sufficient work has been done to keep them in
good standing. Real development work, however, has
been performed only onasmall number of groups. The
geology of Keno HiU is similar to that of the greater
part of Mayo area. The rocks exposed consist of a
series of crystalline schists and gneisses, intruded by
sillsof greenstone and dykes and sillsof rhyolite, quartz-
porphyry, and "granite-porphyry. The schist series is
made up of gneissoid quartzite, quartz-mica schists,
mica, and chlorite schists. The greenstone sills vary
in colour, composition and texture, ranging from a dio-
rite to a diabase. The acid sills and dykes are believed
to be apophyses from a granite mass to the eastward.
The strata in general have an east-west trend and dip
to the south at low angles. Near the hillocks known
as Keno Hill, Minto Hill, and Monument Hill, how-
ever, they undergo a sharp flexure, bending nearly at
right angles, and in the vicinity of this flexure there is
much local faulting. The ore-bodies are found in 6s-
sure veins and are consequently intimately related to
the systems of faulting. Two such systems have been
recognized, one of which is in a general way parallel
to the trend of the strata and is referred to as longi-
tudinal faulting ; the other making an angle of 70" to
80° with these and cross-cutting the strata, is referred
to as transverse faulting. In the longitudinal system
one main fault traverses the ridge for several miles and
in the vicinity of the flexure diverges into three main
branches, which are also quite persistent. Traces of
other faults parallel to these have been found, but ow-
ing to the rather heavy drift cover, they could not be
followed any considerable distance. These faults are
mineralized with quartz and arsenopyrite, and occasion-
ally with galena, manganite, and siderite. The trans-
verse faults occur in great numbers, particularly in the
vicinity of the flexure As a rule they are much shorter
than the longitudinal faults and of relatively slight dis-
placement. They are mineralized with galena, man-
ganite, and siderite, and occasionally with calcite and
blende. In both systems the galena is enriched in places
with freibergite. The principal ore-shoots already dis-
covered lie in the transverse faults. From what has al-
ready been learned it may be established as a general
rule that where one of these fissures taps a longitudinal
fault and passes upward out of a hard stratum such as
quartzite or greenstone into schist, an ore-shoot will be
found in the vein below the schist capping. In the
longitudinal faults ore deposition has taken place at
points where the older filling (if tiuartzarsenopyrile has
been opened by a distinct (racture. but at some locali-
ties a disseminated ore occurs, which may have been
introduced at the time of formation of these veins.
The ore-shoots vary in width from a few inches up to
4 or 5 ft. The galena in them is fairly free from mix-
ture with gangue minerals and samples are usually
taken of the galena only. A content of about 200
ounces of silver per ton and 60"',. lead probably repre-
sents closely the value of ihe ore shoots. None of
these shoots has been fully blocked out as yet. and none
of the deposits has been tested in depth. The galena
occurs fresh and unaltered right at the surface, but on
some properties carbonates are encountered at a depth
of a few feet. In other cases no alteration was noted.
It is expected that about 3.000 tons of ore will be hauled
to Stewart river during the winter from these deposits.
The Stewart discharges into the Yukon river 50 miles
above Dawson City.
SHORT NOTICES.
Measuring Compressed Air. — At the meeting of the
Midland Institute of Mining, Civil, and Mechanical
Engineers held on January 22. J . L. Hodgson presented
a paper on the metering of compressed air.
Mechanical Loading of Ships. — .'\t the meeting of
the Institution of Mechanical Engineers held on Janu-
ary 21, H. J. Smith read a paper on the mechanical
loading of ships, giving much attention to the handling
of minerals in bulk.
Working of Petroleum by Shafts and Galleries. —
Atthe February meelingof the Institution of Petroleum
Technologists, a paper was presented by Paul de Cham-
brier, describing the exploitation of oil deposits at
Pechelbronn, Alsace, by means of shafts and galleries.
This paper is an abstract of a pamphlet noticed in an-
other column. By meaas of shafts and galleries the
oil drains downward.
Flotation of Coal. — The Iron and Coal Trades
Review for February 1 1 describes the application of the
Minerals Separation flotation process to the recovery
of fine coal from waste.
De-aeration of Solutions. — The December /o!( ma/
of the Chemical, Metallurgical, and Mining Society of
South Africa contains a paper by H. A. White discus-
sing methods of removing oxygen from solutions and
water by the addition of chemicals and giving details
of his experiments with tannin, ferrous ammonium sul-
phate, manganese sulphate, etc. The suitability of
chemicals for this purpose depends upon price, insolu-
bility after oxygen absorption, and freedom from unde-
sired reactions.
Estimation of Mercury.— At the February meeting
of the Newcastle section of the Society of Chemical In-
dustry. A. A. Hall described a quick method lor the
estimation of mercury.
Knudsen Furnace. — In the Engineering and Min-
ing Journal ior February 12, E. H. Robie describes
the use of the Knudsen furnace in the pyritic smelting
of Sudbury nickel-copper ores, and the experiments
undertaken by the International Nickel Company.
Zirconia.— At the February meeting of the Birming-
ham section of the Society of Chemical Industry, E.
C. Rossiter and P. H. Sanders read a paper on the
preparation of zirconia from Brazilian ores, giving also
a new method of determination.
Fume Precipitation.— fingfneeri'ng for January 28
describes the Cottrell electrostatic plant as applied to
the precipitation of SO3 fume at the sulphuric acid
plant of the Holton Heath cordite factory.
MARCH, 1921
191
Electric Smelting. — In Cheiii ical and Metal tii rgical
Engineering for January 19, Jonas Herlenius writes
on the electric furnace used in S.veden for producing
pig iron.
Helium. — The/oi<rKa/ of the Franklin Institute for
February contains a paper by R. B. Moore, chief
chemist of the United Slates Bureau of Mines, on the
history, properties, and commercial development of
helium.
Mineral Matter in Coal. — At the meeting of the Mid-
land Institute of Mining, Civil, and Mechanical Engi-
neers held on January 22, Dr. R. Lessing presented a
paper on the distribution and nature of mineral matter
in coal. This is a paper of great importance.
Westmorland Minerals. — .\t a meeting of the Man-
chester Geological and Mining Society held last month,
Vincent Bramall read a paper on the minerals found
in the neighbourhood of Appleby, Westmorland, with
special reference to barytes.
Canadian Gold and Silver. — At the meeting of the
Royal Statistical Society held on February 15, J. Bonar
read a paper entitled : The Mint and the Precious
Metals in Canada.
Yampi Sound Iron Ores. — The Queensland Gov-
ernment Mining Journal for December contains an
abstract of a report on the Yampi Sound iron ore de-
posits, northern West Australia, made for the Queens-
land Mines Department by C, F. V. Jackson and E.
A. Cullen.
Salt Manufacture. — In Chemical and Metallurgi-
cal Engineering for February 2, W. L. Badger de-
scribes the salt deposits of Michigan and the method
of raising the brine and manufacturing salt.
Non-Metallic Minerals in the United States. — In the
Engineering and Mining Journal for January 29, R.
B. Ladoo gives an account of the production of non-
metallic minerals in the United States.
Fluor-Spar. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for January 29, J. M. Blayney describes the
mining of fluor-spar at Fairview, Illinois.
East Indian Topography. — The Geograpliical
Journal for February contains a paper by G. A. F.
Molengraaf on modern deep-sea research in the East
Indian Archipelago. Thepaper contains much matter
useful to the geologist interested in Eastern tin deposits.
Hydro-Electric Power in Wales. — In the Engineer
for February 25, J. B. C. Kershaw gives an illustrated
account of the hydro-electric installations in North
Wales, in being and contemplated.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED.
•■^^A copy of the s/yecificatinn of any of the patents men-
tioned in this column can be obtained by sendtna Is. to
the Patent Office. Southampton Buildings. Chancery
Lane, London. W C. 2., -with a note of the nutnber and year
of the patent .
16,719 of 1919 (157,487). H. S. Potter, Jo-
hannesburg. A hammer drill with a reversible hammer
piston and rotating device modified accordingly.
18,038andl9,797of 1919(157,490). W. Broad-
BRIDGE, E. Edser, and Miner.als Sep.\ration,
Ltd, London. Agitation method for removing sub-
stances such as fals from emulsions.
1 8,498of 191 9(1 58.0 10). John Thompson, Ltd ,
and H. E. Partridge, Wolverhampton. Method
of coating iron and alloys of copper with aluminium.
21,188 of 1919 (156,852). W L. McLaughlin.
Decatur, Illinois. In grinding and pulverizing machines
consisting of cylinders containing rods, the use of rods
of varying diameters, whereby the interstitial spaces
are reduced.
23,960 of 1919(156,866). E. A. Ashcroft, Lon-
don. Treatment of comple.\ sulphides with chlorine to
make chlorides, and the treatment of these chlorides
with magnesium or allov of magnesium and lead or zinc
for the production of metallic zinc and lead and mag-
nesium chloride ; the latter is electrolysed to recover
the magnesium and chlorine.
24,767 of 1919 (157,523). C. M. Conder and
G. T. Vi\'ian, Camborne. Improved vibrating screen.
24,936 of 1919 (133,716). DorrCompany, New
York. In thickening tanks, arrangements whereby the
solid settled materials are forced upward and discharged
at a point near the top of the tanks.
25,544 of 1919 (157,554). P. A. Mackay, Lon-
don. Making lead sulphate pigment by Ireating galena
with fuming sulphuric acid.
25,546 of 1919 (157,555). P. A. Mackay, Lon
don. Recovering vanadium from vanadate of lead by
treating with fuming sulphuric acid, thereby obtaining
a soluble sulphate of vanadium and an insoluble com-
pound of lead.
26,332of 1919(146,919). Armour Fertilizer
Works, Chicago. Electric furnace for producing alu-
minium nitride.
26,542 of 1919 (156,944). T. L. Galloway,
Campbelltown, Scotland. Portable magnetometer,
(described in the Magazine for December).
26,570 of 1919 (157,576). S. Hare, Bishop
Auckland. Improved method of mounting coal-cut-
ters to enable them to work a wider track.
26,985 of 1919 (156,367). Universal Coal
Machine Co., Boston, U.S.A. Improved tunnel-
boring machine.
28,091 of 1919(135,199). C. L Stickney, Skull
Valley, Arizona. An e.\panding bit for use in rock-
drills, having for its object the widening of the drill-
hole at the bottom into a chamber to take the charge
of powder.
29,417 of 1919(156,971). Y. Nishizawa, Tokyo,
Japan, The addition to white sulphide pigments of
organic hydro.\yl compounds, with the object of pre-
venting the pigments turning yellow.
30,613 of 1919 (136,177). GEBRiiDER EiCK-
hoff, Bochum, Germany. Improved compressed-air
motors for jigging conveyors.
30,930 of 1919 (156,396). W. W. Hoover and
T. E. Brown, New York. Distilling oil from shale in
situ, by fracturing the shale by explosives and circulat-
ing a healing medium through it.
31,661 of 1919 (136,831). Societa Milanese
Impianti Industriali Cortese-Crespi-Souassi,
Milan, Ilaly. A rotarv pulverizer for minerals.
1,267 of 1920 (156,414). Taylor Wharton
Iron and Steel Co., Highbridge, New Jersey. Im-
proved teeth for the edges of excavator buckets.
5,192 of 1920(158,154). S. O. CowPER Coles,
London. Improvements in drums used in the sherar-
dizing process.
5,227 of 1920 (139,219). J. E. Kennedy, New
York. Improved mounting for the shafts of gyratory
crushers.
15,775 of 1920 (144,710). Graf Schwerin Ak-
tien Gesellschaft, Berlin. Improved method of
separating substances by electro-osmosis.
16,521 of 1920(147,546). Fried. Krupp Ak-
TiEN Gesellschaft Grusonwerk, Magdeburg,
Germany. Improvements in magnetic separators.
16,533 of 1920 (145,444). L. Malecot, Grand
Croix, Loire, France. Classifier for coal and other
minerals-
33,450 of 1920 (156,475). H. S. Potter, Johan-
nesburg. Improved rotatable chuck for steels of
hammer-drills.
192
TH1-: MINING MAGAZINE
NEW BOOKS. PAMPHLETS. Etc. COMPANY REPORTS
'"Copies of the books, etc . nioulioned below can be obtained
through the Technical Hockshop of The Mining .\Jti}iazine ,
7i4. Salisbury House, Lomiou Wall. 1-;.C.2.
Quin's Metal Handbook and Statistics, 1921. Com-
piled by L. H (JllN. Price5s.net. Published by llie
Metal Information Hureau, Ltd.. 7. East India Avenue,
London, L C 3. This is the eislitb yearly issue of a
statistical publication wliich is invaluable to all inter-
ested in the output and sale of metals and minerals.
The advertisements form a useful feature of the book,
for they convey a good deal of information with regard
to the marketing of metals and the metal trade, and
will be continuously helpful to the producer and buyer.
The Mining Manual and Mining Year-book, 1921.
Hy W.M.Tiu; K. Skinnkr Price JOs, net, Published
by W. R. Skinner, 11 and 12, Clement s Lane, and The
Financial Times, 7Z, Coleman Street. London. This
is the 35th annual volume of the standard reference
book relating to mining companies registered in this
country and companies registered abroad that are known
among English inv'eslors.
Cobalt, 1913 to 1919. Pamphlet published by the
Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau. Price 9d.
Antimony, 1913 to 1919. Pamphlet published by
the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau. Price Is.
Mining and Preparing Domestic Graphite for Cru-
cible Use. By G. D. DlBand F G. Moses. Bul-
letin 112 of the United States Bureau of Mines.
Bolivia's Case for the League of Nations. By JoSE
Carkasco. Published by Selwyn & Blount, 21, York
Buildings. Adelphi, London, W.C 2.
Manufacture of Sulphuric Acid in the United
States. By A. E, WELLS and I). E. Fogg. Bulletin
184 of the United States Bureau of Mines.
Crystallography ; A series of Nets for the Construc-
tion of Models Illustrativeof Simple Crystalline Forms.
By James B. Jordan Price 3s London : Thomas
Murby & Co.
Exploitation du Petrole par Puits et Galeries. By
Paul de Chambrier. Paris: Dunod, 47 and 49,
Quai des GrandsAugusiins. A paper based on this
pamphlet was read at the February meeting of the In-
stitution of Petroleum Technologists.
Geothermal Data of the United Stales. By N. H.
Darton. Bulletin 701 of the United States Geological
Survey. In this volume are collected all the available
records of earth temperatures in the United States, to-
gether with many original investigations.
Refractory Materials : Fireclays, Resources and
Geology. Paper covers, octavo, 250 pages, illustrated.
Price Ss. net. This is vol. xiv. of the special reports on
the mineral resources of Great Britain prepared by the
Geological Survey. The volume contains a brief but
comprehensive account of the geology of the fireclay
deposits of Great Britain, with special reference to
those beds which are at present employed for the manu-
facture of fire-bricks, furnace-linings, and other refrac-
tory materials. The industry isan old-established one,
and, especially during the war. was of great national
importance. The British fire-clays are described ac-
cording to the counties in which they occur, and par-
ticulars are given of every deposit that is known to be
of economic value. Fortunately for the country there
is an abundant supply of fire-clav, and the reserves are
large, while the variety of clays is such that almost
every use to which the mineral is put can be adequately
provided for from home sources. The volume is a se-
quel to the Memoir on Silicious Refractories previously
published, and it is intended to issue another part con-
taining chemical analyses and furnace-tests of many of
the best known fire-clays.
Taquah Central Mines. — This company was formed
in lyO'J to acquire gold-mining claims at Tarkwa. West
Africa. Bewick, ^Ioreingc'^:Co. andtheTaiiuah-Abosso
group were interested. The property was being devel-
oped in 1912 when the workings were flooded. As re-
corded last June, the mines are being reopened, /GO, 000
of new capital having been subscribed. Bewick, More-
ing & Co. have retired from the general managership,
and the management has been transferred totheTaquah
Mining & Exploration Company. The report now pub-
lished covers the year ended June 30 last. This shows
that work was resumed in July. The surface plant has
been reorganized and additional plant supplied. The
present development work consists of making connec-
tion between two adits2. 000ft. apart. When thepumps
are going, development will be undertaken on the 400 ft.
level. The labour position in this district is improving.
Geevor Tin Mines. — The report of this company,
which operates tin mines near St. Just. Cornwall, covers
the year ended March 31, 1920. During this period
28,324 tons of ore was treated, yielding 432 tons of tin
concentrate, being an average of 34 16 lb. per ton. The
amount received by the sale of this concentrate was
/69,064, or ^159. 17s. 5d. per ton. After allowing for
depreciation and writing off a proportion of develop-
ment and shaft-sinking, the balance of profit was /6, 256,
which was carried forward. In our issue of December,
1919, detailswere given of the increase in capital for the
purpose of extending operations ; during theperiod cov-
ered bv the present report /21,407 was spent on this
extra development and /17,605 on additional equip-
ment. Last summer further capital was issued for the
purpose of acquiring control of Levant. The present
position at Geevor is that mining is suspended owing to
'he low price of tin. Further particulars are given in
the Review of Mining.
De Beers Consolidated. — This company has been
working diamond mines near Kimberley. Cape Prov-
ince, South Africa, since 1888. The report for the year
ended June 30 last shows that 1.927,178 loads of dia-
mond ground svas raised at the Wesselton mine.
2.021,026 loads at Bultfontein, and 1,796,573 loads at
Dutoitspan, making a total of 5,744.777 loads. The
amounts of weathered ground washed at these mines
were 1.646.895 loads, 2.251,895 loads, and l.S92,55S
loads respectively, making a total of 5,790,710 loads.
The respective yields per load were 024 carat, 0'29
carat, and 016 carat. As already recorded, disintegra-
tion by weathering is being abandoned for mechanical
breaking, as adopted at the Premier diamond mine.
The accounts show a mining expenditure of £ 1 ,991 .258,
and other expenditure /741 ,976, The credit for sales
of diamonds was /6. 761, 840, and interest and dividends
brought the total revenue to /6, 997, 899. The profit
was ^4.264,665, out of which /439,550 was paid as
taxes. /800,000 was paid as preference dividend, and
/3, 000, 000 as ordinary dividend, the rate on the prefer-
ence shares being 40% and on the ordinary 120 per cent.
Exploration Company. — The report of thiscompany
for 1920 shows a gross profit of /74.599and anet profit
of /57,162 : /20.000 has been written off for deprecia-
tion, and /37,500 has been distributed as dividend, be-
ing 10% tax paid The low .American exchange during
the early part of 1920 made it profitable to sell nearly
all the company's investments in the United States.
At the meeting of shareholders, the chairman. R. T.
Bayliss, spoke very hopefully of the prospects in Mexico
and recorded his tlesire to increase the company's busi-
ness in that country provided suitable properties came
before his notice.
I-?'^
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director. EDWARD Walker, M.Sc. F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House, London Wall. London. E.C.2.
Telephone: London Wall 893S. Telegraphic Address : Oligoclase. Codes: jWciVeti^. both Editions.
(420, Market Street. San Francisco.
Branch Offices : \ 600. Fisher Bdfi.. Chicaso,
l2,222. Equitable Building, New York.
Subscription
I 16s. per annum (Single Copy Is. 6d ) inclu-
1 ding postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXIV. No. 4.
LONDON, APRIL. 1921
Price
6d.
CONTENTS.
Editorial
Notes 194
Oil-Coal Fuel ; Institution of Civil Engineers ; Re-
moving Gases from Water and Solutions ; Death
of Lord Moulton ; The Hoover Footl Research
Institute; Destruction of Marine Life by Oil;
Economic Geology at Camborne ; .A.nnual Meet-
ing of the Canadian Institute of Mining an»i
Metallurgy.
The Imperial Mineral Resources
Bureau 195
The progress made b\ the Bureau is reviewed, and
note is made of its publications, particularly
those on zinc antl iron.
Mining at Great Depths 196
The discussion on Mr. E. H. Clifford's paper read
before the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
was continued at the March meeting.
Iron Ore and Greenstone 197
The Editor draws attention to a letter by Mr. J. H.
Goodchild throwing doubts on the ij^neous origin
of certain rocks.
Adventures in the Desert 197
.\n incident of travel is recorded, which shows that
journeys through waterless regions are still often
fraught with danger.
Review of Mining 199
Articles
The Oil Resources of South America
Henry B. Milner 203
The Apatite - Magnetite Deposits of
Dhalbhum, India... E. F. O. Murray 211
The author fiives particulars of phosphate deposits
in India, whicli niifiht form the basis of an ex-
tensive fertilizer industry.
Iron Ore Deposits of Queensland 214
The Author of this article, who has an intimate
knowled^le of the Mineral Resources of Queens-
land, gives herewith a description of the princi-
pal iron ore deposits in that State, which are to
be used in the Iron and Steel Industry about to
be established by the Government of Queens-
land,
Letters to the Editor
Cumberland Iron Ore J. H. Goodchild 218
Cementation Process and Vein- Filling
Stephen J. Lett 219
Book Reviews
Crook's " Economic Mineralogy "
E. H. Davison 220
PAGE
Book Reviews (continued)
Weld and Others' " Manganese : Uses,
Preparation, Mining Costs, and Production
of Ferro Alloys '" Herbert K. Scott 220
News Letters
Toronto
Mineral Production of Canada ; Porcupine: Kirfc-
land Lake , Cobalt ; Sudbury.
224
Vancouver, B.C 225
Sheep Creek ; Granby Consolidated ; Miscellane-
ous Miniufi News: Oil.
Kalgoorlie, W.A 227
Mining Conditions in West Australia; Lancefield :
Sons of Gwalia : State Aid for Prospectors :
Hampton Plains : Mount Monger : Ravens-
thorpe: Oil.
Melbourne 229
Hydro-Electric Power in Tasmania.
North of England 230
Personal 232
Trade Paragraphs 233
Metal Markets 233
Statistics of Production 236
Prices of Chemicals 239
Share Quotations 240
The Mining Digest
The Flin-Flon Ore- Body R. C. Wallace
Reclaiming the Kalahari Desert H.J. Choles
Petroleum Production in 'Venezuela
A. H. Redfield
The Petroleums of Borneo James Kewley
Flotation of Cassiterite... M. T. Taylor and
J. W. Partington
Arizona Copper Company's Metallurgy
/. O. Ambler
Short Notices
Recent Patents Published....
New Books, Pamphlets, Etc. ...
241
244
247
250
251
252
252
253
254
Company Reports 254
,\ssociated Northern Blocks ; British .\luniinium ; Consolidated
Diamond Mines of South-West .-Xfrica ; East Pool & Afiar; Globe
& Phffinix ; Hollint^er Consolidated Gold Mines; Jos Tin Area
(Nigeria) ; Mexico Mines of El Oro ; Robinson Gold ; Rose Deep ;
San Francisco Mines of Mexico : South Crofty: Tehid\' Minerals.
EDITORIAL
Fl'EL composed of a mixture of oil and
coal dust is being tried in locomotives on
the Great Central Railway with encouraging
results. Experiments are now being conducted
with a view to perfecting the burners and com-
bustion chambers. The reports indicate ttiat
this type of fuel is easier to handle than coal
dust.
IT will be remembered that recent efforts of
the Institution of Civil Engineers to pro-
tect the term " civil engineer " failed owing to
the difticulty of dealing with engineers who
were not members of the Institution but were
ne verthelessof high professional standing. The
Institution is now applying to the Privy Coun-
cil for a supplementary charter to enable it to
confer the title " chartered civil engineer,"
which shall be recognized as a mark of pro-
fessional civil engineering status. Members of
other societies will no doubt make the neces-
sary inquiries so as to ascertain how this pro-
posal will affect them.
THE removal of gases dissolved in water,
especially oxygen, is nowadays receiving
the close attention of chemists and other engi-
neers. The Crowe vacuum treatment in cya-
niding is one example of this line of research
and improvement. Another example is found
in the similar method of softening water for
boilers and other chemical and mechanical ap-
plications. The removal of oxygen may be
efifected by heat, vacuum, or chemical reaction,
and the relative advantages of the methods
may be tested for each individual application.
Readers interested in this subject should study
a paper by Mr. Paul Kestner, presented to the
Institution of Mechanical Engineers and the
Society of Chemical Industry last month, and
another paper by Mr. H. A. White, published
in the December Journal of the Chemical,
Metallurgical, & Mining Society of South
Africa. Exigencies of space have prevented
us from giving fuller notice of these papers.
LORD Moulton, who died last month, was in
^ many ways a remarkable man, whether
considered as a mathematician, scientist, ad-
ministrator, or lawyer. Perhaps his greatest
service to the country was done as head of the
explosives department of the Ministry of Muni-
tions, where, in conjunction with Mr. Kenneth
Quinan, he impressed the true requirements of
the country upon the military authorities and the
politicians, and forced the expansion of produc-
tion. He shone less as a lawyer than as a
scientist, for the miserable insincerities of pa-
tent litigation have the tendency of narrowing
a man's mental process. Science lost a power
ful exponent when Moulton became an expert
in patent law.
L ELAND Stanford I'niversity is about to
J establish a research institute for the study
of the problems of the production, distribution,
and consumption of food, and it is proposed that
the institute shall bear the name of Mr. H. C.
Hoover, who has deposited with his alma mater
an enormous amount of documentary material
on these subjects, accumulated during his work
in connection with the Belgian Relief Fund
and also as Food Controller for the I'nited
States. A large measure of financial support
for the institute will come from the Carnegie
trustees.
THE destruction of marine life by oil dis-
charged from ocean-going and other ships
continues to receive the attention of various
authorities around the coast. The Kent and
Essex Sea Fisheries Committee, at a nieetmg
held last month at Fishmongers' Hall, had much
to say on this subject. It was stated that at
times the surface of the lower reaches of the
river and even the sea off Southend are covered
with oil, which settles on the flats at low tide.
The fishermen who used to make a good living
between the Essex and Kent coasts are giving
up their operations owing to the detrimental
effect of oil on the young fish.
THE holiday course in economic geology
held in connection with the Camborne
School of Mines last summer was a great suc-
cess, forstudents, young and old, were attracted
from all parts of England. Preparations are
now in hand for a similar course during the
coming summer, the period to be occupied ex-
tending from July 18 to August 27. On two
days every week there will be lectures and
laboratory work dealing with rocks and rock-
forming minerals, veinstones in the hand speci-
men and thin section, and mechanical analysis
of alluvial sands and dressing products by
vanning, magnetic, electrostatic, and flotation
methods and by means of hea\y liquids. One
day a week will be devoted to the detailed niap-
pingofasmallareaon surface andunderground.
On one day a week there will be a short local
194
APRIL, 1921
195
excursion, and on another day every week a
longer excursion, occupying the whole day.
These longer excursions will be to St. Just and
Land's End, and to St. I\es and Zennor, where
contact metamorphism and mining methods will
bestudied; toSt. Austelldistrict,inorderto visit
china-clay properties; to Carnmenellis, south
of Camborne, where granite is quarried ; to the
Porthleven district to study intrusions ; and
to the Lizard, to study Pre-Cambrian rocks.
Those desirous of attending the course should
communicatewith Mr. E. H. Davison, lecturer
on geology at Camborne School of Mines.
ANNUAL meetings of the Canadian Insti-
^ tute of Mining Engineers, now the Cana-
dian Institute of Mmingand Metallurgy, have
a widely established reputation on account of
the keen interest shown in the discussions and
the good fellowship of the social sessions. The
Montreal meeting of 1921, held from March 2
to 4 inclusive, was fully up to the past stan-
dards of the Institute. Notable papers were
read dealing with the newly discovered petro-
leum fields of the Mackenzie River basin, the
necessity for a more active development of the
coal and iron industries of the Dominion, and
other matters of national and imperial import-
ance. Reference to some of these papers will
be made in due course in the Mining Digest.
At the dinner. General Sir Arthur Currie, the
new head of McGill University, was among the
speakers. He referred feelingly to the last
previous meeting of the Institute that he had
attended, a session organized behind the fight-
ing lines in Flanders during the dark winter of
1916. Much has happened since then, and
while perhaps not all the swords have been
turned into ploughshares, it is a pleasure to re-
cord the general satisfaction felt at the conver-
sion of this well known general into the Princi-
pal of McGill University.
The Mineral Resources Bureau.
Judging by the second annual report just is-
sued, the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau
appears to have got into its stride. It enjoys
the advantage of the assistance and advice of
all the Governments of the Empire, of every
technical and scientific society devoted directly
or indirectly to the consideration of problems
relating to metals and minerals, and of a great
manyof the bigminingand manufacturing com-
panies. The multitudinous consultative com-
mittees are composed of acknowledged experts
on their own particular subjects. The list of
Government representatives and representa-
tives of societies, together with the list of mem-
bers of individual committees, should give con-
fidence in the work of the Bureau and its fu-
ture. We would wish, however, to see the
services of the permanent staff acknowledged
in the report in greater detail. As it is, the
only men giving all or a large share of their
time to the service of the Bureau that are men-
tioned in the report are Sir Richard Redmayne,
the Chairman of the Governors, and Major
Henderson Scott, the general secretary. There
are surely others who deserve public recogni-
tion.
As regards the publications issued by the
Bureau, it is to be noted that the variousreports
commencewiththeyear 1913, and the first issue
of each series covers the years 1913 to 1919.
Subsequently the issues will be made yearly.
The subjects covered by the reports already
published are : Arsenic, Bismuth, Felspar,
Borates, Fuller's Earth, Magnesite, Chrome
Ore and Chromium, Nitrates, Monazite, As-
bestos, and Zinc. Reports on Cobalt and Alu-
minium may be expected any day, and others
nearly ready for publication deal with Man-
ganese, Copper, Coal, Lead, Phosphates, Fluor-
spar, Talc and Mica, Vanadium, and Barium.
Those in course of preparation deal with Tung-
sten, Gold, Titanium, Platinum, Tin, Silver,
and Nickel. The collection of statistics and
records is always a difficult matter, even under
the most favourable auspices, but the period
1913 to 1919 gives particular trouble owing to
the incidence of the war. Hence the delay in
publication and the incompleteness of some of
the statistics. To give an idea of the range and
scope of these reports, it is convenient to ex-
amine that on Zinc, the most recently published.
This report was prepared by the staff of the
Bureau and passed by Messrs. J. C. Moulden,
H. M. Ridge, and H. Livingstone Sulman, the
Bureau's technical committee on zinc. It con-
sistsof 1 12 pages. The first chapter deals with
the ores and methods of extraction, the uses of
zinc as a metal, in alloys, and in compounds.
Then a general review is given of the world's
production, with tables of yearly production of
zinc and ores in each country. The countries
are then taken seriatim, firstly the constituents
in the British Empire and afterward foreign
states. Full statistical information is given,
and the principal producing centres are briefly
outlined. Afterward comes a bibliography of
books, articles, and papers on zinc, atruly valu-
able feature of the report. Finally there is a
review of the metallurgical industry in connec-
tion with zinc as at the end of 1919, written by
Mr. Gilbert Rigg, of the Broken Hill Associ-
ated Smelters.
196
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Tlie Bureau has in hand a special and com-
prehensive work on the Iron Ore Resources of
the World.the preparation of which was under-
taken at the suggestion of the National I''edera-
tion of Iron and Steel Manufacturers. The
sections devoted to Spain, Portugal, Norway,
Swedenare underthe general editorship of Pro-
fessor Henry Louis. Mr. K. O. l'"orster Brown
is supervising the sections dealing with P'rance
and North Africa, and Dr. P. H. Hatch the
section on the ores of the United Kingdom.
As regards the future of the Bureau, it is
legitimate to express a hope that the energies
now displayed without adequate supervision
by the Imperial Institute m the publication of
general reviews of subjects connected with
metals and minerals should not be continued
independently of the Bureau. Before the
Bureau was founded, some doubts existed in
many quarters as to the advisability of the step
being taken, the view being that the organiza
tion already existed at the Imperial Institute.
Under the conditions now existing, such critics
are inclined to advise the Imperial Institute to
hand over this department of its work to the
Bureau, .\nother point to which referencemay
be made is the establishment of records of com-
mercial reports made on mining districts and
individual properties. This M.AGAZINE at-
tempted to establish a register of this sort some
years ago, but engineers generally felt that the
enterprise should not be in the hands of a pri-
vately owned company. Such a register would
be of great value to people contemplating the
development of mineral deposits, and it is pos-
sible that the Bureau could undertake itsforma-
tion. We make the suggestion for what it is
worth.
Mining at Great Depths.
The discussion on Mr. E. H. Clifford's paper
on the new shaft at City Deep, read in Febru-
ary before the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy, was continued at the March meeting, on
which occasion Dr. Leonard Hill gave a help-
ful and illuminating address on various points
connected with the physiological aspects of the
problem. Indeed, the whole discussion at both
meetings has turned on the consideration of this
sideof the question rather than on the mechani-
cal features involved in the design of the shaft
andplant. Asmentioned lastmonth. Dr. Leon-
ard Hill is a physician who has made a special
study of ventilation, heating, and cooling in re-
lation to their influence on human comfort and
capacity for work, and it was a happy thought
on the part of the Council of the Institution to
invite him to take part in the discussion. They
have also invited him to write a paper for the
Transactions, which will in all probability be
read at the meeting in October. We can see
in the future Dr. Hill giving valuable advice
to the exploiters of deep metal mines, when the
physiological factor becomes increasingly pre-
dominant.
One or two points in connection with the
physiology of mining other than the reduction
of heat and moisture were discussed at the
meeting and deserve attention. In the first
place Mr. Bernard Holman, of the Koyal School
of Mines, mentioned the ill effects caused by
the absorption of nitrogen from the air into the
blood while working under considerable air-
pressure. This nitrogen is apt to be liberated
from the blood with fatal effect if the pressure
IS reduced too rapidly, and thus there may be
danger in bringing the men to the surface at
the usual speed of a winding engine. This
nitrogen danger is well known in diving opera-
tions, though the average man in the street is,
of course, not aware of its existence. In the
operations for the salving of the gold on board
the Laurentic, which sunk in Lough Swilly
during the war as a result of torpedo attack, the
divers can reach the bottom at JO fathoms in
half a minute without discomfort, but fully half
an hour must be allowed for bringing them to
the surface again. The same precaution is
necessary in connection with caisson work,
where intermediate chambers are provided for
gradually reducing the pressure so that the ex-
cess nitrogen shall be liberated without harm-
ful effects to the worker. This question of re-
lative absorption of the constituents of the air
by liquids arises also in the system of compres-
sing air by falling water, and transmitting to
the point required for its use while absorbed in
the water. When this method of compressing
was adopted at mines in Canada ten years ago
it was found that the air discharged from rock-
drills would not support combustion of the
lamps or candles and that this form of com-
pressed air was therefore not ideal for the
worker. It was discovered on examination
that less of the dissolved oxygen was liberated
than of the nitrogen, with the result that the re-
leased air was deficient in oxygen. Reverting
once more to the effect of the compressed at-
mosphere in deep mines; it must be remembered
that the surface of the Rand is 5,000 ft. above
sea-level, so that at the bottom of City Deep
shaft the workings will only be 2,000 ft. below
the sea. Thus the air-pressure in the bottom
workings will not be anything out of the way,
and the nitrogen effect need not be considered.
Dr. Hill, indeed, expressed his opinion that the
APRIL, 1921
197
nitrogen effect will not arise at any depth to
which a mine is likely to be sunk. Neverthe-
less depth in its relation to rapidity of hoisting
cannot be eliminated entirely when considering
these questions.
In the discussion, Dr. Hill also referred to
the investigations at present being made into
the causes of silicosis in the mines of the Rand.
Ihis disease of the lungs is attributed to the
ilfect of minute sharp particles of silica, which
settle on the surfaces in the lungs, and which
cannot be removed in the ordinary course by
the action of the lungs. The difficulty arising
out of this interpretation is that the saine effect
IS notnoticedinother metal mines where quartz
ores are worked. The present tentative ex-
planation is that it is only when the quartz
particlesareunaccompanied by thedustof other
minerals that silicosis starts ; that is to say, the
other minerals which are more easily removed
carry the quartz spicules with them. Thus
schists, shales, and igneous rocks of the wall-
rocks at other mines act as preventatives of
silicosis, but where foot and hanging walls are
qtiartzite there is no constituent of the dust to
counteract the effect of the silica of the ore. It
has been suggested that a cure may be obtained
by introducing shale or coal dust into the air of
the Rand mines in order to render the silicious
dust innocuous. It might also be possible to
make use in some way of the rock of the diorite
dykes for this purpose. The study of these
phenomena is now in hand, and some definite
results should be forthcoming before long. We
are looking forward also with interest to Dr.
Mill's paper to be read in October ne.xt. By
that time he will have had the opportunity of
applying his principles and methods to the par-
ticular problems of mining, and no doubt many
valuable hints and suggestions will result.
Iron Ore and Greenstone.
During the last few months a number of
articles and letters have appeared in our pages
by Mr. J. D. Kendall and others, and in these
communications much has been said relative
to the origin of the iron ores of Cumberland
and elsewhere. Mr. Kendall's evidence is help-
ful, for facts known many yearsago, but not now
available owing to the exhaustion of the par-
ticular mines, have been put on record, and in-
terpreted in the light of modern theories of ore
deposits. Geologists therefore have reason to
thank Mr. Kendall for his articles. In the pres-
ent issue Mr. J. H. Goodchild comes forward
with a suggestion with regard to the origin of
these iron ores which involves an entirely new
conception with regard to the building of the
•»— 3
earth. Mr. Goodchild's ideas call for a new
method of examining geological and minera-
logical occurrences, and a new interpretation of
both the old and new facts. It is not easy to
follow his statements and arguments. Like
Einstein's theory, they are in the nature of an
endeavour to grasp and enunciate some better
explanation of various phenomena than has
been available hitherto, and the resources of
language wherewith to express the ideas are
limited. They are as subversive of the current
dogmas of the stratigraphist as these dogmas
were of Genesis. Instead of expanding on his
views from a general standpoint, we may raise
the specific case of the greenstones occurring
in association with hematite. It is usually sup-
posed that greenstones are igneous rocks which
have been extruded from below while molten.
In years gone by the Cumberland hematite was
also reckoned by many to be of igneous origin,
but nowadays the solution theory is universally
held. It usually happens in these occurrences
that the contact between the greenstone and
the country rock and hematite shows no sign
of metamorphism, so the questionarises whether
the greenstone really had an igneous origin.
This doubt once raised, it becomes necessary to
re-apply from adifferent point of view the theory
of Van Hise and Leith, according to which the
Lake Superior hematites have been formed
by the decomposition of iron silicates such
asgreenalite. Is it not feasible, asks Mr. Good-
child, that during this decomposition a concur-
rent formation of greenstone should take place ?
This question opens up a new line of thought,
and should not be too hastily answered. To
carry Mr. Goodchild's views a little further, it
may be said that he questions the so-called ig-
neous origin of many rocks, and that he doubts
the separate creation of certain rocks and their
enclosures, holding that in many cases both
rock and enclosures have been formed at the
same time. There are many other phases of
rock and ore formation that tnight be discussed
from the new point of view, but we leave
readers to study Mr. Goodchild's letter. In his
concluding paragraph he asks permission to re-
turn to this subject later. We give him not
only permission but every encouragement to
do so.
Adventures in the Desert.
The parched lands of Australia were never
the ideal hunting ground for theprospector,and
the records of travellers and explorers show an
unbroken story of privation, thirst, or fire.
Though the country is now better known, and
improved means of communication exist, un-
198
THE MINING MAGAZINE
toward events are still happening from time to
time. It was hoped by many that the advent
of the motor car would entirely eliminate the
dangers, but motor cars occasionally go wrong,
and misinformation and miscalculation may
put even a Rolls- Koyce out of action. We are
reminded once more of the perils of the desert
by the receipt of a letter from friends in West
Australia, who have sent us an account of their
terrible experience due both toscarcity of water
and to bush fires. The writers of the letter, like
average Englishmen, do not shout of their
troubles from the house tops, so in recounting
their experience we shall refer to them anony-
mously. Suffice it to say, then, that early in
January a party, consisting of three engineers
and the young son of one of them, left Perth
for Ravensthorpe, a distance of nearly 300
miles in a south- easterly direction, travelling
across the country by motor car. The journey
out was successful, and after the business in
hand was completed, the return trip was com-
menced. For the sake of variety they decided
to travel by a newly-cut track, which was de-
scribed as bumpy but safe. The road proved
to consist for most of the way of heavy drift
sand, and it was necessary to go at low gear.
This had the eflect of consuming much water
in the radiator per mile, but as there are well-
holes at intervals along the track the travellers
were not worried. However, when the first
well-hole, at 40 miles, was reached, it was found
to be dry, but this fact caused little uneasiness,
for it was expected that the remaining six gal-
lons of water would be sufficient until the next
well-hole, 40 miles further, was reached. After
proceeding some miles from the first well-hole
the catastrophe happened. In negotiating a bit
of heavy sand, the car wheeled right on to a
stump covered with bushes and a front axle
went. There was no traffic on the road to fur-
nish help, and the only thing to do was for the
most active members of the party to tramp
back the best part of fifty miles to borrow a
spare axle and bring out a fresh supply of
water, or to obtain some other form of relief.
Two of the engineers undertook this journey,
leaving the other engineer and the boy with
the car. To tramp fifty miles through heavy
sand with the temperature at 110° was no small
undertaking. The position of the two left be-
hind was not much better, for the short scrub
afforded scanty shade, and there was only a gal-
lon of water on which to subsist until relief ar-
rived. But this was nothing to what followed.
Before long smoke was smelt by the watchers
at the car, and in an hour's time the clouds of
smoke were thick. On walking to the nearest
hillock they could see that the whole countiy
was on fire, in a continuous blaze for nules.
The smoke and heat gradually became more
intense. The only resource was to seek the
most open spot and to clear as much scrub as
possible, then to trust to luck that the fire would
pass round them and leavethemstillalive. The
water-supply was severely rationed, the boy
taking a table-spoonful every hour and the en-
gineer one every two hours, though both of
them felt like drinking the whole lot in one
gulp. After several hours of this anxious wait-
ing the wind changed, as it often does in Aus-
tralia about sundown, and the further advance
of the fire was stayed. The watchers were
therefore able to lie down and sleep. In the
meantime the other two engineers had plodded
on their weary way, often only able to walk a
quarter of a mile and then rest for a few min-
utes. This they did continuously for twenty-
four hours, covering during this time 46 miles,
mostly in heavy sand. Then theyespiedafarm-
house in the distance, so they drank up their re-
maining water and lay down to sleep for an
hour. On awaking they dragged themselves
to the house, where they received food and
drink, and help to cover the remaining distance
into Ravensthorpe. Here no time was lost in
obtaining a spare axle and a supply of water
and other necessaries, and the two were again
driven over the track to meet their watching
companions once more. They arrived 40 hours
after starting on the long tramp, and never was
anybody more gladly welcomed. After repair-
ing the car, the party resumed their journey to
Perth, and were able to pass the fire belt in
safety owing to the fire having been reduced to
mere smoulderings after thechange in the wind.
On thinking over their adventure, the travellers
were constrained to feel thankful that the car
broke down when it did, for otherwise the party
would have gone into the fire zone some twenty
miles further on their journey. If they had
done so, they would certainly have perished,
for they could not have got back to water nor
could they have penetrated the fire zone. Thus
the breakage of the axle was a blessing in dis-
guise. It is difficult to know whom to admire
the most, the men who tramped fifty miles over
the burning sands, or the boy who bravely en-
dured his great trial without complaint. We
cannot name them, nor do we refer to them
pseudonymously as Boldrewood did with Star-
light and Marston (though perhaps the analogy
is not altogether a happy one) ; but they can
cut this page out and frame it, and know that
it contains an expression of the high regard in
which they are held by a fellow man.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — We are in the midst of an-
other calamitous strike among the coal-miners
of Great Britain, brought about by the men re-
fusing to accept the reductions in wages pro-
posed by the masters, following on the decon-
trolof theindustry. A monthago thereseemed
high hopes of a return of mining and engineer-
ing activity, owing to costs of labour, food, and
clothing coming down. The new era of pros-
perity is once more postponed. In metallifer-
ous mining circles the low price and lack of
demand for metals have made it necessary for
many minesthroughout the world toclosedown.
The big American copper producers are idle,
and many of the Nigerian tin mines are either
closed or working on restricted lines.
Transvaal. — In his speech at the annual
ineetmg of the Transvaal Chamber of Mines,
the president, Mr. H. O. Buckle, had a good
deal to say about the failure of certain of the
labour unions to adhere to their agreements
with the Chamber, and appealed to the workers
to maintain better disciplineamong themselves.
He pointed out that Rand gold-mining is a de-
clining industry, and that the success of a large
part of the operations depends solely on the
artificial conditions caused by the gold premium.
Under these circumstances any prosperity en-
joyed by the mines is really fictitious, and a
sound position can only be secured by harder
work and lower costs. Sir Lionel Phillips
spoke in support of Mr. Buckle's e.xpression of
views, and appealed to the men to drop the
frivolous frame of mind at present observable
in the doings of the unions.
The Government of the Union of South
Africa is cutting down public expenditure al-
lowed to the Councils of the Provinces and is
abating taxation somewhat. For instance, the
Provincial tax on the gold mines is abolished.
This tax is not in itself of great amount, but its
withdrawal may be taken as a sign of the times.
In spite of the many well-known adverse
conditions. East Rand Proprietary Mines has
been able to keep going during 1920. The
amount of ore milled was much the sam.e as
in the two previous years, at 1,460,000 tons,
which compares with about 2,000,000 tons in
earlieryears. The yield of gold was400,496oz.,
selling for ^2,209,536, of which about one
([uarter, or /'527,000, came from premium, and
the working profit was £"192,994. A large pro-
portion of this profit went in debenture interest
and redemption of debentures. Mr. E. H.
Clifford gives a comprehensive report on de-
velopments. He shows that in the bottom
levels of the western section some fairly good
results have been obtained, and that work in the
Cason- Cinderella is promising. On the other
hand, only 20% of the ore developed in the Her-
culesis payable. While the individual develop-
ments here recorded might be satisfactory for
smaller properties, they are not considered good
enough for a big concern like the present com-
pany,and the outlook accordingly continues un-
certain. The reserve is estimated at 2,410,850
tons averaging 6T dwt. per ton, as compared
with 2,634,350 tons averaging 6"3 dwt. the year
before.
No. 1 shaft at West Springs has cut the
reef at a depth of 3,890 ft. The samples taken
of the reef averaged 2'04 dwt. over 100 inches.
No. 2 shaft is expected to reach the reef in a
few months' time. It will be remembered that
the development of this property was com-
menced by means of drifts from Springs, so
that work could be done on the reef without
waiting for the completion of the shafts, but
little information has been published relating
to the results obtained.
The south-west shaft at Modderfontein B in-
tersected the reef at a depth of 1,488 ft. The
assays gave an average of 29' 1 dwt. over a
width of 13'9 inches.
Last month it was announced that the Dag-
gafontein company had come to the end of its
financial resources without having proved any
great amount of ore. An official statement
made since then says that owing to the present
unsatisfactory condition of the money market
it is impossible to raise further funds, so that
it is necessary to suspend all mining operations.
Since the reconstruction in 1916, the Con-
solidated Mines Selection group has provided
;^1,000,000 for shaft-sinking and development.
When a favourable opportunity arises, addi-
tional capital will be raised wherewith to re-
commence development.
Adverse financial conditions have made it
impossible for Modderfontein East to com-
plete its scheme for erecting the treatment
plant recently bought from the Simmer Deep
and Jupitercompanies. Alargesum was neces-
sary for erection of this plant, and money was
also wanted for the redemption of debentures,
and for an extended campaign of development.
As it was found impossible to obtain sufficient
money on reasonable terms, it has been decided
to postpone the erection of the plant, and to con-
tinue to send the ore to the Apex mill. To pro-
199
200
THE MINING MAGAZINE
vide for paying ofl the debentures and for de-
velopment requirements, the Central Mining
& Investment Corporation has advanced
£^400, 000 at 8% on mortgage of the property for
a period of eighteen months. This, of course,
is only a temporary protective measure.
Proposals have been made by directors con-
nected with the financial house associated with
Luipaard's Vlei to the efTect that the gold pro-
duced, or that part produced by low-grade
mines, should not be sold on the market in the
usual way but should be held in the country
and financed by the Treasury. Mr. J. A.Cohen
e.\pressed the opinion that if all the mines
could deposit their gold for two years with the
Treasury against gold certificates the market
price of gold could be forced up to 1 20s. per oz.
Mr. F. H. Hamilton's proposal is that low-
grade mines should deposit their gold with the
Treasury during the months January to August,
while the gold premium is low, the Treasury
financing them during this time, and that the
gold should be realized during the end months
of the year, when the premium is high. Mr.
Cohen's proposal ignores the facts that the
high price now obtained for gold arises solely
from the position of exchange banking, and
that governments do not pay more than stan-
dard price for gold. Mr. Hamilton's proposal
might pass if applied privately on a small scale,
but in any case the charges for such banking
facilities would be considerable. Moreover,
the value of the certificates issued by the
Treasury against the gold deposited would be
influenced by the ordinary laws of exchange.
There is to be no appeal to the Privy Coun-
cil by Sir J.B. Robinson against the judgments
given against him in favour of Randfontein
Estates by two courts in South Africa. He has
paid the amount due from him, ;^39I,000, so
the incident is now at an end.
The Royal Dutch oil company is making an
investigation into the oil-shale deposits belong-
ing to the African Oil Corporation in the Wak-
kerstroom district of the Eastern Transvaal.
Particulars of these deposits were given in the
Magazine for February, 1918, and Novem-
ber, 1920. It is confidently believed in Africa
that the Royal Dutch will exercise the option
and spend £"500,000 on development.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during
February was 40,816 oz. valued at ^288,225,
as against 43,428 oz. valued at ^293,794 in
January. The official figures still contain no
explanation of this high valuation of the gold.
Other outputs in Southern Rhodesia were :
Silver 10,517 oz., coal 41,409 tons, chrome ore
9,325 tons, copper 232 tons, asbestos 2,227 tons,
arsenic 17 tons, mica6tons,diamonds23carats.
The strike to which reference was made last
month has been settled in the way expected,
that is to say, the men went back on the mas-
ters' terms, but there is still some little friction
and there are questions outstanding for settle-
ment.
The future of the government of Rhodesia still
occupies the attention of the local and imperial
authorities. A committee has been appointed
by the Imperial Government toconsideranum-
berofqueslionsin this connection. Lord Hux-
ton is the chairman of this committee, and as
he has only just returned from South Africa,
where he was Governor General of the Union,
he ought to be able to give some sound advice.
The Cam & Motor company has issued a re-
port of the first month's run of the reorganized
treatment plant. Duringthismonth (February)
8,200 tons of ore, averaging 44s. per ton, was
crushed in ball-mills. Tableconcentrationgave
989 tons of concentrate averaging ^10. 9s. 6d.
per ton. Of the concentrate, 751 tons was
treated, yielding 1,495 oz. gold, worth ;^6,462
at par. The trial run of the flotation plant
commenced on March 7, and the results ob-
tained are very satisfactory.
Nigeria. — Owing presumably tothe present
financial stringency and the decline in African
trade, the purchase by Lever Brothers of the
control of the African and Eastern Corporation
is not to be completed. Reference was made
to this deal last October, and the consent of
shareholders was subsequently recorded. The
scheme, however, required the consent of the
Court,andasamatter of fact the case wasdown
for hearing just as the announcement of the
abandonment of the plan was made. It was
the intention of Lever Brothers to bring this
corporation under the control or management
of the Niger Company. The financial strin-
gency was thecausealsoof Lever Brothers hav-
ing to issue debentures last month. This issue
did not prove acceptable to investors, and a
large proportion was left in the hands of the
underwriters.
The first bulletin of the new Nigerian Geo-
logical Survey, prepared by Dr. J . D. Falconer,
has been issued. It deals with the general geo-
logy of the central part of the Plateau tinfields.
We hope to give extracts in an early issue.
Australia. — Like all copper companies.
Mount Lyell is unable to make a profit. Last
month the directors had long conferences with
the various Unions with a view of arranging
for a reduction in wages and other alterations
in the conditions of work so that the costs could
be cut down. The men, however, refused to
APRIL, 1921
201
entertain any proposals for a reduction. The
Mount Morgan mine continues to be run at a
loss, and the directors closed-down operations
for a long Easter holiday. Conferences are
now being held with the Unions with a view to
finding some way of bringing prosperity back,
but the prospect is not bright.
The position at Broken Hill is critical, and
it is unlikely that the restricted scheme of work
outlined last month will be continued for long.
Wages, coal, and transport are all too high, and
the prices of metals too low. It looks as if the
mines would be shut down. It is probable,
however, that the treatment of the old zinc
dumps will be continued, for the purchasing
contract made with the Imperial Government
still holds good. As regards the fire at the Port
Pirie smelting works, rebuilding has been post-
poned for the present. An account of this fire
has been received by mail. 1 1 appears that the
disaster originated at one of the burners of the
"A" section of the Dwight and Lloyd sinter-
ing plant. A strong wind was blowing, and a
burstof flame from the burner ignited the wood-
work. The flames spread with extraordinary
rapidity throughout the building, so quickly that
the men on the floor had the greatest difficulty
in escaping. The whole building was ablaze
within a few minutes. Every effort was made
to get the fire hoses to work as quickly as pos-
sible, but the wind was so strong that absolutely
no check could be given to the flames in the
main building. Work was therefore concen-
trated on the detached buildings surrounding
the Dwight and Lloyd buildings, to prevent the
spread of the fire to the power-house. So in-
tense was the heat that the roof of the power-
house was ignited several times, and gangs of
men were employed with buckets and fire ex-
tinguishers in keeping down these outbreaks.
The damage may be summarized as follows :
Dwight and Lloyd plant completely gutted,
storage bins badly damaged, conveyors badly
damaged, Huntington-Heberlein section dam-
aged but not destroyed, Ropp roaster section
damaged but not destroyed, ironstone crusher
badly damaged.
The political and economic position in Aus-
tralia is gradually altering and the stringent
legislation engendered by war conditions is al-
ready being relaxed. For instance, ores and
minerals may now be freely exported, and ma-
chinery for dealing with Victorian brown coal
is to be bought in Germany.
India. — Owing to the better terms obtained
in the realization of gold, and also owing to the
fall in the rupee, the Mysore Gold Mining Com-
pany was able to make a larger profit during
1920than in 1919,inspite of the smalleramount
of ore mined and gold produced. The 233,502
tons of ore milled compared with 270,425 tons
the year before, and the total output of gold
was 155,800 oz. as compared with 163,719 oz.
On the other hand, the amount realized by the
sale of the gold was ^804,182, as against
^694,317, and the amount distributed was
iri46,175 as compared with ^61,000. It will
be remembered that the capital was doubled a
year ago so as to provide funds for exploration
at depth, and that this new capital ranked for
the dividend for the second half of 1920, so that
the total return for 1920 was 25% as against
20% in 1919. As regards exploration work, no
important amount of ore has been found, but
the developments in the bottom of Ribbles-
dale's and McTaggart's sections are distinctly
promising. The ore reserve is estimated at
841,000 tons, a fall of only 29,000 tons on the
year. This maintenance of the figure is ex-
plained partly by the fact that, with a higher
price being obtained for the gold, much ore that
was previously unprofitable can now be worked
to advantage.
Burma. — The position of the Mawchi
Mines, Ltd., reflects the present condition of
the wolfram industry. The company's stock
of mixed tin-wolfram concentrate in this coun-
try has been accumulating, until in January the
amount was 939 tons. In addition, there are
123 tons of separated tin concentrate and 18
tonsof tungsten powder waiting realization here.
Also 473 tons of mixed concentrate is in Burma
awaiting shipment. It was thought best under
these circumstances to suspend output, and in-
structions were given accordingly on January
27. The company has borrowed ^108,000 on
the above-mentioned products from the bank-
ers and others. In order to satisfy the bankers
and to put finances in a better condition, the
directors offered ^60,000 prior lien debentures
last November, and of these ^25,500 havebeen
taken up. They arenowoffering the remainder
among debenture-holders and shareholders.
Mr. C. M. Euan-Smith has recently made an
examination, and in conjunction with Mr. John
D. Hoffmann has submitted a report on the
property. These engineers write hopefully of
the future, provided market conditionsimprove,
and are against the abandonment of the pro-
perties. The company also has a controlling
interest in the Kassa Mining Co., which was
recently formed to acquire properties from the
Niger Company, and there is still a liability for
calls. The Kassa properties have been de-
veloped on a small scale, but it is considered best
to suspend active operations for the present.
202
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Cornwall. — The gloomy position with re-
R.ird to mining continues without much hope
for an improvement. At the meetings of East
Pool and South Crofty there was considerable
discussion as to pumping policies, fears being
expressed that South Crofty would suffer if
East Pool sealed oiT the old mine and concen-
trated its attention to Agar and Tolgus. The
matter is now before the Minister of Mines,
and a suitable working arrangement for con-
trolling the underground water in the district is
being sought.
Canada. — TheGovernment is doing every-
thing to discourage a rush tothenew Mackenzie
River oilfield, so as to prevent a repetition of
the distressing events of the Klondyke rush.
Particulars of the regulations for granting
claims are given elsewhere in this issue.
The Mond Nickel Company has issued
/"l, 300, 000 new debenture stock, carrying 8%
interest, for the purpose of redeeming the exist-
ing ^"500, 000 6% debentures, for providing fur-
ther working capital for the development of the
company's business, for paying off loans from
banks, and for the completion of the purchase
of the share capital of Henry Wiggin & Co.,
Ltd., Birmingham.
United States. — The copper position has
become so serious that many leading mines
have been closed down entirely for a time.
Though the output had been restricted, the
stocks of unsold copper continued to accumu-
late, and drastic action became necessary. At
present Anaconda, Utah Consolidated, Ray,
Chino, Nevada Consolidated, and Calumet &
Hecla are idle.
It is announced that Minerals Separation
has commenced an action for breach of patent
rights against the Jackling porphyry group of
copper-mining companies, including the Utah
Consolidated and Nevada Consolidated, and
other companies using the Callow method of
concentration by flotation.
Mexico. — Considerable disturbance in
London oil circles was caused by the publica-
tion of a statement by Mr. Ralph Arnold in the
monthly paper issued by the American Insti-
tute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers to
the effect that the Mexican oil reserves would
be exhausted in a year's time and that many
wells were being ruined by the inroads of brine.
The houses interested in Mexican oil have pub-
lished denials of Mr. Arnold's gloomy forebod-
ings. Mr. Arnold's motives in making the
statement in question were probably two-fold.
In the first place it was intended as a practical
reason for a protest against the policy of the
chief producers in America in making such
severe cuts in the prices ; and secondly, there
was a hope that some such statement would
deter the Mexican Government from imposing
a big tax on oil.
Hungary. — Toward the end of last year it
was announced that the Anglo- Persian Oil Co.
was negotiating with the Hungarian Govern-
ment for oil concessions in that country. A
company has now been formed called the Hun-
garian Oil Syndicate, as a subsidiary of the
Anglo- Persian, with a capital of ^130,000, for
the purpose of making the necessary prelimin-
ary investigations.
Spain. — For the first time for more than a
generation the Rio Tinto Company is not pay-
ing a dividend on its ordinary shares. The pro-
longed strike, and the depression in the copper
and pyrites markets, have combined to bring
about this result. The company is, however,
able to pay the preference dividend and to
carry forward a substantial amount.
Persia. — The Anglo- Persian Oil Company
has made an issue of ^3,500,000 9% cumula-
tive second preference shares, and, unlikesome
recent industrial issues in other departments of
commerce, the shares were eagerly absorbed by
investors. The money is required for several
purposes. The number of pipe-lines from the
oilfields to the coast is being considerably in-
creased, and many new steamers have been
bought or are in course of construction. Then
the company is preparing to take into its own
hands the work of selling its benzine and kero-
sene production after the present sale contract
expires at the end of 1922. The building of
the refinery near Swansea has also been under-
taken in view of this approaching reversion of
control of the refined products.
Spitsbergen. — The yearly report of the
Northern Exploration Company for the year
ended June 30 last, and the proceedings at the
shareholders' meeting at which the report was
discussed, naturally reflected the disappoint-
ment felt by all parties that the many activities
of the company have led to no practical com-
mercial results. The much-advertised mag-
netite deposit has retired to the background
since Mr. Selkirk reported so adversely on it.
The company, however, still owns coal lands,
and marble, copper, and zinc deposits of more
or less value, and it is said that there are indica-
tions of oil. The central figure in the enter-
prise, Mr. Salisbury-Jones, has retired from
theboard. The Honourable E. C. Pery, D.S.O.,
is now managing director, and we can only ex-
press the hope that his efforts to bring the com-
pany into a more prosperous condition will
meet with success.
THE OIL RESOURCES OF SOUTH AMERICA.
By HENRY B. MILNER, M.A., F.G.S., A.M.I.P.T.,
Oil Technology Department, Royal School of Mines.
Introduction. — The great and ever-in-
creasing demand for petroleum products
throughout the world has at last impressed on
both producer and user of oil-fuel the vital ne-
cessity of taking stock of existing oil resources.
Statistical evidence available from the United
States and other oil-producing countries proves
conclusively that if the demand continues to
e-xceed the supply at the present abnormal rate,
the exhaustion of several of the most produc-
tive wells extant may be expected within the
next two decades, assuming that no drastic
scheme of oil conservation be universallyadop-
ted in the meantime. As a matter of fact, the
United States Government is fast waking up
to the need for economy in this direction, and
as producer of nearly 80% of the world's crude
oil, any steps taken as a precautionary measure
in limiting her oil exports must result in serious
consequences for those countries who, like our-
selves, are mainly dependent on her for their
industrial requirements.
In a recent review of British and Colonial
oil resources,* the writer has uttered a warning
of what may be quite reasonably anticipated
in the near future with regard to our home oil
industries, and while disclaiming all idea of oil
famine (as several press enthusiasts would
have us believe), he has advocated not only
rigid economy with existing supplies, but the
full utilization of oil-shale and organic sub-
stances as sources of oil and, above all, renew-
ed and unstinted enterprise in the discovery of
new fields in those countries in which geologi-
cal conditions are known to be satisfactory. It
is with this latter phase of the problem that we
are here chiefly concerned, and it is the present
intention to indicate the great economic pro-
babilities awaiting extensive development of
the oilfields of South America, a continent as
yet only in its infancy with regard to oil pro-
duction.
It has of late years been quite customary
among oil technologists to make merely pass-
ing reference to South America as an oil-pro-
ducing continent, opinions being usually of a
doubtful character and tempered with no little
pessimism concerning climatic and political
conditions prevalent there. That there are in-
herent difficulties attending operations in some
of the most promising regions is not to be de-
' Discovery, August, lOJO- John Murray, London.
nied, but they are as nothing compared with
those which confront unskilled prospecting in
that country and which have done quite as
much, if not more, to retard development in the
past, as adverse conditions of environment.
This brings us at the outset to the statement,
applicable not only to South America but to all
countries, that the future discovery of produc-
tive fields depends entirely on the exercise of
technical skill in unravelling complex geologi-
cal structures, and that it is to the stratigraphi-
cal geologist, trained in oilfield technology, that
we must look for all ultimate developments
worthy of the name; theday of chance as prime
factor in oil-finding has passed, and necessity
compels us to recognize the indisputableclaims
of science as its successor. It follows therefore
that a brief survey of the main geological fea-
tures involved must be prefatory to any con-
sideration of the economic potentialities of the
continent.
Geo -Tectonics and Geologic Fea-
tures.— South America presents to us three
striking tectonic features which govern the dis-
position of the rocks composing the continental
mass; these are (1) the Western Cordilleras
or Andes, essentially the backbone of the con-
tinent, (2) the broad Archaean shield forming
the Brazilian platform, and (3) the Northern
Highland fault blocks constituting the Guiana
mountain system. These three dominant struc-
tures are responsible for the initiation of the
Amazon, La Plata, and Orinoco river systems,
spreading respectively over vast plains known
as the Selvas, Pampa, and Llanos. These lat-
ter unite to form one great central plain which
is bounded by the main orographical lines de-
termining the present configuration of the con-
tinent.
The Andes stretch for nearly 5,000 miles
from Cape Horn to the Caribbean Sea and are
made up of a roughly parallel series of moun-
tain chains of varying trend. In the extreme
south the range strikes N.W.-S.E., curving
round to a N.-S. strike north of the Magellan
Straits, a direction persistent to the Bolivian
Andes. In southern Peru the line is again
N.W.-S.E., which trend it follows to the Peru-
Ecuador boundary, whence it partakes of a
N.N.E.-S.S.W. direction throughout to the
Venezuelan coast-line. The most easterly chain
consists of short discontinuous masses of Ar-
203
204
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
cha;an rocVs typified by those of Cordoba and
the Sierras to the east of the Cordillera Real of
Bolivia. These masses are flanked on the west
by a continuous belt of mountains stretching
from Central Peru to Meiidoza, principally
composed of Silurian sediments. Further west
still and constituting the Central Cordillera of
the Coastal System is the main Jurassic zone
of stratified sediments antl intrusive igneous
rocks, overlain in many places by extrusive
lavas of recent volcanoes. This vast chain,
which includes many of the highest peaks of
the Andes, lies adjacent to the Coastal Cordil-
lera, consisting of a mass of ancient gneisses,
schists, and sediments of Archasan age ; this
most westerly belt is particularly conspicuous
as defining the general trend of the Pacific
coast-line, especially throughout the southern
part of Chile and Tierra del Fuego.
The elevation of the Andes as a whole has
been due to earth movements operating along
lines having an approximate N.-S. trend ; but
the curious deflection of strike both in Peru
and further south in Chile is due to the exis-
tence of an older mountain system whose domi-
nant structure lines have not beenentirelyoblit-
erated by subsequent orogenic movement. The
influence of this older system is recognizable in
the Archaean chains such as the Sierra de Tan-
dil, striking W.N.W.-E.S.E., across the Atlan-
tic margin of the Patagonian plain, and also in
several of the minor flexures of the Bolivian
Andes.
The Brazilian platform affords a marked
structural contrast to the Cordillera just de-
scribed. It is composed essentially of a great
plateau of Archaean metamorphic rocks upon
which rest thick horizontal masses of Palaeo-
zoic strata, with an upper covering of sandstone
of undetermined geological age (though prob-
ably Mesozoic). The average height of this
platform is about 3,500 ft., but in many places
it is deeply incised by fluviatile action, mainly
by the tributaries of the Amazon. We may
regard the Guiana Highlands block as part of
this Brazilian shield, only presenting a modi-
fied structure as itslopes underneath the Llanos
of the Orinoco basin. The southern boundary
of this basin marks not only the northern ter-
mination of this shield but also the line of di-
vision between the uniform structure of the
latter and the more involved tectonics of the
Orinoco basin and the Venezuelan Cordillera,
which belong essentially to those of the ancient
Antillean continent. This finds ample expres-
sion in the dominant strike of tne rocks of Vene-
zuela, which is in general E. 15 N.-W. 15 S.,
and is exemplified by the Venezuelan Cordillera
especially ; to this direction also the Tertiary
rocks of Trinidad conform. West of meridian
64" the tectonic lines tend to swing round to a
uniform N.E.-S.W. strike, which gently de-
flects to the main N.N.E.-S.S.W. trend of the
Andes in this region near the Lake of Mara-
caibo. The Tertiary deposits bordering the
lake also conform to this direction.
The E.-W. lines of folding exhibited by the
Venezuelan rocks are referable to the main
structures of the now sunken area occupied by
the Caribbean Sea, and the several islands con-
stituting the West Indies and separating that
sea from the Atlantic are but the isolated sum-
mits of a mountain chain of the submerged land
mass. A glance at a map of the West Indies
shows immediately the parabolic form of the
main structut^e lines affecting the disposition of
the islands and of that part of the South Ameri-
can continent influenced thereby ; they clearly
consist of three main concave zones, with con-
cavity facing west, named by Suess the Inner
or Lesser Antilles zone, the Median or Greater
Antilles zone, and the Outer Zone comprising
the Tertiary deposits of such islands as Bar-
buda, the Bahamas, and Barbadoes. The
flattening out of the curve as it passes through
Trinidad, across the Gulf of Paria, and through
Venezuela, effects, by its E.W. trend, the char-
acteristic north-coast structures to which we
have referred.
Thus the natural division of South America
into ' tectonic provinces," as determined by
the three main orographical features with their
intervening lowland topography, is a direct re-
sult of the differential earth movements which
have affected the whole continental mass. We
recognize in the Andean Cordillera a continua-
tion of the great North American coastal ranges
bordering the eastern margin of the Pacific
basin ; and to the main tectonics of that basin
we can refer the present structural disposition
of the Cordillera as a whole. With the Brazilian
shield, on the other hand, we are considering an
eastern remnant of what has been termed the
Brazilio- Ethiopian continent, now submerged
beneath the Atlantic Ocean. The Archasan
platform of western and central Africa prob-
ably represents a portion of this ancient land,
as both structurally and geologically the two
areas present many features in common. Be-
tween the Brazilian shield and the Andes is
the wide belt of lowland country of the savanna
type which has undergone submergence during
past geological epochs. In the Amazon and La
Plata basins, for example, we have extensive
developments of discontinuous marine and es-
tuarine deposits laid down in an arm of the an-
APRIL, 1921
205
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SOUTH AMERICA.
SHOWING MAIN TECTONIC FEATURES,
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PETROLIFEROUS AREAS.ETC.
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@ POTENTIAL FIELDS.
206
THE MINING MAGAZINK
cient sea separating the Pacific from the Bra-
zilioEtliiopian continents. The land to the
north of the Orinoco is, as we have shown,
structurally referable to the tectonics of Central
America and the West Indies.
With this brief survey of the geotectonics
of the South American continent before us, it
is possible to appreciate to advantage the pres-
ent stratigraphical appearance of its rocks, in
particular the sedimentary facies which here
specially concern us. It is perhaps superfluous
to add that the location of petroliferous areas is
in strict conformity with these main structural
features, a fact not always valued at its full
significance by many engaged in the task of
oil-finding. We proceed to a consideration of
the main oil-producing regions of the continent
with reference to the several States concerned.
These may be grouped as follows: The.\ndean
States of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia,
and Chile; the Atlantic States of Argentine,
Uruguay, Paraguay, Brazil, and Guiana ; and
the Caribbean State of Venezuela.
Colombia. — In a broad tract of country
bordering the coast from Sta. Marta to the gulf
of Darien and lying between the rivers Magda-
,lena and Atrato are rocks of Tertiary age which
include some valuable petroliferous deposits.
A good deal of intermittent work has been car-
ried out in the past in connection with drilling
operations, but the results have hardly proved
as satisfactory as the geological data would
seem to indicate. Recently much more favour-
able reports concerning the extent and high
quality of the oil of this region have come to
hand, and development is now proceeding
rapidly. The basin of the Sinu River is a
specially favourable locality and the wells yield
an oil with paraffin base and specific gravity
of 0'858. Cartagena is the principal refining
centre for the district and is also the port of
shipment.
The Tertiary deposits of this area are folded
in a N.N.E.-S.S.W. direction, conforming with
the strike of the Western Cordillera. Surface
indications of petroleum are very numerous
throughout thearea, but more especially around
the Gulf of Urabia ; their distribution and gen-
eral disposition point to geological conditions
of some complexity, particularly where tne in-
folding of the Tertiary and Cretaceous rocks is
intense.
Other areas have been prospected higher up
the Magdalena, near Guamo and La Plata;
these are situated in the plain between the Eas-
tern and Central Cordillera, which consists
geologically of sharply folded Tertiary and
Cretaceous rocks flanked on either side by nar-
row ridges of Arci):i an gneiss. On tiie eastern
slopes of the Andes, about 60 miles N.E. of
Bogota, is located the Upia field in the basin
of the Upia River, a tributary of the Meta.
Few details are available concerning this field
save that the oil is very pure, free from water,
and has a specific gravity of 0'y26.
In addition to the occurrences of petroleum
noted above, there are large deposits of glance
pitch or " manjak " mined at Chaparral on the
Saldaho River, a tributary of the Magdalena.
About 2,000 tons is exported annually from
Barranquilla,for the purpose of manufacturing
varnish. Glance pitch, a variety of asphaltite,
is a natural desiccated petroleum product which,
when free from mineral matter, is known as
"manjak." The product from the Chaparral
mines contains only 3% of mineralconstituents.
The various fields situated in the State of
Zulia (Venezuela), some of which extend into
Colombian territory, will be considered in con-
junction with others in that country.
P2CUADOR. — The centre of the petroleum in-
dustry in this state is undoubtedly Santa Elena,
situated on the north coast of the Gulf of Guay-
aquil and some 60 miles west of the port of
that name. Here the oil is again associated
with Tertiary strata composed of limestone,
sandstone, and shale deposits, striking practi-
cally N.-S., parallel with the trend of the Wes-
tern Cordillera in this region. There are abun-
dant surface indications within a land radius of
thirty miles of Sta. Elena, and development is
progressing favourably. The oil has a specific
gravity of 0985, and is obtained chiefly by ex-
cavating the shallow trenches in the actual out-
crops of the oil-bearing sand or by sinking
wells about ten or twelvefeet deep. Localcon-
ditions and crude methods of production have
probably retarded progress in this country, but
the possibilities of increased output following
on careful geological survey of the fields are
extremely favourable.
The Tertiary deposits of this region form a
northern continuation of those of Peru, and
have been assigned to Miocene and early Plio-
cene age. They are again found on the Island
of Puna, midway in the Gulf of Guayaquil,
where traces of oil occur.
In the neighbourhood of San Raimondo on
the coast, natural asphaltic deposits are met
with, also on Cojitambo Hill, a little to the N.E.
of Cuenca. More recently oil indications have
been reported from the Pastazza River district,
some 130 miles N.E. of Guayaquil. Reports
of oil springs from the Quito area should be
taken with reserve ; theconditionsare unfavour-
* Redwood "Treatise on Petroleum." vol. i.. p. 103. (1913.1
APRIL, 1921
207
able to the preservation of oil-pools.
Peru. — There are several important petro-
liferous areas in Peru, of which the oldest and
best known is that occurring as a coastal belt
extending from the Gulf of Guayaquil (Mal-
pelo Point) southwards for about 250 miles to
Point .\guja. This tract of country stretches
inland to the western slopes of the Cordillera,
and embraces the well known fields of Negri-
tos, Lobitos, and Zorritos. Its rocks are of
Tertiary age, consisting of productive Lower
Miocene shales and sands capped by clays,
sands, and conglomerates of Upper Miocene
and Pliocene age. The strike of the beds is
N.S., curving round to N.E.-S.W., to the north
of lat. 5° S., in conformity with the change of
trend of the main Andean structure line at this
point.
Of the three fields mentioned above, that of
Negritos is probably the most important ; it is
certainly the oldest known, as the ruins of the
ancient shallow workings from which the Incas
used to collect the oil are still to be seen. The
Lobitos field is a later development and com-
prises an area in which a number of highly
productive wells have been sunk. These fields,
together with that of Zorritos, are being rapidly
expanded ; in 1917 the estimated production of
the joint undertakings amounted to approxi-
mately 2,500,000 barrels, a production which is
steadily on the increase. The port of shipment
is at Talara where there is also a large refinery.
Several other areas in this country are
petroliferous, and mention may be made of
such promising localities as Mito (Province of
Jauja), La Brey in the Chumpi district (Prov-
ince of Parinacochas), while a later develop-
ment near Pusi, N.E. of Lake Titicaca, in the
Province of Huancane, has shown the occur-
rence of paraffin oil of high quality. Asphal-
tic rocks are also widely distributed, especially
in the Provinces of Luya and Tarma.
Altogether Peru seems to offer exceptional
opportunities for future development, both
economically and politically. As a further
asset climatic conditions are particularly good,
and in this latter connection we may quote
Beeby Thompson, who writes as follows :
" Favoured by a healthy climate, the tropical
heat tempered by perennial cool southern
breezes, the absence of rain and desert-like
surroundings impose no hardships, and enable
work to proceed in a way unknown in any
other oil country. Drilling is easy and rapid,
no water difficulties occur, and the light density
oils are much sought after for the extraction
of petrol.'"''' Reports all tend to confirm this
" Beeby Thompson : Oil&etd Development. 1916. p. HO.
view, and while they often make mention of
certain geological difficulties encountered in
the course of prospecting for new oil-pools,
such difficulties are of a purely technical char-
acter and should not prove insurmountable as
the course of geological survey proceeds.
Bolivia. — The oil propensities of this
country are as yet comparatively unknown,
though from time to time reports of the dis-
covery of oil seepages from the eastern foot-
hills of the Andes are received. The dominant
geological structures in this particular region
are determined by the ancient N.W.-S.E. lines
of folding which, where intersected by the later
Andean movements, result in complex quaqua-
versal structures as yet imperfectly understood.
The most favourable area is around Santa
Cruz and to the south, extending beyond the
Bolivia - Argentine boundary. Many of the
petroliferous indications have been located in
association with Lower Cretaceous strata, and
in this respect indicate that development should
be cautiously prosecuted until a thorough geo-
logical examination has been made. Generally
speaking this stratigraphical horizon is not
commercially productive, though where inti-
mately folded with later sediments, it may
yield results of the greatest possible import-
ance. Future geological reconnaissance will
probably reveal the presence of Tertiary in-
foldings, a feature of the country farther south,
and conditions may thus be extremely favour-
able to the preservation of oil-pools. Inade-
quate geological knowledge, coupled with the
facts that the region is somewhat inaccessible
and that labour difficulties are very real, have
undoubtedly impeded exploration in the past,
though with the ultimate development of con-
tiguous areas in Northern Argentine (q.v.),
much light should be thrown on the possibili-
ties of the region.
Chile. — The oil resources of Chile are at
present unknown, and our knowledge of the
country in this respect is largely limited to sur-
face indications in the north, in the Province
of Tarapaca, while in the MaulHn River basin
and in the Tertiary region to the south, natural
gas is being constantly located. Some authori-
ties speak very highly of the oil prospects of
this region, and while to a certain extent this
may be justified, geological conditions, at all
events on the west coastal belt, are hardly
satisfactory. Redwood mentions indications
of oil in the Puerto Porvenir and .'^gua Fresca
areas (Magallanes Territory), but we have lit-
tle information concerning this occurrence be-
yond the mere statement.*
Redwood ; Treatise on Petroleum, vol. 1. p. 195
208
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Argentine. — The Argentine Republic
offers many favourable prospects for the loca-
tion of productive fields, especially on the
eastern slopes of the Cordillera. Large areas
of petroliferous rocks are known from the
Provinces of Salta and Jujuy, consisting of
(?) Mesozoic dolomites, sandstones, and con-
glomerates in which wells have been sunk with
promising results. .\t many horizons these
rocks are asphaltic, particularly in the north,
near the Bolivian border. Oil shales of
Rhaetic age have been located in the neigh-
bourhood of Mendoza, and to the west and
south of San Raphael, while further south in
the Val de Chilian similar deposits have yielded
shale oil on distillation.
Another oil bearing region of some import-
ance is that situate on the east coast near
Comodoro Rivadavia in the Chubut Territory ;
this occurrence was accidentally located when
sinking an artesian well in 1903, and since that
time considerable progress has been made in
prospecting.
The mode of occurrence of petroleum and
its derivatives in this country is noteworthy ;
usually the oil occurs either in the form of as-
phalt or in the fluid state impregnating lime-
stones and sandstones, presumably of Meso-
zoic age. The production is by no means
uniform and a great deal of technical work still
remains to be carried out. One of the most
promising districts for future exploration is
undoubtedly that of the eastern border of the
Andes m the Province of Mendoza, where
numerous seepages have been reported and ex-
amined. In some cases these have been lo-
cated in Tertiary deposits, and the opinion has
been expressed that the oil is not indigenous,
but due to migration from underlymg Mesozoic
rocks. This is a doubtful point and one that
requires further investigation. As already
mentioned, the sedimentaries are much dis-
turbed in this region and folding has been of
a very comprehensive nature, involving both
Lower Tertiary and the Mesozoic strata. The
latest information shows that there are ex-
ceedingly favourable possibilities of oil pro-
duction from this zone, and exploration will
doubtless be watched with considerable in-
terest.
Uruguay. — The northern part of this coun-
try belongs tectonically to the Brazilian High-
land mass, and as such presents conditions
entirely unfavourable to the accumulation of
petroleum. To the south and bordering the
estuary of the Rio De La Plata, the country is
essentially part of the Great Central Plain
system, and may be expected to offer similar
oil possibilities to those of the eastern Argen-
tine, though no information of oil occurrences
is generally available.
Paraguay. — Geologically this country is
mainly a northward extension of the conditions
obtaining in Uruguay. On its eastern borders
it is structurally referable to the Brazilian
plateau, though apparently a further eleinen
is introduced by the existence of a reinnan
of the ancient mountain system which can be
traced particularly in the Parana basin. West
wards the savanna type of country is preva
lent, and prospecting for oil has been of a very
minor character, and devoid of commercial re
suits.
Brazil. — The petroleum resources of Bra
zil must, in view of the geological and tec
tonic conditions, be extremely limited, and
although there may be latent possibilities in
the .'\mazon basin toward the interior of the
continent, the country as a whole is entirely
unsuited to oil production save for that of shale
oil which has received a certain amount of
attention in the past. In this respect, the
bituminous deposits of the Camamu basin in
the Province of Bahia have often been des-
cribed and several attempts have been made to
work them on a commercial scale, but so far
without a great deal of success ; the material
is known as " turfa," and it occurs in several
areas throughout Brazil, but more particularly
along the coastal belt. A long tract of bitu-
minous shale extends from the mouth of the
Amazon southward to Porto Alegre, with which
this occurrence in the Camamu basin is associ-
ated, but it is very impure and of doubtful
economic value.
In a recent newspaper article from Rio de
Janeiro, the oil resources of Brazil were painted
in extremely glowing colours, particularly in
connection with shale oil from " valuable de-
posits in the interior " ; these shale deposits
were reported to contain a high percentage of
volatile matter, and projects on a large scale
were being made to develop them. Dr. Alder-
son, in his book on the Oil Shale Industry
(1920), mentions the Brazilian shale deposits
as having yielded 44'73 gallons of oil and 19'55
gallons of ammonia water to the ton, but states
that they have not been worked commercially.
With practically no market for the by-products
itis very doubtful whether these deposits would
ever constitute a business proposition.
Guiana. — The Highlands of Guiana are,
as we have seen, tectonically a part of the Bra-
zilian plateau, only separated from that vast
mass by the basin of the Amazon. Toward
the north, in British Guiana, where the land
APRIL, 1921
209
slopes down to the Orinoco basin, a tract of
Tertiary strata makes its appearance, and as-
phalt has been found at several horizons with-
in this tract, especially near the coast. This
knowledge has led to a certain amount of pros-
pecting for oil, and although no important re-
sults have as yet been forthcoming, conditions
are by no means unattractive, particularly in
the region of the Orinoco delta and immedi-
ately to the south. The main objection to the
area is that of climate ; field-work and explora-
tion generally are hampered to a great e.xtent
by the exceedingly humid conditions preval-
ent, and in the two wet seasons by heavy tor-
rential rainfall.
Venezuela. — This country, both from the
geological and economic standpoints, is by far
the most interesting in South America, though
partly on political grounds and partly from
climatic reasons it has received comparatively
little attention until recent years. Owing to
the very wide interest now being shown in oil
development in this republic, we will deal with
it in somewhat greater detail.
We havealready seen that tectonically Vene-
zuela, at all events in the north, belongs to
the ancient Antillean continent, now sub-
merged beneath the waters of the Caribbean
Sea. Along its southern borders its mainstruc-
tures are referable to the Guiana Highland
land massif, while westwards the Andean Cor-
dilleras constitute the main lines of upheaval
and folding which, in their modified N.N.E.
trend in the Maracaibo region, become involved
inthemain Caribbean tectonics. These funda-
mental features determine the natural division
of Venezuela into four geographic elements, two
upland and two lowland tracts ; the former the
Cordilleran and Caribbean Mountain ranges,
the latter the Orinoco Plain and the Mara-
caibo Basin. The geological significance of
these tectonic elements is necessarily very great,
and has an important bearing on the location
of petroliferous regions in the country.
In the south, a vast areaof Archaeangranites,
gneisses, and schists, constituting the basal
complex of the Guiana Highlands, extends
well into the heart of Venezuela ; the Orinoco
Plain separating this area from the Caribbean
Hills is chiefly occupied by the Llanos, and is
in places densely forested, as along the edge of
the Highland block. The Caribbean Hills
are composed of gneisses and schists and vari-
ous metamorphics (The Caribbean Series), of
doubtful age, overlain by Cretaceous and Ter-
tiary sediments in many cases in intimate as-
sociation. Westwards the Cordillera divide
into two main ranges of mountains enclosing a
great synclinal area constituting the Maracaibo
Basin and the coastal plains of Coro ; here
again the geology is largely Cretaceous and
Tertiary formations, though around the Lake
of Maracaibo itself and especially along the
coastal plains to the east, the Pleistocene and
Recent deposits are widely developed.
From the point of view of oil occurrence in
Venezuela, we can recognize two main regions,
that of the Maracaibo Basin and its tectonic
extension to the east, and that lying directly to
the south of the coastal Caribbean range, form-
ing a long tract of country stretching from the
Orinoco delta westwards through the State of
Bermudez. In the Maracaibo region there are
at least four well-known petroleum districts;
the first isintheneighbourhood of Mara, Limon
River basin, S.W. of the Gulf of Maracaibo.
Here the oil is found seeping from the rocks
near the Limon River asphalt lake ; the asphalt
itself is worked on a large scale, though by
crude pick and shovel methods, and transported
by barges down the Limon River to the Gulf
for shipment. The second district is that of
Bella Vista, near Maracaibo itself, and is one
which shows evidence of important accumula-
tions of oil. The third is at Sardinate, on the
Sardinate River in Colombia, but extending
across the Venezuelan frontier, while the fourth
important area is at Colon, south of Lake
Maracaibo, in the State of Zulia. Other ex-
ceedingly promising areas are known on both
east and west shores of the Lake, and also in
the State of Falcon near the coast. In all these
cases the oil is associated with Cretaceous-
Tertiary rocks, though in certain fields petro-
liferous Miocene deposits have been definitely
located. In several of the islands bordering the
north coast such as Cubagua, Margarita, oil in-
dications are being constantly found, but no
fields have as yet been conclusively proved.
The other petroliferous region in Venezuela,
that flanking the southern slopes of the Carib-
bean Hills, is undoubtedly of great potential
importance, if only the very disagreeable cli-
matic conditions can be faced, and the risk of
yellow fever be minimized. Geologically and
tectonically the area is connected with the
southern part of the Island of Trinidad, and
evidences of oil accumulation are by no means
wanting. In the Orinoco delta itself and in
several places to the north, mud- volcanoes,
asphalt deposits, and surface oil seeps are
known. At the mouth of the Guanaco river
there is situated the well known Bermudez
Pitch Lake (La Felicidad), having an area of
over 900 acres, with an average depth of four
feet ; it consists principally of very pure as-
210
THE MINING MAGAZINE
phalt, hardened at the surface, but pierced in
many places by soft asphaltic and gas exuda-
tions : it is being worked on a small scale at
the present time by pick and shovel method,
the material bemg transported by trucks to the
river for shipment. Not far from this occur-
rence is a similar deposit in the Island of Fader-
nales, Orinoco Delta, with an area of about
70,000 sq. yd., locally known as ' La Brea."
Other deposits of this nature are found in the
islands of Paquero and Del Plata.
Further in the interior very little oil explora-
tion has been carried out, though indications
have been reported by numerous travellers and
mining engineers. The country is densely for-
ested in many places and the geology hidden
under a thick capping of Quaternary (Llanos)
deposits which, in the face of the exceedingly
trying climatic conditions, do not invite pro-
longed investigation.
.An excellent small scale geological map of
Venezuela is shown in the French edition of
Suess (" La Face de la Terre "), 1913, vol. iii.,
pt. 3, p. 1295, taken from the work of Sievers.
Conclusion. — From the foregoing sketch
of the Oil Resources of South America, it is
evident that a great deal of work remains to be
done in prospecting for oil in likely regions,
and in further developing fields which have
alreadyproved productive. At the present time
the oilfields of Peru are obviously the most im-
portant in thecontinent and probablyconstitute
on all considerations the most favourable region
for future development. The republics of the
Argentine, Ecuador, Colombia, and Venezuela
all offer substantial opportunities for profitable
investigation, since they include areas in which
both geologic and structural conditions aresuit-
able to oil accumulation. The resources of the
remaining countries are in the author's opinion
more doubtful. The existence of the Pre-Cam-
brian shield as the dominant geological factor in
Brazil, Guiana, Uruguay, and Paraguay, rules
out at once the chances of finding oil in com-
mercial quantity in those countries, as the over-
lying sedimentswhere presentare,onthewhole,
extremely thin and discontinuous. In Bolivia,
the structures, as far as we know anything of
them at present, are exceedingly complex, and
comparatively little is known of the economic
wealth of the country in so far as oil production
is concerned. Finally, in Chile, where the geo-
logy is mainly that of igneous manifestation in
someform or other, andwherethesedimentaries
that do occur are nearly always associated with
volcanic material, the prospects do not seem
to be particularly encouraging, excepting pos-
sibly in the north.
World's Production of Petroleum. —
The world's production of petroleum in 1920
is estimated at 688,474,251 barrels, against
554,505,048 barrels in 19 19, according to figures
collected by the American Petroleum Institute.
This represents an increase of 1 33,969,203, or
24'2%. The estimated production in barrels by
countries was as follows :
1919
1920
I'nited Stales
... 377.719.000
44 3.102,000
Mexico •■.
S7.072.954
159,800.000
Russia ...
... 34.284.000
30,000.000
Duicli East Indies ■..
15,780.000
16.000.000
India
8.453.000
8.500.000
Kouinania
6.517.748
7.406.318
Persia ...
6,289.812
6,00.1.734
Gaticia ...
6.255.000
6.000.000
Peru ...
2,561.000
J, 790.000
Japan and Formosa...
2.120.500
2,213,083
Trinidad
2.780.000
1.628.637
.\reentina
1.504,300
1,366.926
Ecypt ...
1.662.184
1.089,213
France ...
—
700,000
Venezuela
321.396
500.000
Canada ...
2J0.100
2?0,0C0
Germany
925.000
215,340
Italy ...
38,254
38,000
Total ...
... 554.505,048
688.474,251
Of the total production in 1920 the United
States supplied 443,402,000 barrels, or
64'4% of the world's output. Mexico supplied
159,800,000 barrels, or 232% of the world's
output. The Alsatian oilfield's production
appears under Germany in 1919 and under
France in 1920.
Canadian Oil Regulations. — The new
regulations relating to the disposal of oil and
natural gaslands in the North-West Territories
of Canada have been published. They super-
sede all previousregulations and are retroactive
in eflfect. Permits may be issued to prospect
for oil and gas over a maximum area of 2,560
acres for a period of four years. This area may
be staked in not more thanfiveblocks,forwhich
five separate permits may be issued, requiring
thi installation of individual drilling outfits on
eachlocation. In the event of discovery, a lease
of one-quarter of the area covered by the pro-
specting permit will be issued, at a rental of
50c. per acre for the first year, and $ 1 per acre
for the second and third years. The royalty on
the output is fixed at 5% for the first five years
and 10% thereafter. The minimum area of a
location is fixed at eighty acres, the remainder
of the ground covered by the prospecting permit
remaining the property of the Crown. An ade-
quate drilling outfit must be installed on a loca-
tion within two years of the date of the permit ;
drilling to a depth of 500 ft. must be conducted
during the third year and to an aggregate depth
of at least 2,000 ft. during the fourth year.
Where these requirements are not fulfilled, the
permit immediately lapses without the declara
tion of a forfeiture by the Crown.
THE APATITE-MAGNETITE DEPOSITS
OF DHALBHUM, INDIA.
By E. F. O. MURRAY. Assoc.lnst.M.M.
The author gives particulars of phosphate deposits in India, which might form the basis
of an extensive fertilizer industry.
THE pergannah of Dhalbhum is the most
easterly of the sub-divisions of the Singh-
bhum District and part of the Chota
Nagpur Division of the Province of Bihar and
Orissa. It has an area of about 1,100 square
miles, which is divided about equally into
cultivated lands and jungle. The northern
and southern boundaries of the pergannah run
along two irregular chains of hills, while the
central portion, drained by the Subarnarekha
River, is traversed by the main line of the
Bengal- Nagpur Railway. Few of the hills rise
to a height of more than 2,000 ft., but those
between 1,400 ft. and 1,800 ft. are fairly nu-
merous. They are generally covered by sal
forest of varying growth and scrub jungle,
while in some parts progress is liable to be
both slow and painful owing to the quantity of
thorn bushes of various sorts that occur.
The inhabitants of the district belong chief-
ly to Dravidian stock, but while Santals and
Bhurnijes predominate, numerous other castes
are also to be found. Judged by the average
Indian standard they become fairly efficient
I workmen, but suffer in common with the rest
i of the country in the time lost in the observ-
ance of numerous feasts, festivals, and cere-
monies.
The chief ores known to exist in the pergan-
nah are chalcopyrite, apatite, magnetite, hema-
tite, auriferous quartz, and wolfram. Other al-
lied products of economic value include white
quartz, potstones, a loose grained quartzite
used as a building stone, kankar and tufa,
lime, diabase, and granite.
The first geological mention of the district
would appear to have been made by Voysey
in 1823, but long before this considerable
mining had been done by the ancients in search
of gold and copper. Numerous small iron
furnaces were in operation until recent times,
and even now the village blacksmith in remo-
ter parts often falls back on the indigenous
ores to supplement his stock of metal. Little
information as to the ancient workers is to be
obtained from the present inhabitants, but it
seems probable that operations were com-
menced by the Seraks, or lay Jains, and ceased
with their expulsion. The only traces at pres-
ent existing of a former civilization are to be
found in occasional ruined wayside shrines
built of dovetailed blocks of laterite, and some
carvings in either laterite or soapstone ; also
agate and jasper beads either round or barrel-
shaped are sometimes washed out of the soil
after heavy rains.
The first attempt at mining on a modern
scale was undertaken by the Singhbhum Cop-
per Co. in 1856, but this and the subsequent
Hindostan Copper Co. and Rajdoha Mining
Co. all failed, though not before some develop-
ment work and smelting had been undertaken.
From such evidence as is now obtainable it
would appear that too much money was spent
on surface and not sufficient underground
while such underground work as was under-
taken was disseminated over a lateral extent
of 16 miles and little attempt was made to
prove the values of the ore-bodies in depth.
Of recent years the Cape Copper Co. has ac-
quired some of the interests of the last named,
and is now at Rakha Mines engaged in prov-
ing the value of the deposits when worked by
proper methods.
The geology of the district varies consider-
ably in different parts, but the greater portion
of the area under review is occupied by the
sub-metamorphic (or Dharwar) series of sedi-
mentaries of Archaean age, which are here
represented chiefly by talc and mica schists,
quartzites, phyllites, and argillaceous slates.
Magnesian and hornblende schists also exist,
but as in many cases these can be found grad-
ing into diabase sills and laccoliths they be-
long to the epoch following the deposition of
the sedimentaries, though also of Pre- Cam-
brian age. This series of basic intrusives has
its chief development just over the northern
border in the district of Manbhum, where it
culminates in the mountain known as Dolma,
3,060 ft. above sea level, and continues far to
the west, forming some of the highest hills
along the Ranchi boundary. The early dia-
base irruptions generally occurred parallel to
the foliation of the schists, which strike rough-
ly north-west and southeast, and usually dip
toward the north. Both strike and dip, how-
ever, are subject to very considerable local
variations : but in only one small area toward
the north is the latter found to be southerly.
211
212
THE MINING MAGAZINE
A noticeable feature is that where any large
diabase irruption has occurred the surround-
ing schists are invariably found dipping to-
wards it, thus pointing to their present posi-
tion being the result of a subsequent uplift.
The cause of this movement is to be found in
the wide stretches of gneiss that exist both to
the north and south of the schist belt, and
though the former is outside the borders of the
pergannah the portion of the southern batho-
lith included therein covers an area of ap-
proximately 140 square miles. This gneiss
would appear to have been subsequently in-
truded by granite dykes and laccoliths, but
exposures of these are infrequent and incon-
spicuous when compared to the basic erup-
tions of a doleritic nature that later occurred.
These last, which are almost entirely destitute
of vegetation, vary greatly in size and strike,
and are chiefiy noticeable for the manner in
which they protrude through the gneiss,
weathering into blocks and skulls " of all
sizes.
It will thus be seen that two basic and
probably two acid irruptions have occurred,
any of which might have been wholly or part-
ly responsible for the mineralization of the
district. In the present case we are only con-
cerned with the apatite-magnetite deposits,
and the most likely period for their genesis
would appear to be the early stages of the acid
irruptions. Apatite and magnetite are both
high-temperature minerals. If further proof
were required as to the conditions attaining at
that time it is furnished by a garnet schist
band in the foot-wall and the association with
the deposit of varying quantities of phlogo-
pite mica, tourmaline, ilmenite, rutile, and
hornblende.
Erosion has been very severe, as the high-
est hill of the district, Dolma, was itself once
a deep-seated irruption, and in all cases known
primary ore is found within a few feet of the
surface. It seems probable, therefore, that
practically all the deposits existing at the pres-
ent day were deep seated and that it is only
subsequent erosion that has brought them to
light. In mining, this theory cuts both ways,
for against the possibility of only the lower
and leaner portions of some of the veins being
left can be set the chance of blmd lodes being
yet discovered by exploration underground in
the less easily eroded portions. In fact, one
vein of the latter class has been responsible
for practically all the gold, some 5,000 oz.,
hitherto produced by mining in Dhalbhum,
while the quantity of lean quartz and preva-
lence of alluvial gold even on the lower hill-
tops would point to the preponderance of the
former type where gold is concerned.
The first notice of the presence of apatite
appeared in 1907 (Records Geological Survey
of India, vol. xxxvi.), when attention was drawn
to its occurrence with some iron ore being
quarried by the Bengal Iron Co. near Pathol-
gora. Little notice was, however, paid to
this at the time, and it was not until 1915 that
the deposits were recognized to be of economic
value. The reasons for this were the incon-
spicuous nature of the deposits, and the un-
usual colour of the mineral, which was whitish
or cream-coloured and had the appearance of
felspar. The discovery that this material was
apatite would appear to have been more or
less fortuitous, and was probably due to in-
^ha
Scale of Miles
tsila " ' ' -^ t f
"^S* ■''
PalholqoraX
/\ i
Mosaboiti \
**>
JA Norsingarh
^ (
nN. '-/"■ *s-
Badia \
\\%. '^^^^'-^'^aicutta. m<n
Bhallii N\'
1 '''>'"'' S^niK-^
\ Kedjuroan \\
vestigation as to the origin of the high phos-
phorus content of some of the pig iron made
from this ore and utilized chiefly in castings.
In any case work that had languished for some
years and eventually ceased was suddenly re-
sumed with unwonted vigour. This activity
led to investigations, and on the cause being
discovered prospecting for further depositswas
undertaken. This and subsequent prospect-
ing proved that the ore could be traced from
Patholgora through Badia and the valley of
the Sonk river to Bagjanta, a distance of about
7 miles, where the sequence was interrupted
by a quartzite ridge striking almost due north.
The probability of a fault existing here was
further demonstrated by the discovery of ore
about 2 miles north, near the village of Gaura
or Goala, where the kyanite rock, which had
been a conspicuous feature at Badia, was
found to be equally prominent and to occupy
the same position in the hanging wall of the
APRIL, 1921
213
deposit. From Gaura the ore was traced with
sundry breaks through Kanyaluka and Bhalki
to Sungi, and thence eastwards in lessening
quantity to Kedjurdari, which, as far as pres-
ent knowledge goes, marks the eastern extrem-
ity of the deposits.
This run from Gaura to Kedjurdari is of
the same length as the former, and though
this 14 miles is only a portion of the lateral
extent of the ore it would seem to contain all
the deposits of economic value. The most
westerly existence that has yet been found lies
in the state of Kharsawan, 5+ miles from Pa-
tholgora, so that it has a present known range
of 68 miles ; and it is possible that deposits of
value may yet be found in the portion travers-
ing Seraikela State, where the outcrop is great-
ly obscured by alluvium. Parallel to the phos-
phate belt and at varying distances from it runs
the Singhbhum copper belt, which, starting in
the hills of Porahat, can be traced for a dis-
tance of over 80 miles until it is lost beneath
laterite and the alluvium of the Gangetic plain.
The most important deposit of apatite would
appear to be at Sungi, and as this is fairly
typical of the others a description of this will
suffice. The ore is found in a schist band be-
tween two beds of quartzite, which together
form a ridge about 2,000 yards in length, fall-
ing away at either end where it is traversed
by nallahs. The main ore-shoot is confined
to the central portion of the ridge, where it
can be traced almost continuously on the sur-
face for a distance of 3,000 ft., but trenching
has also exposed ore in the nallahs on either
side. No definite foot-walls or hanging walls
exist, the ore being found as blebs and lenses
of varying size in a biotite schist belt some
30 to 50 ft. wide. The largest lens so far en-
countered had a length of 120 ft. with an aver-
age width of 12 ft., but owing to the irregular-
ity of the deposit it seems doubtful whether
the mean width of the entire ore-shoot would
exceed three feet.
The original apatite -magnetite ore has in
places been subjected to subsequent hydro-
thermal action, which has resulted in the origi-
nal matrix being partly replaced by quartz and
chalcopyrite. Small quantities of a greenish
yellow uranium mineral, probably autunite.are
also found locally along fissures in the ore, but
this is of secondary deposition and the original
uranium mineral has yet to be discovered.
. The order of genesis of the minerals is dis-
tinct and divisible into 4 stages as follow :
1 (a) Apatite,
(6) Magnetite,
2 Quartz,
4—4
3 Chalcopyrite,
4 Secondary Uranium and Copper
Minerals.
Until the primary uranium mineral is found,
its position in the sequence must remain uncer-
tain,but it can probably be allocated toGroup 1.
Other secondary minerals include small quan-
tities of malachite, azurite, cuprite, native cop-
per, and bornite, but where found their horizon
is limited to within about 30 ft. from surface.
The proportions of apatite to magnetite vary
greatly, almost pure specimens of each being
obtainable, but from samples taken the average
iron content would appear to be about 20 to 25%,
equivalent to almost equal quantities of apatite
and magnetite by weight. When cleared of
magnetite the apatite is of high grade, running
over 80% tricalcic phosphate, with about 2%
fluorine and 10 to 12% insoluble, but no com-
plete analysis of the ore has yet been made.
Some trenching was carried out on the pro-
perty during 1916-1917, but real work only
commenced in 1918 after the flotation in Cal-
cutta of the Great India Phosphate Co. with a
capital of 30 lakhs of fupees. From rumours
current about that time, hills containing millions
of tons of phosphate that only required quarry-
ing were supposed to exist, and India not being
equal to absorbing the output, the company
would run its own steamers to other markets,
soshares went strong. Samplesweresenthome,
a mill was ordered, and then steps were taken
to develop the property. Surprises now came
quickly ; the supposed quarrying proposition
turned out to be really a mining one if the pro-
posed output was to be obtained, and develop-
ment had to be undertaken to assure a constant
supply of ore. The mill sent out was designed
for a lower proportion of magnetite than actually
existed, and no allowance had been made for
the treatment of run-ofmine fines, which had
now to be taken into account. Eventually the
company decided to liquidate, as the larger
proportion of the called-up capital was still in
hand.
Development work done at Sungi during this
period consisted of several prospecting shafts
on the lode, 2 intermediate drives east and west
from one of these, and 2 adits. These last ran
into harder ground than could be managed by
the local hand labour and had to be suspended
until a compressor and drills could be secured ;
but before the former had been erected work
was shut down and neither reached ore. Though
the backs above these adits would only have
averaged 150 ft. the lateral extent of the ore-
shoot made it possible to win at least 100,000
tons, assuming that the width held, by back sto-
214
THE MINING MAGAZINE
ping and without pumping or hoisting charges ;
moreover, as the exit for ore was down the
valley it was desirable that this should be deliv-
ered at as low a level as possible.
In the prospecting shafts considerable trouble
was experienced in following ore, owing to the
manner in which lenses would suddenly cut out,
and all working faces had consequently to be
closely watched. Al times the only method was
to continue on the average dip of 45", and to
trust to one of the 50 sq. ft. of shaft hitting the
next lens ; but at others a quartz stringer or
connecting vein of apatite served as a guide.
At present the apatite deposits, barring those
at Patholgora, lie unworked. In view of the
urgent need of India for phosphatic manures
and the high cost of imported fertilizers, this
idleness can be but a phase. Themagnetiteand
apatite are not chemically combined, so that
the only requisite is grinding to a suflicient
degree of fuieness to admit of efficient separa-
tion. Probably half the magnetite could be
eliminated by hand picking after preliminary
crushing (and a ready market exists for this
product), thus leaving only some 10 to 12% of
iron for removal magnetically. Even suppos-
ing complete separation to be unattainable,
various methods of utilizing the phosphoric
acid contents of the ore are available, but India
as usual lags behind the rest of the world and
seems to know little of anything but basic slag
and acid phosphate, and for the latter no cheap
source of acid is yet at hand. This will be
remedied, however, when the Burma Corpora-
tion starts treating zinc concentrates at Jam-
shedpur.
IRON ORE DEPOSITS OF QUEENSLAND.
The Author of this article, who has an intimate knowledge of the Mineral Resources of
Queensland, gives herewith a description of the principal iron ore deposits in that State,
which are to be used in the Iron and Steel Industry about to be established by the Gov-
ernment of Queensland.
Introductory. — The State of Queensland
has an area of 670,500 square miles, of which
over 80,000 square miles is contained in pro-
claimedgoldandmineralfields. Scattered over
this extensive mineral area are quite a number
of iron ore deposits. The most important of
these have been geologically examined and
tested in connection with the proposed State
iron and steel works, while others have been
only cursorily inspected and turned down for
the present as being either too small, too inac-
cessible, or too low in quality to justify con-
sideration as a source of supply for these works.
It is advisable to give some details of this State
scheme and of the ore deposits, as many people
haveobtainedtheerroneous idea that the scheme
is based on the Yampi Sound deposits off the
coast of West Australia. Another reason for
writing this account is that in the article in the
Magazine for March, 1919, on Australian iron
ore resources no mention was made of Queens-,
land deposits.
A Parliamentary Commission sat in 1917 to
inquire into and report upon the advisability
of establishing State iron and steel works in
Queensland. As, however, little attention up
to that time had been officially given to iron de-
posits, the evidence taken before that commis-
sion was inconclusive, and that body confined
its conclusions to recommendations for the im-
mediate erection of a furnace with a capacity
of 156 tons of ore for the production of pig iron,
and of extensive by-product recovery coke
ovens and mine equipment, to cost ^150,000,
and for the appointment of a highly qualified
general manager to supervise the erection of
this plant and to report generally on the advisa-
bility of erecting iron and steel manufacturing
works. After the issue of that report, further
investigations were made by the Mines De-
partment, a general manager was appointed
who arrived in Brisbane in January, 1919, and
in February of 1920 a site was determined up-
on for the iron and steel works, it being under-
stood that the first portion to be proceeded with
in connection with those works would be the
erection of a furnace to smelt pig iron and of
by-product coke ovens.
Practically, the decision to go on with these
works and to fix the site at the port of Bowen
seems to have been based, as far as Queens-
land is concerned, on the supplies to be obtained
from the Cloncurry district (Mount Philpand
Mount Leviathan), some 700 miles inland from
Bowen, and from Mount Biggenden, in the
Wide Bay district, about 500 miles south of
Bowen. The deposit on Iron Island, off the
coast near Rockhampton, with an estimated
deposit of over 2,000,000 tons, is larger than
what is expected from Biggenden (about
500,000 tons), but is probably not taken into
account because it is leased to the Mount Mor-
gan Company, which obtains its ironstone flux
fromthere. Itisprobable, of course, thatmany
more iron ore deposits will be found in Queens-
land, but the Government no doubt thinks there
APRIL, 1921
215
are already enough to go on with. The present
requirements of the Broken Hill Proprietary's
iron and steel works at Newcastle, New South
Wales, are about 260,000 tons per annum, and
the general managerof that company hasstated
that as he can see about a hundred years' sup-
ply of ore at the Iron Knob, in South Australia,
whence his works obtain it, he is not worrying
about anything after that. On the same basis,
the 22,000,000 tons estimated to be available
in the Cloncurry district, Queensland, would
654 miles by railroad to Bowen. The Mount
is a range of hills and peaks, consisting of enor-
mous outcrops of ironstone, the adjacent rocks
being alteredsandstones, quartzites, calcareous
andferruginous slates and schists, with crystal-
line limestones and dolomites. It has been ex-
amined by Mr. B. Dunstan, the Chief Govern-
ment Geologist, and is described by him in a
bulletinon North-West Queensland, issuedlast
year. Parallel with and about a mile to the
west of Mount Philp is a precipitous elevation
keep the proposed Queensland works going for
85 years, while another 13,000,000 tons at
Cockatoo Island, in Yampi Sound, West Aus-
tralia (see the Magazine for October, 1920),
which theQueensland Government has bought,
to blend with the Cloncurry ores, will add an-
other 50 years' supply, or 135 years in all ; and
it is reasonable to suppose that the Queensland
Government, like the manager of the Newcastle
works, is not troubling about the " thereafter."
If they are, thereis another possible 20,000,000
in Mount Philp that may afford a further lease
of e.xistence of over 70 years.
Mount Philp. — The largest iron ore de-
posit in the Cloncurry district, and indeed in
Queensland, is that known as Mount Philp,
a comparatively recent discovery lying from
two and a half to five miles south-westerly from
Ballara, a railway station sixty-three miles in
a south-westerly direction from Cloncurry, and
Mount Philp Iron District.
called the Fountain Range, consisting of a nar-
row belt of indurated sandstone rising promi-
nently between other soft and more easily
weathered rocks. The attached sketch plan,
as prepared by Mr. Dunstan, shows the posi-
tion of Mount Philp and the Fountain Range,
together with some of their geological features.
The country on the western side of the range
is said to offer natural facilities for the conser-
vation of water.
Mr. Dunstan reports that the mountain is
chiefly hematite ; magnetite is occasionally
present, and there are impurities consisting
mostly of free silica. No place was seen in
which the percentage of silica was not high,
but that of other impurities in every part of the
216
THE MINING MAGAZINE
lode tested was distinctly low. The following
table gives characteristic analyses :
Analyses of Mount Philp Ore.
No. 1. No. 2.
% %
Iron 562 52 8
Moisture tat 15°C.) 0 2 0 1
Loss on ignition stif^ht )4ain 2'3
Silica 19 5 23 0
Alumina 0'7 Oi
Lime trace trace
Magnesia trace trace
Manganese oxide less than 0 3 trace
Phosphorus 0023 003
Sulphur 001 0 01
Titanic oxide nil nil
It should be explained that analysis No. 1 is
the average result from 16 samples taken from
all parts of the outcrop by the Government
Assayer at Cloncurry, while No. 2 was taken
by the Chief Government Geologist, and was
made up by sampling all the places from which
the 16 samples came. Assay samples taken
some years before for the purpose of utilizing
some of the ironstoneas a flux for copper smelt-
ing are said to have shown 17% of silica. The
proportion of this impurity would appear to
average about 20 per cent.
There is, judgmg from appearances, a great
uniformity in the composition of the ironstone,
and the very minute transparent silica grains
present could be seen in every specimen ex-
amined. It had been suggested that the high
percentage of silica might be due to the leach-
ing out by rain of the iron from the surface out-
crops, and leaving behind on the exposures an
excess of silica ; but Mr. Dunstan says there is
an absence of porosity and that leaching effects
werenot apparent, a feature due nodoubt to the
iron oxide being in a ferric condition, the most
stable form in which it occurs in nature, and
apparently to the silica being in a free state,
instead of incombination with basic substances.
In arriving at a rough estimate of the quanti-
ties of hematite in the Mount Philp lode, it is
explained that the outcrop of that lode can be
observed for miles from the top of one of the
pinnacles, but that a length of two miles along
the main portion contains all the measurable
quantities of ore, outside of which, doubtless,
there are other large quantities more or less
obscured. Within this limit of two miles the
lode varies from 50 to 150 ft., the approximate
average being 100 ft., while the height varies
from 50 to 500 ft. above the level of Fountain
Creek, which cuts through the range at the
north end, 150 ft. being taken as the average
in this direction. Within these dimensions,
Mr. Dunstan says that there must be at least
10,000,000 tons more or less under cover, mak-
ing altogether an actual tonnage of about
20,000,000 tons.
As the lode has been worn down to the level
of the surrounding country where Fountain
Creek crosses it, and a splendid working face
quite free from overburden has been naturally
exposed at this spot, the facilities for working
the lode can be made remarkably easy. To
this face a short railway from Hallara can be
very easily constructed. Farther north and
south other precipitous faces are exposed at
high positions, and at these places the ironstone
can be quarried very cheaply and conveyed by
means of shoots and other mechanical devices
to trucks below.
f Ctia
Mount Leviathan Iron District.
Mount Leviathan.— Mount Leviathan
was first brought into notice as far back as
1898, when the then Queensland Government
Geologist described it as " a mass, say 200 ft.
high and a quarter of a mile in diameter at its
base, of the purest possible iron ore." That it
was not " the purest possible iron ore " was dis-
covered many years afterward by the general
managerof the Mount Elliott Copper Company
when looking for a flux for use in copper smelt-
ing, and, as will be seen, its size is almost in-
significant beside Mount Philp, which pro-
bably nobody except aborigines had seen in
1898. Mount Leviathan was examined at the
same time as Mount Philp by Mr. Dunstan,
APRIL, 1921
217
who gave a brief description of its geology and
analyses of its ores.
The Mount is a prominent landmark just out-
side the town of Cloncurry, 600 miles by rail
from Bowen. It forms an elevation about
270 ft. above the surrounding plains, and is a
large mass of ironstone associated with quart-
/;ites, schists, breccias, and limestones, belong-
ing to the Cloncurry (? Silurian) Series. In
outline it is an irregular, lens-shaped lode, lying
at an angle across the upturned edges of the
sedimentary rocks, while the strike of the lode
is north-east andsouth-west with the sediments
trending north and south. A small portion of
the hematite is very pure and coarsely crystal-
line, but the main mass contains a high per-
centage of silica and is frequently traversed by
veinlets of quartz. Magnetite does not appear
to be present in the lode, although magnetic
polarity is to be observed in several places.
As showing the composition of the ore, three
analyses are given in the accompanying table.
The first, which is lowest in silica, is typical of
the portion of the lode that is smallest in quan-
tity, while Nos. 2 and 3 represent what may
be expected to be the composition of bulk
quantities.
MocNT Leviathan Hematite Analysis.
No. 1. No. 2. No. 3-
% % %
Iron 62'0 565 57'1
Moisture O'l O'll 0-4
Loss on ignition 1*8 1*2 f
Silica 8'9 170 175
Alumina 20 14 2'5
Lime trace 0'2 trace
Matinesia trace trace trace
Mantianese oxide trace trace trace
Phosphorus Oil 0 OS 0 06
Sulphur O'Ot 005 0 006
Titanic oxide nil nil nil
In forming an estimate of the quantity of ore
in the lode, a cursory examination by Mr. Dun-
stan showed that the deposit could be divided
into three sections, of which the southern part
probably contains a maximum of 1,500,000
tons, and the central and southern portionabout
500,000 tons, making a total of 2,000,000 tons.
Mount Biggenden. — Mount Biggenden
was worked many years ago for gold and bis-
muth, and in the operation of the mine consider-
able quantities of iron ore were proved. The
Mount is 4| miles from the Biggenden railway
station, which is 54 miles from the port of
Maryborough. The main deposit consists of
magnetite with patches of calcite and dissemi-
nated bismuth ores. A belt of slate, 10 ft. thick,
on the west separates the main magnetite out-
crop from the smaller ones, while another patch
has been exposed east of that in an open-cut.
One of the Queensland Government geolo-
gists (Mr. E. C. St. Smith), who was deputed
to make an examination of iron depositsin view
of the establishment of iron and steel works,
in 1918 made an exhaustive inspection of the
magnetic iron lodes of Mount Biggenden, and
took a complete set of carefully averaged sam-
ples of the iron ore there. These gave the fol-
lowing results :
(a) Average sample of the whole of the ore
at the main shaft dump (at least 4,000 tons)
analysed: metallic iron, 59'0% ; lime (CaO),
0'6%.
(6) The average samples obtained from dif-
ferent portions of the deposit ranged from 55'5
up to 64'9% of metallic iron and from a trace
up to 2'8% of lime (CaO).
A general average of the medium-grade ore
from the whole deposit showed the appended
analysis :
%
Water at red heat 0"3
Silica 7 7
Metallic iron 577
Alumina 5'1
Lime (CaO) 38
Magnesia 0'6
Phosphorus 004
Sulphur 0'13
Bismuth 005
ManRanese 0'24
It is estimated that at least 500,000 tons of
good ore can safely be relied upon as being
available on this property, ' with the extreme
probability of a much greater tonnage being
ultimately developed by exploitation."
Some of the Biggenden ore has been reduced
to pig iron at the Ipswich railway workshops.
The experiments were made in an unsuitable
furnace and under very crude conditions, but
the result was sufficient to show that the physi-
cal character of the ore, containing as it does
calcite finely disseminated throughout, renders
it an ideal smelting proposition as regards fusi-
bility.
Scottish Water- Power. — The British
Aluminium Co. is reviving its scheme for pro-
ducing hydroelectric power from the waters of
Lochs Trieg and Laggan and of several rivers
in the same neighbourhood. The company is
to be called the Lochaber Power Co., and the
funds will be raised by the issue of 3,000,000
shares of £l each and of iri,500,000 deben-
tures. The proposal is now before the Secre-
tary of Scotland. Another Scottish hydro- elec-
tric venture is the Grampian Electricity Supply
Co., which provides for the erection of five
generating stations and the damming of five
rivers and five lochs in northern Perthshire and
the eastern part of Inverness. Two of the sta-
tions will be at Blair Athol and Kingussie
respectively.
218
tml; mining magazine
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
Cumberland Iron Ore.
The Editor :
Sir — The discussion as to the growth of
hematite in Cumberland follows conventional
lines. The question put is: What is the origin
of the ore or what is the source of the iron ?
Doubtless very much more is passing in the
minds of theparticipants thanappearsonpaper,
and therefore, feeling sure that this is so, I
would suggest that the same subject matter
may be treated with a different end in view.
Granted that we have some fair working hy-
potheses as to the origin or history of these
deposits, it may be asked what is the meaning,
or what might be the meaning, for the world
to-day of all the impressions gained during their
working and study iii the past fifty years.
Is it possible or desirable to continue the
quest of origins any further without turning
round on all the forms of thought and expres-
sion which have served for the working out of
the hypotheses so far put forward ? Are not
accepted theories and criteria capable of im-
provement through the very facts of iron ore
occurrence in particular ? Knowledge of these
facts isspread through the community ; cannot
it be unified for purely inductive purposes?
Ttie criteria which Mr. Kendall uses with so
much acumen have most certainly lost their
hold. They derive mostly from the observa-
tion of external processes, such as sedimenta-
tion, erosion, etc. They miss, forthe most part,
the possibilities of internal change, and natur-
ally so, for at the time when they were evolved
such observations of internal change as those
of Mr. Kendall himself had not been made.
There is no chance for rational discussion of
chemistry or dynamics so long as we speak in
terms of " crust." A crust in which iron ore
is replacing limestone is ipso facto no crust.
Of course, while we are occupied with one
pocket of hematite, it is convenient to regard
all the rest of the world as being at a standstill,
and at every step of our observations our in-
stincts andlogical methodinclineour judgments
in this direction.
But is the rest of the world at a standstill ?
The creep of the iron in its field of action, " the
limestone," is but an example of simultaneous
creeps the world over. Surely this world-wide
field of internal change should ever be before
our minds when discussing the chemistry and
physics even of one pocket of hematite. As it
is, we are obliged for the present to use terms
borrowed from stratigraphy whose ideals are
quite different. The piecing together of the
" record of the rocks," the piling up of a solid
crust is the stratigraphic ideal. Those parts
of the structure which in the piling were least
likely to change give the stratigrapher hisclear-
est data ; those parts which in the piling were
most likely to change and obliterate the evi-
dence of their origin, have changed or disap-
peared altogether. Hence, through the survi-
val of stable rocks or stable configurations we
are liable to take these as " normal." As it
were, all the " crust " ought to be composed of
fossiliferous strata, if untoward accidents did
not happen (see Huxley's lectures).
But if we have neglected the less stable por-
tions, or thefactors of instability normally pres-
ent in the piling up of the so-called crust, the
efTects of their changes incline us to infer
cataclysmic processes. An ideal of a non-
dynamic solid crust logically requires or leads
to the inference of special disturbing forces.
Fossiliferous strata being, as it were, the nor-
mal, then " igneous " action, " metamorphic "
action, arediscovered to bedue to somethingab-
normal to the ordered life of the land and sea.
The question at issue in Cumberland is one
of internal change between chemical substances
brought within range of one another at various
epochs as stratigraphy indicates. The infiltra-
tionists, I understand, take this view and pro-
bably most of them have much more in mind
than the mere trickling downwards of ferrugin-
ous waters. Mr. Kendall's remarks about the
breccia and the included pieces of hematite are
not very convincing on paper, though in the
field they might haveagooddealof forceagainst
simple infiltration. " Angular "pieces may be
replacements, and experience suggests that a
"breccia " might well contain sporadic replace-
ments, so sensitive do the processes involved
seem to be. In any case the larger question
of interaction betweenthecomponents of sedi-
ments "remains the same. Mr. Kendall, how-
ever, connects the ore with the greenstones,
the " volcanic " rocks, and, as is well known,
hematite and greenstone do occur together al-
mostuniversally. Supposethen that thegreen-
stone is also a product of internal change, and
does not come from inside the crust ; " what
then ? Suppose normal inclusions of salt, etc.,
unstable elements in crust-biiilding, led to the
growth of greenstones ?
Returning to the opening sentences of this
letter, I suggest that the two hypotheses pre-
ferred by Mr. Atkinson and Mr. Kendall are,
if treated broadly, not mutually exclusive. On
the contrary, if the data found to support either
be clearly and firmly held, they might both be
put to the highest possible uses. Many hema-
APRIL, 1921
219
tite deposits in Spain occur in close association
with the Trias in all sorts of positions, and with
" igneous " rocks. Would it be worth while to
compare them very carefully with Cumberland ?
Cynicism suggests that iron being such a ubi-
quitous element, and iron ore being indefinable
through its many varieties, the tracing of such
connections may be futile. If, however, a
sufficient numberof instances beconsidered and
a sufficiently broad outlook be maintained, the
universality of iron, the glory of its many col-
ours, forms, reactions, and associations may
provide just that illumination for which the
world waits to-day on the subject of the con-
tinuity of development of rock species.
Let the data from Cumberland be collected
and compared with similar data, from, say,
Bilbao, Almeria, Lake Superior, India, and
Brazil, and I am sure that we should be well on
the way towards taking a more credible view
of the ' igneous " rocks than is at present cur-
rent among the mass of men. The great work-
done by Van Hise and his collaborators at
Lake Superior requires revision. The ques-
tion of the greenalite " could, I imagine, be
illuminatedbycomparison with certain features
of the Bilbao district.
The most striking suggestions, however,
come from the tropics. In this letter I cannot
enter upon this subject, but merely state my
belief that, by way of iron ore, the new know-
ledge and new suggestions from the tropics
could be brought into touch with the older order
of thought which grew up in Europe, and the
result would be to the delight of all concerned
if they will have the faith to try it.
In the meantime in Cumberland let the in-
filtrationists be bold but not neglect Mr. Ken-
dall's greenstones. It must already have been
suggested that the source of the alkalies in the
igneous rocks of the region may be sought in
sodium and potash deposits of the Trias or at
least in the seas which have swept over Cum-
berland from time to time. Yetsuchahypothe-
sis can hardly be discussed in terms derived
from the " crust " view of the earth. If, how-
ever, we suppose thatalkalinesilicatescan grow
in a field now partially and imperfectly repre-
sented by the "stratified rocks," sometimes
with high temperature and consequent com-
plications, sometimes without, a comparative
study of iron ore regions might help towards a
different view.
Perhaps you. Sir, may allow me to return to
the subject in a later issue.
J. H. GOODCHILD.
London, March 25.
Cementation Process and Vein-Filling.
The Editor :
Sir — The lecture on the cementation pro-
cess delivered by Major Standish Ball at the
Mining and Metallurgical Club last month was
extremely interesting from several practical
points of view. The building of an underground
dam and the cementing of diamond-drill holes
are within my own experience, but the cement-
ing of drill-holes, in my case, was undertaken
merely for the purpose of solidifying broken
ground which was subsequently drilled. I have
had no experience of filling underground fis-
sures or cavities with cement in order to keep
out water (though if such water carried " silt "
of any kind the matter might require to be
dealt with by lining or cementing), and until
the above lecture I had not seen specimens of
fissured rock which had been subjected to the
cementation process.
A cursory examination of one of the speci-
mens exhibited at the lecture suggests that con-
siderable valuable information as to vein-fill-
ing might be obtained by an examination of
many specimens mined from rock which has
undergone the treatment. If those in charge
of cementation work are made aware of the
great interest which attaches to information on
the circulation of cement and other liquids or
semi-liquids in fissured rock, 1 am inclined to
the belief that much valuable information would
be collected by them, information too which
might be of considerable economic value and
might be a means of practically demonstrating
matters about which hitherto we have only been
able to speculate.
Further use for cementation, it occurs to me,
is in connection with wells and bore holes used
for water supplies. Some thirty years ago I
carried out a lot of tests in connection with the
sinking of a large well with a deep bore-hole,
and also made many tests of older wells which
had become brackish by infiltration of sea-
water. From the results then obtained, I be-
lieve that there should be considerable scope
for increased use of the cementation process
for the purpose of shutting out surface drain-
age, or underground feeders of exceptionally
hard or brackish water from well waters inten-
ded either for domestic or technical purposes.
Stephen J. Lett.
London, March 17.
[Mr. Lett's suggestion that engineers should
study the process of ' vein-filling" in cemen-
tation is a good one, and they are encouraged
to send the results of their investigations. —
Editor.]
220
THK MINING MAGAZINE
BOOK REVIEWS
Economic Mineralogy. Hy Thomas
CuooK. CU)tb, octavo, 492 pages, illustra-
ted. Price 25s. London and New York :
Longmans, Green & Co.
The author states in the preface that the
book is intended for those who wish to restrict
their attention to the utihtarian side of the sub-
ject, and this aim is kept in view throughout
the book. After a brief introductory chapter,
the crystal forms of minerals are summarized
in Chapter 2, it being stated that this is inten-
ded more as an introduction to crystal optics
than as crystallography. The next chapter
deals somewhat briefly with the physical char-
acters of minerals, and includes clear descrip-
tions of the construction and use of the Jolly
balance and of the Westphal balance so far as
the determination of the densities of liquids is
concerned, but the use of the instrument for
the determination of the densities of solids is
not described, nor is thehydrometer mentioned.
Chapter 4 deals with the elements of crystal
optics, and the author is to be congratulated on
having dealt with a subject which gives some
difficulty to the beginner in an extremely lucid
manner. Then follows a chapter on the chemi-
cal examination of minerals, and one on the
physical analysis of crushed rocks and alluvials
which is thoroughly good. Onenotes, however,
that the vanning shovel is not mentioned though
the principle of vanning is suggested. The
notes on heavy liquid, magnetic, and electro-
static separation are all that the student should
require.
Chapter 7 deals with the geology of mineral
deposits, and is necessarily brief and somewhat
superficial. 1 1 includes a good classification of
the deposits and a summary of the deposits in
relation to thechief periods of igneous intrusion
and orogenic movement.
The next three chapters deal with the de-
scriptive mineralogy of the minerals arranged
in groups as ore-minerals, gem-minerals, and
miscellaneous economic minerals. The min-
erals arearranged according to the metals, which
is justified by the list of occurrences and as-
sociations of the ores of each metal at the end
of thedescription of its minerals. Forinstance,
the description of the lead minerals is followed
by four pages dealing with thechief occurrences
of lead ores and their associated rocks and min-
erals,
A series of determinative tables concludes
the volume. In the first the minerals with
metallic or sub-metallic lustre are tabulated
with their physical characters, while the min-
erals with non-metallic lustre have columns for
refractive inde.\ and birefringence instead of
colour and streak. This is a decidedly useful
innovation. A table grouped according to spe-
cific gravity follows, and finally a table of some
minerals grouped according to colour. It is
doubtful if this last is of much assistance to the
student, who is scarcely likely to call molyb-
denite black, or covellite either in many speci-
mens.
The book is well printed and arranged, and
the illustrations are good.
The present writer sympathizes with the
author in his plea for the microscope as an aid
to the quick identification of minerals, and
would suggest that a description of the use of
the eye-piece micrometer might be usefully
added in a future edition.
The book can be strongly recommended to
the miningengineer and theeconomicgeologist.
E. H. Davison.
Manganese : Uses, Preparation, Mining
Costs, and Production of Ferro Alloys.
By C. M. Weld and Others. Bulletin pub-
lished by the UnitedStates Bureau of Mines.
Before the war the world's output of man-
ganese ore was furnished by the Caucasus,
India, and Brazil. The Caucasian outputceased
in 1914, and the demands of the European
Allies were met from Indian sources, leaving
the Brazilian supply for the United States.
Although production in Brazil was largely in-
creased during the war, the quantity sent to
North America was insufficient, more especi-
ally as submarine activity reduced in quantity
British supplies of ferro-manganese reaching
the United States. A comprehensive survey of
the domestic deposits was undertaken by the
American Bureau of Mines, and their inten-
sive development followed ; while the Ferro
Alloys Committee of the American Iron and
Steel Institute endeavoured to modify the prac-
tice at steel works, so that lower-grade ferro
alloys, made from American ores, could be used
in place of the higher-grade material preferied
and hitherto used. In the pre-war period, the
output of manganese ore in the United States
was negligible, but had the Armistice not inter-
vened, it would have reached 300,000 tons of
manganese ore containing not less than 35%
manganese. This, together with the Brazilian
and Central American supply, as well as the
modifications in steel-works practice, enabled
a stock of one year's consumption of ore to be
accumulated in 1918.
With a view to assisting producers of man-
ganese ores, the Bureau of Mines published
APRIL, 1921
221
mimeographed bulletins dealing with the in-
dustry from time to time, and these reports are
now published in a more permanent form as
Bulletin 173.
This work is a valuable production, and re-
flects credit on all concerned m its preparation.
While primarily prepared for American use it
contains so much material not hitherto avail-
able, that it cannot fail to be of value to all in-
terested in the utilization of manganese ore. It
is evident that much information, which in nor-
mal times might be coasidered confidential, has
been freely placed at the disposal of the com-
pilers of this bulletin, although two firms are
mentioned as having refused their co-operation
in the investigation. The bulletin contains
eleven chapters, each constituting a separate
report on a definite subject by different obser-
vers,and consequently there is acertainamount
of overlappmg, which is recognized.
Chapter 1 deals with the uses of manganese,
prices, and statistics. It is acknowledged that
the Price Schedule of May 28, 1918, which re-
fers to 95% of the manganese consumed in the
United States in steel production, is mainly
historical, for although following the Armistice
prices remained high, the recent heavy fall in
ocean freights has brought about a 66% reduc-
tion in the figures given. It is probable also
that the penalties for silica, phosphorus, etc.,
relaxed during the war period, will be re-im-
posed as supplies become more plentiful.
Chapter 2 discusses the uses of manganese
other than in steel making, which are respon-
sible for increasing consumption. The detail-
ed information regarding the physical and
chemical requirements of the manganese di-
o.xide ore for dry cells, glass making, and for
paints is most useful. The penalty for iron, not
imposed during hostilities owing to the cessa-
tion of supplies from the Caucasus, will prob-
ably not be re-introduced, as only copper, nick-
el, and cobalt minerals are now considered pre-
judicial in ore used for dry cells. Mention is
made that manganese ore is no longer used for
making chlorine gas, as the latter is an abun-
dant product in the manufacture of causticsoda
and potash.
The use of manganese ore in the manufac-
ture of manganese bronze which replaces steel
effectively, when subject to the corrosive in-
fluence of sea water, is also dealt with, and it is
pointed out that only 0'05% of manganese is
usual in the high-grade alloy, its function being
as a carrier for the iron necessary to ensure the
required strength and elastic limit.
Chapter 3 deals with the problems involved
in the concentration and utilization of domestic
low-grade manganese ore. The American min-
eral is mostly the result of secondary concen-
tration, and often occurs as shallow deposits of
nodules, or irregular masses disseminated in
clays. The effect of associated impurities is
discussed, and reference is made to calcination
of the carbonate, which, however, would only
be effective with low silica contents, owing to
the tendency to form silicate of manganese.
A list of concentration processes is given,
and cost data which show the beneficial effect
of treating mineral which would otherwise be
unsuitable for ferro-alloy manufacture. The
figures refer to cherty California ores low in
iron, and would require serious modification
for other types of mineral. The plant used is
not described, but the ratio of concentration is
2 or 3 to 1, and the war-time cost appears low,
at 75 cents per ton of finished product.
Mention is made that the separation of silica,
when chemically combined, cannot be carried
out by wet or gravity processes, and this fact
prevents the utilization of large deposits of
manganese silicate ores in the United States,
and also the successful beneficiation of the
waste material at some Brazilian and Indian
mines.
Chapter 4 deals with the preparation of man-
ganese ore. The picking and screening of man-
ganese ore without the assistance of water, re-
ferred to as dry mining, is mentioned as a tem-
porary expedient before the erection of a wash-
ing plant, but to be effectual it requires a mini-
mum of 10% of ore, and even this would be in-
sufficient in normal times. It is asserted that
log washers have treated successfully very lean
material, but a ratio of ore to gangue of 10%
is considered a fair average. Associated iron
having a similar specific gravity requires to be
hand-picked. Flow-sheets of several concen-
tration plants are given for mineral associated
with clay, followed by a description of a stan-
dard arrangement consisting of grizzlies 2 to 4
inches between bars, log washers, revolving
screens, picking belts, jigs, and shaking tables.
Dry concentration is referred to as applicable
where water is scarce, and a plant is described
which, however, had not been operated on a
commercial scale when the report was written.
It consisted of a revolving drum where the
material would be dried before passing on to a
revolving screen, from which the coarse ma-
terial would discharge on to a picking belt, the
smallersizesof material beingdealt with in jigs.
It may be noted here that the installation of
washing plants, some years ago, enabled the
large waste heaps, accumulated around the
Caucasian deposits since the mines were first
222
THE MINING MAGAZINE
operated, to be successfully beneficiated at a
low cost. Washing plants were also operated
prior to 1914 on the detrital ore of the famous
Morro da Mina deposit in Brazil, and in the
Bukowina.
Chapters 5 and 6 deal with the leaching of
manganese ore by sulphur dioxide, and the
Jones direct-reduction process for the produc-
tion of a silico-manganese alloy. Both these
processes were only investigated as a war mea-
sure, but it is suggested that the leaching pro-
cess might be applicable to mineral containing
copper, lead, or zinc ; while the Jones system
might be used in the preparation of a manga-
nese alloy from ores in which iron is so inti-
mately associated that ordinary methods of
gravity or magnetic separation are impractic-
able. If the Jones process could be made eco-
nomically sound, it would have a wide field of
usefulness, for manganiferous iron ores are
widely distributed. The process is in two stages;
in the first, iron and slag containing most of
the manganese is produced ; and in the second
stage this latter is smelted to produce a manga-
nese alloy.
Chapter 7, on the cost of producing ferro-
grade manganese ores, deals with a difficult
matter, inasmuch as the principal factors have
varied so greatly during the war and since.
The manganese ore output of the United States
during the war consisted of 20% carbonate ores
and 80% oxide mmeral. The former was got
by mining underground and required no con-
centration, but the latter was associated with
clay, chert, etc., and required treatment. Many
of these deposits are erratic and others give
place to silicates in depth.
Much of the domestic mineral was hand-
cleaned, but where it was mined and sent for
treatment, the average cost was !j)7'50 and treat-
ment $6'50, or say $14'00 in all. The milling
costs differ widely from those already referred
to, and the presumption is that the ratio of
concentration and quantity handled varies in
the two cases. The total cost at furnace of the
domestic mineral during the war is put at §0'65
per unit of 40% ore, although it is calculated
that this could be reduced about 15% in normal
times. Of the foreign ores only those of Cuba
and Brazil are considered ; the first is of simi-
lar grade to the domestic mineral, but the sec-
ond normally contains 50% manganese.
The Brazilian costs are in dollars, but in
view of economic changes, it would have been
preferable also to give the native currency costs
and rate of exchange at the time of making the
estimate. The average costs into ship of Bra-
zilian ore at Rio is put at S15'00 in 1918, and
this together with $15'00 ocean freight is equal
to 67 cents per unit for 45% ore, at American
ports. The authors endeavour to estimate
future prices and suggest that if ocean freight
falls to pre-war figures, it would be possible to
place Brazilian ore in the United States at 40
cents per unit. These conditions have been
reached, for the Brazilian exchange has fallen
to lOd. and ocean freights to a little over a third
of those of 1918. It is therefore doubtful if,
under normal conditions, American ores can be
produced in competition with foreign supplies,
unless assisted by a high protective tariff, which
is at present under discussion by the Govern-
ment. The work of the Bureau of Mines has
shown, however, that a good supply of manga-
nese ore can be produced in the United States,
and if some economically successful method
could be evolved for beneficiating the manga-
nese silicate ores, it is probable that the coun-
try might, in time of national stress, be self-
supporting.
Chapter 8 deals with the production of man-
ganese alloys in the blast-furnace. Particulars
are given of the operation of a number of fur-
naces producing ferro-manganese and spiegel-
eisen, the observations extending over 10-day
periods. The working of a blast-furnace mak-
ing ferro is more regular than when producing
pig iron, but the problem of getting the manga-
nese into the alloy, instead of into the slag, is
not easy. In order to account for the greater
amount of fuel required, it is pointed out that
the manganese is reduced from its oxide by
solid carbon near the tuyeres, and, as the CO.2
resulting is again reduced by solid carbon, there
is a loss of heat. The balance of heat units is
used in heating ascendinggases,whichare three
times greater than in pig iron furnaces per lb. of
ferro produced.
An elaborate analysis of the operation of the
furnaces is made, and both the slag and stack
losses are found to vary within wide limits and
average 14'7 and 12"8%. An investigation was
made into the effect on these losses of [a] quan-
tity of fuel, (b) basicity of slag, and (c) rates of
driving, and it was found that the percentage
of manganese in the slag was reduced by rais-
ing blast temperature, increasing basicity of
slag, and charging more coke ; while it was in-
creased by fast driving and carrying a greater
slag volume. The volatilization or stack loss
did not appear to have any relation to these
factors.
Theauthorsstate that by making fivechanges
in practice, the eleven furnaces considered
could have raised their recovery to 79%, and
using the same ore, could have increased their
APRIL, 1921
223
tonnage 59% and also increased their profit ap-
preciably. The changes suggested are : Using
a better quality of coke, using a better grade of
limestone, using less fuel, running with a more
basic slag, and driving faster.
In dealing with the manufacture of spiegel-
eisen, it is pointed out that to obtain manga-
nese, the smelting of manganiferous iron ore
takes 78% more carbon than when making ferro-
manganese, although this may in part be due
to the high ratio of silica to manganese in these
ores, as compared with manganese ores proper.
While efforts were made to increase spiegel-
eisen consumption during the war, owing to it
being possible to manufacture this alloy from
domestic ores, it is probable that the tendency
to utilize only high-grade ferro alloys will now
reassert itself, especially for the manufacture
of mild steel, as spiegeleisen introduces too
much carbon. The average recovery of manga-
nese in making spiegeleisen is only 60?^, as
compared with 70 to 75% when making ferro-
manganese. It is interesting to note that l/6th
of the loss goes to the stack and 5/6ths to the
slag in spiegeleisen manufacture, while the
losses are equally divided in making 80% ferro-
nianganese.
Chapter9 deals with the national importance
of allocating low-ash coke to manganese alloy
furnaces, and points out that silica in fuel em-
ployed in making ferroalloys producesagreater
loss than when smelting pig iron, as in reducing
manganese ores the slag loss is in proportion
to its volume. The review of the situation
makes it clear that if the purer coke were al-
located to furnaces manufacturing ferro alloys
a great saving of manganese would be effected.
Chapter 10 discusses the electric smelting of
domestic manganese ores. In order to deter-
inme experimentally if the low-grade domestic
silicious, phosphoric, and ferruginous manga-
nese ores, not amenable to ordinary methods of
k'ravity concentration, could be used for ferro-
alloy manufacture, a number of charges were
worked in a small 65 kw. furnace.
In dealing with mineral containing morethan
25 o silica, it was found that an acid slag con-
aned less manganese than a basic one. De-
l-..osphorization was carried out as in the Jones
pi ocess by concentrating most of the phosphorus
in an alloy, and the manganese in slag, which
was subsequently reduced with the production
of a ferro alloy reasonably low in phosphorus,
and with a 60% manganese recovery. Experi-
ments on the ferruginous Guyana ores by this
process are also said to have been satisfactory.
These results are not, however, of immediate
interest, asonly very exceptional circumstances
would justify the electric smelting of such low-
grade ores.
A number of electric furnaces producing
ferro-manganese were operated in the United
States during the war on a commercial scale,
and others were in construction when the fall
in prices, following the Armistice, brought
about a suspension of operations. Particulars
are given of the furnaces operated which, using
the domestic manganese ores containing 15 to
25% of silica, produced an 85% ferro-manga-
nese, with a recovery of 70 to 80%, which com-
pares favourably with that of the blast-furnace.
The power consumption was 5,000 kw. hours,
and the coke used ranged from 1 ,400 to 1 ,200 lb.
per ton of alloy in a 3,000 kw. furnace.
There is some difference of opinion regard-
ing the most useful size of furnace. One oper-
ator maintains that a furnace with 1,150 kw.
capacity has a recovery of 90% when producing
six tons per day of 80% ferro-manganese; while
for a 2,250 kw. furnace the recovery is only 70%
with a production of 8 to 10 tons of alloy per
day. It is found that the manganese stack-loss
in the electric furnace is lower, and the slag
loss about the same as when reducing manga-
nese ore in the blast-furnace.
Figures are given, based on commercial prac-
tice and experimental work, of the estimated
cost of producing 80% alloy in the electric fur-
nace. Using domestic mineral containing 40
to 42% manganese and 13 to 20% silica, there
should be a recovery of 72 to 75% of manga-
nese with a 12% loss in the slag. In a 3,000 kw.
furnace the power consumption would be 5,000
to 5,500 kw. hours; 153 lb. of electrodes and
1,800 to 1,900 lb. of coke would be used, with
a production of 10 to 1 r7 tons of 80% alloy per
day. Better results would no doubt be obtain-
ed with mineral of higher grade from foreign
sources.
The conclusion arrived at is that, while in
normal times it would not be profitable to smelt
manganese ore electrically in the United States,
it might be done during a period of industrial
activity or national stress. If it were possible
to obtain water power at a very low rate, say
0"25d. per unit, in the vicinity of some of the
foreign high-grade deposits, it is probable that
electric smelting would be successful, and it is
interesting to note that the Brazilian Govern-
ment has recently decided to reduce the export
taxes on manganese ore to any operator who
undertakes to smelt electrically in Brazil 10%
of his output of ore.
Chapter 11 is the report on the use of man-
ganese alloy in open-hearth steel practice, and
it is pointed out that manganese is not an ex-
224
THE MINING MAGAZINE
pedient, but a basic requirement of successful
practice in making steel. The principal func-
tion of manganese is to reduce ferrous oxide in
the bath, and for this 0'35% manganese might
be required. Manganese also eliminates sul-
phur and improves the rolling properties of the
steel, as well as retards coalescence of grain
growth, which would require 0'35%. It is also
necessary to produce certain physical and
mechanical properties of steel, so that the total
consumption may be put at about 1 to liVo per
ton of steel produced. Other deo.xidizers, as
silicon and aluminium, have atendency tocause
inclusions in steel, and they also encourage
grain growth and leave the metal in poor con-
dition for rolling and forging.
In order to reduce the consumption of man-
ganese, the following recommendations to steel
manufacturers were made : (a) Use of molten
Spiegel mixture; (b) high residual manganese
in the bath ; (c) use of silico-manganese alloy
in place of the 80% material. All of these ex-
pedients are in use both in Europe and the
States, in a limited degree. It is pointed out
that the first cannot become general owing to
the introduction of too much carbon for mild
steel. The high residual manganese in the
bath does not reduce consumption, except as it
enables low-grade manganese ores to be used
in making the pig iron. The use of manganese-
silicon alloys is governed by the amount of sili-
con that can be tolerated in the steel, as it is pre-
judicial in material which must be welded, as
well as for sheets and plates. In acidsteel prac-
tice figures are given which show the consump-
tion of manganese and silicon to be smaller,
when introduced as silico-manganese, than
. when used as ferro- manganese and ferro-sili-
con ; while for basic open hearth practice re-
sults obtained suggest that the use of silico-
manganese protects manganese in oxidized "
heats. It is probable that the use of this alloy
will become more general.
In conclusion it may be stated that while the
extreme shortage, and high price, of manganese
ore during the war was a powerful incentive in
the search for new supplies of high-grade ore,
none appears to have been found, as the West
.\frican and Sinai deposits, now regular pro-
ducers, were pre-war discoveries.
Further, efforts were made during the war,
more especially by steel manufacturers of the
Central Powers, to find some equally efficient
substitute for manganese, without success. It
is evident, therefore, that the future of the
already known deposits, and the manufacture
of ferro- manganese, are assured. American
makers of ferro alloys are endeavouring to ob-
tain tariff protection against the British pro-
duct, and if successful, it is probable that
future exports of ferro-manganese from this
country to the United States will be smaller
than in the pre-war period.
Ukkbekt K. Scott.
NEWS LETTERS.
TORONTO.
March 10.
MineralProduction OF Canada. — The
preliminary report on the mineral production
of Canada during the calendaryear 1920, issued
by the Department of Mines, gives the total
value as §217, 775, 080, which establishes a new
high record. Compared with the production in
1919, valued at §176,686,390, an increase of
23'3%isshown. Themetallicoutput was valued
at $77,236,370, the quantities and values of
the principal items being as follow : Gold,
766,912 oz., $15,853,478; silver, 12,793.541
oz., $12,908,683; copper, 81,155,360 lb.,
$14,166,479; nickel, 61,136,493 lb.,
$24,454,597 ; lead, 33,985,974 lb.,$3,038,346;
zinc, 40,166,200 lb., $3,081,149 ; cobalt,
593,920 lb., $1,484,800; and pig iron from
Canadian ore, 75,869 tons, $2,066,997. There
was a noteworthy increase in the production of
coal, which amounted to 16,623,598 tons valued
at $77,326,853, being 21'5% in quantity and
42% in value in excess of the output of 1919.
Porcupine. — There has been a further
curtailment in the allotment of electric power
to the producing companies. The Hollinger
Consolidated is now only getting 1,500 kilo-
watts, as compared with its full requirements
of approximately 10,000. By the use of its
steam auxiliary equipment it is able to con-
tinue work at about one-third capacity, treating
about 1,300 tons of ore per day at an extra
cost of about $900 daily. The company has
entered an action for damages against the
Northern Canada Power Co., Ltd., on account
of losses sustained by reason of power shortage,
the outcome of which will be of much interest
to mining operators whose business has suf-
fered from the same cause. The annual state-
ment of the Hollinger Consolidated for 1920 in-
dicates that, despite all drawbacks, the com-
pany has had a prosperous year. Its total reve-
nue was §7,162,611, as compared with*
$7,063,099 in 1919, and the net profit was
$2,675,274, as against $2,321,290. The sum
of $461,274 was added to the surplus, bringing
the total up to $6,462,918. The net yield of
ore treated per ton was $9'56, as compared
with $9'40, and the value of the ore reserves
APRIL, 1921
225
was estimated at $36,596,059, as compared
with .f;39, 928,430. During 1920 the Dome
Mines treated 295,220 tons of ore, the yield
from which amounted to $2,005,640, an aver-
age extraction of $6'80 per ton. In addition
the company received about $200,000 exchange
premium, which would bring the average yield
up to about $7'50 per ton. The Mclntyre has
been encouraged by the development of a large
ore-body, believed to come in from the Hollin-
ger, on the 1,000 ft. level, to plan an increase in
its milling equipment, augmenting its present
capacity of 600 tons to about 900 tons, which,
according to an estimate based on last year's
tigures, would give an annual production of
.~-;3,000,000. Theadditionalcrushingand grind-
ing machinery has been ordered and will be in-
stalled as early as possible. The Mclntyre has
secured power rights at Sturgeon Falls on the
Mattagami River, 30 miles from the mine,
capable of generating 9,000 h.p. Unless the
pijwer company can increase thesupply of elec-
tric energy sufficiently to prevent a repetition
of the shortage now experienced, the Mclntyre
will generate its own supply. The coming
season promises to be a very active one. La-
bour is plentiful and efficient, and as soon as
thespring has fairly set in work will be resumed
on many prospects and new enterprises will be
undertaken.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The annual statement
of the Lake Shore for the year ended Novem-
ber 30, 1920, showed an income of §528,028,
the net amount carried forward after all deduc-
tions being $104,992. During January thepro-
duction was valued at $37,375 from the treat-
ment of 1,674 tons of ore, the extraction aver-
af^ing $22'34 per ton, the mill running 82?<i of
the possible time. A station has been cut at
the 600 ft. level, at which lateral work is in pro-
gress. At the Wright-Hargreaves the new mill
of 180 tons capacity is ready for operation, but
It will not be started until May 1, by which
date a full supply of power is assured. A 4 ft.
vein of high-grade ore has been encountered
on the 700 ft. level of the Kirkland Lake mine.
Cobalt. — The silver-mining industry is
much depressed owing to the low price of sil-
ver, coupled with power shortage, and it is
somewhat doubtful whether many of the mines
which closed down over the winter will be re-
opened until market conditions show improve-
ment. The Mining Corporation of Canada
has closed down its mines and mills indefinite-
ly, and will make extensive alterations in its
concentrating and cyanide plants so as to be
in a position to handle an increased tonnage
at lower cost when work is resumed. The
company is the second largest silver-producer
in Canada, its output last year being 1,806,274
oz. of silver. The Moore Filter Co., of New
York, has brought an action against the Nip-
issing Mining Co., claiming $600,000 dam-
ages for the infringement of their patent rights
in the filter used for the filtration of metal-bear-
ing slimes. The Oxford Cobalt will shortly
resume operations. The shaft will be put down
from 180 to 350 ft., at which level a cross-cut
will be run to tap the vein. The Chambers-
Ferland has opened up at the 410 ft. level a
rich vein 2 in. wide coming in from the Nipis-
sing, which in some places yields ore carrying
5,000 oz. to the ton.
SUDBURV. — The mine and smelters of the
British American Nickel Corporation have
been closed down owing to unfavourable mar-
ket conditions, throwing 600 or 800 men out
of employment. Only a small nucleus of the
force has been retained, so that when a change
for the better occurs production can beresumed
at short notice. The refinery of the company
at Deschenes, Quebec, employing 400 men, will
also close shortly. The company was a war
enterprise, started in 1916, in which the British
Government was heavily interested. TheMond
Nickel Co. has reduced the wages of their em-
ployees 40 cents per day.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
March 1.
Sheep Creek. — With the gradual decrease
in the cost of labour and supplies, and with the
general slump in base-metal mining in this
Province, mining men seem to be turning their
attention, once again, toward gold-mining. An
important deal that has taken place within the
lastfewweeks is thebondingof theQueenmine,
at Sheep Creek, near Nelson, to C. H. Cassill,
of Spokane. The people of Spokane, it may be
said in passing, take a far more active interest
in and derive a greater benefit from the mining
industry of British Columbia than the people
of any city in the Province. Some of the big-
gest and best paying mining enterprises in the
Province were started in Spokane. The Queen
mine was located towards the close of last cen-
tury, and mining operations were carried on
busily until 1915, when a cave in themainwinze
caused the closing of the mine. Up to this
point the mine had produced more than one
and a half million dollars in gold. The mine
remained closed until the end of the war. In
1919 it was bonded to A.W.McCune, the well-
known Butte operator, and a long tunnel was
driven. The result of the work, however, was
inconclusive ; gold-mining generally was very
226
THE MINING MACA/INE
much in the dolclruins at the time, so the work
was abandoned. In the meantime, C. II. Cas-
sill had bonded the Ore Hill group, which ad-
joins the Queen, and on it had developed astrong
vein over a distance of more than 2,000 ft. This
veinhasall the characteristicsof the Oueen vein,
and the trend of the strike is in a direction that
led Mr. Cassill to suppose it was the same
vein. He, therefore, obtained a short option
on the Oueen, had it examined by J. C. Haas,
of Spokane, and the present bond and lease,
which will expire on July 1, 1923, has resulted.
On the bottom, or 700 ft. level, the vein is ex-
posed over a distance of 800 ft., is from 8 to
33 ft. wide, and is said to have an average value
of S9 per ton in gold. There is a 20-stamp
mill on the property, and ample water rights
on Sheep and Wolf creeks go with it. The
rtume and the mill, after a period of six years'
idleness, will necessarily need considerable re-
pair. Mr. Cassill proposes to combine the two
properties, the Queen and the Ore Hill, and
float a company to be known as the Queen-Ore
Hill Mines, Ltd., with a capital of $250,000,
which is the actual price he is paying for the
two properties.
Granby Consolidated. — The Granby
Consolidated Mining Smelting & Power Com-
pany got all the best of its two appeals against
the Esquimalt and Nanaimo Railway for title
tothe Cassidy Colliery coal areas, on Vancouver
Island. The Granby was given full title to the
Dunlop property, and the Court found that
title to the Ganner property was vested in the
Granby Company, but in case of assessment
for damages in respect to the coal-rights these
were to be considered as " coal in nature."
The outside price at this rate is stated to be
§150 per acre for the 200 acres involved, so
the utmost that the Granby can be called upon
to pay is $30,000. When it is remembered
that the Granby has expended more than
.$2,600,000 in the purchase of the property,
purchase of timber rights in connection with
it, and in the equipment of the colliery and
building of the town, to which must be added
another §2,000,000 for the building of the by-
product coke ovens, at Anyox, to carbonize the
coal,thepresentliabilityiscomparatively small.
The counsel for the E. & N. Ry. gave notice
of appeal to the Privy Council, and, pending
the result of this appeal, the Granby has been
given the right to continue mining coal from
the property. E. E. Campbell, assistant mana-
ger, and for many years in the employ of the
Granby, has retired to become general super-
intendent for the United Verde Extension Min-
ing Co., at Jerome, Arizona, and J. A. Ban-
croft, professor of geology at McGill Univer-
sity, has been appointed in his place. Prof.
Bancroft will take up his new duties at the
close of the present university term. Granby
is doing some excellent work ; it is producing
more copper and at a cheaper rate than at any
time since the armistice : in fact, it is claimed
that, but for the interest on its bonded indebted-
ness, Ciranby would be producing more cheaply
than any concern on the continent. With the
exception of an insignificant amount from the
Rossland mines, and a small amount from the
Belmont-Surf Inlet mine, Granby is the only
concern producing copper in the Province.
Miscellaneous Mining News. — The
Consolidated Mining & Smelting Company is
maintaining an excellent production from its
own mines, principally the Sullivan. The first
six weeks' ore receipts at the Trail smelter
amounted to nearly 50,000 tons, which is about
8,000 tons more than the quantity received
over the same period of last year. With the
exception of a little more than 1,000 tons, this
has all come from the company's own mines.
Owing to the fact that the company during the
slump in the prices of lead and zinc is paying
only in warehouse receipts, few concerns are
financially able to ship ore to Trail. In fact,
the mines in those districts that have been rely-
ing on the Consolidated company to treat their
ores are nearly all closed. The Florence Silver
Mining Co. is proposing to put a steamer and
barges on Kootenay lake, thus enabling it to
ship concentrate to Five Points, and thence by
the Great Northern to either Northport or Kel-
logg, in the United States. This would render
it independentof theCanadian Pacific Railway,
for which company few of the mine-owners
have a good word to say. It is likely that the
Bluebell Mining Co. will follow the same course.
The Slocan and Slocan City mines are not so
fortunately situated geographically.
The Belmont-Surf Inlet Mines, Ltd., a sub-
sidiary of the Tonopah-Belmont Development
Co., continues to give a good account of itself.
The net earnings for the quarter ended Sep-
tember 30 was §68,640, and was the principal
source of income to the parent company. The
gold, which is the principal product, is collected
with the silver and copper in the form of a con-
centrate that is shipped to the Tacoma smelter.
Since the closing of the Nickel Plate mine,
at Hedley, last fall, T. Griffin has been explor-
ing his property near the N ickel Plate, and has
developed a lode some 100 ft. in width, the
whole of which is said to be shipping ore. A
trial shipment is being prepared, but, owing to
the position of the property, high up on the '
APRIL, 1921
227
mountain side, considerable trail building will
be necessary before ore can be taken from the
property.
The discovery of a deposit containing stron-
tianite and celestite is reported from Prince-
ton, and at the present time is being explored
with a view to recovery of the minerals on a
commercial scale.
Oil. — The Imperial Oil Company has ship-
ped an extra heavy drilling outfit, capable of
boring 4,000 ft., to Pounce Coupe, which is
situated in the Peace River Block, a national
forest reserve, the oil-rights of which are vested
in the Dominion Government, although it is
situated within the boundary of British Colum-
bia. Oil seepages have been noted along the
banks of the Pounce Coupe river, a tributary
of the Peace river.
C. M. Rolston, local manager for the Im-
perial Oil Company, has announced that ar-
rangements have been made with California
producers for the delivery of 600,000 barrels of
oil during the present year ; consequently, it is
likely that the company's refinery, at loco, near
Vancouver, which was closed last fall, owing
to inability to get crude oil, will be reopened
shortly. It wasexpected that therefinery would
be closed until June, when arrangements had
been made for a supply of crude oil from
Mexico.
KALGOORLIE, W.A.
February 21 .
Mining Conditions in West Aus-
tralia.— In manycountry cemeteries one sees
recorded on a tombstone a verse which relates
that the deceased was troubled sorely with
affliction for a very long time, in spite of the
efforts of his physicians. For over thirty years
the mining industry in this State has suffered
many afflictions, of which the greatest has been
the promotion of wildcat companies, due to the
inherent desire of mankind for a gamble. Un-
fortunately too often " the cards have been
stacked," so that people in all good faith put
money into companies, accepting the opinion
of men who had not the training nor experience
necessary to size up the possibilities (if any) of
the property on which they were paid to report.
The trail of the feline, which started at the
Coolgardie boom, followed at intervals at Kal-
goorlie, Bullfinch, and quite recently at Hamp-
ton Plains and Mt. Monger, has drawn atten-
tion to the worst aspect of mining and detrac-
ted from the good work done on the producing
mines.
The most recent affliction and one that
threatens to kill the industry is the award of
the Arbitration Court given at Kalgoorlie.
The miners themselves never expected to re-
ceive a minimum wage of 16s. per day. The
other penalties on the industry, including the
fortnight's holiday each year on full pay and
overtime rates, amount to so much that the
border-line between profit and loss has now
been crossed by several of the mines on their
previous ore- reserve average. The result is
that the grade has to be increased, where pos-
sible, which means the earlier demise of the
mine, or where it is not possible to do this
operations must cease.
A statement frequently made by trades
unionists, even by Presidents of Arbitration
Courts throughout Australia, is that if an indus-
try or a mine cannot afford to pay a living wage
(a term which is too variable to define) it is
better for that industry or mine to shut down.
That at first sight seems sound, but the point
is that the employers realize the economy of
paying a good man a high rate of wage, if he
will produce a profit on that wage by work
done, and the more men he employs on contract
who can and do earn above the current wage,
the cheaper are his costs, up to a limit. How-
ever, what he does object to is the payment of
men who will not, or cannot, produce the value
of the minimum rate of wages which they de-
mand, and by the award of the Arbitration
Court must now be paid. In a small mine, men
can be picked and those who will not do their
bit are weeded out, but when it comes to em-
ploying a large number there is an increased
proportion of those whosework results inadead
loss to the employer. During the war the pick
of the mine employees enlisted ; the older
miners could not maintain the average, while
those who did not enlist were, as a general rule,
the least willing workers. This has meant a
general decrease in efficiency per man and con-
sequent increase in the cost per ton. Since the
Lancefield and Sons of Gwalia have ceased
operations (to which reference will be made
later on) a great many good men from these
fields have moved into Kalgoorlie to look for
work. The managers there can now replace
the red raggers who will not work for these
men who are anxious to make good money on
contract. For some years past, on some of the
big mines, the supply of ore in the bins on
Saturday night has been hardly sufficient to
keep the mills going until Monday morning.
The advent of a more plentiful supply of men
from the above mines has relieved the position
considerably in this respect. Thus the mines
which can survive the transition period will no
doubt last for some time longer, at the sacrifice
228
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
of others whose reserves are too low in grade
to pay the high wages, together with post-war
prices for stores and machinery spares.
Lancei-ield. — The Lancefield mine, which
has been ably handled by a small company,
whose shareholders are themselves mining en-
gineers, has had to shut down, because the
margin of profit has been cut out by the award.
Before doing so, Mr. Kidgeway, managing di-
rector, called a meeting of the employees, and
made them an exceptionally generous offer to
take over the mine and mill, on a nominal trib-
ute of Is. per ton crushed, on condition that the
manager was nominated by the company. The
latter offered to finance tlie scheme until re-
turns were available. On the advice of the
Labour Union representatives, the offer was
turned down, almost without discussion. This
is an answer to the labour leaders who in times
of stress suggest taking over the mines, to show
how they could be run by miners. They evi-
dently realize that the mine-owners' profits are
not so great as they would believe, or are fright-
ened to take the risk which they expect the
company to do of making it pay. There is no
question as to the amount of ore available, so
it is not a matter of having to develop it before
they can mine it.
Sons of Gwalia. — The Sons of Gwalia,
after a career of many years as the biggest
gold producer outside of Kalgoorlie, has had
the misfortune to have its power and crushing
plants destroyed by fire. It is now a question
for the directors to decide upon the size of a
new plant which is warranted, and also how
long it will be before it can be erected. Mean-
time hundreds of men are out of work, and the
whole town of Leonora is indirectly affected.
The Minister for Mines is endeavouring to ar-
range some scheme whereby a number of these
men can reopen abandoned mines in the dis-
trict, possibly with theactivehelp of the Gwalia
Company, and crush the ore at the State Bat-
tery under a board of supervisors. It is an ex-
periment which will be watched with interest,
and its success will depend upon the amount of
co-operative effort put into it by the workers,
rather than on any artificial spoon-feeding by
the Government.
State Aid for Prospectors. — The
Minister for Mines has made a proposal to
subsidize prospectors to the extent of 70s. per
week per man, but as it has been pointed out
by those who have taken an interest in this
work, all the easily found lodes and deposits in
West Australia have been discovered, and if
any subsidized prospecting is to be a success, it
must be under the supervision of a mining
geologist. 1 1 is not only a question of systema-
tized information, which the geologist has to
blend with the practical knowledge of the pro-
spector. It is the economic reason that, if the
State pays the prospector wages, it must see
that his work is carried out to the best advan-
tage.
Hampton Plains. — At Hampton Plains
work is now mainly confined to the develop-
ment of those mines on which payable ore has
been found. On the Celebration, after some
delay in the supply and erection of the winding
and compressing plants, the main shaft is now
210 ft. down in very hard country. The spon-
sors of this property are still sanguine that,
while the lode was poor at the 193 ft. level, the
value of the ore will improve when it is cut in
settled country. It will not be long before the
shaft reaches a depth of 300 ft., when the
question will be settled.
On Lease 81, which is on ground reserved
by the Hampton Properties Company, the
Celebration lode has been found carrying good
prospects, and a shaft is being sunk to test it at
depth. Thesamecompany is sinkingtwoshafts
on a lode on Block 45, which lies several miles
to the east of the Celebration. At a depth of 50
ft. the lode in one shaft averages 1 oz. per ton
over 6 ft., and in another 75 ft. along the line of
lode averages 15dwt. per ton over 8ft. in width.
Although this belt of country is typical of the
Golden Ridge series of lodes, it appeals more
to a mining man than the more porp^yritic
country on Block 50. The Boulder No. 1
Company had an option on an adjoining lease,
but the lode they prospected, and considered
not good enough, was on a different line from
that described above. On Block 48, the Gol-
den Hope winding and pumping plant is now
being erected, and as the railway line has reach-
ed this property, the company expects that it
will shortly be able to send in regular consign-
ments of ore to Kalgoorlie to be treated.
On the White Hope mine, the lode consists
of hard sulphideore.and the developmentwork,
which is necessarily slow, has so far not reveal-
ed any long shoots.
The Hampton Areas Company is having a
geological survey of its blocks made by its
resident manager, and as a result of his work it
is quite possible that some new lodes may be
found to be worth development. By referring
to the map published in the Magazine in
October, 1919, it will be seen that the Hamp-
ton Propertiesand Areascompanieshold blocks
of land spread over a width of 30 miles, in which
there is a lot of greenstone country, which has
not yet been systematically prospected.
APRIL, 1921
229
Mount Monger. — Out of the dozens of
companies floated and hundreds of mining
leases taken up at Mount Monger during the
recent boom, there have only been a few
small crushings of rich patches of ore. One
from the Prospector's (McCahon's) Mine of
38 tons was treated at Kalgoorlie last week
for a return of 886 oz. of gold, and the tailing
is expected to add another 200 oz., which will
mean an average return of about £^150 per
ton. This ore was picked from a dump of
200 tons the balance of which is estimated to
be worth 1 oz. to the ton.
The Monger Proprietary is the next mine
to this, and has the surface portion of this pipe
of rich ore now being developed. The Lass
O'Gowrie lease, which was the cause of the
rush to the field, and on which an option was
taken at a very big price, has been dropped by
the option-holders, and the company has gone
into liquidation. With a well-known mining
engineer, I made an inspection of this field a
year ago, and while the prospector (McCahon)
invited us to sample and see his workings, the
owner of the Lass O'Gowrie refused us per-
mission to make even a cursory inspection of
his show. It has been my experience, in
this State at any rate, that if a prospector has
anything good he is willing to let a mining
engineer inspect it ; on the other hand, a re-
fusal makes one doubtful of the value of the
find.
Ravensthorpe. — At Ravensthorpe, min-
ing is also at a low ebb. Not that there are no
mines worth operating, but no improvement
can be expected until some better means are
devised for concentrating the lower-grade cop-
per ore, so that the Government smelting
works will not have to rely on high-grade ore
alone, as at present. The supplies of the lat-
ter are not sufficient to keep the furnace going.
Consequently the costs are higher than the in-
dustry can stand, with the present low price
of copper. It is possible that if the Govern-
ment were to put up a mechanical concentra-
tor for the roughs, and a flotation unit to treat
the finer sulphides, to be run in connection
with the smelter, the whole of the ore, which
is at present picked, could be mined and treat-
ed at a profit.
Oil. — During the stay of the Agent General
in the State, several speculators, who believe
that oil may be found near the south coast of
West Australia, have met and given him their
views on the matter, so that when he returns
to England, almost immediately, he will be
able to discuss the question with some firms
who are anxious to prospect for oil. The
4—5
Government Geologist, on the other hand,
does not class any of that country as likely to
be oil-bearing.
MELBOURNE.
February 1 .
Hydro-Electric Power in Tasmania.
— The sixth annual report of the Tasmanian
Government Hydro Electric Department gives
a large amount of interesting information re-
lating to the progress of the work undertaken
by this public enterprise. An active policy of
development is being carried out, although
operations have been severely retarded owing
to the conditions created by the war, and by
industrial unrest. The shortage of cement in
particular has seriously delayed the progress
of the work of constructing the Great Lake
dam, while the date of erecting pipe-lines and
other equipment will be fixed by the time when
cement supplies become available. Five new
turbines and alternators, together with switch-
gear and apparatus, are on order, but the work
of completing the power station is being done
in stages owing to the shortage of labour and
cement. The excavations for the whole ex-
tensions are well in hand, and concreting has
been commenced on that portion of the exten-
sion required to accommodate one unit.
The position of a new transmission line,
running south, has been fixed, and most of the
necessary towers have been ordered. This
line will continue on the eastern side of the
River Derwent to Risdon, instead of crossing
at Bridgewater, as it was not found practicable
to effect another crossing at this point. It is
probable that as soon as the new transmission
line is in service the existing line between
Bridgewater and Hobart substations will be
dismantled and re-erected along the same route
on the eastern shore of the Derwent, thus con-
siderably reducing maintenance costs. The
completed transmission line will include four
district circuits, one of which may be shut
down from time to time for inspection and re-
pair. The Launceston transmission line has
been located, and a good start has been made
towards clearing the route. The surveys did
not disclose as good conditions from a wood-
pole point of view as were hoped for, and the
increasing cost of labour and insulators made
it desirable to carefully investigate the ques-
tion of whether a steel tower line would not, in
the end, be more economical. Tenders have
been called for the construction of towers, and
when offers are received a decision will be
arrived at as to whether wood or steel is most
suitable material for the construction. It is
230
THE MINING MAGAZINE
anticipated that the Launceston service can be
given in about 18 months' time.
The necessary machinery for the Risdon
substation is on order. At this substation the
whole of the high-tension apparatus will he
out of doors, only the low- tension switchin;,',
measuring, and repairing apparatus being un-
der cover. The necessity for the Risdon sub
station being established to supply the P21ec
trolytic Zinc Co., has made it desirable, m
the interests of economy of operation, to make
this the substation to supply Hobart, instead
of the substation at present at New Town.
This will be arranged for by taking up the sup-
ply of the first block of power to the Zinc Co.
at Risdon, as soon as it is completed, then re
moving the outdoor portion of the present
Hobart substation to Risdon, and taking up
the Hobart supply with that ; leaving the
present indoor portion of the Hobart sub-
station available for other use. It is intended
to dismantle and re-erect this portion at Laun-
ceston in time to take up the supply of power
to that city when required. .Vrrangements
have been made to carry a high-tension line
from Risdon substation to the present Ho-
bart substation site to connect on to the
Electrona transmission line extension, and
this new interconnector will be used in the
first instance to feed the F<isdon substation.
The machinery required for duplicating the
Electrona substation has arrived, and will be
erected at an early date. This will bring the
capacity of this substation up to 8,000 k.v.a.
Great difficulties were encountered in finding
a suitable site for the new Arthur's Lakes dam.
Tests pits that were sunk revealed porous
country, but a suitable site has now been
found, and tenders are being called for the
construction of an earth-filled dam, which it
is hoped can be completed during the coming
summer. The steadily increasing cost of la-
bour, without a corresponding improvement in
the output per man on hand-work, is still a
source of considerable anxiety. The basic
wage at the Great Lake, at Liawenee, is 14s.
per day, and 13s. 4d. per day at Waddamana,
as compared with the average basic wage of
8s. 6d. per day when the work was first start-
ed. The high rate of exchange with America
and the Customs duties on imported plant are
also influences that have a severe effect on
increasing construction costs.
The officers of the department are engaged
in water-power surveys in various parts of
Southern Tasmania, and the report shows
what has been done on the Shannon, Little
Pine, Ouse, Derwent, Styx, and Huon rivers
and the Rolliston scheme. Surveys have been
completed for the proposed scheme of the
Huon river, and plans and estimates are being
prepared. The proposed works include a dam
150 fi. high, flooding about nine square miles
of land surface, and the power a\ailable will
be about 20,000 b.h.p. The larger tributaries
of the Huon are now being investigated. The
surveys of the Rolliston scheme have also
been completed, and this entails linlcing up
several small catchments by means of races
and a tunnel giving a total catchment of about
27 square miles. Four storage reservoirs will
be provided 'oy constructing dams across the
Anthony river, Newton Falls.and Julia Creeks.
The pipe-lines will consist of a 6 ft. diameter
wood pipe, 12,000 ft. long, feedmg two 48 in.
steel pipes. The head available is 1,130 static,
which gives about 22,000 b.h.p. catchment
available at turbine shaft. The Styx river
has long been regarded as the source from
which Hobart's water supply must in the near
future be augmented, but a further investiga-
tion has proved conclusively by exploration
that no storage approaching suitable size ex-
ists here, and therefore any scheme must be
based on minimum flow and auxiliary plant.
The minimum flow is about 25 cu. ft. per sec-
ond. A fall of about 500 ft. can be obtained
by a diversion of the river into Park Rivulet,
but the output for minimum flow would only
be 1,000 b.h.p. The feasibility of diverting
the Styx river into the Plenty catchment is
now being investigated, and it has been dis-
covered that a basin suitable for storage pur-
poses exists at about 700 ft. above sea level.
Some large storage is essential in order to
equalize the flow, and unless this can be made
available economically there is no future for
the Styx catchment as regards power.
NORTH OF ENGLAND.
We are now well into 1921, and there has
been no indication of any improvement in the
metal position. Lead and zinc have reached a
level that roughly corresponds with that of
1914, but the value of concentrates is of course
relatively lower. Galena of 80% Pb is worth
about £"8, while lead is /"19, but blende is
really unsaleable. I saw one formula offered
recently which gave a minus value of 23s. 6d.
perton for 50% ore, with spelter at £25. In this
case the formula gave a considerable improve-
ment with spelter at, say, .^40, and at that level
most mines would be able to produce. The
smelters do not think that lead can remain at
anything like the present low price and there
is a certainty of an appreciation. It is, how-
APRIL, 1921
231
ever, impossible to anticipate when this will
occur, and minemanagers tell me that theycan-
not work with lead at under /"SS. This of course
implies the existing ratio of cost. A permanent
recovery depends largely on coal. A substan-
tially lower price for coal would affect the mines
immediately in twodirections.that is.theactual
cost of fuel, and the lower returnmg charge pay-
able to the smelters. The first reduces the cost
of production; the second raises the valueof the
concentrates. But with the present coal strike
It is im.possible to look far ahead at present.
The principal factor is, however,labour,and re-
cently there has been a more striking alteration
m the attitude of the Union leaders. Up to re-
cently the men have been under the impression
that the owners had some mexhaustible reserve
from which to draw, and that wages could be
paid whatever the price of concentrates. They
now see the results of their demands, in the vir-
tual suspension of the lead industry, and they
realize that their members are out of employ-
ment, with but little hope of re-engagement. I
suppose that the whole situation has been care-
fully considered, as the owners are now, for the
first time, receiving the active co-operation of
the Union in the reinstatement of the industry.
It is realized that wages must come down, and
that no longer can the men be transferred to
more lucrative employment, that half a loaf is
better than no bread, and that it is now a case
of saving the ship. Several instances have
come to my notice that confirm this, where the
Union officials have unhesitatingly accepted
the principle of lower wages, on the grounds
that wages can only be payable out of produc-
tion, and that the "cost of living, with an im-
provement in the standard of life " basis, must
be abandoned for the moment.
The officials of one of the largest unions
connected with our industry came down to a
local mine, and, quite frankly, advised the men
to accept a large reduction in wages, and in-
deed to accept the principle of a minimum
wage on a really low basis, if the company
would devise some system by which an auto-
matic rise in wages would take effect when
prices improved and the cost of production be-
came lower. He pointed out to the men the
importance of reducing costs in every direction,
by better work, and stated that the " ca' canny "
idea was suicidal. The management was much
impressed by this new attitude, and agreed to
consider a scheme of the nature indicated.
Managers must not altogether found their
hopes on a rise in prices; they must concen-
trate on reducing the cost of production. Too
often this is confined to the idea of better
mechanical methods, involving heavy capital
expenditure, but I venture to submit that it is
far more important to reorganize the system of
employment, and to get the men really inter-
ested in their work. The potential savings in
thisdirection are enormous. As an illustration
which shows the margin of saving, 1 may in-
stance what occurred recently in a large mine.
The contracts were cut 20%, and in the nextsuc-
ceedingpay,the average daily wage was ashigh
as the previous month. Labour conditionsand
labour ideals must now be studied as an essen-
tial part of mine management, and I believe that
with these satisfied, the cost of production can
be enormously reduced.
The Mine Owners' Association met in Lon-
don recently, and there was naturally a feeling
of intense depression, some members even
going as far as to suggest that the Association
should be disbanded, but this was promptly
overruled. This year will undoubtedly be the
worst that has ever been experienced, and it is
more than ever important to stick together.
Many of the members feel that there should be
co-operative selling of concentrates, and at the
meeting in June a scheme may be brought for-
ward. A large buyer of blende told me that he
would not entertain buying small parcels, and
pressed upon me the importance of offering a
continued output. The Swansea smelters have
always stated that if they had asubstantial sup-
ply of blende, they would gladly give a higher
price. They want security for raw material,
and little odd lots are obviously no good to
them. The same rule applies to galena, and if
evena proportionof the minescombine, it would
be to the advantage of both the owners and the
smelters. A meeting of the Industrial Council
was held the same afternoon, and the Union
members showed a spirit of cooperation that
certainly was an immense encouragement to
the owners. It was the best meeting that we
have held, and will lead to great things if we
can continue to look upon the industry as a
joint interest of men and owners. The names
of Mr. Anthony Wilson and Mr. J. L. Francis
were suggested to act as owners' representa-
tives on the Board of Trade Consultative Com-
mittee for Non- Ferrous Mines. I hear that
Mr. Bridgeman has asked Mr. Wilson to un-
dertake this duty, and that Mr. James Wig-
nail, M.P., has been appointed to the Com-
mittee to represent the labour side.
As to the mines themselves, they are practi
cally all stopped or stopping. At Thornth-
waite the mine is being kept clear of water, and
two ends are being driven, the directors having
decided to continue this small programme in the
232
Till' MINING MAGAZINE
hope of better prices, failinR which the mine
will be dismantled. Threlkeld mine is now
stopped as a producer, and all the men have
been dismissed, except 10, wiio are engaged in
carrying tiirough a ventilation level. There are
happily no pumping charges, and the mine will
restart directly prices improve. There has
been a general reduction of 12s. per week at
both these mines, and the men have expressed
a general desire to start work directly there is
any substantial improvement in the value of
concentrates. At Greenside mine the liquida-
tion continues, and the lower rate of wages has
been accepted, but unfortunately the drawing
and dressing of the crude ore in stock has been
suspended for the present. A higher price for
galena will enable the work to be resumed, as
there is still a large tonnage of broken ore to
treat. I am afraid that the Vieille Montague
Zinc Co. have decided to permanently close
down the mines in the Alston district. This is
a great blow to the industry, their production
of blende bemg by far the largest in the coun-
try. A small programme of development is
being pursued, for thisyear,atNentsbury mine,
in the hope of finding new deposits; if success-
ful it might affect the situation.
The position at Wanlockhead and Leadhills
is critical. Despite all conciliatory influences,
including, strange to say, a visit from Mr.
Smillie, the men refuse to accept a reduction
in wages. The cost of pumping at these two
mines is approximately ;^3,000 per month,
and unless the men agree promptly to a sub-
stantial reduction in wages, the mines will be
flooded, which would mean the extinction of
the industry in that area. I sincerely hope
that the men will not persist in their unreason-
able attitude, as a temporary period of low
wages might carry the mines through the cri-
sis, and they would then have the opportunity
of participating in better times, if these come.
In the Weardale area, Boltsburn and Sed-
ling mines are both working, but at a very large
reduction in wages. I am glad to learn that
the men accepted the necessary change in a
most friendly spirit, and at lower wages they
are putting increased energy into their work.
The quarries in this valley are practically
closed down for the present, as the products,
ganister and limestone, are principally requir-
ed for the iron and steel works in the Durham
area. Lord Allendale's mines are still at work,
and I understand look well. I hear that Mill
Close mine in Derbyshire is still producing,
and that the workings look very well, but I
have no direct knowledge.
There are no mines producing in Wales.
East Ilalkyn is closed down, and at the fa-
mous Halkyn mine I believe that one level is
being driven. Continual negotiations are tak-
ing place ovisr !he tunnel scheme, but there
seems no immediate probability of a settlement
being reached. It is more than ever difficult to
understand why all parties cannot sink differ-
ences and come to a working arrangement.
The Shropshire mines are practically closed
down for the present, but this is merely tempo-
rary, the demand for barytes being very poor
just now.
1 hear that the Swansea zinc smelters have
by no means given up hope of a revival of this
industry, and that some of the works are now
engaged in repairs and improvements to the
plant. The hope is that by the end of the year
there will be much higher prices, and that lower
costs will enable them to resume work. A
small cargo of Australian zinc concentrates has
been delivered at Antwerp at a freight charge
of 45s.; with the original cost of £i. 10s. at
Port Pirie, the cost, as far as these charges,
would be £6. 15s. for 47% ore. I cannot learn
that the Board of Trade has fixed any basis for
the sale of their huge stocks of ore which still
hang over the market.
PERSONAL.
The firm of Philip Argall & Sons, of Denver, has
been dissolved.
Ralph Arnold has been on a short visit to London
from the United States.
W. Baragwanath has been appointed Director of
the Geological Survey of Victoria.
George Bargate, late of Dolcoaih, has been ap-
pointed superintendent for the Central European Mines,
Ltd., Jugo-Slavia, for which Bewick, Moreing & Co.
are the general managers.
James P. Best is returning from Nigeria.
Edgar Bonds is expected from West Africa.
Professor J. S. S. Brame has been elected presi-
dent of the Institution of Petroleum Technologists.
A. R. Canning has left for Nigeria.
W. A. Carlyle has returned to London from Can-
ada.
E. H. Clifford has resigned as consulting engineer
to the Central Mining and Investment Corporation.
]. A. Dunn, of the Bendigo Amalgamated Gold fields,
has been elected to a Frecheville Research Scholarship
at the Royal School of Mines. He is making a petro-
logical study of the rocks at Mount Bischoff before com-
ing to England.
J. C. Farrant. London manager for the Hardinge
Company, was married to Alice Christine Gaskell on
April 7.
Dr. ]. S. Flett has been elected president of the
Geological Section of the British Association meeting
to be held in September,
W. F. Garland has retired from the secretaryship
of the Mysore Gold Mining Company after serving in
that capacity for twenty years, and has been elected a
member of the board.
W. H. GOODCHILD has gone to Spain.
APRIL, 1921
233
S. V. Griffith has joined the staff of the Corocoro
United Copper Mines, Ltd., Bolivia.
A. A. Harris is back from Nigeria.
Dr. F. H. Hatch has been appointed by the Secre-
tary of Mines to be technical adviser to the department
on questions relating to the metalliferous mining in-
dustry.
Hyman Herman, engineer for briquetting for the
Victorian Electricity Commission, is going to Germany
to purchase briquetting plant for use at the Morwell
brown coal deposits.
H R. Hill has been appointed president of the
Transvaal Mine Managers' Association.
Ross B. Hoffmann has returned to the United
States.
J. VoLNEY Lewis, head of the department of geol-
ogy at Rutgers College, New Jersey, has been ap-
pointed first secretary to the Society of Economic
Geologists, recently formed in America.
Edwin Ludlow is the new president of the Ameri-
can Insiitute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.
Harold D. Martin has returned from India.
E. P. Mathewson is here from the United States.
Captain A. H. Moreing is a member of the House
of Commons Select Committee on Telephones.
H. L. Morton has left for India to take up an ap-
pointment with the Bengal Iron Company.
Edgar Pam has been appointed manager of the
Modderfontein East.
G. S. Paterson has returned from Peru, and has
gone to South Africa.
W. Pellew Harvey has left for Australia.
J. S. Penberthy has joined the staff of La Com-
pania Estanifera de Llallagua. Bolivia.
A. R. Pengilly is now at Tampico, Mexico.
John Roberts has gone to Mysore
E. G. RoBSON has gone to Venezuela.
Hugh Rose is expected from Mexico.
R. A. Rusha is expected from Nigeria.
HjALMAR E. Skougor is here from New York.
Dr. G. F. Herbert Smith has been appointed
.issistant secretary at the Natural History Museum,
South Kensington.
Dr. O. J. Stannard has left on a short visit to the
United States.
Arthur E. Taylor is on his way home from India.
J. B. Tvrrell is visiting the gas and oil regions of
-Mberta.
G. A.Watermever, a. R.S.M., has been appointed
professor of mining in University College, Johannes-
burg.
Sir Trevredvn Wynne has returned from Burma.
H. H. YuiLL is back from West Africa.
W. E. Thomas died last month from pneumonia.
S. R. Bastard, director of several Nigerian tin com-
panies, died last month.
D. T. Williams, a well known London analyst,
previously connected with the South Wales metal in-
dustry, died last month.
Henry Battens, lately manager of the Grenville
mine, died last month. He was a Cornishman by birth
and training. He spent many years in New Zealand,
where he became manager of the Hauraki gold mine.
Sir Robert Taylor, head of the firm of John Taylor
& Sons, died early ihis month. He was knighted last
vear in recognition of the firm's great services in con-
nection with Indian mining.
The Mining VF'oWii celebrated its fiftieth anniversary
this month. We wish Mr. W. Chisholm. the pro-
prietor and editor, many more years of prosperity.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
The Globe Pneumatic Engineering Co., Ltd..
of 1, Victoria Street, London, S.W 1, and Luton, send
us their new catalogue of pneumatic tools, including
hand hammer-drills and rivetters
Metropolitan VicKERS Electrical Co., Ltd.,
of Manchester and Westminster, send us leaflets relat-
ing to three-phase transformers for rotary converters
and transformers for use in collieries.
Edgar Allen & Co.. Ltd , Imperial Steel Works,
Sheffield, send us their Edgar Allen News for March.
This contains notes on the application of magnetite for
iron and steel making and the prevention of fitchenng
of drill steels.
The General Electric Company, Ltd., an-
nounce their approaching removal to a new building
erected for them in Kingsway, London, W C.2, and
named Magnet House. The showrooms will remain
at Queen Victoria Street. They also send us their cir-
cular OS. 2465 relating to their Osram miners' hand
lamp.
ViCKERS Petters, LTD., of Ipswich, send us an
elaborate catalogue relating to their Semi-Diesel Crude
Oil Stationary and Marine Engines. Among the novel
features may be mentioned the new electrical starting
apparatus. The London offices of this company are
being moved from Great Portland Street to 75b, Queen
Victoria Street.
The Mond Nickel Co., Ltd., have been giving
cinematograph shows at their offices, 39. Victoria Street,
Westminster, illustrating the operations at their Sud-
bury mines and at the Coniston smelters Mr. Robert
Mond, Chairman of the company, kindly gave most in-
teresting descriptions of the work done and of the busi-
ness of the company when a special show was given to
representatives of the press.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — Although early in March the market was
easy, in the latter part of the month things took rather
a firmer turn, this remark applying to both standard
and refined metal Some purchases of standard were
entered into some time ago on American account, and
because there were fears that the warrants might be
taken up when suet contracts matured, and as there is
comparatively little rough copper in store, bears be-
came rather anxious to cover their open positions and
a good demand ensued for intermediate dates The
result has been that standard copper values came very
close to those of refined. Latterly a more hopeful feel-
ing was engendered in the general situation by the re-
ports of further curtailment in America. It is under-
stood that not less than ten producing companies are
ceasing production, including Anaconda. Utah. Ray
Consolidated. Chino, and Nevada Consolidated. It is
not surprising that producers have got tired of turning
out their copper at a loss, and this rather drastic cut in
production should eventually improve the situation.
Meantime there are still the very large accumulations
on hand to be disposed of. It seems that in spite of re-
cent curtailments production continued in excess of
consumption, and that the accumulated stocks have in-
creased considerably since the end of the year. Con-
sumption everywhere is unsatisfactory.
Average price of cash standard copper : March 1921 .
£67. Ms. id ■. February 1921, ^71 Os.Od.; March 1920,
£109. lis. lOd. ; February 1920, ;fl20. 6s. 2d.
Tin — The general position of this metal shows no
material alteration. The price-pegging policy has been
234
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Metal 1'kichs: Official Closing
Copper. Lead, Zinc, and Tin per Loni!
CorlKl
•. V
cte
£
Standard Cash
Standard (3
mos.)
Eleetrolviie
Wire-Bars
Best Sele
J
Mar.
{. s. d.
€
s.
d.
I s.
d.
I
s.
d.
t
s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d.
{.
S.
d.
c
s.
d.
S. d.
10
6S 17 6 to
66
0
0
66 5
0 to
66
10
0
70
0
0 to
71
0
0
70
0
0 to
71
0
0
68
0
0 10
70
0 0
11
65 15 0 to
66
0
0
66 5
Oto
66
7
6
70
0
0 lo
71
0
0
70
0
0 to
71
0
0
67
10
0 to
69
10 0
14
66 2 6 to
66
7
6
66 5
0 lo
66
10
0
70
0
0 lo
71
0
0
70
0
0 10
71
0
0
67
10
0 lo
69
10 0
15
67 n 0 lo
67
5
0
66 17
6 lo
67
0
0
70
0
0 to
71
0
0
70
0
0 to
71
0
0
67
10
0 to
69
10 0
16
67 0 0 to
67
5
0
66 10
0 lo
66
15
0
70
10
0 lo
71
10
0
70
10
0 to
71
10
0
67
10
0 to
69
10 0
17
67 0 0 10
67
5
0
66 10
0 to
66
15
0
70
10
0 lo
71
10
0
70
10
0 lo
71
10
0
67
10
0 lo
69
10 0
18
68 0 C to
68
5
0
66 15
0 10
67
0
0
70
10
0 to
71
10
0
70
10
0 lo
71
10
0
67
10
Oto
09
10 0
21
67 15 0 to
68
0
0
66 15
0 lo
67
0
0
70
10
0 10
71
10
0
70
10
0 10
71
10
0
67
10
0 to
69
10 0
22
68 0 0 to
6S
5
0
66 15
0 10
67
0
0
70
15
0 to
71
15
0
70
15
0 10
71
15
0
67
10
0 10
69
10 0
23
69 0 0 to
69
2
(1
68 0
0 to
68
5
0
71
5
0 to
72
5
0
71
5
0 10
72
5
0
67
10
0 10
69
10 0
24
69 7 6 to
69
10
0
68 10
0 lo
68
12
6
71
10
0 lo
73
0
0
71
10
0 to
73
0
0
69
0
0 to
71
0 0
29
69 12 6 to
69
15
0
69 1
6 lo
69
5
0
71
10
0 lo
73
0
0
71
10
0 lo
73
0
0
69
0
0 to
71
0 0
30
70 12 6 to
70
15
0
70 0
0 lo
70
5
0
72
10
0 10
74
0
0
72
10
0 to
74
0
0
69
0
0 lo
71
0 0
31
April
1
70 0 0 to
70
5
0
69 10
0 lo
69
12
6
7J,
10
0 to
74
0
0
72
10
0 lo
74
0
0
69
0
0 10
71
0 0
69 0 0 to
69
5
0
68 10
0 10
68
12
6
72
10
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73
10
0
72
10
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73
10
0
70
0
0 10
72
0 0
4
68 0 0 to
68
5
0
67 10
Oto
07
15
0
72
10
0 10
73
10
0
7J
10
0 lo
73
10
0
70
0
Oto
72
0 0
5
68 7 6 to
68
10
0
68 0
0 to
68
2
6
71
10
0 lo
73
10
0
72
10
0 to
73
10
0
70
0
0 lo
72
0 u
6
68 15 0 to
68
J7
6
6K 10
0 to
68
12
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71
10
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73
10
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10
0 lo
73
10
0
70
0
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72
0 0
7
69 0 0 to
69
5
0
68 15
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69
0
0
72
10
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n
10
0
72
10
0 to
73
10
0
70
0
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72
0 0
8
68 17 6 to
69
0
0
_
68 15
0 to
69
0
0
72
10
0 10
73
10
0
72
10
0 to
73
10
0
70
0
0 10
72
0 0
abandoned in the Straits, but the fact remains that a
considerable accumulation of tin exists in the hands of
the Federated Malay States Government. In regard to
this it is understood that the authorities in the Straits
have come to an agreement with those in the Dutch
East Indies that their respective stocks shall not be
thrown on the market, this understanding to remain m
operation to the end of May, when presumably matters
will be reconsidered. This announcement did not have
any particular efiect upon the market, for the reason
that it had for some time been understood that the
F.M.S. Government had not intended sacrificing their
stocks at a loss, and in any case the agreement does not
refer to current production. In the meantime, business
has been initiated once more in the Straits and also with
Batavia, although no great quantities appear to have
changed hands in either quarter. So far as demand is
concerned this has been very unsatisfactory. Only a
very small business has been doing with home con-
sumers, as is understandable in view of the slackness of
the tinplate trade America has done a little business
now and then, but nothing to speak of, while Conti-
nental demand has also been restricted. A factor
which should not be lost sight of is the possibility of a
10% ad valorem duty being imposed on imports of tin
into the United Stales. If this tariff were definitely de-
cided upon it might create some demand for metal now
in this country to be shipped over there in order to get
in before the dutv is put on. In the meanwhile, how-
ever, world supplies are ample, and consumption poor,
and for that reason it is difficult to see any big price ad-
vance in sight. At the same time, at the current com-
paratively low level of values operators are cautious in
selling short. During the month of March the prices
fluctuated without any very definite tendency.
Average price of cash standard tin: March 1921,
i\56. 4s. 7d. : February 1921, /166 9s. Id. ; March
1920, /369. 14s. 5d. ; February 1920, £i')5. I6s. 6d.
Lead. — Values of this commodity recovered some-
what during the month of March from the compara-
tively low level touched towards the end of the pre-
vious month. It is difficult to give any very definite
reason for the improvement, except that the low level
referred to appeared to attract dealers, and also to some
extent consumers, with the result that prices improved.
Speaking generally, however, the quantities going into
consumption remain exceedingly restricted, while sup-
plies of metal are steadily coming forward. A certain
amount of speculative interest has been seen in the mar-
ket, possibly based upon the hope that the reduction in
the bank rate which is expected will be the means of
stimulating trade and giving a greater outlet for the
metal. In regard to stocks abroad, there is no definite
news as to how much is held in Spain, but a good quan-
tity is believed to be there. The new reparation pro-
posals in regard to Germany might be the means of
retarding further supplies from there, but these were
not, after all, an important factor in the situation. A
feature recently has been further arrivals from Belgium.
Australia virtually remains out of the picture so far as
lead supplies are concerned. The .\merican market
has shown a fluctuating tendency. It is believed in
some quarters that the duty on imports into the United
States might be raised, in which case some shipments
from here might take place with the object of getting
the metal into America before the increase takes place.
It is possible that some of the firmness seen in the
market here was due to such anticipations.
Average price of soft pig lead : March 1921, ;f 19. 2s.
9d. ; February 1921, /21 ; March 1920, I'M. Is. 9d ;
February 1920, ./50. 12s. 9d
Spelter. — Business in this article with theconsum-
inglradeswasalittlebriskerduringlhemonth of March,
but thetakingsof consumers still remain very restricted.
At one time some anxiety was felt in regard to supplies
from Germany. It was feared that the new reparation
proposals, whereby 50"o of the value of such imports
have to be paid to our Government, would be the means
of stopping supplies, and as a consequence the market
showed considerable firmness. However, fears in re-
gard to the immediate future were dispelled by the an-
nouncement that purchases made prior to March .S and
arriving before April 15 would be exempt, and with cer-
tain quantities coming forward from Germany, values
eased off. So far as future offers from Germany are
concerned it is difiicult to see exactly how matters will
shape themselves. In the meanwhile little has been
offering from that quarter, but some business has been
done both with Scandinavia and Belgium. Only limited
quantities appear to be procurable from the latter coun-
APRIL, 1921
235
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Tons : Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tin
Silver
Zinc
Spelter)
_
GoL
Soft Foreign
English
(
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
D
£ s.
d. £ s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
s.
d
Mar.
19 0
0 to 19 10
0
20
10
0
26
0
Oto 26
5
0
149
10
Oto 150
0
0
153
0
oto 153
10
0
311
3o;
105
7
10
18 10
0 to 19 2
6
20
0
0
26
5
0 to 26
10
0
155
10
Oto 156
0
0
159
0
Oto 159
10
0
3li
31
105
3
11
19 0
0 to 19 7
6
20
10
0
26
7
6 to 2b
12
6
159
10
0 to 160
0
0
163
10
0 to 164
0
0
334
324
105
2
14
19 0
0 to 19 7
6
20
10
0
26
0
0 to 26
7
6
157
0
0 to 157
10
0
160
0
Oto 160
10
0
334
21j
105
6
15
18 17
6 to 19 2
6
20
10
0
25
10
Oto 26
2
6
153
0
Oto 153
5
0
156
0
Oto 156
10
0
324
3li
105
1
16
18 15
0 to 19 0
0
20
0
0
24
17
6 to 25
10
0
156
0
0 to 156
5
0
159
5
Oto 159
10
0
32i
3l5
105
4
17
18 15
0 to 19 0
0
20
0
0
25
0
0 to 25
17
6
151
15
Oto 155
0
0
157
15
Oto 158
0
0
32S
32S
105
0
18
19 0
0 to 19 5
0
20
0
0
25
0
Oto 26
0
0
156
0
0 to 156
10
0
159
10
Oto 160
0
0
33g
33
104
10
21
19 0
0 to 19 7
6
20
5
0
25
2
6 to 26
2
6
157
0
Oto 157
5
0
160
10
0 to 160
15
0
34*
333
32i
105
0
22
19 7
u to 19 15
0
20
10
0
25
10
0 to 26
10
0
160
5
Oto 160
10
0
164
0
Oto 164
5
0
33S
105
0
23
20 5
0 to 20 15
0
21
10
0
25
10
0 to 26
12
6
165
10
Oto 165
15
0
163
0
Oto 168
10
0
33i
33i
3.i
104
11
24
20 2
6 to 20 12
n
21
10
0
25
5
0 to 26
10
0
161
10
0 to 161
12
6
165
0
Oto 165
5
0
33
104
11
29
20 0
0 to 20 10
0
21
10
0
24
5
Oto 26
0
0
159
10
0 to 159
15
0
162
15
Oto 163
0
0
33
104
6
30
20 0
0 to 20 7
6
21
5
0
24
5
0 to 25
15
0
158
10
Oto 159
0
0
162
0
Oto 162
10
0
33J
32i
104
9
31
April
19 15
0 to 20 2
6
21
5
0
24
5
Oto 25
15
0
157
5
Oto 157
10
0
160
15
Oto 161
0
0
324
32|
104
10
1
19 7
fi to 19 15
0
;o
15
0
24
0
Oto 25
10
0
154
0
0 to 154
5
0
157
0
Oto 157
10
0
33i
32j
105
0
4
19 10
0 to 19 17
6
21
0
0
24
5
0 to 25
15
0
152
10
Oto 152
15
0
156
5
Oto 156
10
0
33
32|
32l
105
5
5
20 0
0 to 20 7
6
21
10
0
24
15
Oto 26
0
0
154
10
Oto 155
0
0
157
15
Otol5S
0
0
33i
104
11
6
20 5
0 to 20 12
6
21
15
0
25
0
Oto 26
10
0
158
10
Olo 158
15
0
lei
10
Oto 162
0
0
334
325
104
7
7
20 10
0 to 20 17
6
22
0
0
25
7
6 to 26
7
6
159
10
Oto 159
15
0
163
0
0 to 163
5
0
33g
33
104
11
S
try. as they are by no means pressing sales. So far as
America is concerned that country has not been a factor
in this market one way or another. The future of the
market here is very obscure. This country has been
relying largely for some time past on German supplies,
and the market here has been practically based on the
price at which Germany offered. It would be natural
to suppose that the new 50% regulation, already re-
ferreti to, would be the means, if anything, of restrict-
ing offers from Germany, or at least of making their
prices higher, but whether such apprehensions are
felt or not the market so far has not reflected them
materially.
Average price of spelter : March 1921, ;f 25. 10s. 5d. ;
February 1921, /25. 5s. 5d. ; March 1920, £5-i. 16s. 7d. ;
February 1920, ;f62. 3s. 6d.
Zinc Dust. — The market is quiet and prices are
easier. High-grade Australian stands at about ;f 55 per
ton upwards, American at ;f57. 10s. to £62. 10s., and
English at {60 per ton.
Antimony. — The price of English regulus remains
at £■37 lo(W for ordinary brands and /38. 5s. to £42
for special brands. Foreign regulus on spot is quoted
at ;^23. 10s. to £25 per ton in warehouse.
Arsenic. — The market is stagnant, Cornish white
being nominal around £4S to £50 per ton delivered.
Bismuth. — The chief interest continues to quote
7s. 6d. per lb.
Cadmium. — The market is quiet, with the quotation
6s. to 6s. 3d. per !b.
Aluminium. — The price has kept steady of late at
£150 per ton for both home and export.
Nickel. — £200 per ton is quoted for both home and
e.xport business.
Cobalt Metal. — Business is quiet, and the present
price is 19s. per lb
Cobalt Oxide. — Black oxide is quoted at lbs. and
grey at 17s. 6d.
Platinum and Palladium. — Manufactured metal
(sheets and wire) is quoted at £l9per oz.. but raw plati-
num in substantial parcels is obtainable around £17
per oz,. and palladium at £l5.
Quicksilver. — The market is quiet and without any
special feature. The price has kept steady at £l2. 10s.
to £12. 15s. per bottle.
Selenium. — Business is quiet, with 10s. 6d. to 13s.
per lb. quoted by sellers.
Tellurium. — There is no change in the quotation,
which continues at 90s. to 95s. per lb.
Sulphate of Copper — The tendency recently has
been weaker, the present price being about £34 per ton.
Manganese Ore. — The market is quiet and weak,
the latest quotation for Indian grades being Is. 4d. to
Is. 5d. per unit c.i.f. U.K.
Tungsten Ores. — There is practically no business
passing in the market, and sellers are reluctant to sell
at less than lis. 6d. to 14s., although buyers' ideas are
below these figures.
Molybdenite. — 85% is quoted at 55s. to 65s. per
unit c.i.f. U.K.
Chrome Ores. — The quotation for 48% is £5. 10s.
to £6 per ton c.i.f. U.K.
Silver. — Spot standard bars opened the month at
32id., declined to 30§d. on March 5, and then recovered
till 34 Jd. was reached on the 22nd. The quotation later
receded, however, and the price on March 31 was 33Jd.
Graphite. — The price of Madagascar 80 to 90% is
£20 to £25 per ton.
Iron and Steel. — At the beginning of March the
Cleveland ironmasters brought their selling price down
by about 45s. per ton. making No. 3 Cleveland 150s.
for home and 155s. for export. This reduction was
followed by othermakers. but did not domuch to stimu-
late consumption, and production has had to be drasti-
cally curtailed. In the finished iron and steel branches,
the amount of new business which has been passing
during the last month has been very small, and works
have been only able to carry on to a restricted extent.
The Continental works too are badly oft lor orders and
have been forced to make severe cuts in their prices in
order to secure what business was about. In this
country, certain price reductions have been made, but
prices are still far too high to permit of a revival of good
trade. The coal position looks like dealing a further
disastrous blow to the iron and steel trades, the extent
of which it is impossible to estimate at the time of writ-
ing. In spite of it, however, Cleveland ironmasters,
early in April, made a further cut in their prices of 305.
per ton, thus bringing the price of No. 3 to 120s. per
ton for the home trade.
236
IHK MINING MAGAZINE
STATISTICS.
Prodiictiow or Gold in thk Transvaal
Total
Year 1919
January. 1920
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
Septeuiber ...
October
November ...
December
Tolal. 1920
January. 1921
February
Rand
Oi.
653.295
607 918
689,615
667.926
681.551
6'9.199
718.521
683.604
665.486
645.819
618.525
61' 519
Else-
where
Oi.
218.820
17.208
17.412
17 391
19,053
17.490
16.758
17.578
18,479
16,61<7
16,653
15,212
14.666
Ot.
8.330.091
670.503
625.130
707 036
686.979
699.041
715.957
736.099
702.083
6B2.)73
662.472
633.737
632.215
Price of
Gold peroz.
s. d.
107
110
105
102
105
102
105
112
115
117
117
115
201.587
14.168
14.370
651.593
588,137
105 C
103 9
Nativks Emplovbd in the Transvaal Mines.
January 3 1 , 1920
February 29
March 31
April 30
May 31
June 30
July 31
Ausust31
September 30
October 31
November 30
December 31
January3i. 1921
February 28
Gold
mines
176.390
185.185
188.564
189.446
184.722
179.827
174.187
169.263
163.132
159.426
158.773
1 '9.671
165.287
171.518
Coal
12.766
12.708
12,788
12.951
12.897
13.036
13.005
13.535
13.716
13 858
14.245
14. '63
Diamond
4.796
5.217
5.232
5.057
4.793
4.596
4.521
4.244
4.323
4.214
3.504
3 34(1
14.541
14.697
3.319
1.612
Total
193.952
203.110
206584
207.454
202.412
197.459
191.713
187.042
181.171
177.498
176.522
177.274
Transvaal Gold Outputs.
181.147
1.S7.827
Cost and Profit on the Rand
Compiled from oflicial statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines. The profit available for dividends is about
65% of the working profit. Figures for yield and profit for 1919
based on par valueof gold ; subsequently gold premium included
Tons
milled
Yield
per ton
Work'f
cost
per ton
s, d
22 11
Work'g
profit
per ton
Total
working
profit
Year 1919
24.043.636
s. d
28 7
34 4
35 1
31 8
31 5
31 9
31 10
33 6
36 11
38 11
39 9
40 2
39 11
s. d,
5 6
6.605,509
January. 1920---
February
2.038 092
1. 869. 180
2,188.104
2.065.446
2.117.725
2.146.890
2.194.050
2.057.560
1.950.410
1.871.140
1.79U.710
1.79'.9"0
24 2
28 3'
25 2
26 3
25 11
25 2
24 6
25 0
25 6
26 1
26 3
"fi 8
10 2
6 10*
6 6
5 2
5 10
6 8
9 0
11 11
13 5
13 8
13 1
13 3
1.036.859
644.571*
716.610
533.940
618.147
692.510
985.058
1,226 906
April
May
September -■-
1,276.369
1,278.385
1.255.749
1.19i 672
November
rtecember
January. 1921,.
1.895.235
35 0
26 3
8 9
829.436
* Results affected by the backpay disbursed in accordance
with new wages agreement.
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1920
1921
JaDuary
February
March
April
May - •■
£
211,917
220.885
225.808
213,160
218.057
214.215
214.919
207 339
223.719
204.184
186.462
153.835
oz.
43,42»
44.237
45 779
47.000
46.266
45.0'.4
46.208
4('.740
45.471
47.343
46.782
46,190
oz.
46,956
40,816
July
—
September ..
October
November ...
December --
-
Tmal
2.499,498
552,498
93,772
February
Treated Yield
Aurora West
brakpan
City Deep
Cons. Langlaagte
Cons. Mail] Reef
Crown Mines
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand P.M
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburg
Goch
Government G.M. Areas
Kleinfoiitein
Knight Central
Langlaagte Estate
Luipaard's Vlei
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein
Modderfontein B
Moddeifontein Deep
Modderfontein East
New Unified
Nourse
Primrose
Randfontein Central
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Koodepoort United
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates--
Van Ryn
' Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Rand Consolidated
Witwalersrand (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep —
Wolhuter
March
Tons
7.080
48.500
52. SCO
14,300
33.000
124.00C
24.550
112.000
22,500
40.000
39.760
5.560
12,00(
111,500
43,800
21.300
27.100
14.360
9,700
83,000
50,000
39,4C0
25,000
9.300
35.600
20.300
100.500
26,700
39,200
22.00f
47.500
53.200
29.500
9.500
14.835
28.100
46.800
43.300
30.100
28,500
32.C60
23.600
Treated
Oz.
£l0.030t
19.937
22.260
£27,987t
11,515
42„328
7,719
29,099
7,457
14,058
10,804
£5.5f0t
fl3,t98t
£231,4001
11,723
5.469
f 45. 283 1
£10.9051
£31.5401
39.580
25,324
21.656
9.883
£10.762)
11.678
£22.328+!
£162.6051
5.769
12.208
£22,22tl
10,748
12.657
12.843
5.C66
£26.129!
£44.519t
£127.8771
13.475
£45.7691
£43.0411
£49,205)
5,928
Tons
10.000
52.000
85.000
42 000
47.800
187.00(
26,500
131.500
52.000
45.000
46.95(
3,277
16,600
136.000
48.00(
25 KOO
40,000
14.300
92,000
37,000
42,700
26 000
10.900
42.000
21.700
120,000
39.800
60.100
23.000
53.300
61.100
42.000
9.900
13.945
31,100
50.600
48.700
32.300
32.000
•
32.200
1^
tio.
Yield
Oz.
£14.595)
22.319
36.584
£62.419)
16,759
51.218
8.778
34,270
10,290
15.359
12.781
,;4.990)-
v20.284)
£283.290)
13.297
6,178
£62,290)
«
£45.361)
43.114
29.200
22.809
10.430
£l3,219t
13,253
£24,397)
£187,469)
7,814
17.279
£22.209)
12.871
13.540
18.776
5.557
£22,4151
£47.453t
£138.977)
14.643
£48.892)
£47.940)
8,291
* Returns not yet received. ) £5. 3s. 9d. per oz. t £5. 2s. 9d.
per oz
West African Goto Outputs.
Abbontiakoon
Abosso
Akoko
Asbanti Goldfields
Obbuassi
Prestea Block A
Taquah
January
Treated Value
Tons
6.330
5,CO0
4,691
680
7.898
2 755
£9.304*
1.989
February
Treated Value
Tons
6.057
4.240
5.375 4.603
£2.252) 662
£14,534' 6,923
1,620 I 2,500
Oz.
£9.543*
1,696
5.059
£2.414)
£12.914*
1.627
* At par. I Including premium.
Rhodestan Gold Outputs,
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe Sc Phoenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian -
Lonely Reef
Planet-Arcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia, Ltd
Rhodesia G-M. & I
Sbamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian .
January
15.301
2.813
5,949
5,350
5.750
5,436
661
50.700
1.550
2.803'
1,383
7,206
5,219
2,535
2.536
253
£40-4505
£5.440+
February
Treated
Tons
8.200
15.103
3.211
5.364
790
2.213
4.900
5.470
5.100
509
25.500
1.450
Oz.
* Also 241 tons copper. § Gold at 110s. per oz. f At par.
I Gold at £5 per oz. I: Also 251 tons copper.
1.495
2.S94N
1,356
6,319
343
£2,799
4.776
2,612
2,466
194
£17,795!
£5,116)
APRIL, 1921
237
West Australian Gold Statistics.— Par Values,
Reported
forExpon
lanuacy. 1920 .
February
March
April
May
[una
Inly
Aiitjust
September ....
October
November ....
nccember ..■■
l.iriuary. 1921 •
February
March
836
1.928
835
227
502
167
141
174
128
321
523
684
10
Delivered
to Mint
oz.
25.670
49.453
54.020
56.256
50.976
56.679
48,341
54.258
54,940
53,801
54,729
53,595
50,934
26.872
47.875
Total
26.506
112.590
51.381
218.251
54.020
229.461
57.091
242.506
51.203
217.495
57.181
242.638
48.341
205.340
54.425
231.185
55.081
233,963
53.975
229 275
54.857
233.017
53.916
229.057
51.457
218.574
27.556
117,050
47.885
203,401
Total
value £
Australian
Gold Returns.
Victoria.
Queensland.
Wales
1919
1920
1919
1920
1920
£
1921
£
Oz.
£
Oz.
£
January ■■■
36,238
7.105
37,100
4.724
28.000
20,463
February
46.955
8,677
43,330
7.200
15.000
21,575
March
40.267
24.126
48,000
6.973
22.000 1 —
April
63,818
6.368
61,200
8.368
12.000
—
May
37 456
13 ''63
38 200
8 432
13 80O
44,600
42.060
8,700
17,410
July
37.395
12.782
9.596
—
Aueust ...
51.564
12.S09
49.700
9.973
17,168
—
September
76.340
13,973
37.120
11.789
13,872
—
October ..
39.018
13.432
36.100
9,300
24,752
—
November
40.735
9.245
32.720
10,200
16,907
—
December
63.311
15,305
44.500
12.874
18.137
—
Total ...
575.260
152.792
514.630
114.181
207,746 _
42,038
Australasian Gold
Outputs.
January.
February
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Associated G.M. (W.A.)..
Blackwater (N Z )
Tons
2,677
2,129
5.350
3,528
3,544
4,987
1,360
5,672
7.087 J
J
(
1,320
£
2.90711
3.47111
5.52S
1.772:
10.62311
2.193;
2.289
1.760;
1.787
23,654
4,123*
Tons
5,355
2.710
4.550
9.0S4
8,080
13,705
4.703
7.344
1.360
5.751
2.063
8.830
12.830 1
♦* 10.710 1
1,063
£
7,60111
4,73211
Golden Horseshoe (W.A.)
Great Boulder Pro.(W.A.)
Ivanhoe (W.A.I
•<.6f9;
25.04811
5.029:
Lake View , Si Star (W.A).
Menzies Con. (W.A.)
Mount Boppy(N.S.W ) ..
Orova Links (W A )
9.969 f
2.604
1.393;
1 1 660+
Sons of Gwalia(W.A)
South KalgurlKW.A.)
WaihKN.Z.)
Waihi Grand ]unc'n(N.Z.)
17.83011
3.472
20,971
3,119
13,690
3,423*
f Including royalties ; X Oz. gold
* Including premium.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs
§Oz silver;
** 7 weeks.
At par ;
January
February
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Brit. Plat & Gold(C'lbia)
El Oro (Mexico)
Tons
29,500
2.020
12.050
—
6.300
9.000
37.588
75**
15.000
221§
200.000f
1.249:t
5,558
163.240)
39.729*
75.5C0I
2,0821'
11,435
35.000
10.104:
71.000t
Tons
28.250
2.680
9.425
6.300
8.100
32.407
60*'
14.000
i
229§
201 OOOt
Frontino & Bolivia (C'lbia)
Mexico El Oro (Mexico)...
Minine Corp. of Canada •
Oriental Cons. (Korea)
8.268
158.980*
92.500+
2,07611
10.374
38.300
1.233;
Ply mouthCons. (Calif 'rnia!
St. John del Rev (Brazil)
Sanla Gerlrudis (Mexico)
Tomboy (Colorado)
56.000+
I U.S. Dollars 1 Profit, eold and silver II Oz. sold. * Oz. silver.
8 Oz ti'atinum and field. ** Production of silverore.
Pato (Colombia): 17 days to March 4. $24,184 gold from 57.110
cu yd ; U days to 16 March. $20,237 from 41. grecu yd.
Nechi (Colombia) : 28 days to March 1 . $57,529 gold from 202.097
cu. yd. : 13 days to March 14, $28,416 from 101,045 cu. vd.
Production of Gold in India.
1 1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
January
February ...
March
oz.
44.718
42.566
44.617
43.726
42,901
42.924
42 273
42 591
4J.207
43.041
42.915
44,883
520,362
oz.
41.420 .
40.787
41.719
41.504
40.889
41.264
40.229
40.496
40.088
39.472
36.984
40.149
485.236
oz.
38.184
36.834
38.317
38.248
38.608
38.359
38.549
37.850
36.813
37.138
39.628
42.643
4'il.l71
oz.
39,073
38.872
38.760
37.307
38.191
37.864
37.129
37.375
35.497
35.023
34.522
34.9 9
444.532
oz.
34.028
32,529
32.576
May
July
Aueust
September
October
November
December
Total ...
99,133
Indian Gold Outputs.
Balagbat
Champion Reef....
Mysore
North Anantapur .
Nundydroog
Ooregum
February.
Tons Fine
Treated Ounces
3.000
10.831
15.950
700
8.324
12.500
2.220
4.561
11.563
917
4.901
8.367
March.
Tons Fine
Treated Ounces
3.250
11.710
15.573
700
8.952
12.900
2.324
4.407
11.285
908
5.204
8.448
Base Metal Outputs.
Arizona Copper Short tons copper
I Tons lead cone
British Broken Hill ... \ Tons zinc cone
(Tons carbonate ore.
D , u-n r, I Tons lead cone.
Broken Hill Prop 1 Tons zinc cone
Broken Hill South Tons lead cone,
Tons re6ned lead ...
Burma Corp.
I Oz. refined silver .
Freinantle Trading ...Long tons lead
Hampden Cloncurry.. { 1°^''^f",..
Kafue Copper. •■.■ Short tons copper
f Tons copper
Mount Lyell -j Oz silver
(Oz.gold
M°-t Morgan \^^r^^^. .::::::::.
North Broken Hill ■■■\^^::::::::::;:,
Pilbara Copper Tons ore
Poderosa Tons copper ore
Rhodesian Broken Hill---Tons lead ; ..■
S'th American Copper Tons cop. ore ship'd..
c. , ,-, - .- I Tons lead cone.
Sulphide Corporation , .j.^^^ ^.^^ ^^^^
Tanganyika Long tons copper
-,. r- J Tons zinc cone
^■"""^"■•P iTonsleadconc
• Dec. 16 to Feb. 9. + 8 weeks to
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc.. into U
Jan.
1.150
1.320
1.190
40
845
2.4fO
1.693
2.548
234.487
473
672
24.277*
72V
340
4.485
170
150
1.442
1.585
2.580
1.290
4.015
287
2,770
2,601
231,664
370
406
12,816
409
975 1
13,025 +
203
420
1,215
1,811
2,990
1.4f7
7,650
552
March 20.
nited Kingdom.
Iron Ore Tons ...
Manganese Ore Tons ■•
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons ...
Copper Ore. Matte, and
Precipitate Tons ...
Copper Metal Tons ...
Tin Concentrate Tons ...
Tin Metal Tons ...
Lead. Pig and Sheet Tons -.
Zinc(Spelter) Tons ...
Quicksilver Lb. ...
Zinc Oxide Tons ..
White Lead Cwt. .-
Barytes. ground Cwt.
Phosphate Tons
S6lphur Tons ..
Borax Cwt. ..
Other Boron Compounds Tons .
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. ..
Nitrate of Potash Cwt. ...
Petroleum ■
Crude Gallons
Lamp Oil Galk>nv
Motor Spirit Gallons
Lubricating Oil Gallons
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil Gallons
Total Petroleum Gallons
Feb.. 1921
283.839
35.193
40.719
3.555
7.186
2.546
1.581
14.6'*4
4,319
16.982
23')
5.939
22.646
37,465
960
1.4 -'8
133.664
7.525
920.111
14.621,851
n 77S41fi
3,392.702
3.193.753
33.515.259
69.420,821
Mar., 1921,
257,324
20.987
38.166
932
12,483
2.255
576
12.560
5.803
378.750
342
4.889
18 588
25 726
6.435
l.C'59
3.448
58,079
12.716
11.603.953
23.056.818
3,84 ',085
4.282,603
41.148.617
83.938.899
238
THK MINING MAGAZINE
OfTPUTS 0¥ Tin Mining Companies.
In Tons of Concentrate.
PKonyCTioN OK Tin in Fkdkratku Malav Statks.
EsitoiVdd at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters.
^ \ Long Tons.
Nigeria :
Associated Ninerian
Bisichi
Bonfiwelli
Champion (Nigeria)
Dua
Es- Lands
Filani
Gold Coast Consolidated
Gurum River
Jantar
Jos
Kaduna
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Lower Bisichi
Lucky Chance ■
Minna
Monnu
Naraguta
Naraguta Extended
Nigerian Consolidated
N.N. Bauchi
Offin River
Hayfield
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Varde Kerri
Federated Malay States:
Cheiideriang
GopenR
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamunting
Kinta
Lahat
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Ranibutan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall ■
East Pool
Geevor
South Crofiy
Other Countries :
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia)
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook Ronpibon (Siam)
Leeuwpoort iTransvaal)
Macready (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rooiberg Minerals (Transvaal).-
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam)
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
Dec.
Jan.
Feb
Tons
Tons
Tons
20
7
-
10
.:5
25
5j
5
-
11
_
-
.jfl
14
35
30
20
5i
■1
34
3
12
11
12
20
-
-
26i
_
15,
'l\
14
6
143
s4
54
4
n -
9i
a
li
\
i4
50
51
60
42
.55
-
17
10
10
23
17
24
50
40
10
9i
-
37
45
30
126
86
82
44
4
15
18
-
44
1
4
4
4
5
54
/
103*
_
-
66
72
66
173
21
194
19j
154
120'
_
-
353
31}
2,Si
60i
68i
564
834
804
80*
166
166
136
15
164
15
30
33
35
30
254
29
27
?1
15
■<a
36
19
891 (
95 ^
-
62t
551
-
154
157
130
18
24
26
13
11
8
304
20
16
247*
-
-
19*
_
-
89^
90
314
-
45
45
ni
83
50
73
67
33
27
21
13
* Three months, t Tin and wolfram.
Nigerian Tin Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unspeci6ed content.
Koie These figures are taken from the tnonthly returns
made by individual companies reporting in London, and
Probably represent 85% of the actual outputs.
1916
1917 1918 1919 1920
1921
Tons
January 531
February ... 528
March 547
April 486
May 536
June 510
July 506
August 498
September 535
Ociober 584
November ... 679
December ..- 654
Tons
667
646
655
555
509
473
479
551
538
578
621
655
Tons
678
668
707
534
525
492
545
571
520
491
472
518
Tons Tons
613 547
623 477
606 505
546 467
4S3 383
484 435
481 484
616 447
561 528
625 628
536 544
511 577
Tons
438
370
Total , 6.594
6.927
6.771
6.685 6.022
SOS
1917
1918
Tons
3.030
3.197
2.609
3.308
3.332
3.070
3.373
3,259
3.157
2.870
3.132
3.022
1919
1920
Tons
4.263
3.014
2.770
2.606
2.741
2.940
2.824
2.786
2.734
2.837
2.573
2.838
1921
Tons
January -■. 3.558
February ... 2.755
March 3.286
April , 3.251
May ' 3.413
Tons
3,765
2.734
2,819
2.858
3.407
2.877
3.756
2.956
3.161
3.221
2.972
2.409
Tons
3.298
3.111
July 3.253
AuRusI 3.413
September. 3.154
October 3.436
November . 3.300
December . 3.525
-
1 39.833
37.370
36.935
34.928
6,409
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long Tons.
Straits and Australian Spot
Ditto. Landing and in Transit...
Other Standard, Spot and Land-
ing
Straits. Afloat
Austral ian, Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Uitlo. Afloat
Billiion, Spot
Billiton. Afloat
Straits. Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto. Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States...
Stock in America
Jan. 31
2,701
40
Feb. 28 ( Mar- 31
2.128
to
1,738
80
Total .
4,960
5 365
5.456
345
40
385
264
295
200
3.341
3.187
2.974
356
209
—
755
755
579
141
~
60
z
95
2.595
1.385
781
2.546
3.546
3.476
18.104
16.900
15.764
Shipments. Imports, Supply, and Consumption of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
Shipments from :
Straits to UK.
Straits to America
Straits to Continent
Straits to Other Places
Australia to U.K.
U.K. to America
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
Supply:
Straits
Australian
Billiton
Banca
Standard
Total
Consumption :
U K. Deliveries
Dutch
American ..
Straits. Banca & Billiton. Con-
tinental Ports, etc.
Total
■ Jan.
Feb.
Mar
35
20
395
960
220
395
60
—
125
106
33
289
350
100
50
985
715
100
341
800
366
f 1,055
240
915
350
100
50
4,98
79
1.290
1.561
1,290
3.193
1.961
2.334
1.254
I.32I
1.359
269
164
389
1.555
1.585
1 683
490
35
39
3.568
3.568
3.470
APRIL, 1921
239
Outputs Reported by Oil-Producing Companies.
Anylo- Egyptian Tons ...
Anglo- United Barrels
Apex Trinidad Barrels
British Burniah Barrels
Caliex Barrels
DaciaRomana Tons
Kern River Barrels
Lobitos Tons ...
Roumanian Consol. Tons ■■•
Santa Maria Tons ■■-
Steaua Roniana Tons ...
Trinidad Leaseholds ---Tons ...
United of Trinidad Tons ■■■
18.130
6,951
61.540
111.880
258
110.635
8.'144
1,520
1.286
18,610
12.750
4.258
16.991
9.219
56.023 j
78,962 I
95.010
7,659
1.282
1.000
14,991 I
11.400 I
3,767 I
March
13.627
8,900
43.525
13.400
Quotations of Oil Companies' Shares.
Denomination of Shares £^1 unless otherwise noted.
Anglo-American
Anglo-Egyptian B
Anglo-Persian Pref
Anglo United. Wyoming ■■■■
Apex Trinidad «
British Biirmah (Ss.)
Burniah Oil
Caltex iSli
Dacia Rocnano
Kern River, Cal (10s.)
Lobitos, Ecuador
Mexican Eagle. Ord. (^JlO--.
„ Pref. ($10) .
North Caucasian llOs.)
Phcenix. Roumania
Roumanian Consolidated ....
Royal Dutch UOO gulden) ....
Scottish American
Shell Transport. Ord
Pref. (£lQ) .
Steaua Rotnana
Trinidad Central
Trinidad Leaseholds
l!nited British of Trinidad .
Ural Caspian
Uroz Oilfields (lOs.)
March 8,
April 7.
1921
1921
£ s.
d.
f.
s. d.
4 10
n
4
7 6
1 17
ft
1
17 6
1 1
0
1
2 0
12
6
10 0
2 7
6
2
10 0
17
6
17 6
6 17
6
(i
17 6
a
0
7 6
1 0
0
17 6
1 1
0
1
2 0
4 1
3
i
17 6
5 10
0
5
7 6
5 5
n
5
5 0
12
6
12 6
12
0
12 0
14
0
12 6
48 0
0
44
0 0
16
5
15 0
5 6
3
5
0 0
8 0
0
fi
0 0
15
0
14 3
3 10
n
3
5 0
2 7
6
2
5 0
17
6
17 fi
12
(i
13 9
8
9
8 9
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
Company
March 26 Balaghat
Ai>ril H Borax Consolidated
March 17 British Aluminium-.
March 16 City & Suburban
Match 30 Ferreira Deep
March 14 Glencairn
March 30 Globe and Phoenix
April -5 Globe and Phoenix
March 24 Gopeng Consolidated
March 30 Ivanhoe .
March 10 Jupiter Gold
March 22 Kern River Oilfields
March 10 Knights Deep
March 19 Kramat Pulai
March 17 i Marbella Iron Ore ..
March 24 , .Mason & Barry
March 50 | Nechi Mines
March 24 Nundydroofi
April 8 Ooregum Gold
April 6 Pahang Corporation
March 24 j Shamva Mines.
March 31 Tharsis Sulphur &
I Copper
Par
Value of
Shares
Amount of
Dividend
10s.
Prf. Ord.
£5.
Ord. £l
£l.
£\.
£1.
5s.
5s.
&
£\.
lOs.
£\.
£\.
£3.
£i
Pref !0s.
10s.
Ord. lOs.
£l Pref
£l.
£2.
Is. Hd. less tax
a /o
6% less tax
1 City Deep share
for every
10 shares held
7h%
2s.*
2s. tax paid
Is. tax paid
9d. less tax
2s. less tax
2s. 9d.^
7i% less tax
12s.*
Is. less tax
6s. less tax
25% less tax
Is. 3d. less tax
Is. less tax
Is. 6d. less tax
3i% less tax
7h% less tax
15% less tax
' First distribution on liquidation.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. Apnl 9.
These quotations are not absolute ; they vary accordin
quantities required and contracts running.
£
Acetic Acid, 40% percwt. 1
80% „ 2
M Glacial „ 2
Alum per ton 18
Alumina, Sulphate of ,. 16
Ammonia, Anhydrous per lb.
0880 solution per ton 46
Carbonate per lb.
., Chloride of, grey per ton 50
" .. .. pure percwt. 4
» Nitrate of per ton 50
„ Phosphate of „ 95
Sulphate of „ 34
Antimony, Tartar Emetic per lb.
„ Sulphide, Golden .,
Arsenic, White per ton 50
Barium Carbonate ,, H
., Chlorate per ib.
n Chloride per ton 20
.1 Sulphate 10
Benzol. 90% per gal.
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 55
Bleaching Powder. 35% CI 19
.. Liquor, 7% M 7
Borax 38
Boric Acid, crystals , 74
Calcium Chloride „ 10
Carbolic .'Vcid, crude 60% per gal.
1. crystallized, 40^ per lb.
(3
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton ■
u
Citric Acid per lb.
Copper. Sulphate of per ton 33
Cyanide of Sodium. 100% per lb.
Hydrofluoric Acid „
Iodine ..- per oz.
Iron. Nitrate of per ton 8
1 Sulphate of ,, 4
Lead, Acetate of. white „ 50
,. Nitrate of , 51
„ Oxide of. Litharge „ 38
.. White 40
Lime. Acetate, brown „ 10
grey 80% 14
Magnesite, Calcined „ 2I
Magnesium. Chloride „ 12
Sulphate .. 10
Methylated Spirit 64° Industrial per gal.
Nitric Acid. 80'' Tw. per ton 32
Oxalic Acid per lb.
Phosphoric Acid per ton 50
Potassium Bichromate per lb.
Carbonate85% per ton 45
Chlorate per lb.
Chloride 80% per ton 24
Hydrate (Caustic) 90% , 48
Nitrate .. 55
.. Permanganate per lb.
Prussiate, Yellow ,.
Red
Sulphate, 90% per ton 25
Sodium Metal per lb.
Acetate per ton 30
Arsenate 45% „ 45
Bicarbonate „ 9
Bichromate per lb.
., Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton 15
(Crystals) 7
Chlorate per Ib.
Hydrate. 76% per ton 27
Hyposulphite ., 20
., Nitrate. 95% „ 22
Phosphate „ 26
11 Prussiate per lb.
H Silicate ... per ton 11
„ Sulphate (Salt-cake) ,, 9
.. .. (Glauber's Salts) 7
., Sulphide „ 30
. Sulphite 13
Sulphur. Roll „ 13
,, Flowers „ 13
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65'^ 24
free from Arsenic, 144° ,. 6
Superphosphate of Lime, 30% „ 8
Tartaric Acid per lb.
Turpentine per cwt. 2
Tin Crystals per Ib.
Titanous Chloride „
Zinc Chloride per ton 25
Zinc Sulphate , 19
4
0
,s
0
16
0
0
0
0
0
2
6
n
n
4
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
n
2
7
1
6
0
0
0
0
1
0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
1
»
7
10
0
to
10
0
2
3
0
0
1
0
74
1
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
•0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
11
0
1)
0
11
0
0
0
6
0
0
0
n
0
0
2
0
1
4
2
3
0
n
1
3
0
0
0
0
0
0
K
0
0
0
0
44
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
s
0
0
0
n
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
n
5
0
10
0
1
9
15
0
1
7
1
0
0
n
0
0
240
THK MINING MAGAZINI':
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares are £\ par value exoept where otherwise noted.
West Australia ■
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks--.
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe [£5)
Great Boulder Proprietary(2s.)
Great Finsall (lOsI
Hampton Properties
Ivanboe (£5)
Kalgurli
Lake View Investment (10s.)
Son<; of Gwalia
South Kalsurii (10s.)
GOLD. SILVER,
DIAMONDS:
Rand :
Brakpan
Central Minini! (£8)
City & Suburban (f4)
City Deep
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidated I.anf;laa(;le
Consolidated Main Reef I
Consolidated Mines Selection (10s.)
Crown Mines (10s )
Dat!Uafnntein
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand Proprietary
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis l^eep
(jov't Gold Mining; Areas
Heriot
Johannesburg Consolidated
Jupiter
Kleinfonlein
Knielit Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Estate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein (10s.)
Modderfontein B (53.)
Modderfontein I>eep(5s.)
Modderfontein East
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central
Robinson (^5)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deeii
Simmer & Jack
Simmer Deep
Springs
Sub Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.)
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Village Main Reef
West Springs
Wilwatersraiid (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolh liter
Other Transvaal Gold Mines:
Glynn's Lydenbiirg ..
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates....
DiAMONits IN South Africa :
De Beers Deferred (f2 lOs.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.) -
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa .
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Shainva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa ■
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
Abosso
Ashanti C4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taqnah
April 7,
1920
£ s. d.
3 10
9 15
6
2 15
1 15
1 5
13
1 11
3 6
18
9
U
13
2 10
12
4 12
10
1 12
6
13
4
10
16
4 15
3 18
7 0
2 10
1 6
I 7
13
3 12
4 10
19
12
I 2
1 0
5
2
2 12
17
1 1
1 1
4 13
14
7
1 0
18
10
6
11
17
II
14
14
2 16
3 7
2 0
5
1
9
2
1 11
2 0
15
17
7
6
13 9
13 9
26 15 0
5 17 6
U 10 0
4 0
13 9
I 0 3
4 3
16 3
0 0
0
6
April 7.
1921
£ s. d.
2 8
5 15
I 18
6
16
11
9
13
1 15
2
2
4
9
2 5
5
3 15
10
1 0
6
2 2
3 10
11
11
2
1 11
U
15
10
3 12
7
12 6
12 6
7 0
4 0
6 6
8 0
5 0
5 0
5 0
19
1 17
2 5
1 8
Gold. S.i i i . <.ti/.
OxHItKS IN Aim t a. , ■ ^
Blackwater, Ncv\ /r.ilaiid
Consolidated G.F- of New Zealand
Mount Boppv. NS.W. (10s )
Progress. New Zealand
Talisman, New Zealand
Waihi. New Zealand
Waihi Grand Junction, New Z'Ind
America :
Buena Tierra, Mexico
Camp Bird. Colorado
El Oro. Mexico
Esperanza, Mexico
Frontino & Bolivia, Colombia
Le Roi No. 2 (^5), British Columbia
Mexico Mines of l-'l Oro, Mexico..
Nechi (Pref. 10s.), Colombia
Oroville Dredging, Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California
St. John del Rey. Brazil
Santa Gertrndis, Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia '
Lena Goldtields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balaghat (IDs.)
Champion Reef (2s. 6d.)
Mysore (lOs.)
North Anantapiir
Nundvdroog (IDs.)
Ooregum (l(}s.) -
COPPER:
Arizona Copper (5s.). Arizona I
Cape Copper (£2). Cape and India.
Esperanza. Spain
Hampden Clonctirry, Queensland
Mason & Barry, Portugal
Messina (5s ). Transvaal
Mount Elliott (f5). Queensland ..
Mount Lyell. Tasmania
Mount NIorgan. Queensland
Mount O.iide. Queensland
Namagiia (£21. Cape Province
Rio Tiiito (£5), Spain
Russo-Asiatic Consd.. Russia
Sissert. Russia
Spassky. Russia
Tanganyika. Congo and Rhodesia
LEAD-ZINC:
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (I5s.)
Zinc Corporation (lOs.)
Asia ;
Burma Corporation (10 rupees) ...
Russian Mining
Rhodesia ;
Rhodesia Broken Hill (53.)
April 7,
1920
£ s. d.
TIN:
Aramayo Francke, Bolivia
Bisichi, Nigeria
Briseis. Tasmania
Dolcoath. Cornwall
East Pool (5s. I Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.), Nigeria ...
Geevor (10s ) Cornwall
Gopeng, Malav
Ipoh Dredging. Malay
Kamunling. Malay
Kinta. Malay
Malayan Tm Dredging, Malay
Mongu (10s. 1, Nigeria
Naraguta. Nigeria
N. N. Bauchi. Nigeria (10s.)
Pahang Consolidated (5s.), Malay.
Rayfield, Nigeria
Renong Dredging, Siam
Ropp (4s.'. Nigeria
Siamese Tin. Siam
South Crofty(5s ), Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals, Cornwall
Tekka. Malay
Tekka-Taiping Malay
Tronoh. Malay
' lO-rupee shares of Indian Co.
12
17
14
14
13
10
7 12
1 7
I 1
16
1 12
13
6
6
6
0
9
0
6
10 0
1
2 12
1 17
5
15
2 10
6
2 15
1 4
1 5
7
1 10
37 0
10
15
1 2
2 6
April 7,
1921
£ s. d.
1 5
2 3
3 0
1 6
2 16
2 15
19
19
11 17 6
13 9
I 6
12
'I
15
K
2
4 5
7
I 2
17
14
6
5
10
5
7
1
12
3
5
12
1 5
IS
5
5
1 10
4
10
12
11
17
25 5
7
5
12
1 2
17
16
1 15
10
1 2
1 5
10
10
7
6
4 16
3
1 12
6
15
0
6
3
5
3
2
6
6
9
1
15
0
3
6
4
0
1
6
1 0
6
2
fi
2 6
3
1 8
9
1 0
3
11
1
2 10
0
1 7
6
2 17
6
1 10
n
2 8
9
1 3
9
1 5
6
11
1
16
3
15
0
7
9
1
Q
13
0
6
fi
13
3
3
0
2 11
3
1 3
9
13
6
6
n
4 13
9
2 2
6
15
6
4
9
1 11
3
8
9
5 7
6
15
0
1 11
3
17
6
2 U
3
I 2
6
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING. METALLURGY. AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
The February Bulletin of the Canadian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy contains a paper by R. C.
Wallace, Commissioner of Northern Manitoba, on the
Flin-Flon copper ore-body, which is now being de-
veloped. This mine is situated north of Le I^as, Mani-
toba. A number of references have been made in these
columns to this enterprise, the mostrecent being by Mr.
Wallace in the December issue and by E. L. Bruce in
October last.
Plin Flon Lake is distant by air line 68 miles north-
north-west from The Pas. through which town the
Canadian National Railway passes en route lor Hud-
son's Bay- The Pas is the distributing centre on the
Saskatchewan river for the mineral field and for settle-
ments on the Hudson's Bay railway. The summer
route from The Pas is by way of the Saskatchewan river
to Sturgeon Landing, which is the head of the naviga-
tion for steamboat traffic, and thence by canoe to Flin-
Flon Lake. The total distance is 130 miles by steam-
boat and 60 miles by canoe, a total of 190 miles from
railway communication. The canoe route can be
shortened by using the summer road built by the Pro-
vincial Government from Sturgeon Landing to Lake
Athapapuskow. With light loads, however, the longer
route is usually taken. The winter sleigh-road from
THE FLIN-FLON ORE-BODY.
The Pas is approximately 90 miles long. The property
is near the well-established and historical canoe route
from Cumberland House northwards through Lake
Athapapuskow and the Pine Root River to the Churchill
River at Pukatawagan. The camp lies nine miles west
of this route in a territory which was hitherto not fre-
quently travelled between the Pine Root River valley
and the Beaver Lake country.
The ore-body lies in amygdaloidal greenstones which
are to be referred to the earliest volcanic flows in this
district. They have been named by E. L. Bruce, of
the Geological Survey, the Amisk volcanics. owing to
their prevalence in the vicinity of Amisk (Beaver) lake.
Associated with the greenstones, and probably some-
what later in age, although earlier than the granite in-
trusions, are quartz-porphyries which are parallel in
strike to the greenstones and which do not here display
clear-cut intrusive relationships into the greenstones.
There are also lamprophyric dykes which are appar-
ently earlier than the intrusions of granite, probably
earlier than the quartz porphyry flows, though later
than the amygdaloidal greenstones. The later granite,
which is found one mile south-west of the Flin-Flon
ore-body, and to which may be referred the granite-
porphyry intrusion immediately north of the ore-body,
Map of the Le Pas District, showing position of Flin-Flon Lake.
241
242
THE M IN' INC. MAGAZINE
lias been named by Hnice the Kaminis (jraniie. Tliis
granite is inlrusi\e. not only into the volcamcs referred
to. but also into sediments that overlie the volcanics.
but which are not exposeil in the immediate vicinity ol
the Flin Flon property. The I'Min Flon and otht-r siil
phide deposits of this district, as well as the gold de-
posits in the quartz veins, are to be referred to this
granite as ore deposits representing deposition at lower
and higher temperatures respecti\el\-
During the process of shearing, which probably oc-
curred in the earlier stages of the eruption of the Kam-
inis granite, the quartz porphyry offered greater resis
tance to the shearing forces than did the amygdaloidal
greenstone In the greenstone itself there are appar-
ently units of greater resistance than others. In all
probability the zones that suffered intensive shearing
represent a volcanic tufT interbanded with the more
massive lava flows. In the process of replacement by
sulphides the more sheared zones have suffered much
greater change than have the more massive members.
The ore-body, which skirts the south-east shore of
the lake, strikes with the country rock and dips approxi-
mately 70" east From the records of diamond-drill
holes at the south end of the deposit, it would also ap-
pear that the ore body pitches at a low angle to the
south. Horses of unmineralized greenstone separate
the ore-body into more or less independent lenses. At
the south end of the ore body a massive greenstone has
been less affected by weathering than the sulphides, and
stands out as a prominent topographical feature on the
property It would seem, from the. as vet. incomplete
driUing at the south end of the deposit, that this horse
forms part of a crescent- shaped mass of greenstone open
toward the south. The deposit has a known length of
2.593 ft . and has been proved to a depth of 900 ft. over
a length of 1.000 ft. Its greatest width transverse to
the dip is 400 ft. This figure includes some narrow
horses of greenstone Its greatest transverse width at
the 900 ft. level is 35 ft. From the results of diamond-
drilling and underground development work, the total
tonnage has been calculated to be sixteen million, ex-
clusive of the horses of greenstone in the ore body
This estimate makes no allowance for possible ore un-
der the 900 ft level or possible ore at depth in the line
of pitch at the south end of the ore- body. On the whole,
the ore-body is most compact at the north end and
show.; a tendency to intermingle with inclusions of con-
siderable widths of country rock towards the south end
at depth.
The minerals of the ore-body are. in order of im-
portance, pyrite, zinc blende, and chalcopyrite. Gold
and silver are apparently associated mainly with pyrite.
the silver in all probability in the form of a mixed silver
sulphide. Galena has been found in vugs in the other-
wise unmineralized rock, but does not occur in quantity
in the ore-body. Native copper is found in leaf form
as a secondary product in the upper sulphide zone
For practical purposes the ore is divided into two types :
first, solid sulphides : second, disseminated ore The
solid sulphides occur in the centre and toward the hang-
ing wall of the ore-body, and are in places in direct con-
tact with the hanging wall. As a rule, however, a sel-
vage of disseminated ore separates the solid sulphides
from the hanging wall : while on the foot-wall there is
found invariably a considerable width of disseminated
ore. The hanging wall disseminated ore is found to
carry smaller percentages of copper and a greater pro-
portion of gold and silver than the disseminated ore on
the foot- wall , in other words the deposition of pyrite is
more extensive on the hanging wall side of theore-body,
and the deposition of chalcopyrite is more extensive on
the foot-wall side. As far as has yet been ascertained
the saiuo holds true (though to a lesser degree) with the
solid su'phide. which gi\cs the higher \'alues in copper
on the fi'"i \ ill 'mIc. The solid sulphides are broken
by m.is-.i- 'I I. . iiirrali/.ed rock and the contact be-
tween solui ou- and rock is. generally s[)eaking. sharp ;
as a rule. also, contact between disseminated ore and
sulphide istlislinct, though in the underground work-
ings a distinct gradation may be noted in places. The
richest copper ore in the deposit is founcJ in the dis-
seminated foot-wall ore which gives values of from 3".,
to 5";, copper, the copper values for the whole ore-
body, exclusive of horses, being approximately 19%
A thin selvage of blende separates the solid sulphide
from the disseminated ore on the hanging wall side.
Zinc, which averages approximately 3 )S"o for the whole
ore-body, is more abundant on the hanging wall side
Claims at Flin-Flon Lakf.
than elsewhere. While it might be expected that the
gold would increase and the copper and zinc would de-
crease in depth, no indication of any such variation has
been noted to the depth at which diamond-drilling has
explored the property.
The ore-body has been formed by replacement of the
rock which had already undergone intense mineralogi-
cal alteration during the shearing process. Whererock
still remains (as in the disseminated ore areas), its min-
eralogical composition would indicate that, in the main,
the replaced rock was basic in character. The richest
disseminated ore exposed by underground operations
occurs in a typical chlorite schist. Bodies of quartz-
porphyry occur, however, in close proximity to, and
apparently within, the ore-body. At the end of the
cross-cut of the No. 2 workings, quartz-porphyry forms
the hanging wall in contact with the disseminated ore,
the contact being practically vertical, while the dip of
the rock in the ore-body is from 70 to 75 '. In the dis-
seminated ore immediately west of the solid sulphides
in the east end of the same cross-cut. highly silicious
bands, which represent either a silicious rock of
APRIL, 1921
243
quartz-porphyry type or a subsequent infiltration of
silica during the process of mineralization, are found.
That silica has, to some extent at least, been associated
with the replacement, is indicated by the character of
the rock that has been exposed by surface workings im-
mediately east of the horse. Here the sulphides have
disappeared through weathering, and there is left a
highly porous pumiceous silica rock which would ap-
pear to represent the result of silicious infiltration and
replacement into a rock that was probably of an acid
type originally. The bands of silicious rock in the dis-
seminated ore in the cross cut are of a similar character.
The extent of shattering that the rock has undergone
on shearing has been a factor of greater importance in
emanated Throughout the district, sulphide bodies
frequently occur in close association with quartz veins
carrying gold ; elsewhere, however, the sulphides are
pyrite, with relatively small percentages of pyrrhotite
and only occasional chalcopyrite. It would appear
that during the later stages of plutonic activity now
represented by the granite, the deposition of sulphides
was closely connected with the precipitation of a gold-
carrying quartz.
In the summer of 1915, the Mosher-Creighton party,
which had been working north-east of Amisk Lake, was
guided, by information, to the Flin-Flon Lake district
and the Fiin-Flon ore body was discovered. Some sur-
face trenching was done in order to obtain an idea of
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Section ne.ak No. I Shaft as determinep by Diamond-
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facilitating replacement than has the actual chemical
character of the rock itself.
Replacement has taken place at a fairly high tempera-
ture and by hydrothermic processes ; on the foot-wall
particularly, the rock has been highly sericilized. In
the chlorite schist, and in the sericite schist as well,
irregular masses of talc are encountered in the under-
ground workings. While such mineralogical changes
indicate hydrothermal deposition, it is a remarkable
feature in connection with the ore-body that the contact
between solid sulphide and unmineralized, unchanged
greenstone is so distinct, as is actually shown in the
cross-cuts. While both quartz-porphyry and lampro-
phyre are rather closely associated with the deposit,
there is no evidence to show that either volcanic phase
is connected with the deposition of sulphides. The
Kaminis granite and its offshoots seem to be the parent
body from which the hot solutions and the vapours
the size of the ore-body, and late in the summer the
claims were recorded. The news of the discovery and
the importance of the ore body were appreciated by
other prospectors, and in a very short time the whole
country in the vicinity of the deposit was staked.
During the winter of 1915-16, work was confined to
surface sampling and cross-trenching. In March. 1916,
two drills were at work, and by July of the same year
6,000 ft. of drilling had been done by New York and
Boston interests, who, however, failed to reach an agree-
ment with the owners. In the spring of 1917 certain
Toronto interests entered into an agreement and dia-
mond-drilling was continued throughout the year and
until July, 1918. In all. 44 holes were drilled, repre-
senting a total linear footage of 25,664 ft. In March,
1920, an option on the property was taken by New York
and Canadian interests, and sirlce that date two shafts
have been sunk over 500 ft. apart at the south and north
-'44
THE MINING
ends of the main horse. The first shaft has reached a
depth of 200 ft and at that depth there is 210 ft. of
cross-cuttinnandappro.\imatelv lOOfl. ofdriving south-
ward. It was expected that the shaft would be entirely
in tlie foot-wall, but at a depth of 135 ft. disseminated
ore was encountered, and llie shaft was continued in
this ore to the 200 ft level. When the cross cultuig is
complete it will expose appro.\inialely 100 ft. of solid
sulphides. No. 2 shaft was sunk to the 100 ft. level,
and a cross-cut approximately 165 ft. long was made at
this level. Sinking is now being continued to the 300ft.
level. (These figures refer to the situation as on Sep-
tember 10, 1920).
In operating the Flin-Flon property, a very large
low-grade ore-body, far removed at present from trans-
port facilities and industrial centres, there are many
problems of major importance to be solved : these refer
in particular to water-power facilities, metallurgical
processes, availability of fluxing material, fuel, and
transport.
In order to develop water-power in sufficiently large
quantity for operating a mine and smelter of 2,000 tons
capacity at the Flin-Flon property, two sources of power
are available. One of these is on the Churchill River
at Island Falls, and is distant some 60 miles. A mini-
mum production of 80,200 h.p. has been estimated for
this fall. A nearer source of power, which will in all
probability be adopted, is Birch Rapid son the Sturgeon-
Weir River, distant 35 miles from the property in a
w-esterly direction. The minimum under present con-
ditions is 3,270 h.p., but this may be increased at will
by tapping the Churchill River at Frog portage at the
headwaters of the Sturgeon-Weir water system. At
periods of high water there is at the present time a
natural flow of surplus water from the Churchill River
into the Sturgeon-Weir system and thence into the
Saskatchewan River. It is estimated that theavailable
power can be increased to 20,000 h.p. by thus utilizing
part of the flow in the Churchill basin.
The disseminated ore will offer no special difficulties
in treatment. Generally speaking, it will concentrate
MAGAZf^
fairly readily ancVwill be smelted in the reverberatory
furnace. The soiid sulphide (mixed pvrite-chalcopy-
rite-blende) ore will present greater tlillicultics to the
metallurgist. Fxperimental work may discover a
method of concentration whereby il may he possible to
recover all or the major part of the zinr. If this is not
feasible, it will doubtless be treated in the blast furnace
by pyritic smelting and only a limited proportion of the
zinc recovered. There is a great field for experimental
work on this ore in order to devise the most suitable and
economical method of handling and smelting the solid
sulphides. It will be necessary to add silica in con-
siderable proportions and limestone in small amounts
to the ore before smelting. Ouartz veins that carry
gold are more numerous on the west end of the mineral
belt (Beaver Lake) and at its east end (Herb Lake) than
elsewhere throughout the bell The eastern district in
parlicularissomewhat remotefrom theproperty. Apart
from the gold bearing veins there are silicious bodies of
other types in the mineral belt ; in particular, quartz-
porphyry flows, felsitic intrusions into the earlier vol-
canirs, and sediments with a high silica content. In
all probability quartz flux will be obtained in part from
the lean bodies of greater extent and closer proximity
to the deposit. Magnesian limestones of Ordovician
age occur in quantity within ten miles of the ore-body.
Pure limestones of Upper Devonian age are exposed at
the north-west end of lake Winnipegosis. The use of
this would necessitate a rail haul of 250 miles to the
property.
Owing to the great distance from the eastern areas.
Western coal will doubtless be utilized as fuel for the
smeller The success which has attended the use of
pulverized coal in the experiments already carried out
by various copper-smelting companies would indicate
that powdered coal might be the cheapest and most
available type of fuel for the smelter. It is not improb-
able, as well, that satisfactory electrical processes may
be devised for an ore of this type many years before the
deposit is exhausted. But at the present time develop-
ment is more important than treatment.
RECLAIMING THE KALAHARI DESERT.
Though the question of reclaiming the Kalahari Des
ert is not a mining problem, it is one of great direct in-
terest to mining engineers, for if this and similar dis-
tricts in Southern Africa were capable of supporting
life a large accession would be made to the territories
worth prospecting and development. Readers will
probably be aware that Professor E. H. L. Schwarz
has during the last year or two brought forward sug-
gestions for the reclamation of these regions by bring-
ing water into them so as to restore the old lakes. His
scheme has already been discussed in the pages of the
South A fricati Mining Journal, The Times, andelse
where. He has also published a book on the subject
in Capetown. The Department of Mines and Indus-
tries of the Union of South Africa has taken an interest
in the subject, and the South African Journal of In-
dustries, published by this Department, has published
an article by H. J. Choles in the January issue. We
quote from this article herewith.
The question as to whether South Africa is drying up
has often been asked and discussed. Whenever a
drought occurs it invariably arises ; people refer to the
reports of Le VaiUant. Lichtenstein. and other famous
explorers of a century ago They talk of the hippopo-
tamus that infested the Karroo rivers, the rhinoceros,
eland, and hartebeest that ranged through the forests
along the banks, forests that have since given place to
the prickly pear and Karroo bush ; and. pointing to the
various circumstances that seem to indicate that South
Africa is drier than it was a hundred years ago, they
take sides in argument and endeavour to explain what
is happening to the climate.
Two schools of opinion have thus evolved. Accord-
ing to the students of the one school. South Africa is,
like other parts of the world, subject to cycles of dry
and wet spells The people who hold this view point
to the literature of South Africa in the second quarter
of the last century — roughly from 1827 to 1850 — from
which it appears that the conditions now prevailing are
similar to those that prevailed at thai time. They had
then the same droughts, the same floods in the rivers,
bringing down masses of mud instead of water, thesame
failure of harvests. So, it is argued, a spell of good
years will come in due course, in accordance with the
cycle of climatic changes.
The other school thinks differently. It maintains
that, whether or no there be cycles in the weather.
South Africa is actually drying up ; that gradually the
sub-continent will become uninhabitable, the desert
conditions begun in the Kalahari and in course of evo-
lution in the Karroo, spreading eventually over the
whole of South Africa, and driving the population to
the relatively moist coastal belt, which on the south
and east will offer the only areas fit for human habita-
tion. Of this school of thought Professor E. H. L.
Schwarz, of the Rhodes University College, Grahams-
APRIL, 1921
245
WaUishBa
Luderifzbuchf
Cape Town
Map explaining Professor Schwarz's Proposals for Reclaiming the Kalahari Desert.
town, is one of the most able exponents, but his pessi-
mism is relieved by the enunciation of a remedial scheme
which, he claims, will not only stabilize the rainfall,
thus rendering it of real value at all times to farming
operations, but will increase it, and will also turn the
Kalahari and the Karroo mto rich regions capable of
supporting a large farming population.
Schwarz's scheme is based on the fact that rainfall
cannot occur without prior evaporation. The precipi-
tation of moisture does not necessarily occur just at the
spot where the moisture was taken up into the atmos-
phere, that is to say, over the sea or over a lake. It
may occur a long distance away. Precipitation, or
rainfall, depends upon the mountains or the changes
in atmospheric temperature which are encountered by
the current of moisture-laden air. Nowadays in South
Africa rains come almost entirely from the evaporation
that takes place over the sea. Unfortunately, however,
as soon as the moisture-laden winds from the ocean
reach theland, they encounter high mountains all along
the coast ; the moisture is precipitated as rain, and
when the winds pass over the mountains they are al-
most dry ; there is little rain for the interior. The
ocean currents along the coasts, too, have an important
influence upon the rainfall. It happens that the cur-
rent along the east and southeast coast is warm, while
that along the west coast is cold. The consequence is
that the air which blows off the sea on to the 'and on
the east arrives warmer than the land, and therefore,
becoming suddenly chilled, lets its moisture fall ; while
the air blowing on to the land on the west comes colder
than the land, it warms up, and is not only able to hold
its moisture, but craves additional moisture to satisfy
its increased power of absorbing water- vapour, in other
words, it tends to dry up the land instead of supplying
it with rain. The consequences are that, on the east
coast, the coastal belt ol Natal and Zululand, for in-
stance, there is a good rainfall and a perennially moist
atmosphere ; while on the west coast there are hopeless
deserts.
Evidence of the reason for thinking that these con-
ditions are not stable, and that things are changing for
the worseisfoundonstudying theancient lakes of South
Africa. These are now almost dry ; at best they are
4—6
246
THE MINING MAGA:V.\NE
swamps. And il appears that a proportion of the rain-
fall is due to the evaporation that is still going on from
the remains of these lakes. Soon the last of these
swamps will disappear, the desert will advance over the
beds of these ancient lakes, and South Africa will be
thrown back upon the sea as the sole source of its rain-
fall. Ages ago, and until quite recently. South Africa
possessed three great lakes, covering some 50,000 square
miles, an area equal to that of the Orange Free State,
or to the three largest existing lakes in the Continent
of Africa, or again to more than half the area of the five
great lakes of North America combined (93,000 square
miles). These three lakes are : Greater Ngami, cover-
ing 30.000 square miles; Makarikari, covering 15,000
square miles ; and Etosha Pan, covering 5,000 square
miles. These lakes have disappeared. The huge de-
pressions which in a former age the waters occupied
can still be traced ; a few reedy, swampy "pans" are
all that is left of these former inland seas.
In those days, as in Central Africa now. South Africa
was independent of the seas for its rainfall ; the lakes,
with their great evaporative surfaces, provided the
country with its own circulatory system, and South
Africa, from the Zambesi and Kunene even down to
Capetown, was like British East Africa in the luxuri-
ance of its vegetation, its rich fauna, its ample rainfall,
which with the hot sun sustained and encouraged all
forms of tropical life. Then it was a country of great
rivers, whereas now, the big rivers, on which the fer-
tility of half the Continent of Africa depends, are in
danger of extinction. The reason why the rivers are
disappearing and the lakes have vanished is given by
Professor Schwarz as beadstream erosion, otherwise,
the means by which the short, rapid coast streams eat
back through the heart of the coastal mountains and
tap the waters of the inland system, whose waters are
more sluggish. Headstream erosion, again, has tapped
the Zambesi basin, from the east, and has diverted its
waters, which once flowed south-west, through the
Kalahari, and has turned it into a desert. In theTrans-
vaal, the Koraati River is stealing into the territory of
the Vaal River, the Olifants River draining inland as
far as Pretoria, and the Limpopo reaching back even
to the outskirts of the Kalahari. Further north, the
Sabi River has pierced the Melsetter barrier-range and
drains the whole country from Bulawayo to Salisbury ;
finally, the Zambesi sends back its tentacles almost to
the west coast. Everyoneof these rivers started origin-
ally at the coastal rampart and has eaten back by head-
stream erosion. The waters inside the barrier-ranges
once flowed toward central South Africa, and made the
central depression a land of running rivers and of great
fertility.
The continent is almost entirely girdled by mountains
or tablelands that begin to rise sometimes actually at
the coast, in other places at but a short distance from
the seaboard . Professor Schwarz shows how thecourses
of these rivers have been changed ; how the Congo
River, which now empties itself into the Atlantic Ocean
on the west coast, in ages past flowed steadily north-
ward, through luxuriant country which is now the Sa-
hara Desert, into the Mediterranean.
South of the Zambesi, the greatest South African
river of the present time is the Orange. It rises in
Basutoland and, after taking a north-westerly course,
it turns, and for the last 500 or 600 miles its general
direction is westward. Taking a line northward to the
Zambesi, to the Victoria Falls, and then a line across
the continent to the mouth of the Kunene River, cross-
ing on the way the Chobeand Okavango Rivers, it will
be seen that there is an area of roughly 600,000 square
miles without a river worthy of the name, a land of suc-
cessive deserts, Mie true " Thirsiland of South Africa."
It is this area thai Professor Schwarz's scheme is ex-
pected first to redeem by irrigation.
Just as Egypt has still its Nile and the Sahara once
had its Congo, so in times past South Africa had a great
central river, which Professor Schwarz calls the I'roto-
Orange. This river rose in the highlands about Tan-
ganyika, and is now called the I.oangv.e River. This
flows south-west and joins the Zambesi near Zumbo ;
thence it originally flowed up the channel of the Zam
besi to Wankie, then across to the Soa Pan or Makari-
kari, to the Molopo River and out to sea by the Orange
River. The Proto-Orange fed and drained the Central
South .-Vfrican lakes, Ngami and Makarikari. It failed
as a river south of these lakes owing to the capture of
its headwaters by the headstream erosion process to
which reference has been made.
Livingstone's idea of how the waters were turned
north ward was that a " cataclysm of nature " had opened
the rent of the Victoria Fallsand drained all the waters
into the cleft. R.S. Fairbridgestates that what caused
the diversion was a shallow bar in the river formed by
a storm-carried drift of reeds and brush.
The watershed between the Zambesi and the Orange
Rivers is so flat, west of the Bulawayo — Johannesburg
railway, that when there are heavy rains lo the north,
the surplus water drains south into the Kalahari, and
when there are heavy rains to the south, the surplus
runsnorth into the Zambesi. Thelong, wide, shallow,
reedy depression in which this takes place is called the
Tamalukan River, and about three generations ago a
very wet season in the north washed a great bank of
reeds and rubbish into the southern part of the Tama
lukan, where it stuck, and thus prevented any more
water draining south toward the Orange River. This
explanation corresponds with evidence gleaned from
Bushmen, from which it appears that prior to about
1820 the Soa Pan (a remnant of the old Makarikari
Lake) always contained water, in which hippopotamus,
crocodiles, and fish abounded . But suddenly , they say,
the waters from Ngami ceased to flow , the lake dried
up, and the dead fish and animals were devoured by
vultures. Professor Schwarz points out that these
statements correspond with thedescriptionsof thecoun-
try before and after 1820. Before that year Le Vail-
lant. Van Reenen, and others described the country
as being like British East Africa ; directly after 1820
Thompson described terrible droughts, and thereafter
all travellers tell the same tale with increasing empha-
sis on the droughts.
Professor Schwarz proceeds to consider the western
side of the continent, in particular the Etosha Pan —
the remnant of a permanent lake — and the Kunene and
Okavango Rivers. These rivers, together with the
Zambesi and several of the headstreams of the Congo,
rise in the Angola High lanos. To the south liesOvam-
boland, a plain some 70,000 square miles in extent. In
former times this plain used to be flooded annually from
the Kunene and Okavango Rivers. Nowadays not half
of this area is flooded, and the portion receiving the
flood-waters is becoming smaller every year. To the
south again of Ovamboland lies the Etosha Pan, which
used to be a permanent sheet of water fed by the Ku-
neneRiver, which, instead of turning westward anddis-
charging itself into the Atlantic, as it now does, con-
tinued on itssoutherly course and flowed into the Etosha
Lake, which then drained off eastward into the Oka-
vango. Here, again, the headstream erosion of a coastal
river has beheaded the Kunene, drawingits waters west-
wards. Professor Schwarz points out that, in thetimes
when the whole of Ovamboland was periodically flood-
ed, the huge evaporative surface thus produced added
APRIL, 1921
247
very considerably to the rainfall of Angola, which must,
therefore, be becoming steadily drier, with effects upon
the Kunene, the Okavango, the Zambesi, and to some
extent the Congo. His scheme, he claims, will restore
the rainfalls of Angola and so maintain and perhaps
enhance the flow of these rivers.
As already stated. Professor Schwarz ascribes the
aridity and semi-aridity that characterizes parts of South
Africa to the non-e.\istence of a rainfall circulatory sys-
tem independent of the ocean, confined wiihin the
coastal rampart of mountains and high land, and hav-
ing as its source large sheets of water in Central South
Africatoserveasevaporativesurfaces. Inother words,
he says the disappearance of the 50,000 square miles of
lakes which formerly constituted the main source of
South Africa's rainfall system has led to the present
state of aridity. His proposal therefore is to take steps
to restore the three great lakes. To do this two weirs
arenecessary ; oneon the Kunene River, ataspot which
will result in its being diverted into its old flood chan-
nels ; the other at the Nduala Rapids, on the Chobe
River, which will then tend to flow south instead of
north. Professor Schwarz does not in either case sug-
gest that masonry weirs be built to begin with. He
thinks all that is needful at present is a weir built of
piles and filled in with rubble and branches. Weirs of
this description will create the necessary diversion, and
later it can be ascertamed what permanent works are
necessary really to perpetuate the diversion. Professor
Schwarz is convinced that the diverted waters of the
two rivers will find their ancient courses, clearing them
out wherever sand has drifted into them and has filled
them up.
It remains to describe the effects which the damming
of the Kunene and Chobe Rivers would have upon Sou th
Africa. Given the soutbsvard di%'ersion of the waters
of the Kunene and Chobe into their ancient beds, the
first results would be the filling of the old lake beds —
the Etosha, the Ngami, and the Makarikari — not to
their ancient limits, but to an extent sufficient to create
large evaporation surfaces for the improvement of the
South African rainfall. From the Etosha the water
would pass eastward along ancient water-courses until
it poured into the Okavango. The Chobe weir would
throw the waters of these two rivers southwards, re-
sulting in there establishment of the Ngami Lake, from
which again the Makarikari would fill. When these
lakes are full, the probability is that the overflow water
would reach the Molopo, and its course to the Orange
and the sea would then be assured. This conclusion
cannot, however, said to be certain, as survey data are
not available.
Professor Schwarz says that the water-vapour from
thelakes will permeate the wholeof South Africawithin
the ledge of the coastal mountains. The inland slopes
of these mountains will give as copious springs as the
seaward slopes; these will gather into rivers and fiow
into the Karroo, as they did till quite recently. By re-
storing the moisture in the air to the amount that ex-
isted in it before 1820, it is claimed that South Africa
will reap the following benefits among others: (1)
steady rains instead of sudden outbursts ; (2) clearer
water; (3) no veld erosion ; (4) protection of surface
by continuous vegetation ; (5) no brak ; (6) no need to
irrigate, except for special crops. The climate over the
whole of South Africa will be rendered cooler by day
and warmer by night, the rainfall will increase, even
over the Kalahari Desert, which will be converted in-
to a reasonably habitable country, droughts and delu-
ges will disappear, rivers now dry for the greater part
of the year will develop a perennial flow, springs will
not fail, forests will spring up, and the whole country
will become again like British East Africa is to-day,
though possibly with a lower temperature. The res-
toration of the lakes will increase the fertility of the
land through which the re-established river or rivers
will fiow, and large blocks of land, capable of support-
ing thousands of settlers, will become available for irri-
gation. The Kalahari soils are rich and they only need
water to render them highly productive.
PETROLEUM PRODUCTION IN VENEZUELA.
In the Engineering and Mining Journal for Feb-
ruary 19 and 26, A. H. Redfield, of the United States
(jeological Survey, writes on the present petroleum ac-
tivities in Venezuela and of the prospectsof the industry.
There are two oil-bearing districts in Venezuela.
One includes the basin of the arm of the sea known as
Lake Maracaibo, and the second comprises the shores
of the Gulf of Paria from the northern part of the Ori-
noco delta to the promontory of Paria. The total area
of the Maracaibo district is 27,500 square miles ; that
of the Paria region is J, 100 square miles. Only a small
part of the oilfields about Lake Maracaibo has been
proved by drilling. The Paria district has been cele-
brated for years for the production of asphalt, but no oil
in commercial quantities has yet been extracted there.
The geology of the Maracaibo oil region, as far as it
is known, presents similarities of stratigraphy and struc-
ture to the Colombian oilfields, particularly those of
the Magdalena-Santander district, to which it is geo-
graphically contiguous. The mountains of the Mara-
caibo district are apparently a topographic and a geo-
logic continuation of the Colombian Andes. As in
Colombia, the manifestations of oil are most abundant
in the Cretaceous sandstones and limestones and in the
Tertiary, especially in a "coal series," the Cerro de Oro
terrane, ascribed to the Miocene, though its Colombian
counterpart has been considered Oligocene. An equally
striking similarity of stratigraphy can be traced between
the formation of the Maracaibo and Paria districts of
Venezuela, and also between the formations of the Paria
district of Venezuela and those of Trinidad. A conti-
nuity of structure is apparent throughout the three
regions. The minor anticline folds with which the geo-
synclinal basin of Lake Maracaibo is wrinkled bear
about N. 61° E. In the Paria region the prevailing
structure is one of minor folds and faults with a general
bearing of N. 75' E.
The Venezuelan oil is prevailingly asphaltic. Dis-
coveries of paraffin-base oils have been reported, but
the petroleum obtained from the wells so far drilled has
revealed on analysis an asphalt base. So too, though
reports of light-gravity oils have been published, the
oils actually extracted in recent years have ranged from
0928 to 1 02 specific gravity. Not more than 3% of
petrol or 7% of kerosene has been obtained from Vene-
zuelan petroleum in refinery practice.
The commercial production of petroleum in Vene-
zuela began in 1917. The accompanying table gives
the production, the amount refined, and the exports of
crude oil.
Refined at Exports to
Production San Lorenzo Cura9ao
Metric Bar- Metric Bar- Metric Bar-
Tons rels Tons rels Tons rels
1917 .. 18.255 119.734 8.871 58,185 9,383 61.541
1918 . . 50.710 332,607 24,648 161.666 25,298 172.489
1919 . • 64,628 423.895 54.000 354,000 10,600 60,522
No phenomenal yields of petroleum have been ob-
tained from any of the seven wells that were in active
-'48
THE MINING MAC.AZ
production in I'JIO. The highest known output of the
Zumbador well, in the Mene Grande field, was 22986
barrels per day Commercial production in Venezuela
has been attained only by the Caribbean Petroleum Co.
A Venezuelan company, under a title granted Sept. 3.
IS7S, produced and sold locally for many years small
quantities of kerosene refined by crude methods from
oil won in shallow wells in the municipality of Kubio,
District of Junin. State of T.ichira. but little is known
of its activities, which have been conducted on a small
scale. Its production from 1905 to 1907 averaged 50
metric tons a year. No later statistics of its output are
at hand.
■(iri * bea ,^c<.
Map of Venezuela.
The production of asphalt in Venezuela by com-
panies in recent years is as follows :
New York & BermudezCo.
Soutli American Company
Cia. Anonima Minerales
Petrollferos Riopauji
1917
Metric
Tons
Guanoco 52.991
State of Zulia 72
State of Tru-
jillo 1.009
1918
Metric
Tons
46.-t53
50
1919
Metric
Tons
45.932
Totals
54.072 46.503 45.932
after detailed geologic examinations. On this basis the
estimated reserves of available petroleum may have to
be reduced to -tO. 000.000 or 60.000.000 metric tons
Altogether. Venezuela has not lived up toe.\pcctations
No estimates are available as to reserves of asphalt.
The deposits of Hermudez Lake give evidence of con
slant renewal, and other asphalt lakes exist also, both
in the east and in the west, wliicli, liowever, have nol
been commercially developed.
The only active producer of petroleum in Venezuela
previous to 1919 was the Caribbean Petroleum Co., of
Camden, New Jersey. The company, after a thorough
exploration by a party of thirty-five Keolo(4ists, headed
by Ralph .Xrnold. selected in 1913. for preliminary
work of development. 1.028 areas of 500 hectares each,
situated on both sides of Lake Maracaibo. The princi-
pal holdings of the Caribbean Petroleum Co. are in the
Mene Grande field, seventy miles east of Maracaibo and
sixteen miles inland from San Lorenzo ; in the Miranda
district, east of Lake Maracaibo ; at I'eriji. fifty miles
west of the city of Maracaibo ; and in tlie Santa Cruz
de Mara district. Drilling in the Mene Grande field
began in January. 1914. The first well drilled struck
oil at a depth of 390 ft. and produced about 10 barrels a
day. In the next two years, five other wells were sunk
ranging from 600 to 1.700 ft in depth. Oil was found
in all; most of the wells had to be capped. The follow
ing statement shows the condition of the productive
wells in the Mene Grande field in the fall of 1920 :
Initial
Produc-
tion
Metric
Tons
40
At first the larger part of the Venezuelan crude oil
was shipped in barges to the Royal Dutch refinery on
the Island of Curasao, but in 1919 the plant at San
Lorenzo took over four-fifths of the output of the Mene
Grande wells. The San Lorenzo refinery is designed
to supply only the Venezuelan trade. Exports to the
foreign markets are made from Curasao refinery.
Various estimates have been made of the reserves of
petroleum in Venezuela. These range from 150.000.000
to 250,000,000 metric tons, based on estimates of the
probable oil-bearing territory and the richness of the
oil sands. These estimates will undoubtedly have to
be reduced in the light of the experiences of the pro-
ducing companies. Of the 1 .028 areas of 500 hectares
each, selected by the Caribbean Petroleum Co. in 1913
for exploration and possible development. 767 areas
had been renounced to the Venezuelan government by
December 31, 1919, after examination or drilling. It
was expected that more would be renounced in 1920
Well
Zuinacaya
No. 1 ...
Zuraatiue
No. 1 ...
Zumaya
No. 1 ...
Zumba
No. 1 ...
Zumbador
No. 1 ..
Zumbel
No, 1
Zo. No. 1 .
Zumaque
No. 2 ..
Drld. Ft Tons Present Conditions
1915 533 40 Capped
1914 390 40 Capped
1914 1.667 400 Producing
1915 882 250 Choked with sand
1915 869 300 Producini:
1915 552 400 Choked with sand
1918 797 40 Dammed with cement to exclude
water
1919 903 ICO Dammed with clay and cement to
exclude water
The output by wells in this field has been as follows :
1917
Metric
Tons
10.240
8.015
1918
Metric
Tons
26,103
11.548
Jan. -June.
1920
Metric
Tons
23.102
4.522
652
15
76
842
76
Zumbador No. 1
Zumba No. 1
Zumbel No 1
Zumaque No. 2
Zumacaya No. 1
Zumaya No. 1
Zo. No. 1
Totals ... 18.255 50.710 64.628 29.285
Work was started by this company in 1917 in the
Santa Isabel field in the district of Miranda. State of
Zulia, and drilling was continued throughout 1920. In
the Perija field the first well of the Caribbean Pe-
troleum Co.. drilled in 1915, showed oil in considerable
quantities at 1,227 ft., and was shut in. Two more
wells started in 1916 were completed in 1917 and 1918
respectively, without satisfactory results. In 1919 one
well was drilled to a depth of 2,235 ft. without success.
This final failure induced the company to renounce
many of its holdings in the Perija field. Development
of the Mara fields was begun in 1917. Three wells were
drilled in 1917 near Iniciarte, to depths respectively of
900 ft., 811 ft., and 2.018 ft. Shows of oil were obtain-
ed, but not in commercial quantity. When a well begun
APRIL, 1921
249
in May. 1918, was carried to 1,980 ft. without a com-
mercial yield of oil, the company renounced its conces-
sion to a number of areas in this 6eld. Three wells in
the Cachiri field were drilled in 1917 down to basalt, to
depths of 1,950 ft., 430 ft., and 736 ft. respectively.
No commercial quantities of oil were found. A well
drilled in 1918 encountered igneous rock at 745 ft., and
was abandoned. In the La Sierrita field, in the district
of Mara, a well was started in October, 1919. Despite
delay occasioned by a lack of water, requiring the lay-
ing of a pipe-line to the Ci^negade Sioamaica, twelve
miles distant, the well had been carried by the end of
the year to 1,146 ft. through clay, shale, and sand.
Drilling was continued during 1920.
The Venezuelan Oil Concessions, Ltd., of London,
holds a concession covering 8,128 acres in the district
of Maracaibo, on the west side of the lake, and in the
district of Bolivar, on the east side of the lake. Develop-
ment of the Bolivar area began late in 1913, with the
drilling of wells at La Rosa and Santa Rita. The Santa
Rita well was drilled to a depth of 1,600 ft. without
striking oil, and was then abandoned. In the La Roca
well, oil sand was met at a depth of 800 ft. ; and at a
depth of 1,500 ft. a sand giving oil of 30° B. was struck.
A great quantity was given at first ; but after ten days
the output had decreased to 10 barrels a day. No at-
tempt was made to pump the well, which was aban-
doned. The company fought a losing fight with the
mosquitos, which decimated its workers with malarial
diseases. The drilling system originally adopted prov-
ed unsatisfactory, and new equipment was ordered in
the United States. The outbreak of the War prevented
the delivery of this equipment. Nevertheless in the
next three years five more wells were drilled, ranging
in depth from 600 ft. to 1,800 ft., and spread over a
wide area. Oil is said to have been found in five of the
seven wells, of which those near Santa Barbara are be-
lieved to be of commercial value. Drilling in the Bar-
roso field was started in June, 1918 ; but the well was
discontinued after an accident to the casing. A second
well begun in the latter half of that year was abandoned
at 536 ft. In the spring of 1920 there was practically
no activity in the Bolivar holdings of the Venezuelan
Oil Concessions, Ltd.
The principal holdings of the Colon Development
Co., of London, are in the Colon district. State of Zulia,
especiallyin the vicinityof ElCubo, neartheColombian
border, 100 miles south-west of Encontrados, and are
contiguous to the Barco concession in the State of San-
tander del Norte, Colombia. The geologic exploration
and the subsequent development of the Colon field
were considerably hindered by the depredations of the
Motilones Indians, necessitating an armed guard about
the field camps and drilling machinery day and night.
Drilling began early in 1914. The first well was aban-
doned at a depth of 700 ft. The second well, on the
Rio Oro, reached over 1,000 ft., giving an initial out-
put of 200 barrels a day of light-gravity oil . Three wells
were drilled along the Rio Tarra, the deepest to 2,362 ft.
A sixth well was carried to 328 ft. during 1919. The
Colon Development Co. had drilled up to May 1 , 1920,
six wells, as described. Three of these were found pro-
ductive and capped.
The British Controlled Oilfields, Ltd., is operating
the Buchivacoa concession of 3,000 square miles in the
State of Falcon, acquired from the Venezuelan- Falcon
Oil Syndicate, Ltd. The property is said to contain a
sharp, narrow anticline traceable for fifty miles from
north-east to south-west. Toward the west, the anti-
cline pitches south-west and shows recurring dome
structures. Seepages of a light oil are numerous. De-
velopment is taking place in two main divisions. In
the western division, of which the field headquarters
are at Altagracia, two wells have been drilled. Both
the rotary and the cable systems of drilling have been
used. The first well gave a small quantity of oil at a
depth of 1,800 ft. ; the second showed oil at a depth of
1,000 ft. Oil, when met in commercial quantities, will
be transported by a pipe-line to be built to Altagracia
or to the Caribbean coast, fifty miles to the north . The
field headquarters of the eastern division are at Daba-
juro, eight miles south of the Caribbean coast ; and the
drilling camp is twenty-four miles to the south-east.
Three standard drill rigs were under construction at the
end of August, 1920.
The following American companies are developing
in the Maracaibo district : The Maracaibo Oil Explora-
tion Co.,of New York, organized in 1919 ; the Sun Co.,
of Philadelphia; the Venezuelan Oilfields, Ltd., organ-
ized under the laws of the State of Delaware. One
English company, the North Venezuelan Petroleum
Co., Ltd., began exploration in September, 1920, the
principal deposits lying in the vicinity of Piritu.
The petroleum activities described in the foregoing
paragraphs are all in the Maracaibo basin. It remains
to mention the work done in the Paria district. This
district comprises the coastal belt of the Gulf of Paria
from the northern part of the Orinoco delta to the pen-
insula of Paria, an area roughly seventy miles long
and thirty miles wide. To this may be added the coastal
belt and outlying islands from the peninsula of Paria
as far west as Barcelona, where oil seepages occur in
local areas. The oldest rocks exposed in the Paria dis-
trict are the pre Cambrian gneisses and schists which
form the backbone of the peninsula of Paria. In the
metamorphosed sediments which accompany these a
few Ordovician fossils have been found ; but in general
the oldest determinable rocks of this district are Creta-
ceous.
The most striking evidence of the occurrence of pet-
roliferous formations in eastern Venezuela is the famous
Bermudez asphalt lake, situated near the town of Gua-
noco, three miles above (he confluence of the Guanoco
and San Juan rivers. The lake is twenty-five miles from
the Gulf of Paria and 105 miles due west of the equally
renowned Pitch Lake on the island of Trinidad. The
Bermudez Lake is formed by the overflow of several
oil springs on a swamp. It is about 1,110 acres in ex-
tent, and varies from 1 9 ft. in thinner parts to 20 ft. in
thickness near the seeps. The lake is believed 'o consist
of the residues of an asphalt-base petroleum, the lighter
oils having been distilled away. The flows are com-
posed of alternate layers of asphalt and fine sand.
Crusts of slag and burned asphalt point to fires caused
by Indians or by the natural ignition of gases emanating
from the lake. The lake is overgrown by jungle and
covered with water. Blowholes of gas occasionally oc-
cur. Water accompanies them, frequently rather warm
and highly impregnated with sulphuric acid. The as-
phalt of thelakeshows uponanalysis64'39% of bitumen
soluble in carbon disulphide, 30% of water, 208% of
inorganic matter, and 353% of organic matter. After
extracting the water the remainder gives 96% of bitu-
men and 2 to 5% of earthy matter, with a loss of 2%.
The lake is owned and exploited by the New York
& Bermudez Co., a subsidiary of the General Asphalt
Co. of Philadelphia, which is also owner of the Pitch
Lake of Trinidad. In extracting the asphalt, a dam of
slag and waste is built to exclude water, and the water
within the enclosed area pumped out. The asphalt is
dug out by hand and loaded into cars. These are haul-
ed by cable to the light railroad, which conveys it eight
miles to Guanoco. A refinery with a capacity of fifty
metric tons a day expels the water. The refined pro-
250
THE MINING MAGAZINE
duct is then ready to be exported. The United States
takes practically all of the shipnienls of Hermudez as-
phalt, except occasional small exports to Trinidad.
A second pitch lake occurs in the Federnales Geld, at
La Brea.on the north -west coast of the island of Capurt.
The lake is half a mile in length and 100 to 200 yards
across. It is fed by several active oil springs and one
asphalt cone. About three-fourths of a mile south of
the main deposit are two small cones ; additional de-
posits occur two miles to the north east. Asphalt de-
posits are also found on the island of Plata. The Feder-
nales asphalt deposits were exploited by a German firm
for a short time in 1902. The ruins of the German re-
finery are still visible one mile from I'edernales. Mud
volcanoes are reported near Bermudez Lake and the
neighbourhood of Maturin.
The New York & Bermudez Co. began drilling for
oil in 1913. Wells had been drilled on all areas by June
of that year. The lands on the peninsula of Paria were
soon decided to be not commercially valuable, and
were abandoned. Seven wells, ranging from 200 to
1,100 ft. in depth, were drilled on Federnales Island.
Difficulties with heaving sands, soft mad. and gas pres-
The Petroleums of Borneo. — At the meeting of the
Institution of Petroleum Technologists held on March
15. James Kewley read a paper describing the charac-
teristics of the petroleums obtained in Borneo.
The petroleum industry of the East Indies is of com-
paratively recent growth, dating back in the case of
Borneo to not earlier than 1897. The production of
the Koetei fields, which were first developed, hassteadily
increased and has been supplemented by that of areas
developed at laterdates. Indications of petroleum had
long been known in Borneo and the other islands of the
East Indian archipelago. As far back as 1853 Motley
noticed oil occurrences in the island of Labuan. In
1863 Menten found also seepages in the island of Tara-
kan, on the east coast. In 1866 a shallow well was
drilled in Labuan which gaveasmall flow of oil forthir-
teen years at least. Collingwood. in 1868. described a
petroleum spring in British North Borneo, and stated
that others were known. About 1887 three wells were
in existence on the Klias peninsula on the north of Brunei
Bay. and thesegave oil in very small quantities. Menten.
in 1888. obtained oil and coal concessions near the mouth
of the Mahakam River, which concessions give to day
themost important output. In 1891 heobtained further
concessions near Balik Papan. then a tiny fishing village,
now a thriving refinery centre. Further indications are
found in the Bolongan area in West Borneo, Sarawak,
and elsewhere. In 1897 the first well was put down at
Sanga Sanga, and oil was found at 58 metres In Au-
gust, 1898, the Nederlandsch Indische Industrie en
Handel Maatschappij. and about the same period
several other companies, for instance, the Bombay-
Burmah Trading Co. in British Borneo, and the Koetei
Exploration Co. in East Borneo, began operations. In
1901 the Royal Dutch began to drill in Koetei. and the
East Borneo Co, a little later. The production of these
fields rapidly increased, and had already reached a
figure of nearly 60.000 tons in 1900. At the present
day the production of Borneo is about 4.000 tons per
dav.
There are at present three important producing areas
in Borneo : (1) the Koetei area, extending from the
mouth of the Mahakam River southwards toward Bahk
Papan Bay ; (2) the Tarakan field, siiuated on the is-
land of Tarakan on the east coast, aboui 80 miles south
of the British North Borneo frontier ; (3) the Miri area,
on the west coast in Sarawak, about 150 miles south of
Brunei Bay. These three areas differ to some extent
sure necessitated several changes in the method of drill-
ing. Traces of oil were found, but none in commercial
quantity. Several wells were sunk in theGuanocoarea.
near Bermudez Lake, ranging in depth from 200 to
4,200 ft. In some a heavy oil of 1 020 specific gravity,
almost an asplialt. was found. Such an oil would have
to be heated in order to be pumped. No oil of commer-
cial value was obtained. Much geological investiga-
tion has been done to find the oil. which is believed to
exist here in large quantities.
The Caribbean Petroleum Co., of Philadelphia, has
been drilling in the Chapapolal field, fourteen miles
north-west of Maturin, in the State of Monagas, near
Chaguaramal.and in the Guanipafield. The fieldhead-
quarters of the company are at Guanoco. Two wells
were drilled in 1918 in the Chapapotal field. The first
was abandoned at a depth of 208 ft. after an accident.
The second was carried to a depth of 3,231 ft. Asphalt
was encountered but no fluid oil in commercial quantity.
The exploration work was nearly completed at the end
of 1919, with results that do not appear to indicate a
commercial value for the deposits. Further explora-
tion work will probably be undertaken.
geologically, and considerably in respect to the types
of oil they yield
The oil-bearing rocks of the Koetei area are of Plio-
cene and Miocene age. They consist of Pliocene sands,
gravels, and clays laid down under delta conditions,
the sands being dominant and the clays subordinate.
Lignites containing a high water content (25%) are of
frequent occurrence, as is the case in the Tarakan area
also. Boulders of coal of lower water content from the
lower Koetei formation also occur. Thisseries lies un-
conformably on the Miocene, which is made up of in-
terbedded clays and sands, with frequent coal beds
lenticular in form, all laid down under delta conditions.
Below these strata is found the greensand formation,
which consists of glauconite sands with interbedded
foraminifera limestones, the age of which has not yet
been definitely determined, but which are probably early
Miocene. Below these, again, a marl which isprobably
of Eocene age, similar to that found in North Borneo.
The Miocene and Pliocene were laid down under delta
conditions, the material having been brought down by
largeriverssuch as the existing Mahakam, which flowed
down from the central massif of Borneo. This massif,
which isexposed in the south-west of Borneo, and which
almost certainly extends under the surface strata through
the centre of the island, is of igneous rock. On its
flanks the Miocene and Pliocene deposits were laid down.
Subsequent lateral pressure in a north-west to south-
east direction gave rise to a series of folds in this area
running north east to south-west, roughly parallel to
the Macassar Straits. These folds appear as the well-
marked anticlines of Sanga Sanga and Palarang. The
general folding process must have begun before the
Pliocene rocks with lignites were completely laid down,
so that the tops of the folds evidently appeared as is-
lands in the Pliocene sea, and on being denuded sup-
plied in part the material which was deposited in the
tectonic troughs. The sinking of these troughs and the
filling in of the same must have taken place at about
the same rate, as indicated by the uniformity of the
strata traversed by the wells in the Tarakan field. A
further subsidiary folding was caused by laieral pres-
sure in a north-east and south-west direction, which,
however, was not so marked, so that the anticlines ap-
pear as very elongated domes. On these elongated
domes the oilfields were developed.
In the Koetei fields three distinct types of crude oil
are found, namely, heavy asphalt oils in the upper strata.
APRIL, 1921
251
light asphalt oils at greater depths, and paraffin wax oils
at still greater depths.
The structure of the Tarakan held is that of a system
of two domes with a depression in between, the major
axes of which run in a north-south direction. In this
area, which isalso of delta formation. Pliocene sand pre-
dominates. The field is developed in part of the delta
which was nearer the coast and where consequently
sands predominate, the interlying clays being not so well
marked. Pliocene coals, or rather lignites, often con-
taining boulders of older coal from the late Miocene
formation, are frequent. The oil from this field is
markedly uniform in composition.
The Miri field lies on the west coast of Borneo. The
geological structure here is not yet so well known as
that of the two fields described above. There is a well-
marked anticline, the eastern wing being very much the
steeper. The oil is drawn from the western wing. The
strata here are also of Miocene age, and coals are absent.
The oils of the Miri field are fairly uniform in charac-
ter, but differ fundamentally from those of the Koetei
and Tarakan fields.
The crude oils of Koetei fall into three main classes :
{a) heavy asphalt-base crude oils; (6) light asphalt-
base crude oils ; (c) light paraffin-base crude oils. The
oils have one character which sharply differentiates
them from practically all other crudes so far known.
The specific gravities of the distillates are much higher
than those of corresponding distillates from most other
crudes. The same applies to the refractive indices.
These characters, and the inability of kerosenes pro-
duced from these crudes to burn in any ordinary lamp
without arrangements for an extra supply of air, were
naturally soon discovered (Ragosin, Pet. Rev., vol. 8,
1903, p. 59). The reason for tnisis the presence of un-
usually large proportions of aromatic hydrocarbons in
these oils. The occurrence of aromatic hydrocarbons
in crude oils has long been known. In fact, aromatic
hydrocarbons have been found in small quantities in
most crude oils, but seldom to an extent greater than
15%, usually to a much less extent. Examinations of
Koetei oils have shown that they contain extraordinary
quantities of aromatic hydrocarbons, amounting to as
much as 40% consisting chiefly of benzine, toluene, and
meta-xylene.
It is interesting to note that the high aromatic con-
tent of Koetei^ils, which some years ago rendered them
of comparatively low value, eventually rendered these
oils of the greatest importance to the British Empire as
a source of toluene.
The consideration of a few generalizations drawn
from a study of the occurrence and characters of the
crude oils of Borneo, particularly of the Koetei field,
may be found to throw a little light on the origin of
petroleum. The crude oils of the Koetei field were
eitherdeveloped in situ or else they migrated from some
mother rock into their present reservoirs If these oils
were found insitu. then they must be of vegetable
origin, as there is no indication in the sands and coals
of sufficient animal matter to have yielded such quanti-
ties of oil. Further, had they developed in situ, they
must have arisen either from the coal or from the veget-
able matter which formed the coal. Experience does
not lead one to expect that they have been formed from
the coal, and the change of vegetation, partly into coal,
partly into oil, is equally contrary to experience. The
other view, that the oils migrated into their present
position, is much more probable, and is supported by
certain evidence afforded by the differences in compo'.i-
lion of the crude oil from different horizons. Condi-
tions advantageous to migration exist in the Koetei and
Tarakan fields. In the former, clays and sands alter-
nate, but the layers are discontinuous owing to their
formation underdeltaconditions, so that a zigzag course
is open to the oil migrating upwards, there being, how-
ever, many opportunities for retaining portions of the
oil under impervious clays en route. A possiblesource
of the oil is to be found in the foraminifera limestone
(which is a shallow water deposit accumulated quickly)
of the early Miocene, or possibly in the marl formation
of the underlying Eocene. It is possible that as the oil
migrated upwards, coming into contact with or passing
through the coal beds, some chemical interaction be-
tween the oil and the coal may have taken place. One
might expect, therefore, differences in composition of
theoils which have been arrested in their upward course
by local obstacles at different horizons. This is, indeed,
undoubtedly the case. The oil found at the greatest
depths so far drilled is rich in paraffin wax. The oils
found at higher levels are poorer in paraffin and richer
in aromatic and asphaltic constituents. The early Mio-
cene greensand formation, which underlies the Koetei
petroliferous formations, has not yet been penetrated
by borings, but it is found outcropping in the Palarang
anticline, which runs parallel to that of Sanga Sanga,
some miles further inland. The nature of the oil found
there in these lower strata is in accordance with the view
put forward. This oil had the relatively low specific
gravity of 0831, yielded 40% of a kerosene of specific
gravity 0809, which burnt well in a Hinks lamp, and
which was of very low aromatic content. The crude
was, moreover, rich in paraffin wax. This oil comes
from a level below thecoalbearing strata. Thesefacts
suggest the possibility of the paraffin-rich and aromatic-
poor oil having undergone some chemical interaction
with the coal in its passage upwards, which resulted in
a diminution of the wax content and increase in the aro-
matic and asphaltic constituents. It is difficult to un-
derstand in what way such a change could have come
about. The facts, however, exist and need some such
explanation . In the Miri fields, where coals are absent,
the oil is low in aromatic and asphaltic content ; the
oils of Perlak. in Sumatra, where coals are absent, are
lower in aromatic and asphaltic content than those of
Moera Enim, in which field coals are present. The
fact also that the difference in character with increase
of depth is so very much less marked in the Tarakan
field, where the geological conditions are much more
favourableforeasymigration, lendssupportto thisidea.
FlotationofCassiterite.— Patent No 28,999 o' 1919
(159,025) granted to M. T. Taylor and J. W. Parting-
ton describes the process for concentration of tin ores
by flotation as developed at East Pool mine, Cornwall.
Herewith is given the specification.
The present invention is based upon the observation
that sulphonated fatty or resin acids have a favourable
effect in promoting the separation of certain metal com-
pounds, for instance, the compounds of tin and tung-
sten such as the oxides of the metals referred to and
scheelite occurring in ores. In accordance with the in-
vention, productsobtained by treating fatty or resin acids
with sulphuric acid are employed. The fatty acids
whose sulphonated derivatives are employed in accor-
dance with the invention are the higher fatty acids such
as are present in oils and fats, and the resin acids are
ordinarily those derived from colophony. The fatty
acids obtained for instance by treating soaporasolution
of soap with a weak acid medium to effect the separa-
tion of the fatty acids, orsoap itself may be treated with
strong sulphuric acid, during which treatment it will
be found that sulphur dioxide is liberated The waxy
product obtained, which is usually of a blackish or dark
colour, separated from the aqueous layer formed in the
treatment, and optionally also from any crystalline
252
THE MINING MAGAZINE
matter separating {rom the aqueous layer, may be cm-
ployed in tlie flotation process.
In tlie treatment of soap with strong sulphuric acid
inthemannerindicated, itwouldappear that derivatives
as, for instance, sulphonated products or derivatives of
certain fatty and/or resin acids contained in the soap
are formed. The sulphonated fatty or resin acids may
be employed in the form of a solution in, or otherwise
in association with, agents which in themselves may
act in the direction of facilitating the separation of the
metallic values in consequence of their selective action
for certain minerals or of their emulsifying or froth-
forming properties. Thus the sulphonated fattyor resin
acids may be dissolved in or employed in association
with esters of fatty acids as, for instance, propyl, butyl,
or amyl acetates, and/or with cyclic compounds con-
taining nitrogen in the ring as, for instance, pyridine or
like compounds, or commercial products containing
these bodies, and the solution thus produced may be
associated with phenolic bodies such as phenol itself or
eucalyptus oil or other oily bodies hitherto employed
in flotation processes.
The flotation of tin, tin o.xide, wolfram, and scheelite
can be effected by the employment of flotation agents
in accordance with the invention, and it has been found
by the inventor that by the employment of equal parts
by weight of the fatty acids of palm oil and strong sul-
phuric acid m forming a sulphonated product, which is
employed together with pyridine and amyl acetate in
the manner above indicated, particularly good results
may be obtained in the separation of these minerals
from the gangue and other matters with which they are
normally associated in the form of ores or concentrates.
The following particulars are given, by way of ex-
ample, for the purpose of illustrating a suitable manner
of carrying the invention into effect : Soap or the fatty
acids set tree by the treatment of soap with weak acids
as, for instance, sulphuric acid of 10% strength, or by
means of acetic acid, are treated with strong sulphuric
acid of, for instance, 95% strength, and the product
which floats on the aqueous layer is further treated with,
for instance, pyridine or amyl acetate, or both pyri-
dine and amyl acetate, after separation from or while
in contact with said layer, so that the product is
dissolved by the pyridine or amyl acetate, or forms
compounds therewith. From what has been stated
above it will be understood that instead of pyridine
other cyclic compounds containing nitrogen in the ring
may be employed, and that instead of amyl acetate other
fatty acid esters may be used. The fatty acids of palm
oil are treated with an equal weight of concentrated sul-
phuric acid with or without the aid of heat. Sulphur
dioxide is evolved and the resulting product is usually
dark in colour. When the reaction has ceased, the pro-
duct floating upon the aqueous layer is separated either
by decantation or by allowing the reaction mixture to
cool and separating the solid reaction product. The
reaction product, which is more or less solid at ordinary
temperatures, is then masticated or kneaded or boiled
with water to remove the free mineral acid with which
it may be associated.
The product thus obtained may be added in the solid
state to the material as. for instance, by introducing it
into the flotation apparatus in which it will be converted
into an emulsion with the water, or it may be previously
emulsified with water or dissolved in any suitable sol-
vent as, for instance, pyridine or like nitrogen-contain-
ing cyclic compounds, or propyl , butyl, or amyl acetate.
or the corresponding alcohols, and the emulsion or
solution may be then added to the material to be sub-
jected to the flotation treatment. The ore or mineral-
bearing material is crushed to pulp of a suitable degree
of fineness either by wet or dry crushing, and is then
conveyed to a flotation apparatus where the said pulp
is agitated with water, and m the course of this agitation
a small portion of the flotation agent according to the
invention is added to it. This flotation agent attaches
itself preferentially to the mineral particles in the ore
and leaves the gangue or waste substantially unallec-
led. Air in minute subdivision is Introduced into the
aqueous pulp and attaches itself to the reagent-coated
mineral particles, thus carrying them to the surface in
the form of a froth or scum, which is collected, and the
mineral separated therefrom by settling or other suit-
able means.
Arizona Copper Company's Metallurgy. — In the
HngiiiccnriL^ ami Mining Journal for I'cbruary 5, J.
O. Ambler writes on the method of saving gold and sil-
ver at the Arizona Copper Company's smelting plant.
The average gold content of the blister copper per ton
is 3 dwt , and the silver content averages 5 oz. per ton.
This precious metal could not be recovered profitably
by electrolytic refining, so experiments were made in the
converter with the object of reproducing the old Welsh
method of collecting gold and silver in the bottoms.
The results were sufficiently encouraging, and the author
gives a description of the practice eventually adopted.
A charge consisting of about fifty tons of matte and the
necessary silicious ore and cleanings is blown in 12 ft.
Great Falls-type converters to the white-metal stage as
usual. The white metal is then blown until part of it is
converted into copper, this blowing time being depen-
dent on the amount of white metal in the charge, the
percentage of enriched product desired, and the other
operating factors. The converter is then turned down,
and the overlying white metal is poured off into a ladle.
The copper remaining in the converter, which still con-
tains a small amount of white metal and is enriched in
gold and silver, is finished and poured as usual, this
operation taking from three to five minutes, depending
on how clean a separation has been made. The white
metal which was poured off into the ladle is then pour-
ed into the same converter and finished, the copper pro-
duced being impoverished in gold and silver. The prin-
cipal difficulties encountered in operation are to control
the percentage of copper produced as " enriched," and
to obtain a clean separation when skimming the white
metal from the enriched product. As a result of experi-
ence, the operators at the plant can now Estimate the
percentage of enriched product with a fair degree of
accuracy, but the results obtained are still entirely em-
pirical. With a charge containing about fourteen tons
of copper, the blowing time to produce 55% of enriched
product from the white-metal stage averages from fifty
to fifty-five minutes under the conditions prevailing in
this plant, but this varies with the size of the charge,
cleannessof the skim, temperature of the charge, amount
of cold scrap fed, temperature of the blast, and other
conditions, and is still largely a matter of good judg-
ment based on experience. The foremen in charge have
developed a scheme for separating thecopper and white
metal, by observation of the appearance of the molten
stream on a rabble blade, which is entirely satisfactory
SHORT NOTICES.
Subsidences and their Prevention.— At the March
meeting of the South Wales Institute of Engineers, R.
C . Morgan read a paper on the causes of subsidences in
coal mines and the best safeguards for their prevention .
Compressed Air in Mines. — TheColliery Guardian
for March 4 contains a report of a discussion at Wigan
Mining College on the relative suitabilitieb of com-
pressed-air power and electric power in mines.
APRIL, 1921
253
Flotation of Coal. — A paper by E. Bury. W, Broad-
bridge, and A. Hutchinson on the application of froth
flotation to the purification of coal is published in the
Transactions of the Institution of Mining Engineers.
Monel Metal. — In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for February 16. Paul D. Merica writes
onthe physical characteristics of monel metal, the alloy
of copper and nickel.
Nickel Alloys. — In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for March 2, Paul D. Merica. of the re-
search department of the International Nickel Co.,
writes on nickel steels and iron alloys high in nickel.
Chloridizing-Roasting of Copper Ores, — In the En-
gineering and Mining Journal oi March 5, N.Ostman
describes the RamenBeskow furnaces used in extract-
ing copper from burnt pyrites by roasting with salt and
subsequent leaching. These furnaces and the chemical
considerations connected therewith were described in
the Mag.^zine for December, 1918.
Electric Iron Smelting. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for March 9, Gerard de Geer
writes on electric smelting of pig iron at Domnarfvet,
Sweden.
Cobalt Brasses. — Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for March 9 publishes a translation of a
paper by Leon Guillet, which appeared in a recent
issue of Revue de Metallurgie. on cobalt brasses.
Copper Assay. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for March 19, G. J. Hough describes a modifi-
cation of the Fleitmann method of copper assay.
Mount Quatnby, Queensland. — The Queensland
Government Mining Journal for January contains a
paper by Lionel C. Ball on the Mount Quamby gold
deposits between Cloncurry and Mount Cuthbert.
Cobalt in Queensland. — The Queensland Govern-
ment Mining Journal for January publishes a paper
by J. H. Reid on the deposit of cobalt near Selwyn, in
ihe Cloncurry district. Note of this deposit was made
in the Magazine for November last.
Gold and Platinum in Chile. — In the Engineering
and Mining Journal ioT March 19, F. Mella describes
alluvial deposits containing gold and platinum on the
island of Chiloe off the coast of southern Chile.
Spanish Pyrites. — In the Mining and Scientific
Press for January 22, Courtenay De Kalb writes on the
pyrites industry of South Spain. In theissue of Febru-
ary 5 he describes the methods of extracting the copper.
Pyrites in Coal. — At the meeting of the Manchester
Geological and Mining Society held on March 8, James
Lomax read a paper on the various forms of pyrites in
coal, their probable origin, and their effects on being
exposed to atmospheric influences.
Nevada Consolidated. — In the Mining and Scien-
tific Press for March 5, A. B. Parsons commences an
article giving a historical account of the Nevada Con-
solidated Copper Company.
Gold Mining in Nicaragua. — In the Mining and
Scientific Press for March 12, Robert Hawxhurst, Jr.,
describes the Piz Piz goldmininp district, Nicaragua.
British Aluminium Water Power. — The Engineer
for March 4 contains an illustrated article describing
the new scheme for providing additional electric current
for the British Aluminium Company's smelting works
near Fort William, Scotland, by utilizing the waters of
Lochs Trieg and Laggan and of adjoining rivers.
Borneo Petroleum. — In the Engineering and Min-
ing Journal for March 5. W, H. Emmons and J. W.
Gruner write on the Sanga Sanga oilfield in the Koetei
district, Borneo.
Mexican Oil. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal lor March 19, A. H. Redfield discusses the oil
resources of the states on the isthmus in Mexico, Vera
Cruz, Oaxaca, and Chiapas.
Conditionsin China. — Minmgajid Metallurgy {New
York) for March contains a paper by H. Foster Bain
entitled : " Problems Fundamental to Mining Enter-
prise in the Far East."
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED.
*^J cot>y of the specification of any of the patents men-
tioned in this column can be obtained by sending Is. to
the Patent Office. Southampton Buildings, Chancery
Lane. London. W C.2..witha note of the number and year
of the patent.
19,027 of 1919 (158,288). J. G. Macleod, Lon-
don, and W. J. Browning, Rio Tinto. Obtaining
sulphuretted hydrogen from sulphurous gases obtained
by the roasting of sulphides, by passing these gases con-
tinuously through a carbonaceous zone maintained in-
candescent by its own combustion.
21,220 of 1919 (158,293). A. Matheson, Lon-
don. Method of producing soluble phosphate from
alunite.
22,056 of 1919(158,294). S. E. MuNoz, Lor-
enzo Marquez, and S Seruya, Johannesburg. Cush-
ioning devices for hand hammer-drills.
23,318of 1919(158,926). A J. and H.D. Evans,
London. Improved method of recovering tin from tin-
pot skimmings.
24,766 of 1919 (159,244). C. M. CoNDER and
G. T. TwYNAM, Camborne. Improved crusher of the
roller and ring type.
25,056 of 1919 (158,937). W. Gallagher, Jo-
hannesburg. Instrument for surveying bore-holes
26,470of 1919(134,536). Masumi Chikashige
and Denzo Uno. Kyoto, Japan. Extracting selenium
and other metals from the slimes of electrolytic refining
plant.
27,951 of 1919 (158,708). A. H. Jones. Tono-
pah, Nevada. Flotation machine.
28,355 of 1919 (158,992). A. A. Kelly and B.
D.Jones, London. Methodof preparing alkali penta-
borates from boronatrocalcite or other boron minerals
28.546 of 1919 (159,008). J. E. Hurst, Mans-
field, and E. B. Ball, Troon. Aluminium alloy suit-
able for internal combustion engines containing 05 to
6% of chromium.
28.763 of 1919 (159,280). W. B. Ballantyne,
London. Method of introducing chromium c other
refractory metal into steel.
28,832 of 1919(159,285). E.Edser,H.L. Sul-
MAN, and F. B. Jones, London. Improvements in
process for floating coal, based on W. Russell's process
described in Patent No. 122,454.
29,031 of 1919 (158,740). W. P. Heskett,
Wanganui, New Zealand. Method of producing fine
metallic powders.
29,283 of 1919(159,314). W. W.Richardson,
London. Improvements in the inventor's revolving
classifier and concentrator.
29,303 of 1919 (147,530). New Jersey Zinc
Co., New York. Improvements in the Wetherill pro-
cess for making zinc, lead, and other oxides.
29,359 of 1919 (159,318). R. H. Bicknell.
London. Tunnelling machine.
30,340of 1919(159,342). D. Whitaker, Leices-
ter. Tunnelling machine.
30,951 of 1919 (159,071). J.J. Collins, Wins-
ford, Cheshire. Method of extracting tin from ores by
treatment with dry chlorine gas. This process was de-
scribed in the Magazine for November, 1920.
31,814 of 1919 (159.380). R Storen, Kongs-
berg, and R. Johanson, Odda, Norway. In magnetic
254
THE MINING MAGAZINE
separation, a method of rendering pyrrliolite perman-
ently non magnetic so that weakly magnetic iron oxides
can be separated from it.
1 712of 1920(159,086). S. E.Siitt kin, Hoganas,
Sweden Method o( producing al iimina from aluminium
chloride formed by treating aluminium ores in hydro-
chloric acid. _ „ .
5,510of 1920(154,167). F. Courtoy, Brussels.
Coal washer. _ „^
6,092 of 1920(139,523). Siemens-Schuckert-
WFUKE, Berlin. Kolary rock-drill.
6 912 of 1920 (140,069). ScHiELE & Bruck-
sal'fr Hornberg, Baden. Increasing the resistance
of aluminium to acid and alkaline liquids.
8 213 of 1920 (159,102). General IlI-ECTRIc
Co ', Schenectady. New York. Producing acoating of
chromium-iron alloy on surfaces of iron and steel.
11 326 of 1920 (142,129). J. Chofpinet, G.
Gil.LON. and V. Dki-aVS, Brussels. An apparatus
for determining the deviations of bore-holes, compris-
ing a rocking beam suspended above a disc having
uniform rotary motion, which moves laterally in ac-
cordance with the deviations of the bore-hole, the
rocking beam carrying devices arranged in the apices
of a regular polygon that is concentric to the rocking
beam said devices being arranged to come into con-
tact with a radius of the rotating disc at intervals of
time varying with the relative positionsof the disc and
he rocking beam, and the recording of which al ows
of determining the distances between the centre of the
disc and the axis of the rocking beam, that is to say,
the displacement of the disc and consequently the de-
viation^ of the bore-hole and the horizontal direction
of said deviations. .
12,941 of 1920(143,218). WENDEL&ClE.Paris.
Blast'ing cartridges using liquid air.
12 959 of 1920(152,300). Fuller-lehigh Co.
andA G KiNYON. Fullerton, Pennsylvama. Toassist
the conveying of coal dust by pressure, the introduction
of small amounts of air into the bottom of the condmts,
thus making the dust fluent.
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS. Etc.
imTr,n,ei of the books etc . menlioned bslow can be obtained
Th^Tg'C. hi Technical Bookshop of TkeAHn.ng Maiaz.ne.
724. Salisbury House. London Wall, iL.K^.i
7^4, :DailSDUrv nuusc. i^w..^^" ■■ — - - ^ „„ vt
American Petroleum Register. Price «10 00. New
York: Oil Trade Journal. 120. Broadway.
The Recovery of Nitrate from Chilean Caliche.
By A. W. ALLEN. Cloth, octavo, SOpages. /'"ce63.
net The author 6rst describes the standard Shanks
process for e.xtracting nitrate, and then proceeds to deal
with his own process, for which patents are pending.
Year-Book of the Scientific and Learned Societies.
Cloth, octavo. 360 pages. London: Charles Griffin
& Co Ltd This is the 37th annual issue of a most
useful'handbook giving details of the various scientihc
and technical societies, with records of the papers and
transactions during the year. CcuMrF
Phosphate in Canada. By HUGH S SpencE.
Published by the Canadian D^P^^'f «"' °f ,'^'""p..
Geology of the Plateau Tin Fields. By J D. Fal-
coner. Published by the Geological Survey of Ni-
^Tead Ores. By T. C. F. Hall. Paper covers 135
pages. Price 6s. net. Published for the Imperial In-
stitute bv lohn Murray.
Handbook of Metallurgy, Vol. 1. By Carl Schn a^
BEL.translatedby HENRY LOUIS. Cloth octavo, 1.180
pages, illustrated. Price 40s net. London . Macmi-
lan & Co Ltd. This is the third edition of this well
known book. A detailed review will follow later.
COMPANY REPORTS
East Pool & Agar.— As reported last month, this tin-
woUram-arsenic mine near Camborne, was shut down in
February owing to the low price of metals and the high
cost of wages and coal, though pumping is being con-
tinued in order that the property may be kept m Rood
order The report for the year 1920 shows that 74,433
tons of ore was rai.^ed and sent to the mill, 47,524 tons
coming from the famous Rogers lode. The yields were
874 tons of tin concentrate, 46 8 tons of wolfram, and
500 tons of crude arsenic. The yield of lin concentrate
per ton was 26-3;'. lb., and the calculated recovery in
chemical assay was 68-8% • The amounts realized on
the sale of the several products were £ 152,015, i\-^jZ'
and /" 728 respectively, making a total of £175,767.
or47s 3d per ton of ore milled. Otherrevenuebrought
the receipts to /180,310. The total expenses were
/''OS 31S or 55s lid. per ton, so that there was a net
loss for the year of £28.007. During the year a large
amount of development was done, with gratifying re-
sults, which are described in the extracts from Bewick,
Moreing & Co. 's report given herewith.
On the 190-fathom level, the main east drive, on the
Rogers Lode, was continued beyond the elvan. and for
the 248 ft. driven disclosed ore averaging 48 5 lb black
tin and wolfram per ton over a width of 6 ft. A wmze
at 5'0 ft east, was started from the above drive and
sunk 24 ft. in ore averaging 34 lb. black tin and wolfram
oer ton for a width of 5 ft. A rise, at 636 ft. east was
klso started from the main drive, and extended 83 tt. in
ore averaging 81 lb black tin and wolfram per ton for
a width of 6 ft. On the 212 fathom level, the main
west drive was advanced 161 ft., to a total of 948 ft
the ore disclosed averaging 345 lb. black tin and wol-
fram per ton for an exposed width of 6 ft. The main
east drive was advanced 129 ft . through the elvan course,
but has not yet reached the downward extension of the
high-grade ore opened up beyond the elvan at the 190-
f afhom level . On the 240-fathom level, the main west
drive was advanced 119 ft. to a total distance of 506 ft.,
the ore disclosed averaging 34 lb. black tin and wolfram
pertonforanexposedwidthofeft. An east branch drive
(8^6 ft north, 150 ft. west), off thenorthsideof the main
eastdrive, wasstarled and advanced 58 ft. in ore averag^
ing 27 5 lb. black tin and wolf ram per ton over an exposed
width of 5-5 ft. On the 252-fathom level, a mam north
cross-cut. for opening up the Rogers Lode at this leve
was started and extended 735 ft. from East Pool shaft
and intersected the following : At 80 ft. north, the Red
Lode averaging 70 lb. black tin per ton for a w'dth of
5 ft ■ at 336 ft. north, Branweirs Lode averaging 45 lb.
black tin per ton for a width of 5 ft. (Where met rn
higher levels these lodes usually have been unprofit-
able, but the values above stated indicate that probably
an improvement is taking place in depth as has been
experienced, n adjoining mines) ; at 430 ft. north, a lode
averaging 37 lb. black tin per ton for a width of 8 tt. .
at 537 ft. north, a lode averaging 821b. black tin per
ton for a width of 5 ft. , j „„
On the 255 fathom level, the Tolgus tunnel, driven
east from the most easterly workings in the Agar sec-
tion encountered what is believed to be the Great Lode
at a distance of 860 ft , and for the 11 ft, driven on the
lode the ore averaged 84 lb black tin and wolfram per
ton over an exposed width of 8^ ft. The full width of
the lode was subsequently exposed by a south cross-
cut from the tunnel, and averaged 158 lb. black tin and
wolfram per ton lor 13 ft. wide. The Great Lode has
been extensively mined in b nh East Pool and Agar
sections for a length of 2.700 ft., and for many years
was the most productive lode worked on the property.
APRIL, 1921
255
The distance from the most easterly workings in the old
part of the mine to the eastern boundary is 2,000 ft.,
and the values disclosed in the tunnel give reason to
believe that the Great Lode in this section also will
produce large tonnages of profitable ore.
Tehidy Minerals. — This company was formed in
February. 1919, to acquire the mineral rights of the Te-
hidy (or Basset) estate, near Camborne, other than the
mining rights belonging to the Dolcoath and East Pool
companies : in the August following the mineral rights
of the Lanhydrock (or Clifden) estate were acquired.
Particulars of the Tehidy estate were given in the Maga-
zine for July, 1919, and of the Lanhydrock estate in
April, 1920, in each case accompanied by an explora-
tory map. The report now issued covers the period
from the registration of the company to the end of 1920.
The delay in issuing the report is due to difficulties in
connection with the transfer of the Tehidy rights. The
accounts show an income of /12.892 from Tehidy dues
and rents, and /14.588 from Lanhydrock dues and
rents. The admmistration expenses were /10,744,
and income tax absorbed £8,429. The net balance of
profit was /9,621, which was carried forward. The
company has taken a substantial interest in the Cornish
Kaolin, Ltd., whose worksaresituated at Bodmin Road,
and has sold to them a portion of its clay areas. Cor-
nish Kaolin's pipe line and rail way sidings afford an out-
let for the working of the company's extensive china-
clay deposits on Bodmin Moor and form the founda-
tion from which this development will proceed. The
company has purchased, since the end of 1920, from
H. D. Pochin & Co., Ltd., their well-known works situ-
ated at Burngullow, and the Halviggan clay pits which
areon the company's property, and which areconnected
with the Burngullow works by a pipe-line. The ac-
quisition gives an outlet to sidings on the railway for
working the company s clay deposits at Halviggan and
district. Both these works are situated on the Great
Western main line and are near the china-clay port of
Fowey.
South Crofty. — As recorded last month, the mine and
mill of this tin-mining company at Camborne were
closed on February 12 owing to the high cost of wages
and materials and the low price of tin. The report now
issued covers the year 1920. During this period 69,960
tons of ore was raised and treated, from which were ex-
tracted 589 tons of tin concentrate. 38 tons of wolfram,
and 645 tons of arsenic. The value of these products
was /145.913, or 41s. 8d. per ton of ore milled. The
rofit and loss account shows total credits of ;f 153,420,
.J a net profit of £^3,056 The costs at the mine were
35s. 8d. per ton. The yields per ton were 18'8 lb. tin
concentrate, 122 lb. wolfram, and 20 68 1b. arsenic.
As regards development, the results have continued to
be satisfactory. In the deepest levels at 260 fm. and
290 fm in Robinson ssection, comparatively high assay-
values have been obtained over portions of the ground,
while two new lodes of some promise have been dis-
covered. Now that all the mines in the district are
closed, the question of individual or collective pumping
has arisen. At South Crofty there is a likelihood of a
considerable increase in the amount of water coming in
if complete stoppage or certain alterations in methods
were adopted at adjacent mines Hence the necessity
for collective action.
Robinson Gold. — This company was formed in 1887
to work an outcrop mine in the central Rand, and for
many years the returns were large and the mine was
the greatest gold mine of the world. J. B. Robinson
was the first chairman, but the control soon passed to
the Ecksteins and later to the Rand Mines group. The
mine is near exhaustion, and for some years operations
have subsisted on the treatment of low-grade ore. The
report for the year 1920 shows that 475,400 tons, aver-
aging 4'7 dwt. per ton, was raised and sent to the mil
without sorting. The yield by amalgamation was
63,397 oz.. and by cyaniding 40,229 oz., making a total
of 103,626 oz., or 436 dwt. per ton. The revenue was
£573,570, of which £l43,103 accrued from the gold
premium. The revenue per ton was 24s. 2d., of which
6s. Id. was premium. The working cost was £487.367,
or 20s. 6d. per ton, leaving a working profit of £86,202,
or 3s. 8d. per ton. It is clear, therefore, that the mine
exists on the gold premium . The shareholders receiv-
ed £82,500, the dividend being at the rate of 3%. The
reserve in the Main Reef Leader and South Reef is es-
timated at 115.200 tons, not valued. There is a large
amount of ore remaining in the Main Reef, but only
small portions of it are of sufficiently high grade to
warrant extraction. Ore is still being extracted from
the old workings and by the reclamation of pillars, but
the resources in this direction cannot be estimated.
Thus the remaining life of the mine is difficult to
forecast.
Rose Deep. — This company was formed in 1894 to
acquire claims on the dip of the reef below New Prim-
rose in the near east Rand. In 1909 the adjoining Glen
Deep was absorbed. The control is with Rand Mines,
Ltd. The report for the year 1920 shows that 713,431
tons of ore was raised, and, after the remo%'al of 9% as
waste, 643,600 tons of ore, averaging 54 dwt. per ton,
was sent to the mill. The yield of gold by amalgama-
tion was 101,142 oz.. and by cyaniding 62,644 oz., mak-
ing a total of 163,786 oz., or 5 09 dwt. per ton milled.
The revenue from the sale of gold was £900.917. or28s.
per ton milled. The working cost was £679.898. or 21s.
2d. per ton. leaving a working profit of /221.018. or 6s.
lOd. per ton. The proportion of the revenue accruing
from the premium on gold is not specifically given, but
it is stated that but for this premium the margin between
revenue and expenditure would have been extremely
small. The shareholders received £192,500, the divi-
dend being at the rate of 21\%. Thedevelopmentwork
has continued to give satisfactory results, and the re-
serve is estimated at 3,060,040 tons averaging 51 dwt.
per ton, as compared with 3,031,280 tons averaging 5'2
dwt. the year before.
Consolidated Diamond Mines of South • West
Africa. — This company was formed in February, 1920,
by the Consolidated Mines Selection group, to acquire
the properties of the principal German diamond-min-
ing companies operating in South-West Africa. The
first annual report, now issued, covers the period from
October 1. 1919. to December 31. 1920. Of the Ger-
man companies, the Pomona. Koloniale, and Deutsche
were the biggest producers. Operations were con-
tinued by the German companies until March, 1920,
after which date the present company took control and
rearranged the work accordingly. The accounts show
an estimated profit of £128,365 for the period from
October 1, 1919. to February 16, 1920. From Febru-
ary 16 to the end of the year the sales of diamonds
brought an income of £1.455.143. and on December
31 the stock of 346.675 carats was valued at £416.208,
being the cost of production. The mining expenses
were £501.997. administration expenses £27.720. al-
lowance for depreciation £123.996, interest on deben-
tures £131,821, allocation to sinking fund for redemp-
tion of debentures £138,742, and payment to the Gov-
ernment £404.237. The balance of profit for Febru-
ary 16 to December 31 was £249.973. Owing to the
uncertainty of the diamond market no dividend has
been declared. The engineer gives the figures for the
output of diamonds during 1920 as 545.027 carats, ob-
256
THE MINING MAGAZINE
tained by treating 1.106,7J9 cubic metres of ground.
AMOciated Northern Blocks. — This company was
formed in 1S99, as a subsidiary of the Associated Gold
Mines of West Australia, to work the Iron Duke and
other properties at KalKOorlie, West Australia. I'or
many years satisfactory profits were earned. Later the
property was let on tribute. In 1910 the Victorious
mine at Ora Banda was accjuired. This property has
also been let to tributers. The report for the year ended
September JO last shows that 17,316 tons was raised by
thetributersat the Victorious, which yielded gold worth
Li'ljil at par, and that 14,981 tons was raised by tri-
butorsat the Iron Duke, yielding gold worth I'lifiZZ at
par. After the receipt of the premium on gold, /1 1,7 17,
the profit accruing to the company was ;f 13,756. out of
which /3,419 was written off for development and de-
preciation. The balance brought forward from the
previous year was ;f21,997, so that the disposable bal-
ance of profit at the end of 1920 was ;£32,334. Out of
this, ;f 17,500 was distributed on March 31, 1920, the
dividend being at the rate of Is. per share, tax paid. In
1910 the company purchased the El Refugio mine in
Zacatecas, Mexico. This was subsequently let on lease,
and the report now states that the lessee has com-
menced the erection of a milling plant.
Globe & Phoenix. — The report of this celebrated
gold-mining company operating in Rhodesia, covering
the year 1920, gives no details of the ore mined and
treated. The profit and loss account shows an income
of ;£379,8S0 from the sale of bullion at par value, to
which is added ;f 153,457 received as premium on the
sale ol the gold. Theprofitfor the year was;£'344.042,
of which ^78,945 was paid out for income tax and cor-
poration tax, /lOO.OOO was placed to development re-
serve, while ;f240,000 was distributed as dividend, be-
ing at the rate of 120% . The ore reserve is calculated
at 93.852 tons averaging 31 dwt. per ton. The last
previous report as regards ore reserves was published
in October. 1919, when the figures were 143,333 tons
averaging 30 dwt. At the end of 1918. the figures were
159,913 tons averaging 294 dwt., and at the end of 1917,
184,053 tons averaging 289 dwt. It is clear that min-
ing operations have depended on the ore reserve for
some time. The present report on development work
received from D. P. McDonald indicates improvements
in the results at various points, but he confesses that
more good luck is desirable.
Jos Tin Area (Nigeria). — This company was formed
in 1910 to work a number of tin-mining leases in Ni-
geria. The report for the year ended July 31, 1920,
shows that 143 tons of tin concentrate was won, as com-
pared with 233 tons the year before, the fall being
mainly due to shortage of labour. For the six months
ended January 31, 1921, the output was 131^ tons. Ow-
ing to the present low price of tin, the rate of output has
been reduced and the staff has been cut down consider-
ably. The profit for the year under review was £1,214,
which was carried forward. In writing of this com-
pany last October, we referred to a report for the year
ended July 31 ; this report was for the year ended July
31, 1919. not July 31. 1920.
HoUinger Consolidated Gold Mines. — The tenth an-
nual report of the leading gold-mining company oper-
ating at Porcupine, Ontario, for the year 1920, shows
that 650,205 tons of ore was sent to the mill, averaging
S9'93 per ton. The gold produced was valued at
$6,219,664, or 8956 per ton. The receipts during the
year including the premium on gold were $6,939,628,
and 8222,982 was received as dividends and interest.
The working cost was 83,144.328, or 84'83 per ton of
ore treated. Taxes absorbed 8225,940, 8445.985 was
written oft for depreciation of plant, 8408,250 was writ-
ten off development .iccouni, and 8260,872 was written
olf investments. The net profit was 82,675,274, of
which 82.214,000 was distributed as dividends. The
ore reserve was estimated at 3,294,00.') tons, averaging
11 dwt. per ton. Two years earlier the reserve was
estimated at 4,275,570 tons averaging 8900 per ton.
In the later estimate all ore lower than 86 00 has been
eliminated. Virtually tlie whole of the calculated re
serve is above the 800 ft. level. The lodes have been
proved below this, and down to 1,350 ft., but no esti-
mate of their contents has yet been made.
Mexico Mines of El Ore. -This company has worked
agold mineat El Oro, Mexico, since 1904. As themine
is fully developed, a subsidiary exploration company
was formed a year or two ago and the control of other
properties has been acquired, but owing to adverse
conditions in metals the new ventures are in abeyance
at present. The report for the year ended June 30 last
shows that 138,710 tons of ore was milled, averaging
81136 in gold and 8 39oz. silver per ton. The yield
of gold was81,435,3Sl and of silver 972,934 oz., being
recoveries of 91% and 835% respectively. The ac-
counts show an income of /533,808 from the sale of
the gold and silver, and a net profit of /196,579. out of
which £189, 000 has been distributed as dividends, be-
ing at the rate of 90% tax paid. Developments con-
tinue to disclose ore, and during the past year blocks
of ore higher in silver than gold have been found on
the 3rd, 4th, and 9th levels. The reserve is estimated
at 350,100 tons, averaging 810 92 gold and 882 oz.
silver per ton, a decrease of 29. 100 tons in tonnage and
80 68 in gold content, and an increase of 022 oz. silver,
as compared with the figures a year before.
San Francisco Mines of Mexico. — This company
was formed in 1913 to acquire silver-lead-zinc mines
near Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico, previously worked by
the San Francisco del Oro company. The report for
the year ended September 30 last shows that the con-
centrator, enlarged to adailycapacily of 100 tons toward
the end of 1919, was at work as continuously as Mexican
conditions allowed. During the period under review
25,087 tons of ore was treated in the concentrator, aver-
aging 94% lead, 202% zinc, 08% copper, 128 dwt.
gold, and 20 oz. silver. The yield of lead concentrate
was5,901 tons, averaging 30 4% lead, 21 4% zinc, 3 dwt.
gold, and 41 oz. silver. The recovery of the lead was
77% and of silver 47%. Theoutput of shipping ore was
8,064 tons, averaging 876% lead, IS'45% zinc, r75
dwt. gold, and 33 oz. silver, together with 644 tons of
oxidized ore averaging 656% lead, 1^ dwt. gold, and 19
oz. silver. The total received for the concentrate and
shipping ores was 1,657,074 pesos. The profit made by
the company was /^33,149, as compared with a loss of
/40,900 the year before. Plans are in hand for the ex-
tension of the concentrator to a capacity of 250 tons per
day. The finances of the company are to be rearranged
so that payment of interest on debentures may be sus-
pended for three years, and funds arising from profits
thus released for the requirements of the mine.
British Aluminium. — This company operates four
hydro-electric aluminium smelting works, two of them
being in Scotland, and two in Norway, and it also owns
rolling mills in Stafford and Lancashire. The report
for the year 1920 shows a net profit of /137,611, of
which £^118, 077 has been distributed as dividend, being
6% on the preference and 10% on the ordinary shares.
The company does not give particulars of the output of
aluminium. The works have been considerably ex-
tended during the year, and were fully employed. Since
the close of the year, however, the fall in consumption
has been such that it has been necessary to curtail seri-
ously the output at the various works.
>-1
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White. Managing Director. EDWARD Walker, M.Sc. F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Minin^ Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House. London Wall. London, E.C.2.
Telephone: London Wall 8938. Teleeraphic Address : Oligoclase. Codes: McNeti^ both Editions.
Branch Offices :
1420. Market Street. San Francisco.
i 600. Fisher Bdg.. Chicago.
Subscription
[ 16s. per annum (Single Copy Is. 6d ) inclu-
\ ding postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXIV. No. 5.
LONDON. MAY. 1921
Price Is. 6d.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
Editorial
Notes 258
Llandarcy ; " Johannesville" ; Lectures on Zinc at
Sir John Cass Technical Institute : Journal of In-
dian Industries and Labour ; Burma Corporation
and British Lead Manufacturers ; Prospectinti
for Platinum at the iLizard ; British Petrographic
Nomenclature.
Gold Stealing 259
Instances are given of recent convictions Id West
Australia of stealers and receivers of gold.
The Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy 260
The Institution is about to remove to other premises
and to arranf^e closer working with the Institu-
tion of Mining Engineers.
Rand Mining Results 261
The outputs during 1920 are discussed, and also the
factors on which the future prosperity depends.
Review of Mining 263
Articles
Notes on Open-Cut Mining
R.S. Botsfoni 267
The Author discusses some recent advances in
practice in open-cut mining.
The Origin of Primary Ore Deposits
J, D. Kendall 272
The Author contributes to the discussion on Dr. J.
Morrow Caaipbell's recent paper on this subject.
British Petrographic Nomenclature... 278
A summary is here given of the Report of the Joint
Committee of the Geological and Mineralogical
Societies on the standardization of petrological
terms.
Letters to the Editor
The Greenside Mine Win. H. Borlase 281
Wave-Transmission Kock- Drill
R. de H. St. Stephens 282
Book Reviews
Curie's " This World of Ours "
V: F. Stanley Low 283
Prochaska's " Coal Washing "...Henry Louis 285
Spurr's " Political and Commercial Geology "
S.J. Truscott 286
Evans' "Lubricating and Allied Oils"
H. B. Milner 287
Hamorand Padgett's" The Technical E.xamina-
tion of Crude Petroleum. Petroleum Pro-
ducts, and Natural Gas" H. B Milner 287
Book Reviews {continued)
Pirsson's " Text-Book of Geology "
E. H. Davison 288
News Letters
Melbourne 289
The Coal Output; Victorian Mining.
Vancouver, B.C 291
Fire at Britannia Mill ; Premier; Yukon Lead ; Oil
Investigations.
Toronto 292
Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt ; Sudbury ;
Flin-Flon ; Mackenzie River Oilfield.
Personal 294
Trade Paragraphs 294
Metal Markets 295
Statistics of Production 298
Prices of Chemicals 301
Share Quotations 302
The Mining Digest
Anaconda Electrolytic Zinc Frederick Laist 303
Heat Treatment in Sharpening Drill Steels...
J. A. Noyes and F. M. Lee 306
Globe & Phoenix Metallurgy V. E. Robinson 308
Calcium P. H. Brace 309
Fire-Damp in Gold Mines T. N. Dewar 310
Trevorite 312
The Mackenzie Oilfield Dr. T O Bosworth 312
Andean Geology J. A. Douglas 313
Short Notices 314
Recent Patents Published 314
New Books, Pamphlets, Etc 315
Company Reports 315
Brakpan Mines ; Camp Bird : Chendai Consolidated ; City
Deep; ConsoHdated Langlaagte Mines ; Crown Mines; Durban
Roodepoort Deep ; Geduld Proprietary Mines ; Geldenhuis Deep ;
Gopene ConsoHdated ; Government Gold Mining Areas (Modder-
fontein) ; Knifiht Central ; Langlaaf4tc Estates & Gold ; Mason &
Barry; Mexican Corporation; Meyer & Charlton ; Modderfontein
B ; Modderfontein Deep Levels : New Kleinfontein ; Ooregum
Goltl : Pengkalen ; Plymouth Consolidated Gold Mines ; Rambu-
tan : Randfontein Central ; Santa Gertrudis ; Sons of Gwalia ;
Springs Mines; Tekka-Taiping ; TharsisSulphur& Copper ; Van
Ryn Deep ; Village Deep ; Witwatersrand Deep ; Witwatersrand
Gold.
EDITORIAL
THE new village built by the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company at Skewen, near
Swansea, has been christened " Llandarcy," in
memory of the late Mr. W. K. D'Arcy. This
village is intended for the accommodation of
employees at the company's great oil refinery.
IT isoftencomplamed that, though the. •\meri-
can economic geologists have contributed
in no small degree to the elucidation of many
problems connected with ore deposits, their
knowledge of the world outside their own
country is restricted. An example of this con-
tention is provided by the fact that the title
page of Eco)iotiiic Geology mentions as one of
the associate editors of that magazine Dr. E.T.
Mellor, of " Johannesville."
WE take pleasure in announcing that a
series of special lectures on the zinc m-
dustry are to be given at the Sir John Cass
Technical Institute, Jewry Street, Aldgate, by
Messrs. J. C. Moulden and E. A. Smith. Mr.
Moulden will give two lectures on " Modern
Developments in the Zinc Industry," on May
25 and June l.and Mr. Smith will deliver three
on " Industrial Applications of Zinc," on June
8, 15, and 22. The lectures will each last for
an hour, from 5.30 to 6.30 p.m., and the en-
trance fee for the course is 10s. Od. The Insti-
tute is to be congratulated on having secured,
during the last few years, the ser\ices of many
eminent authorities willing to help the cause of
education by giving freely from their store of
experience. The Institute is doing excellent
work in providing facilities for evening study,
and these facilities deserve to be more widely
known in mining and metallurgical circles.
ONE of the outward and visible signs of
the new spirit in India is the publication
of the Journal of Indian Industries and La-
bour, a quarterly magazine issued under the
auspices of the Indian Government. The ob-
ject of this magazine is to disseminate trade
and technical information between the various
provinces of India, which under the new
regime are largely independent of each other
in policy and administration. In addition, it
is intended to issue separate Bulletins on
special subjects. The first number contains
articles on the possibilities of industrial de-
velopment in the Central Provinces and Berar,
welfare work in Bombay cotton mills, re-
searches in tanning, the gilt wire and tinsel
industry at lUirhanpur, trade disputes in Ben-
gal, industrial education in Madras Presidency,
and the commercial aspects of bauxite. The
last named is written by Dr. J. Coggin Brown,
a member of the Indian Geological Survey
who has, during the last year or so, done ex-
cellent work in London in bringing Indian
mineral resources to the notice of the com-
mercial community. Sir Thomas Holland
supplies a foreword to this first number, re-
counting the circumstances under which the
Journal has been founded. We take this op-
portunity of recording our appreciation of the
services rendered by Sir Thomas and his asso-
ciates in piloting India through a difficult
transitional period.
TH E board of directors of the Burma Cor-
poration have made arrangements to pur-
chase the control of a number of English lead
smelters. This control was secured recently
through the instrumentality of Mr. R. Tilden
Smith, who formed a company called the As-
sociated Lead Manufacturers, Ltd., for the
purpose. Mr. Tilden Smith, it will be remem-
bered, has a very large interest in the Burma
Corporation. The lead firms controlled by the
.Associated company are : H. J. Enthoven &
Sons ; Walkers, Parker, & Co. ; Locke Lan-
caster & W. W. lV R. Johnson & Sons ; Foster,
Blackett, & Wilson ; and Alex. Fergusson &
Co. This list includes all the chief English
lead firms except Cooksons and Locke, Black-
ett & Co. The object of the Burma Corpora-
tion in acquiring the control is to provide an
outlet for its lead concentrates and the market-
ing of products such as pig, sheet, and pipe lead
and the various lead pigments. The policy is
to smelt some of the concentrates locally and
to dispose of the products in the East ; and to
ship the remainder to England for treatment
by the firms named. The purchase price of
the control is ^400,000 in Burma Corporation
debentures and ^100,000 in cash, the latter be-
ing devoted to the purchase of Associated shares
at par. It is believed that this policy will be
cheaper and less disturbing to the lead trade
than an enlargement of the Corporation's smel-
ter and treatment works, while a firm of ac-
countants show, by a ten years' record of the
financial results obtained by the individual lead
firms, that the investment in the shares of the
Associated company should be lucrative. For
some reason, which we shall not attempt to ex-
plain, this proposal was placed before an in-
25S
MAY, 1921
259
formal meeting of shareholders without any
indication of its nature having been given in
the convening circular. Moreover, the repre-
sentatives of the press were rigidly excluded.
The attending shareholders were taken by sur-
prise, and were further mystified by Mr. F. A.
Govett's speech, in which he began by stating
his objections to the scheme and ending by
recommending shareholders to adopt it. Dur-
ingsubsequent days Sir Trevredyn Wynne, the
chairman, received many protests and deputa-
tions, finally promising to provide further in-
formation before completing the deal.
IN his paper on ore deposits of igneous origin
read last month before the Cornish Insti-
tute of Engineers, Dr. R. H. Rastall drew at-
tention to the question of searching for platinum
in the serpentinesof the Lizard district. Recent
publications by Du Pare and Orueta have pro-
vided definite proof that the original home of
the platinum group of metals in the Ural
Mountains and in Spain is in the serpentin-
ized ultrabasic rocks, and the alluvial plati-
num of Colombia is associated with boulders
of serpentine. The possibility of platinum be-
ing found at the Lizard once more arises. Here
there are large areas of serpentine, but no re-
corded assay shows any platinum content. The
amount of platinum in the rocks is so small that
failure to find it is not to be wondered at. Dr.
Rastall suggests that a systematic search for
alluvial deposits that have undergone natural
concentration should be made, to be followed
by extensive panning tests and assays. There
are not many streams draining the Lizard ser-
pentines, but it would be worth while to test the
bedrock of such as there are.
IN another part of this issue we reprint the
report of a committee of the Geological
and Mineralogical Societies on the standard-
ization of British petrographic nomenclature.
Most geologists and mining engineers will ac-
cept the recommendations, though perhaps
some will query the wisdom of abandoning
the term ' diabase." We understand, how-
ever, that its disuse was advised owing to its
ambiguity. In early days the word was ap-
plied to somewhat decomposed basalts of Pre-
Tertiary age, and in this sense the word was
used largely in Germany. Later, Harker
used it to denote basic intrusives of hypabys-
sal type, but afterward he replaced it by "do-
lerite." At the present time, when used by
most of the scientific petrologists, it implies
the idea of more or less decomposition, and
thus a " diabase " may often be a " rotten do-
5—3
lerite." On the whole, therefore, the com-
mittee advised the retention of "dolerite" and
the disuse of "diabase." There is one point
in connection with the report that is distinctly
comforting : no new terms are recommended.
Perhaps in the not distant future it will be
possible for the committee to get into contact
with American petrographers. Attempts in this
direction have proved fruitless hitherto, but as
it is obviously desirable that there should not
be two nomenclatures, one English and the
other American, perseverance in this matter
is essential.
Gold Stealing.
A little over two years ago we referred in
these pages to the public scandal of gold steal-
ing, which continuously takes place at the Kal-
goorlie mines. It is an undoubted fact, and
well known to the managers and metallurgists,
that these mines have been losing at least
^100,000 of gold annually owing to this pilfer-
ing of rich ore and crude gold. It is not neces-
sary here to recapitulate the case of the mine-
owners, or to show how the Government of
West Australia has steadily refused to adopt
the recommendations of the Commission on
Gold Stealing appointed over fourteen years
ago, and has objected to taking any strenuous
action calculated to abate the nuisance. Our
article in 1918 was written with the avowed
object of stirring the Government, and of as-
sisting the West Australian Chamber of Mines
and the mine-owners in their campaign of self-
protection. But still nothing is done, and the
malpractices flourish as ever. The goldfields
police, on the other hand, continue to act as
alertly as the law allows them, and they have
been successful in scotching two offenders.
The first case occurred toward the end of 1919,
when a man operating at the sand-treatment
plant on Burbank's Birthday Gift mine was
convicted of buying stolen gold and rich ore.
This man had been suspected for some time of
conducting a shady business of this sort, for
the output of gold from the plant was obviously
much in excess of any possible gold content of
the material treated ; but it took the police a
long time to obtain evidence of a character that
would satisfy the local courts. If there had
been a law permitting the police to sample and
assay the material fed to the plant there would
belittledifficulty in detecting fraudsof this char-
acter. It is one of the contentions of the mine-
owners that all treatment plants of this descrip-
tion should be open to official inspection at any
time. Undoubtedly such a condition would act
powerfully in suppressing bogus custom plants.
260
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Another of the rare instances of conviction
occurred in October last, when an employee of
the Golden HorseShoe company was caught
in the act of stealing 2* lb. of gold slime. On
being searched, his clothing was found to con-
tain a number of unusual pockets evidently
specially designed for receiving small and large
amounts of purloined material. At his home
were discovered a number of bags which bore
the appearance of having contained gold slime
This man had been in the service of the Golden
Horse-Shoe for ten years, and had previously
been employed at the Ivanhoe for fourteen
years. During the whole of that period his
character had always been apparently above
suspicion, yet the circumstances under which
he was detected pointed to a systematic and
carefully designed plan of campaign. It might
be supposed that here was the opportunity for
an exemplary punishment that would act re-
pressively. But no ! the magistrate referred
feelingly to the fact that the culprit had a wife
and children, and let him ofif with two months'
imprisonment.
These thefts, as we have said, have been go-
ing on throughout the Kalgoorlie goldfield ever
since the deposits were first exploited. The
ownership of the mines is largely in the hands
of English investors. In many quarters, not
only in .Australia, but elsewhere, there is a
popular prejudice against investors, who it is
ignorantly alleged neither put the gold into the
rocks nor contributed toward getting it out.
When the shareholders are over the seas this
prejudice becomes more marked, andthemeans
for combating it correspondingly diminishes.
Apparently the authorities in West Australia
are not sympathetic with English investors, or
at any rate do not care to take any public step
to show it. So the scandal remains, and pre-
sumably will never be checked. At the present
time, however, when increased wages and costs
are narrowing, if not annihilating, the margin
of profit, it seems a pity that nothing can be
done to stop this illegitimate reduction of in-
come, even if only the interests of the wage
earners are considered.
The Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy.
At the thirtieth annual meeting of the In-
stitution of Mining and Metallurgy, held on the
21st of last month, two important announce-
ments were made with regard to the future of
the society. In the first place, the home is
to be moved from Finsbury Circus to City
Road; and second, a close relationship has
been arranged with the Institution of Mining
Engineers, the society in Victoria Street.
As regards the approaching removal from
Finsbury Circus, it will be remembered that
this house and the land on which it stands was
bought seven years ago, after the Institution
had had ordinary offices, first at Broad Street
I louse, and later in Salisbury House. At the
time the house was purchased, the hope was
that the home would be a permanent one,
though the Council were not unaware of the
fact that the property was old, and that it is
situated in a position suitable for a modern
ofKice building. Finsbury Circus used to be
composed almost entirely of houses such as
thatwhich the Institution occupies. Gradually
these have disappeared, to be replaced by Salis-
bury House, London Wall Buildings, Broad
Street Place, River Plate House, and No. 16,
usually known as Shell-Mex. The remaining
block of old property, together with similar
property round the corner in West Street and
Finsbury Pavement, has now been bought by
the Eastern Telegraph Company, which is in-
tending to erect a modern building similar to
Electra House on the opposite corner of West
Street and Finsbury Pavement, a house which
it built about twenty years ago. In order to
secure the Institution's premises and the land
on which it stands, the company had to ofter
sufficiently attractive terms to induce the
Council toagree to aremoval. Here,however,
a serious difficulty arose, for owing to the pres-
ent congested state of office accommodation in
the City no suitable alternative home could be
obtained. Finally, in default of any better
proposal, the Council agreed to accept the com-
pany's off'er of Cleveland House, a building in
City Road. Thus the Institution obtains the
free occupation of this building for the remain-
der of the lease, 38 years, at a nominal ground
rent, together with a sum of ^"20,000 in cash,
and the expenses of removal and redecoration.
The building is large and commodious, and the
floor space is more than twice that at Finsbury
Circus. The Council are, of course, justified
in congratulating themselves on a satisfactory
financial deal and on obtaining increased ac-
commodation, but, on the other hand, they have
to admit that the neighbourhood to which they
aremigratingis both inconvenientand unpleas-
ant. The new home is nearly a mile from the
old one, and is situated half way toward the
Angel at Islington. It was originally built as
the Vestry Hall of St. Luke's parish. Behind
it is St. Luke's Workhouse, in Shepherdess
Walk, and beside it is the Police Station, and
also the Eagle, of which the jingle says : " Up
and down the City Road, in and out the Eagle,
MAY, 1921
261
that's the way the money goes, Pop goes the
weasel." It is also near Sir Thomas Lipton's
cheap restaurant, known as the Alexandra
Trust Dining Rooms ; and not far away is St.
Luke's Hospital for Lunatics. We do not ex-
actly know why, but there seems to be some-
thing humorous in connection with what the
Scotsman would call the amenities. There is
no gainsaying the fact that the hearts of most
members of the Institution fell into their boots
when the news of the removal was broken to
them. But it is no use blaming the Council,
for they have equally suffered this anatomical
rearrangement. Criticism is worse than use-
less, for it is not likely that anyone would have
been able to discover a more acceptable solu-
tion of thedifficulty. Perhapsit wouldbemore
heroictoviewtheposition with a certam amount
of pride, comparing the Institution to the
People's Palace, Toynbee Hall, or the Oxford
Settlement, shedding the light of culture and
learning among the less-favoured classes of the
population. In any case, it is more than prob-
able that the new home will prove to be only
a temporary makeshift.
The other matter to which reference was
made at the meeting is the closer co-operation
between the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy and the Institution of Mining Engineers.
The latter society deals chiefly with the mining
of coal and iron in this country, while the for-
mer is devoted to metals and minerals other
than iron and coal. According to the view
taken by each individual, the two societies may
be supposed best entirely independent, or,
owing to the complementary nature of the sub-
jects, best amalgamated or at any rate drawn
into closer cooperation. The Institution of
Mining Engineers is in the nature of a federa-
tion of a number of local societies in this
country, of which the North of England Insti-
tute has taken the most prominent part. It was
originally hoped by the North of England In-
stitute that the Institution of Miningand Metal-
lurgy would join the federation, but the Insti-
tution considered that its aim and scope were
sodififerent from those of the provincial societies
as to make such a step inadvisable. It may be
said here that all thesequestions depend largely
on the temperament of those who direct the
fortunes of the societies. Thus it is probably a
pity that the personal element prevented fusion
or co-operation in those days. The matter was
revived recently bycertain engineers interested
in both societies, of whom it is allowable to
mention Sir John Cadman, and the Institution
of Mining Engineers once more approached
the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy, this
time, however, in more deferential spirit. The
course of negotiations need not be described
here ; suffice it to say that the two institutions
have agreed to act together, without losing
their identities, or interfering with their Royal
Charters. Thelnstitutionof MiningEngineers
is to move from Westminster and share the
new home of the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy, and Mr. C. McDermid, the secre-
tary of the Institution of Mining and Metal-
lurgy, is to be also secretary of the Institution
of Mining Engineers. Having thus effected
this important preliminary step, both institu-
tions will require time to get their breath, but
it is obvious that before long a further settle-
ment will have to be effected. The Institution
of Mining Engineers is an unwieldy body, and
has rather lost grip of affairs in recent years
since the death of Mr. Walton Brown. Some-
thing ought to be done to abolish the local
societies as such, and, if necessary, transform
them into local sections of the mother society.
Then it is desirable that the South Wales In-
stitute of Engineers should be drawn into the
circle. It is also to be recommended that
the Institution of Petroleum Technologists
should be associated in some way with the
other two institutions. Afterwards the Na-
tional Association of Colliery Managers and
the Association of Mining Electrical Engi-
neers should be approached, with a view to
their ultimate extinction and the absorp-
tion of their chief activities. As for co-
operation with societies in other parts of the
Empire, this is foreshadowed in the report of
the Council of the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy. There are other possible steps
toward unification of interests connected with
the mineral industries of the Empire, but the
time for these ha5 not yet arrived. In the
meantime, it is the plain duty of all members
of the Institution of Mining Engineers and the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy to see
that the co-operation of the societies achieves
the end desired, namely, the strengthening of
the status of the mining engineer.
Rand Mining Results.
At this time of the year most of the com-
panies operating on the Rand issue their annual
reports. Our Mining Digest for this month
and last contains abstracts giving the main
features of the results obtained. These ab-
stracts may be conveniently supplemented by
a brief summary of the impressions gained by
reading these reports. Two facts stand out
prominently. In the first place, cost of produc-
tion has continued to go up during 1920, and
262
THK MINING MAGAZINE
many of the reports indicate the likelihood of
further advances. On the other hand, some en
gineers are inclined to believe that a maximum
has been reached, and that there are hopes for
reductions before long. Judgment on this
point is naturally influenced by the fact that
there are enormous holdings of enemy shares
hanging over the market, shares now in the
hands of the British and Llnion Governments,
who are trying their best to induce the finan-
cial houses to absorb them. Under such cir-
cumstances it is only business on the part of
the financial houses to lay stress on the condi-
tions most deterrent to a rise in share quota-
tions. The other fact to which we refer is that
two-thirds of the producers are e.xisting largely
if not entirely on the premium received for
their gold.
In earlier years, when writing of Rand re-
sults, we made a practice of comparing the out-
puts and profits of the three great consolida-
tions, Crown Mines, Randfontein Central, and
East Rand Proprietary. The last occasion on
which we reviewed the results of these com-
panies' operations was in May, 1916, when the
figures for 1915 were analysed and compared.
In that year the outputs of gold were 763,063
oz., 680,697 oz., and 614,030 oz. respectively.
For 1920 the figures were 672,738 oz., 409,669
oz., and 400,495 oz. During the interval,
Crown Mines has been working steadily on its
original development scheme, but the increased
costs and comparatively low grade of the ore
have prevented the full benefit being obtamed
from theexcellentminingorganization adopted.
Randfontein Central has changed hands, and,
under the auspices of the new controllers, the
method of attacking the ore has been radically
changed. The advantages to be obtamed by
this rearrangement of methods are now becom-
ing obvious, and the large reserves of fair-grade
ore point to increased outputs and profits. At
East Rand Proprietary, the ore position has
gradually become worse during the last few
years, and profits have not been made; in fact,
the very existence of the mine has been in con-
stant jeopardy.
In 1915 the individual outputs of these three
big consolidations were more than twice as
great as that of any other mine on the Rand.
In 1920, we find Crown Mines still the largest
producer of gold with 672,738 oz., but the other
two mines have been outstripped in the race by
Government Areas with 600,154 oz., and New
Modderfontein with 53 1,304 oz. Of other not-
able results in 1920, there may be mentioned
City Deep with 351,363 oz,, Modderfontein B
with 312,218 oz., Van Ryn Deep with 306,614
o/.., Modderfontein Deep with 267,873 oz., and
Brakpan with 253,664 oz. Of the above-men-
tioned mines, all but East Rand Proprietary
have excellent prospects. Otlier mines doing
wel 1 are MeyerArCharl ton, Geduld, and Springs,
though the first-named is fully developed, and
has no speculative prospects. Of new mines,
Modderfontein East is producing and its pros-
pects are fair. New State Areas and West
Springs are in course of development, but work
has not got much further than shaft-sinking.
At Daggafontein, the results of development
have not been very satisfactory so far, and
operations are suspended for the present until
further capital is forthcoming.
A number of mines have ceased production
during the year, namely, Jupiter, Simmer Deep,
Knights Deep, Village Main Reef, Princess
Estate, City & Suburban, and New Ileriot. Of
producing mines not mentioned already, only
the gold premium has made the financial posi-
tion sound ; in some cases the premium has
made dividends possible, while in other cases
the premium has barely kept the mines alive.
Langlaagte Estate, Consolidated Main Reef,
Kleinfontein, Robinson Deep, Rose Deep, and
Village Deep appear to have plenty of life left
in them, provided conditions are favourable,
but Aurora, Consolidated Langlaagte, Dur-
ban Deep, Ferreira Deep, Geldenhuis Deep,
Knight Central, Luipaard's VIei, New Goch,
New Primrose, New Unified, Nourse, Robin-
son, Roodepoort United, Simmer & Jack, Van
Ryn, West Rand Consolidated, Witwaters-
rand ( Knights), Witwatersrand Deep, and Wol-
huter are either near the end of their reserves
or are in too poor ground to pay dividends.
But old mines die hard, and plenty of pluck is
exhibited in keeping them going on the Rand.
The foregoing remarks may impart some
idea as to the prospects of most of the mines on
the Rand. There are many factors making for
success or otherwise, but it must be remem-
bered that comparative richness of the ore
worked has now, as always, more influence on
profits than large-scale working. The biggest
profits on the Rand during 1920 have been
made by the mines working rich ore, such as
Meyer & Charlton, Van Ryn Deep, Modder-
fontein Deep, New Modderfontein, and Mod-
derfontein B. To these and to Government
Areas, City Deep and Crown Mines, Geduld,
Brakpan, and Springs, large mines but of not
quite the same grade, must be looked for pro-
fits during the next year or two, with hopes for
Randfontein Central, New State Areas, and
West Springs coming forward in the near
future.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — The coal strike still con-
tinues and the manufacturing industries of the
kingdom are at a standstill. The settlement
can hardly come by any other way than a sub-
stantial reduction of wages, and the employees
in all departments of trade are fully aware that
they also must submit to reductions. It is a
good augury that wages are being cut down
drastically in the United States. In the mean-
time base-metal mining has shrunk to small
dimensions, but a buoyant hope pervades the
profession and the markets that things will be
ail right again soon.
Transvaal. — Precis of the reports of a
large number of Rand gold-mining companies
are given elsewhere in this issue, and also a
general review of the results of output. There
are one or two points of interest in these reports
to which attention may be drawn. The deep-
est working on the Rand at present is in Village
Deep, where the shaft is now 6,059 ft. vertically
below outcrop. At City Deep, the mill was
worked to full capacity for the first time, this
having been made possible by the absorption
of the underground staff, white and native, from
the City & Suburban. In the Far East Rand,
perhaps the most recent development of im-
portance is in Geduld ; here a large amount of
high-gradeore has been discovered inthesouth-
western part of the property adjoining New
State Areas, and the prospects for finding fur-
ther ore of the same quality are excellent.
The Union Government has held a statutory
inquiry into the closing down of Daggafontein,
when Mr. Carl Davis, the consulting engineer,
gave a full account of the mining difficulties
that had supervened. All sorts of suggestions
have been made by outsiders for raising further
working capital, including a proposal that the
Governmentshould lendsomeof its huge profits
accruing from Government Areas, and another
that the Government should issue premium
bonds.
Rhodesia. — The gold returns for March re-
flect the result of the strike, the figures being
31,995 oz., as compared with 40,816 oz. in Feb-
ruary, and 45,779 oz. in March, 1920. The
other returns were as follow : Silver 10,085 oz.,
copper 248 tons, arsenic 21 tons, coal 33,084
tons, chrome ore 11,767 tons, asbestos 1,990
tons, mica 8 tons, and diamonds 21 carats.
The depression in the copper market has had
a serious effect on the financial position of Fal-
con Mmes, which was never very strong. At
the meeting held early this month, it was an-
nounced that ^50,000 was required to pay in-
come tax, debenture interest, and other liabili-
ties, while over ^70,000 would have to be pro-
vided next year for the redemption of the bal-
ance of the debentures. Unless the price of
copper improves before long there will be no
alternative but to stop work at the mine. The
report now issued covers the year ended June
30, 1920, and shows that 168,675 tons of ore
was treated for a yield of 2,706 tons copper,
30,942 oz. gold, and 61,812 oz. silver, realizing
i:452,298. The working cost was ^350,599.
After taxes, debenture and other interest, and
other items were deducted, the profit for the
year was ^66,759, out of which £"30,000 was
devoted to debenture redemption. During the
sixmonths Julyto December, 92, ISStonsof ore
yielded 1,556 tons of copper, 17,604 oz. gold,
and 35,445 oz. silver. The ore reserve at June
30, 1920, was estimated at 609,000 tons averag-
ing 4'85 dwt. gold and 2'07% copper. The
bottom levels are in disturbed ground, and a
good deal of development will have to be done
to prove them in depth. On the 1 1th level the
ore-body is estimated to be 220 ft. long and 40 ft.
wide, averaging 5 dwt. gold and V9% copper,
together with a western shoot 70 ft. long and
averaging 6'6dwt. gold and r9% copper over
57 inches. On the 12th level, 180 ft. of ore
33 ft. wide and averaging 3'7 dwt. gold and
2'45% copper has been proved, but this is not
the full extent.
In February we briefly recorded that de-
velopments in depth at the Lonely Reef gold
mine continue good. The report for 1920, now
to hand, shows, however, that though som-^ very
rich ore was discovered during the year in the
upper levels, the ore disclosed in the bottom
levels is of considerably lower grade than that
developed during the previous year. Conse-
quently the reserve, while being maintained as
to tonnage, is lower in gold content, the actual
figures being 202,845 tons averaging 20'8 dwt.
per ton, as compared with 199,739 tons averag-
ing 23'54 dwt. Another point of interest in
connection with the bottom workings is that the
dip is gradually decreasing, and consequently
the cross-cuts from the incline shaft which
follows the pitch from the 9th level become
longer at each succeeding level. It is intended
therefore to sink a new incline under the lode
at the 24th level. The consulting engineer also
mentions that the supply of firewood suitable
for boiler furnaces is exhausted, but that there
is abundance of wood suitable for the produc-
263
264
THE MINING MAGAZINE
tion of gas. It has therefore been decided to
substitute steam power by gas engines.
West Africa. — The report of the Fanti
Consolidated Mmes, Ltd., for 1920 makes ref-
erence to the progress made in developing the
manganese property at Dagwin. This pro-
perty was to have been floated as a subsidiary,
but the attitude of the Inland Revenue authori-
ties with regard to Excess Profit Duty made
it inadvisable to pursue this policy. It was
therefore decided that Fanti Consolidated
should do the development and equipment it-
self. Additional shares were issued for this
purpose, and an output of 200,000 tons per year
has been arranged. The company has a con-
tract for the delivery of 100,000 tons per year
for five years at a guaranteed minimum profit
of 7s. 6d. per ton, and this contract is renew-
able for two further periods of five years each.
The total amount of ore shipped during 1920
was 41,546 tons.
Nigeria. — TheNigerian Chamber of Mines
has been in communication with the Nigerian
Government with a view of securing some
measure of assistance or protection during the
present times of stress. As a result, certain
temporary concessions as regards rents, royal-
ties, and working conditions have been granted
by the Government : (1) Minmg lessees to be
released temporarily from labour obligations ;
three months' notice to be gi ven by the Govern-
ment before these obligations are again in-
forced. (2) Until further notice mining rentals
on land not worked to be reduced to 2i% of ex-
isting rentals, and mining rentals on land work-
ed to 50% of existmg rentals. (3) A new and
more favourable scale of royalties to be adop-
ted which will afford appreciable relief during
the time that the present low price of tin con-
tinues. Efforts to obtain a reduction of rail-
way rates on the transport of tin concentrates
were not successful.
The Mongu company announces that opera-
tionsare now confined to thebucket-dredge,and
that sluicing and calabashing have been sus-
pended during the depression in the tin market.
Prospecting also has been stopped, as the com-
pany has extensive proved areas. A small
amount of tributing is being continued. The
report for 1920 shows that 350 tons of concen-
trate was won by sluicing and calabashing and
140 tons by dredging. The sales of concen-
trate brought an income of ^98,925, and the
profit was ir39,263, out of which £^9,000 has
been allocated for taxation, and £^1 1,607 has
been distributed as dividend, being at the rate
of 12i%. Under present conditions the direc-
tors are wisely keeping a large balance in hand.
Australia. — The output of gold throughout
.•\ustralia for the year 1920 is given m the ac-
companying table, together with the figures for
1919. It will be seen that all the states show a
diminution except Victoria. In the latter state
the revival of activity at Bendigo has been the
chief factor in an advance.
Victoria
New South Wales
Queensland
West Australia...
South Australia
Northern Territory
Tasmania
191B.
1920.
Oz.
Oz.
135.428
152.792
65.839
48.907
120, S85
114.181
734.067
617,842
3.224
3.000
829
800
11.000
6.170
1.071.272
The Kalgurli ore is now exhausted, and the
directors have given instruction that the mine
shall be closed and the assets realized. This
mine was smaller than some of its neighbours
at Kalgoorlie, but it was highly profitable, hav-
ing returned excellent dividends from 1903 to
1916. It is a grateful duty to record that the
direction and the management were always of
the best.
The Ivanhoe treated 154,920 tons of ore dur-
ing 1920, for a yield of 57,471 oz. of gold, figures
not greatly different from those of the previous
year. The gold premium, however, brought a
larger income, ;^34G,293 being received, of
which ;^102,000 was premium, as compared
with /■291, 2 19,of which ^4 1,220 was premium;
while, on the other hand, the working cost was
3s. 7d. per ton higher. The net profit was
£65,125, out of which ^^65,000 has been dis-
tributed as dividend, making 6s. 6d. per £5
share. It will be seen that, but for the pre-
mium on gold, there would have been a loss on
the year's working. As regards development,
ore is still being found in the operating levels,
but in the workings below 2,420 ft. prospecting
still givesnegative results. The reserve isesti-
mated at 861,786 tons averaging 34s. 4d. per
ton, par value, as compared with 972,387 tons
averaging 33s. 9d. per ton the year before. It
is clear that, with the labour position as it is,
the future of the mine depends entirely on the
gold premium.
Another dispute has occurred at Kalgoorlie
with the firewood cutters, so some of the mines,
including the Ivanhoe and Golden Horse-Shoe,
were shut down for a short time.
The Fremantle Trading Company, which
works silver-lead mines in the Northampton
district and also a custom smelter, has been
obliged to cease smelting owing to the closing-
down of the outside mines. The company's
own mines are also necessarily closed, but are
being kept in good condition.
The output of metals and minerals in Tas-
MAY, 1921
265
mania during the year 1920, together with
their market value, are given in the following
table :
Output.
Value £
Gold
oz.
.. 6,246
29,796
Silver
oz.
.. 623.3=9
166,797
Osmiridiuni
oz
.. 2,009
77,114
Lead
tons
.. 3,855
I42,26S
Copper
tons
.. 4.791
528,237
Tin
tons
.. 1,310
369,362
Coal
tons
.. 75,429
64.005
Wolfram ...
tons
71
13,626
Scheelite ...
tons
105
17,905
Bismuth ...
cwt.
2
9
Shale
tons
140
172
Iron Pyrites
tons
.. 4.440
7,346
Barytes
tons
.. 1,048
4,136
India. — A new agreement has been made
between the gold mines and the Indian Govern-
ment with regard to the disposal of the gold
produced. This is the third arrangement made
during the last two years. It is gratifying to
know that the mines will by its means reap full
benefit from the premium, and be no longer
hampered by regulations which were in the
nature of halting concessions.
The Ooregum is the deepest of the Indian
gold mines. In Taylor's section a winze is be-
ing sunk on the 62nd level, which is 3,700 ft.
vertically below outcrop. In Oakley's section
work is being done on the 64th level, 6,000 ft.
vertically below outcrop. In both cases fairly
good results are being obtained. In Bullen's
section thelodecontainsmuch pegmatite, which
is barren, but the quartz ore gives good assays.
.'X.t the Nundydroog, 102,431 tons of ore was
treated during 1920, and 71,531 oz. of gold was
extracted, realizing ^£"365, 568. The working
profit was ;^I09,78I,of which £"35,962 was
written ofiffor plant and shaft-sinking, ,^31,000
was paid as income and corporation tax, and
;^14,150 was distributed as dividend, being at
the rate of 6d. per 10s. share. As will be re-
membered, the company was reconstructed in
November last in order to provide the capital
required for deeper sinking.
The Cordoba Copper Company disposed of
its mines in Spain over a year ago and took op-
tions on copper properties in Chota Nagpur,
India. The report now issued shows that a
large amount of prospecting has already been
done. At the Surda properties two shafts are
being sunk in the neighbourhood of the old
workings. At Mosaboni two old shafts are
being continued and two new ones are being
sunk also ; one of these has already intersected
a lode at 100 ft. showing copper sulphides. At
Dhobani three shafts are being sunk, and one
of them is in a lode containing oxidized copper
ores. It will be remembered that these pro-
perties formed part of the original options ac-
•quired by the Cape Copper Co., whose Rakha
Hills mine is to the north-west. The apatite
deposits described by Mr, Murray in the April
issue are to the south-east, and the village of
Mosaboni is marked on the map accompanying
his article,
Borneo. — The British- Borneo Petroleum
Syndicate is issuing 260,000 new shares of
10s. each, thereby increasing the capital from
,^120,000 to i"250,000. The object of thenew
issue is to enable the company to take advan-
tage of many opportunities for profitable busi-
ness. The syndicate has concessions in Brit-
ish North Borneo, Brunei, and the Klias Pen-
insula. The D'Arcy Exploration Co,, a sub-
sidiary of the Anglo- Persian Oil Co,, had an
option on these properties, except part of the
British North Borneo concessions ; recently it
has announced its intention of exercising its
rights in British North Borneo and of making
full geological examination, but it has renounced
its rights on the Brunei and Klias Peninsula
concessions. The latter properties are not
sufficiently extensive for the Anglo- Persian,
but they are now being considered by other
parties. The part of British North Borneo
not covered by the D'Arcy Exploration Co. is
leased to the Kuhara Mining Company, of
Japan, which is conducting extensive explora-
tion. The syndicate has interests in the .'\pex
(Trinidad) Oilfields, Ltd., and in the London
& Midland Oil Company, which is operating
properties in Roumania. The syndicate also
has interests in Tuxpam, Mexico, and in South
America.
Cornwall. — The passing of Tincroft is an
event to be recorded with mixed feelings. It
is difficult to say when this mine was originally
opened, but records show that on re-starting in
1833 the depth was 136 fathoms. It was amal-
gamated with Carn Brea in 1896, but the year's
balance of the joint working was seldom on the
right side, owing to the low grade of the ore.
On two occasions the high prices of metals
brought profits, on the latter occasion arsenic
helping notably. Perhaps if re-arrangements
of underground methods had been instituted in
early days, better results might have been ob-
tained, but the prospects were never sufficiently
promising to attract the necessary large sup-
plies of capital. High costsand low metal prices
have lately combined to create a serious ad-
verse balance. So the mine is shut down and
the lease is to be surrendered on June 30, At
the meeting of shareholders held on April 26,
Mr. James Wickett, the chairman, said Tin-
croft was the only mine with which he was con-
nected that had given him worry, but he was
grateful for the profits that had been earned
many decades ago, for they had contributed
266
THE MINING MAGAZINE
largely to his father's income and had brought
many substantial and enduring advantages to
the family. The chapter on Tmcroft should
not be finally closed without recognition of the
services of theownerof the royalties, LordClif-
den, and his agent, Mr. John Gilbert, in helping
to keep the mine alive durmg recent years.
Canada.--It is reported that the \V. B.
Thompson group have abandoned their option
on the Flin-Flon copper mine, near The Pas,
Manitoba. Previously Messrs. Hayden, Stone
& Co., of Boston, had dropped their option after
full examination. It is now stated that the
Mining Corporation of Canada, which was as-
sociated with the W. B. Thompson option, is
negotiating for an option on its own account.
As readers of the report contained in last
month's Magazine are aware, the ore-body
though large is of low grade, and the metallur-
gical problem is not of the simplest.
United States. — The quarrel between Mr.
Karl Eilers and the Guggenheims over the
control of the American Smelting & Refining
Company has ended in a victory for the Gug-
genheims,who, however, have thought it politic
to elect to the board several representatives of
outside financial interests, instead of confining
the directorate to their own immediate en-
tourage. Among the directors elected in this
way are representatives of the Guaranty Trust,
the Royal Bank of Canada, and the Irving Na-
tional Bank. The Guggenheims held 682,223
proxies, and Mr. Eilers 202,479. Mr. Eilers
is the son of the late Mr. Anton Eilers, and like
his father was concerned in the metallurgical
management ; but he has also a large financial
interest. During thelast year ortwo he has pro-
tested against some points in the Guggenheim
methods, and has sought to force their hands.
A year ago the Guggenheims were able to veto
his re-election to the board, and his connection
with the company then ceased. His grievance,
toputit briefly, is that theGuggenheims, though
they hold the control, have parted with most of
their shares, and that they have used the " A.
S. & R." for their own purposes in the stock
market. Thus it is alleged that the company
has been left with unprofitable smelting con-
tracts, while the Guggenheims have benefited
by the rise in the shares of the companies with
whom the contracts were made. At this dis-
tance it is impossible to examine into the in-
tricacies of what is, after all, only a personal
dispute.
The output of quicksilver in the United
States during 1920 is estimated at 13,070flasks
of 75 lb. each, compared with 21,348 flasks in
1919. The chief producing states were Cali-
fornia with 9,366 flasks, and Te.xas with 3,601
flasks. The decline in prices was even more
marked, the figure falling from the maximum,
$102 per flask, in April to $49 in December.
Ecuador. — The Anglo- Ecuadorian Oil-
fields, Ivtd., was formed two years ago to ac-
quire the whole of the Ecuadorian property of
Lobitos Oilfields, which itself operates in Peru.
News was received last month that oil had been
struck in the first well at adepth of 2,543 ft. The
flow and oil are reported to have much the same
characteristics as those of the wells operated by
the Lobitos company.
Roumania. -The Roumanian Consolida-
ted Oilfields, Ltd., is issuing ^'100,000 deben-
tures to provide funds chiefly for the comple-
tion of the new refinery. The share capital of
the company is being concurrently increased
so that conversion rights may be given to de-
benture-holders. It will be remembered that
the Appeal Court dismissed the claim of the
company for compensation for the destruction
of the oil-wells and plant during the German
advance, holding that the claim should be
lodged with the Roumanian Government. The
British and French Governments have since
agreed to pay ^300,000 as their contribution,
and they may increase this amount under the
guarantee to the Roumanian Government.
The total bill for damage is now estimated at
about ^1,000,000. The company has issued a
circular giving an account of the present posi-
tion. Since the armistice all the surface works
have been re-erected, 20,000 tons of tank capa-
city has been constructed, and 130 kilometres
of pipe-line has been relaid. The new refinery
has double the capacity of that destroyed.
There are now seventeen producing wells and
twelve wells in course of drilling. The output
since the resumption of operations has been
40,000 tons. It is hoped that the pre-war rate
of output will be reached by the end of the year,
and that by means of the new drilling campaign
this rate will be doubled in the near future.
The production of oil in Roumania during
1920 was l,031,030tons,an increase of 200,000
tons over 1919, and comparing with 1,700,000
tons before the war.
Spitsbergen. — The Northern Exploration
Company has offered ^150,000 Secured Notes
to shareholders, with the object of keeping this
organization alive, and in particular of develop-
ing certain coal deposits on the east coast.
These notes carry 8% interest, and are redeem-
able at 25% premium at the end of three years.
The directors will not go to allotment unless
^50,000 is subscribed. At the time of writing
the result of this offer is not known.
NOTES ON OPEN-CUT MINING.
By R. S. BOTSFORD, A.R.S.M., M.lnst.M.M.
The Author discusses some recent advances in practice in open-cut mining.
OWING to the high cost of labour the
close study of the economics of open-cut
mining by means of steam shovel has
become a necessity. Some points are consid-
ered in this paper, and particulars are given of
certain experience and methods of working,
particularly in connection with stripping over-
burden and mining iron ore and coal.
Open-Cut Iron Mining.
When the dipper of the largest stripping
shovel is pulling up through the bank, there is
a pull of over 40 tons concentrated in the cut-
ting edges of the teeth, and there are few
moderately hard materials that can withstand
it. With hard clays and shales, it is a ques-
tion of calculation whether the added cost
of explosive and drilling as a preliminary
preparation to loosen the ground is worth
the increased capacity thereby attained as
against greater wear on the machine. For ex-
ample, stripping heavy clay in the Mesabi Iron
Range in Minnesota cost, without blasting,
30 cents per yard, and was very hard on the
shovel. However, explosives cost 39 cents
per pound, of which i lb. per yard would be
necessary, so that it was better to change the
teeth of the dipper every day to have them
sharpened and to avoid blasting. When blast-
ing is required it is not necessary to break the
rock up anything like so small as is required
for hand labour. It is very difficult always to
have empty wagons at the shovel ready to be
loaded. Most delays are caused by waiting
for empty wagons. Equally important with
the actual stripping operation is the manage-
ment of the dump, for time can be lost there
just as well as in the open-cut, and without
wagons the operations cease, although costs
and overhead charges continue.
During the summer of 1919, A. Guthrie &
Co., working on a stripping contract close to
Coleraine in the Iron Range, at the Danube
pit, got a record of 231,000 yards in the month
for their Model 300 shovel and a record of 357
cars per 10-hour shift using 16-yard air-dump
cars. On account of the greater capacity ob-
tained with their equipment it cost them about
20 cents per yard instead of 30 cents per yard.
Moreover, they averaged 317 cars in the day
shift and 318 at night, and the cars averaged
171 yards bank measurement. From observa-
tion I attribute their record to good manage-
ment and attention to essential details. From
experience they endeavour to standardize their
operations, and have comedown to the 16-yard
Columbus car (air-dump) because they find
that there is only 25% of the upkeep or repair
in comparison with the larger 20-yard car.
The locomotive they favour, after 3 or 4 years'
experiment, is the Baldwin " Switcher type,"
which weighs 78 tons.
The use of the large revolving stripping
shovel has permitted the development of a
specialkindof cut of which they take advantage,
materially modifying the working conditions.
(See Fig. 1).
Arrangements are made for loading on both
sides of the cut, with track on either side com-
municating with the dump, so that loading goes
on continuously, and at 35 to 40 ft. above the
working floor. The cut is over 100 ft. wide at
the working floor and exceeds 160 ft. wide at
the top at the level of the tracks. While the
shovel will deliver on tracks 200 ft. apart, it is
well to have about 10 ft. excess reach in case
of any spill on the track which the dipper can
push off, or in case a car gets derailed, when
assistance can be given to the train crew.
The next cut is taken alongside the first, but
leaving the loading track in position between
the two cuts, and the new cut has two loading
tracks, one each side as before.
When descending to the next horizon, 35 ft.
lower, the shovel digs right under one of the
loading tracks, as it is preparing to do m the
photograph, with a new loading track on either
side, on the floors of the earlier cuts, and now
takes in the ground including that supporting
the track right up to the surface, and loading
on to the tracks 35 ft. from the surface, whence
it is hauled out on a 2i% slope (see Fig. 2).
This is done from a depth of approximately
70 ft. The section of the working cut is so
large that it is only necessary to move up about
once a day. One of the great advantages is
that the trains are hauled out on the level un-
til the 70 ft. horizon is started, and then only
from a depth of 35 ft. The substitution of one
large stripping shovel in place of standard
railroad shovels reduced the pay-roll by 150
men, mostly in train crews and labour mov-
ing tracks as well as locomotives. The 2i%
slope is important and must not be exceed-
267
268
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Fig. 1. The Danube Iron-Ore Pit. Coleraine, Minnesota.
ed even for a short distance, or fewer cars
can be carried in the train. If less than 22%,
then a longer approach is required. Much less
train equipment is required by this method in
comparison with the standard railroad-type
shovel loading on a track alongside, for a given
depth. The number of cuts and consequent
shifting of tracks and operations is a mere frac-
tion of the ordinary method with the standard
shovel, and a great deal of money is saved.
Fig. 2. Large Stripimng Shovel about to start a New Cut at a Lower Horizon.
MAY, 1921
269
FiG^ 3. Spreader in Operation on the Dump.
Onthedump.the operations consist indunip-
ing the train of automatic airdump cars, oper-
ated from the locomotive, which may occupy a
minute or more. Occasionally the spreader
(Fig. 3) is run over the track to push the ground
over the edge of the dump when necessary.
Ultimately the track must be shifted, which is
done in the daytime, by means of the track-
shifter (Fig. 5). This moves the track out about
4 ft., and the operation goeson at about two iniies
an hour. Fifteen men during the day and three
at night will look after the dump, whereas with-
out the track-shifter more than three times the
number would be required during the day.
Thus the three machines or contrivances, (l)
automatic air-dumping, (2) spreader, (3) track-
shifter, do all the heavy work on the dump.
In the pit the most desirable conditions are
established with a permanent approach down
the centre and a run around at the further end
when this can be arranged. Where the pit is
long and narrow it is necessary to use a zig-zag
Fig. 4. Large Shovel Stripping Overburden, and a Smaller Shovkl following
removing the coal underneath.
270
THE MINING MAGAZINE
to descend to the working level. If this is on
a bank which is a receding working face, there
is a constant shifting of the main track as the
face recedes, which closes down the work when
moving the main track and is to he avoided at
all costs.
In mining the comparatively soft hematite,
it is firstloosened with explosiveandthenloaded
into 50ton cars with bottom discharge. Here
conditions are diflerent, as a regular grade of
ore must be maintained for shipment, and dif-
ferent parts are worked according to the grade
called for. For this reason the smaller but
equally powerful railroad-type shovel is used,
as it can be easily moved around on the stan-
dard gauge track. Further, thereis not so much
capital tied up when one is laid off for two or
three weeks.
There are approximately 200 steam shovels
working in the Iron Range, the greatest iron-
field in the world.
The Hull Rust pit is about 185 ft. deep, one
mile across, and one and a half miles long. It
is the biggest artificial hole in the world, and
usually too full of smoke toobtain a good photo-
graph. It is more than probable that the big-
ger operations here will be carried on with elec-
tric power, as great economy would result. For
this reason due consideration should be given
in laying out a new property to the desirability
or otherwise of using electric power in the first
instance. At the Hull Rust pit the overburden
is about 100 ft. thick, and w^here there is a pro-
portion of 3 of ore to 1 of overburden the ground
is reserved for steam-shovel mining, and there-
fore unavailable for dumps, instead of under-
ground mining which is also being carried on.
A slope of about 1 to 1 is arranged for from
the side lines of the property, and a berm or
bare space above the ore of 20 or more feet in
width to avoid having the downwash from rain
carrying overburden on to the ore.
Stripping Coal by Overcasting.
Much of the expense connected with steam-
shovel mining may be eliminated where condi-
tions are similartothose encountered by Robert
Holmes, at Danville, Illinois. Over a large
part of the state there is a bed of coal too close
to the surface to be mined by underground
methods, and until he developed the present
method, stripping was too expensive. The
nearly horizontal layer of coal is covered with
approximately 30 ft. of overburden which can
be excavated with a shovel (Fig. 4). Briefly
he develops a long working face along which
the large revolving stripping shovel operates,
digging the overburden and casting it back to
the extreme reach of the shovel, uncovering
the coal and disposing of the overburden in
one operation. As the shovel advances along
the trench it is followed by a smaller shovel
which digs up the coal. The coal is removed
along the trench on a narrow gauge track, so
that when the large stripping shovel returns
digging along the cut there is a fresh strip
from which the coal has been removed for the
disposal of the overburden.
Under the conditions of labour at Danville,
it would be impossible to dig out this overbur-
den and remove it in cars for less than 20 cents
per yard. Digging and casting back to the
final resting place is accomplished for 9 cents
per yard. There is, for example, no expense
for trains and dump, nor diminished capacity
due to delays for empty cars. The only delay
is at the end of the cut, at long intervals, re-
quired for the removal of the coal right up to
the shovel before returning. This may amount
to four days more or less, depending on how
near the coal-removing operations have kept
up to the shovel. Other conditions being satis-
factory, it would be all right to mine two lay-
ers of coal or other material, with a few feet
of dirt between, casting back the layer of value-
less material between the two layers of coal
before the large stripping shovel returned.
With a fixed price of $3'75 per ton of coal
delivered in the railroad cars at Danville
workings, a satisfactory ratio of 1 of coal to 6
of overburden could be mined with big profits
when many underground mines were clos-
ing down, for the cost was about fl'OO per
ton of coal. The cost of mining is absurdly
small in comparison with underground min-
ing or removing the material to a dump,
and the profits proportionately large. It
would not be worth while stripping such a low-
priced product as coal, less than approximately
4 ft. thick. The limit of overburden at the rate
of not more than 6 to 1 at Danville depends on
the limit of the machine, which has a 90 ft.
boom. Plans are ready for one with a 125 ft.
boom. Naturally the thickness of bed of valu-
able material (coal in this instance) affects the
height of material cast back, as a thicker bed
on which the stripping shovel runs, after re-
moval, leaves more room for disposal of the
overburden, without the latter getting too
high for the stripping shovel. With 8 ft.
of coal, about 45 ft. of overburden would
be the limit with a Model 300, which is
the largest machine. It can propel itself over
the surface of the coal on its tracks to a limit
of about 20° slope, which is approached in the
undulations of the coal bed. Many engineers
MAY, 1921
271
will recollect within their experience places
where such stripping methods are applicable,
in iron ore for example. Four thousand five
hundred yards in a 10-hour shift as an average
would be a reasonably moderate output to ex-
pect from such a large stripping shovel with an
8-yard dipper, and it is easily exceeded to the
extent of 50% or more depending on the oper-
ator. Not being dependent on cars, or strikes,
not much to choose between electric shovels
and steam shovels. Both are used. Where
there is no electric power plant or power avail-
able, then the advantage is with the coal which
is at hand for firing.
In cold weather, special precautions must
be taken to keep the feed-water pipe-line from
freezing, fires being built around it at intervals.
A less number of men are required on the elec-
FiG. 5. Track-Shifter in Operation.
a good output can be maintained. The only
difficulty they had at any time was to get rail-
road cars to take their product away, their out-
put being considerable with several stripping
shovels. The expense of operation depends,
in stripping, on the cost of power and labour
and conditions in the particular part of the
world where the operations would be carried
out, and almost anywhere would be less than
those indicated, in some places a mere fraction.
In these coal-stripping operations there is
trie shovel, there is no attendant or expense
of banked fires when shutdown at night, and
there are no ashes or water dropped from the
electric shovel as from the steam shovel, which
must be cleaned up before mining the coal.
The water.of course, forms ice in winter which
must be dug up and removed.
Coal stripping by overcasting is a live pro-
position, and is taken up wherever suitable
properties and equipment can be brought to-
gether under favourable conditions.
THE ORIGIN OF PRIMARY ORE DEPOSITS.
Bv J. D. KENDALL.
The Autlior contributes to the discussion on Dr. J. Morrow Campbell's recent paper on
this subject.
IN the November issue of the Ma(".a;^ini-.
there appeared an abstract of a paper with
the above title, read before the Institution of
Miningand Metallurgy by Dr. J. Morrow Camp
bell, which interested me so much that I ob-
tained a copy of the paper, and having read it
ask to be allowed to submit a few observations
thereon.
The paper contains so much that invites
criticism that it would require more space than
the original paper to deal with it fully. I shall
therefore confine my remarks to such parts of
it as seem to embody the author's ideas on the
formation of ore-bodies.
Taking the paper as a whole I was perhaps
most struck by the absence of drawings. The
English language has great power, but it can-
not describe with precision many of the features
which must be accurately realized in investiga-
tions as to genesis. This can be much better
done by accurate drawings which limit the ex-
ercise of the reader's imagination, and gener-
ally present the facts of form and position much
more concisely.
A further surprise is the little that is said by
way of showing how the suggestions oflfered
succeed in explainmg the well known features
of the different classes of ore-bodies.
The first item to which I should like to re-
fer is concerned with crust-forming. Although
not directly connected with ore- formation, yet
the writer of the paper arrives at certain con-
clusions in connection therewith that form the
kernel of his views as to ore deposition. On
the second page we read : " It has been the cus-
tom of geologists to assume the existence of
twotypes of primary magma, thegraniticabove
and the basaltic below. Others believe that
the initial crust of the earth was basaltic and
that a granitic magma developed beneath it.
The truth is probably reached by assuming the
existence of only one primeval magma of in-
termediate composition — dioritic orandesitic —
which on differentiation yielded both the typi-
cal granitic and basaltic magmas."
That the primeval magma had an intermedi-
ate chemical composition, when considered in
connection with granite and the basic plutonics,
is probably true. But it seems clear from a
consideration of the chemical constitution of
the plutonic rocks and of that of the minerals
composing them that, as the latter formed, dif-
ferentiation would begin, and therefore it is not
possible that the minerals in diorite could pro-
duce granite. This is evident when we look
at the mineral composition of either the plu-
tonic or volcanic rocks. Granite contains a
large percentage of free silica; diorite contains
much less, and then only in the variety called
quartz-diorite. The same sort of argument
leads to the conclusion that the basic rocks did
not come from a substance having the mineral
constitution of diorite. If the free silica of
granite was primarily combined, what has be-
come of the bases with which it was united ?
They are not found in the more basic rocks.
Differentiation of such a magma as that re-
ferred to above was probably due, in large
measureif not entirely, to differences of specific
gravity of the variousminerals formed from the
syntectic, combined with the effect of falling
temperature. Those minerals having a less
specific gravity than the average would rise ;
those that were heavier would fall. As a con-
sequence of these opposite movements, and the
interference arising from them, some portions
of the minerals might and probably would be
locked up in positions higher or lower than those
due to their specific gravities. The falling
minerals would be absorbed in the hotter syn-
tectic below, to be again crystallized and separ-
ated from the more acid minerals. This pro-
cess would be repeated again and again as zone
after zone, downwards, cooled to the necessary
temperature. The fusibility of the felspathic
minerals is — with the exception of anorthite —
inversely as their specific gravities.
On the second page, also, we are told that
"solidification commenced at the surface by
radiation of heat as ice does on water, but the
result differed in that the solid was heavier than
the liquid, therefore upon being broken up by
tidal and storm movements it sank and was re-
melted. This cycle of crust formation, foun-
dering, and refusion, proceeded until the tem-
perature of the silicate sea to a depth of prob-
ably several miles was considerably lowered."
In writing this passage the author of the paper
seems to have lost sight of the operation of dif-
ferentiation, which must result in increasing
basicity and specific gravity downwards, and
prevent the comparatively light acid layer
272
MAY, 1921
273
formed on the surface from sinking as suggested.
But apart from this theoretical difficulty it has
been ascertained by Barns (United States Geo-
logical Survey, Bulletin 103) that the broken
crust formed on molten diabase would not sink
although heavier than the hot liquid below it.
There is also the further objection that the sug-
gested foundering and re-fusion, if the former
were possible, by producing circulation would
prevent the differentiation which the writer of
the paper admits to have occurred.
At the foot of the third page of the paper is
a paragraph more than usually laden with as-
sumptions. Some of these assumptions are
admitted; others are put forward as if acknow-
ledged facts. We there read " that granitic
magmas on solidification give off an aqueous
mother-liquor. The primary crust was largely
granitic, so we have to assume that it gave off
a similar liquid. Such acid liquors invariably
carry the bulk of the ore-minerals originally
present in the granitic magma, so we must as-
sume that large quantities of ores were ejected
at the surface of the primary crust. These
would be mostly tin, tungsten, gold, copper,
zinc, and lead. Probably none of these ore de-
posits have survived. They must have been
denuded and dispersed in sediments and in
aqueous solutions."
The paper does not give the evidence which
induces the writer of it to say that granitic
magmas give off an aqueous mother- liquor.
But I assume he refers to such occurrences as
that at Clifton, Arizona, where the limestone
for several hundred feet from the contact with
granitic and dioritic porphyry has been re-
placed by garnet, etc. There is not, however,
any conclusiveevidence that changes like that —
from calcareous to silicaterocks — wereeffected
by solutions which came from the newly erup-
ted magma. When the igneous intrusions oc-
curred the limestone would be severely rup-
tured in many directions and to some distance
from the heated rock. Moreover, contraction
of the igneous rock in cooling would produce
numerous other openings and fractures. Va-
dose waters charged with the necessary com-
pounds could circulate through the passages so
produced and might, in time, effect the altera-
tion that has occurred at the several points.
The circulating waters in their devious courses
through the rocks might rise in part through
the cooled magma and take up from them some
of, or all, the silicates necessary to the meta-
morphism.
The great difficulty in the way of ascribing
these non-metallic replacements to the action
of magmatic waters is their interrupted oc-
currence along the contacts. In the Marble
Bay copper mine, on Texada Island, British
Columbia,'" there is an interesting example of
these so-called metamorphisms by magmatic
waters. The mine is in limestone in the neigh-
bourhood of three small outbursts of diorite-
porphyry. The ore-body is about 200 ft. long,
and occurs alongside a fault which is nearly at
right angles to the perimeter of the largest
mass of igneousrock. The mine has beenopen-
ed to a depth of nearly 1,200 ft. by 13 levels
mostly 100 ft. apart. A small dyke intersects
the workings at a depth of 260 ft., also at 460,
560, and 660 ft. In the 760, 860, and 960 ft.
levels there are several small dykes, and in the
workings at 1,060 and 1,160 ft. there is a much
larger intrusion, about 30 ft. wide. These
dykes most probably are all branches from the
main body of igneous rock, of which, however,
there is no indication in the deepest working.
The ore- body at the surface is only about 200
ft. from the near edge of the largest boss, and
it goes down nearly plumb, so that the igneous
rock must be very steep on that side. The ore
is chalcopyrite and bornite, and occurs more or
less interruptedly in a gangue of andradite,
diopside, tremolite, actinolite, epidote, calcite,
and a little quartz. Fig. 1 shows the mode in
which the different minerals occur in some
parts of the deposit. Fig. 2 is a section expos-
ed at the surface, showing the manner in which
the ore occurs m the andradite over a larger
space than Fig. 1.
These gangue minerals traverse the lime-
stone in a very irregular manner, but there is
no indication of an increase in the extent of
them toward the main igneous mass. Between
the dykes seen in the workings and the lime-
stone through which they have been forced
there is frequently no indication of secondary
silicate rocks. The formation of the gangue
minerals has taken place at different times, as
shown by Fig. 1 ; that of the chalcopyrite and
bornite followed the andradite, etc.
If it be supposed that the solution or solu-
tions which give rise to the replacement of the
limestone exuded from the dionte-porphyry,
that would not justify us in assuming that simi-
lar or other solutions were given off by the
primeval acid crust, as suggested by Mr. Camp-
bell, for the conditions in the two cases would
be entirely different. In that of the igneous
outbursts at Clifton and Marble Bay the frac-
tures in the limestone would form very small
means of escape for the previously confined
* " The Auriferous and Argentiferous Copper Ores of Southern
British Columbia." by J. D. Kendall, Minim; Journal. 1900: also
" Texada Island, B.C ." Memoir 5S. Canadian Geological Survey.
274
THE MINING MAGAZINE
■■&:
Fig 2. A =Andradite
B. 'Limestone
-^ Chalcopyrite
81, Bornire
Fig. I. A.-Andradite
B.-Caicite
C.-Actinolite
•'^' =• Chalcopyrite
♦ -Bornite
Fig. 3. A- Granite. B, = Apl
Fig. 4.
Fig. 6. A-Ore-body. B=Wall-rock.
5- »J
Fiq.5.
MAY, 1921
275
magmatic waters and gases, unless these frac-
tures extended to the surface. If they did so,
the outward rush of the imprisoned waters and
gases would be so rapid that there would not be
sufficient time to effect the replacement of much
of the li mestone before the escaping waters were
exhausted. With the primitive crust it would
be different. The enormous pressure of about
3,000 lb. per square inch, due to the overlying
hydrosphere, would prevent any escape of oc-
cluded water with its supposed load of metallic
and non-metallic minerals.
If, however, such an aqueous, silicious effu-
sion as is suggested by the paper were to be
admitted, we should still be confronted by the
difficulty of explaining why, according to the
supposition, some of the metals, which form an
important part of the earth's crust, were sub-
jected tomagmaticdiff'erentiation, while others,
more likely to so act, behaved in an entirely op-
posite manner. Mr. Campbell seems to have
assumed what, in justice to his own ideas, re-
quires complete demonstration.
If the exudation of magmatic waters be con-
sidered probable from both the primeval crust
and the much more recent rocks referred to at
Clifton and elsewhere, there is not any evidence
that they were laden with metallic minerals
and that the deposition of those minerals, from
the latter, formed the respective ore-bodies. In
each case, so far as my experience goes, the
deposition of minerals was a later event.
Under the heading " Primary Ores " the
following occurs in I\Ir. Campbell's paper:
" Primary ores may be defined as those which
are derived directly from rock magmas or mag-
matic liquids." Seeing that the formation of
ore-bodies by magmatic liquids is a very de-
batable subject, it is surely a poor foundation
on which to build an important definition.
Moreover, it is likely to lead to confusion, the
word " primary " having already been applied
to syngenetic ores, a definition which is as un-
satisfactory as Mr. Campbell's, because it is
very doubtful whether any workable ore-bodies
are syngenetic if we except the few and unim-
portant magmatic concentrations described by
Vogt at Taberg, etc. The diflference between
primary and secondary ores is well understood
in practice, the latter having been derived from
the former. Such being the case it seems to
me sufficient to say that ' a primary ore is an
ore which has not been derived from any other
ore." In saying that, there is not any doubt-
ful genetic assertion or implication.
Under the heading " Base Metals " Mr.
Campbell writes : " With primary ores of cop-
per, zinc, lead, and antimony, we are faced with
5—4
the same fact that in the veins along with them
quartz is almost always present. There is good
reason for believing that the sulphides of these
metals came up from magmas in silicic-acid
solutions." It would have been much more
satisfactory if that reason had been given. As
regards the assertion that quartz is almost
always present with deposits of base-metal
minerals, it seems to me that such an indefinite
statement has no ascertained bearing on the
genesis of such ore-bodies. Bearing in mind
that oxygen and silicon are the two most abun-
dant elements known in the earth's crust, it is
to be expected that quartz would have a wide
distribution. My experience has been that in
ore-bodies occurring insilicaterocks itisalmost
invariably the most abundant gangue mineral,
but in those contained in calcareous rocks its
proportion is usually small and often almost
nil. Why on Mr. Campbell's supposition
should there be this difference?
It would have been useful and interesting if
Mr. Campbell had shown how the silicic acid
solution produced the many replacement de-
posits that occur in different parts of the world.
I need only mention a few to emphasize the
importance and necessity of such a demonstra-
tion. Justnow I am thinking of the silver-lead
deposits at Leadville in Colorado, and of
Eureka in Nevada, and also of the copper de-
posits of Clifton and Bisbee in Arizona. To
me it seems an utter impossibility that those
deposits and scores of others like them could
have been formed in the way suggested in the
paper. There could not have been any caver-
nous spaces into which the silicic acid solution
could have dropped its load of metallic minerals
as I have shown elsewhere. " Nor could the
order in which the different minerals were de-
posited be accounted for.
As regards the upward succession of ore-
minerals, on this part of the subject we read
that it is intended to " deal only with ore-
minerals occurring in veins deposited therein
directly by magmatic solutions, and we may
assume them to be carried in silicic acid. We
also assume that an open fissure exists, up
which solutions pass. After the first inrush
the flow of ore-bearing liquid in the fissure is
probably slow and at all parts its temperature
is a little higher than that of the walls, heat
being transferred from the former to the latter.
. . . Theliquidonleavingthebatholithcarriessay
tin oxide and chalcopyrite in solution, it? tem-
perature falls as it passes upwards, and at a
certain point cassiterite commences to deposit
' The Formation of Ore-bodies. Transactions Canadian Min-
ing Institute Vol. xsi., 1918.
276
THE MINING MAGAZINE
and continues to do so upward until all the tin
in solution is exhausted. This will take place
when the liquid has fallen tea temperature at
which it can no longer hold tin in solution The
same liquid carries chalcopyrite and iron bisul-
phide as well. . . . No chalcopyrite wasdeposited
with cassiterite below, but near its upper limit
chalcopyrite commences to develop and con-
by llenwoodi at the Botallack mine in West
Cornwall, where a vein passes three times from
granite to slate and in each case contains tin
ore only in the former and copper ore only in
the latter. Nor does it satisfy our desire to
know why in the lead veins of .Mston, Allen-
dale, and Weardale the galena has been de
posited principally in the calcareous beds of
/-/.'::.:.u-.-.-^:.r^:.v./
Fig. 8. A'Gramre. B^TmVein
.A'Serpenhne, B?Oiabase CQuarhz.
A..= A^gilll^e
B'Quarrz (combed )
B,= Quartz ( granular}
C -BihferSpar
•;■.'.'■ Blende
^Galena
tinuesuntilapointisreached where the tempera-
tureof theliquidno longerpermitsit tohold cop-
per in solution. Here again we have a range of
temperature within which chalcopyrite de-
posits; thehotterlimitis nearly coincident with
the cooler limit for tin, the two may overlap
slightly." This process, I submit, does not ex-
plain the cases in Cornwall where tin is found
in granite and copper in slate, and it fails most
strikingly in that remarkable case mentioned
the Yoredales. Nor why the copper veins of
Butte, Montana, are ore-bearing chiefly in the
granite and almost barren in the aplite asshown
in Fig. 3.
The gold veins of California, like the Beck-
man and Canada Hill veins; cannot possibly
be filled fissures. The former has a dip of only
74 degrees from horizontal and the latter only
20 degrees. It is to me quite inconceivable
t Metalliferous Deposits of Cornwall and Devon, 1843.
MAY, 1921
277
that the hanging- wall rock of either of these
veins could have been lifted in such a way, and
for sufficient time, as to allow the opening to
be filled with a body of quartz. The Canada
Hill vein is in places 15 and 18 inches wide, al-
though at other parts it is only avery thinseam.
Many other such cases might be mentioned.
The filled- fissure suggestion fails also to show
why the pitch of ore-shoots, in veins, is so often
parallel to the strata of the adjoining rocks. In-
deed it fails to explain all the more important
features bearing on genesis, as I will endeavour
to show.
space now occupied by the ore-body was not
producedby the drawing apart of the rocksafter
being fractured.
At Wheal Alfred, near Gwinear, Cornwall,"
the tin vein shown in Fig. 7 was 6 to 9 ft. wide
in the slate above the elvan, increasing in the
latter to 25 ft., but decreasing in the slate be-
low to 10 ft. The elvan is about 300 ft. thick.
A similar widening occurred on the tin vein, at
the lOOfathom level, of the Huel Lovell mine,!
in the parish of Wendron, Cornwall, as shown
in Fig. 8.
The occurrence of horses in veins, like that
/7y /5.
A« Skiddaw Slale B-Quarb.
A-Ouartz B-Ash rock ^•Chalcopynle
The assumption of fractures opening wide
inough to be immediately filled by either silici-
i uis or other solutions has soon to be abandoned
when we look at the cross-sections of any well-
liefined veins. Whether an earth-fracture be
'-traight or crooked the two sides, when drawn
apart, will in nearly every case be either paral-
lel or slightly converging when seen in vertical
section, as shown by a, h, c. Fig. 4. Experi-
ence of veins soon shows us that they do not
' '■ cur in these simple forms, in which the walls
,11 e parallel or nearly so, but that they vary in
width very irregularly, as shown by the cross-
sections d, e, /, in Fig. 5. It is quite impos-
sible for fractures, either simple or compound,
to produce openings in rocks having forms like
those in Fig. 5. This difficulty is very clearly
realized when we look at a cross-section like
thatof the upper part of the Broken Hill silver-
lead deposit, as shown in Fig. 6. It does not
require much thought to satisfy one that the
shown in Fig. 9, cannot result from any kind
of fracture, the total width of the veins on
the two sides of the horse being greater than
the width either immediately above or below,
that is, at a, b.
The lead-bearing veins in the Yoredales of
Cumberland, Durham, and Northumberland
are much wider in the limestones than in any
of the shales or sandstones alternating with the
limestones. An extreme case of that kind is
provided by the "flats" which are found in
connection with the Great and otherlimestones
at Alston Moor. A section of one of these flats
projecting from a vein is shown in Fig. 10.
It is inconceivable that the filling of any kind
of fracture could have produced the ore-body
shown in this section.
Hundreds of such examples of the/orwi of
veins might be added in opposition to the filled-
* Geology of Cornwall and Devon. 1839. Sir H. de la Beche.
f Trans. Roy. Geol. Soc. of Cornwall, vol. ix., p. 167.
278
TlIK MINING MAGAZINE
fissure idea, but I will now refer to a few sec-
tions exhibitinR the inner nature of veins of
dilTerenl kinds. Fip. 11 is a cross-section, in
the 900 ft. level, of the Pitlslnirgh gold vein,
in Nevada City district, California. The rock
in which it occurs is diabase. The various
bodies of quartz forming the vein cannot be
filledfissures. Particularly can this be said of
a, b, and c.
Other crosssectionsof veinaregi ven in I'igs.
12, 13, and 14. Fig. 12 is a cross-section of
the Maryland vein. Grass Valley, California.
Fig. 13 is a horizontal section of part of the
Poorman gold vein, near Nelson, liritish Col-
umbia. Fig. 14 isacross-section of the /Mamo
silver-lead vein, in the Slocan, Hriiish Colum-
bia. All these sections are quite irreconcilable
with Mr. Campbell's ideas, and such sections
might be multiplied to any extent.
I will conclude these observations by refer-
ence to two most interesting sections of vein-
rock . Fig. 15 is from the Yewlhwaite lead
mine near Keswick, Cumberland, and Fig. 1()
from the Honsor vein of the Coniston mine,
Lancashire. The complicated mixture of
quartz and country rock in these sections shuts
out, at once, any suggestion of filledfissures,
while the gradation from silicate rock to pure
quartz which occurs in many places is sugges-
tive of the quartz having originated in a man-
ner (juite different from that advocated by Mr.
Campbell's paper, and which is dealt with in
the "Formation of Ore-bodies" by the present
writer.
* Mineral Veins of the Lake District, by J. D. Kendall. Trana'
action^, M;»nchf^tf'r f>ntn,;ical Society. 1884.
BRITISH PETROGRAPHIC NOMENCLATURE.
A summiiry is here ^iven of tlie Report of ifu- Joint Committee of ttic Geological and
Mincralogical Societies on the standardization of petrojogical terms.
In February, 1920, the Geological Society
and the Mineralogical Society appointed a joint
coinmittee whose functions were to consider
whether any standardization of British petro-
graphic nomenclature is possible and desirable,
and if so to make recommendations with that
end in view. The chairman of the committee
is Professor W. W. Watts, and the other mem-
bers are Dr. J. V. Elsden, Dr. J. S. Flett, Sir
Jethro Teall, Dr. H. H. Thomas, Mr. G. \V.
Tyrrell, appointed by the Geological Society ;
and Dr. J. \V. Evans, Dr. F. H. Hatch, Dr.
Arthur Holmes, Dr. G. T. Prior, Dr. K. H.
Rastall,and Mr. W. Cainpbell Smith (Honor-
ary Secretary), appointed by the Mineralogical
Society.
The repoit of this committee has now been
issued, and we give herewith a general sum-
mary of the recommendations. It is to be noted
that no names have been dealt with by the com-
mittee that have general undisputed definitions,
and that only British nomenclature has come
within the scope of the committee. .\ sutn-
mary of the report is given herewith, and read-
ers who wish for the complete report should
apply for copies thereof from the secretary of
thecommittee or from the secretary of the Geo-
logical or Mineralogical Society.
Definitions Recommended.
AMi'iiiiiOLi I'M is retained for unfoliated or
slightly foliated metamorphic rocksof doubtful,
or other than igneous, origin. It is composed
essentially of hornblende and felspar, oftencon-
taining various accessories, such as epidote and
garnet. EPIDIOUI t'E isretained for unfoliated
metamorphosed igneous rocks of doleritic or
basaltic composition in which augite has been
replaced by hornblende. It usually occurs as
dykes and sills. HoKNBLKNDli-SCHlST is dis-
tinguished from amphibolite and epidiorite by
the possession of foliated texture.
ANOKTiiOSlTii is retained in the sense of
rocks similarin texture to the gabbros andcom
posed almost entirely of basic plagioclase and
almost free from ferromagnesian materials.
Aplite and Pegmatite, when used alone
as rock-names, should be used in the sense de-
fined in Marker's Petrology for Students, 1919,
pp. 3>S and 39, as follows : AI'LITE " occurs as
veinsin granite. . . . It isafinetexturedrock
with paiiidiomorphic to granulitic structure. j
and is somewhat more acid than the associated
granite. .\ characteristic type occurs in con-
nection with the muscovite-granites near Dub-
lin. It consists of microcline, with someoligo-
rlase, (juartz, muscovite, and red garnet."
I 'EG MATlTEs" consist essentially of microcline
or orthoclase and quartz, often with white mica
and sometimes red garnet. The texture is often
extremely coarse, and there is a freijiient ten-
dency to the graphic structure." The posses-
sion of graphic structure by a pegmatite is not
essential. These terms (Ai'LiTE and Pegma-
tite) may be extended to rocks bearing the
same relation to syenite, diorite, lStc, as aplite
MAY, 1921
279
and pegmatite bear to granite, but, if so used,
some indication of their inineraiogical composi-
tion should be given.
Basalt. The term used alone should not
imply the presence of olivine. Basalts con-
tainingolivineasan essential constituentshould
be described as Olivine-Basalts. No defi-
nite line is drawn between basalt and dolerite.
The distinction depends on coarseness of tex-
ture.
Charnockite. The committee recom-
mends that when reference is made to the
" charnockite series " the word " series " be
neveromitted. Reference to thisseriesof rocks
as the charnockites " is to be avoided. It is
further recommended that charnockite as a
rock-name berestricted to thegranuliticvariety
of hypersthene-granite of the type locality as
defined by Holland in 1893, and to rocks prac-
tically identical with this.
DiORITE should be limited to plutonic rocks
of intermediate composition, the dominant fel-
spar being an acid plagioclase. More basic
rocks consisting of hornblende and basic plagio-
clase should be classed with the gabbros.
Dolerite is retained in the sense of a
coarse-grained rock of basaltic composition,
usually, but not always, hypabyssal. No de-
finite line is drawn between basalt and dolerite.
The distinction depends on coarseness of tex-
ture.
EssEXiTE is retained for rocks practically
identical with, or which show but slight diver-
gence from, the original type of Salem Neck,
Essex Co., Massachusetts.
Felsite is retained for those acid and in-
termediate intrusives which carry no porphy-
ritic constituent and in which the texture is
felsitic.
Felsitic maybe used to designate thecryp-
tocrystalline texture of felsites and similar
rocks. The term " microfelsitic," used by cer-
tain authors, is unnecessary.
Gabhro includes plutonic rocks of basic
composition consisting essentially of a basic
plagioclase with one or more ferromagnesiaii
constituents, usually a pyroxene but sometimes
hornblende, and with or without olivine.
Gneiss is a medium or coarse-grained cry-
stalline rock possessing some form of parallel
structure due either to the uniform orientation
of certain tabular or prismatic minerals, or to
the presence of wavy discontinuous surfaces in-
dicating a lenticular or phacoidal structure, or
of bands of varying inineraiogical composition
which retain their continuity and parallelism
throughout aconsiderablemass of rock (banded
gneisses). Gneisses may be of igneous, sedi-
mentary, or doubtful origin. Those of igneous
origin (ortho gneisses) may have acquired their
characteristic structure before, during, or sub-
sequent to consolidation, and only in the last-
mentioned class can they be said to be ineta-
morphic rocks. Those of sedimentary origin
(para-gneisses) are invariably metamorphic
rocks owing to the development in them of new
minerals ; their parallel structure may in some
cases follow planes due to deposition, in others
due to deformation. The term ' gneiss," when
used without qualification, should imply a rock
of granitic composition but not necessarily of
igneous origin.
Schist (crystalline schists) differs from
gneiss in being of finer grain, and in possessing
a well-marked tendency tosplit into thin layers,
except when puckered or folded by movement
subsequent to the development of schistosity.
The term carries with it no inineraiogical con-
notation.
Gkanodiorite is to be retained for rocks
intermediate between quartz-diorite and gran-
ite in which orthoclase, while present as a
notable constituent, is always subordinate in
amount to the plagioclase.
Granophyre is retained in the sense in
which the term is used by Rosenbusch (1872),
and by Harker.
Granulite is not to be used in the sense of
Michael Levy, for muscovite-granite. When
used as a rock-name it should be used only for
rocks with granulitic texture, and should be
qualified by prefixing the name of the mineral,
or minerals, which characterize the rock.
Granulitic texture may be used for that
texture of rocks characterized by even-sized
and closely-fitting grains. It is applicable to
metamorphosed sedimentary and metamor-
phosed igneous rocks, and, to a more limited
extent, to igneous rocks in which the texture
has been produced directly. The texture shown
in PI. 46, fig. 1, of Mem. Geol. Surv. Gt. Brit.,
1907, N.W. Highlands of Scotland, is granu-
litic. The term granulitic should not be used
to describe those textures of dolerites so de-
scribed by Judd (Q.J.G.S., 1886, vol. '12, pp.
68, 76 and pi. 5). For such textures granulitic
should be replaced by intergranular (Evans).
Kenvte is retained for rocks practically
identical with the kenytes of Mt. Kenya de-
scribed by Gregory, 1900.
Lamprophyre is to be retained in its pres-
entgenerallyaccepted sense tocoverthe" Lam-
prophyrische Ganggesteine " of Rosenbusch,
19 10, the sense employed by Harker, Petrology
for Students, 1919.
Leucite-phonolite is to be used in the
280
THE MINING MAGAZINE
sense adopted by Zirkel (1893) for a phonolite
containing leucite in addition to nepheline and
alkali felspar.
LiiUClTK-TRACHYTE IS to be used in the
sense of voni Rath (1867), as adopted by Zir-
kel (1893) and by Washington (1897) ; that is,
a volcanic rock containing leucite in addition
to the constituents of trachyte, and consisting,
therefore, essentially of alkali-felspar and leu-
cite, with relatively small amounts of ferro-
magnesian minerals, nepheline being absent or
present as a minor accessory.
Leuco- should not be used as a prefix in-
dicating the presence of leucite, for instance, m
leucotephrite.
MiiTA-, if used as a prefix, is understood to
imply alteration of the original rock-type to the
name of which it is prefixed.
Mica-syenite is retained in the sense of a
syenite with dominant mica.
MlNETTE is retained in use for the igneous
rocks at present so named.
MONZONITE should be restricted to rocks of
the type occurring in the Monzoni district,
Tyrol, typically augitebearing and containing
a noteworthy amount of basic plagioclase in
addition to orthoclase. The term " monzonite
series " may be used to comprehend related
rocks whether more basic or more acid than
monzonite itself.
Nephelinite, Leucitite, and Teph-
RITE are to be retained in use in the sense at
present adopted by British authors. They do
not contain olivine as an essential constituent,
but may contain it as an accessory. The names
Nepheline-basalt, Leucite-basalt, and
BASANlTE,are used so frequently that thecom-
mittee does not feel able to recommend their
disuse, but it would prefer to see these terms
replaced by olivine-nephelinite," olivine-
leucitite," and " olivinetephrite."
Obsidian. Glassy volcanic rocks of acid
or intermediate composition, to be distinguish-
ed when evidence of composition is available,
as rhyolite-obsidian, trachyte-obsidian, phono-
lite -obsidian, dacite- obsidian, andesite-ob-
sidian.
Ortho-. The use of this prefix as an ab-
breviation for orthoclase or to signify that a
rock is rich in that mineral is not recommended.
It is retained as a prefix to the name of a meta-
morphic rock to indicate igneous origin.
Panteleerite is allowable for rocks prac-
tically identical with those of the type locality,
but preferably should be replaced by soda-rhyo-
lite [or soda-trachyte] (Pantellaria type).
Para- is retained as a prefix to the name of
a metamorphic rock to indicate sedimentary
origin. The significations given to this prefix
by Loewinson-Lessing (1905), and by Lacroix
(1920), are not adopted.
Pekidotite. Holocrystalline igneous
rocks of ultrabasic composition, rich in olivine,
and free from felspar or containing it only as
an accessory constituent. Certain olivine-rich
rocks which have been described as ' horn-
blende-picrites " should be included. Varieties
should be described by prefixing the name of
the mineral characterizing them. The names
" dunite " and " Iherzolite," being well estab-
lished and clearly understood, may be retained.
PiCKiTE should be restricted to rocks of the
type locality of Sbhie, Moravia, as described
by Tschermak (1866), and to those closely
similar rocks associated with teschenites and
theralites in other regions.
Pitch STONE. Glassy rocksof similar range
in composition to obsidian, but characterized
externally by pitchy lustre, splintery or hackly
fracture, and a relatively high content of water.
They are usually hypabyssal.
PoRPHYRiTic Texture. The definition
given by Teall in 1888 (British Petrography,
p. 51) is adopted, namely : "When . . . certain
constituents occur as large or more or less per-
fect crystals in a matrix of finer grain, the rock
is said to be porphyritic."
Porphyry and Porphyrite. Hypabyssal
rocks of acid or intermediate composition with
one or more porphyritic constituents in a cry-
stalline (mcluding cryptocrystalline) ground-
mass. Such rocks with dominant alkali-felspar
are termed " porphyry," as distinct from those
with dominant soda-lime-felspar, which are
termed " porphyrite." These terms should be
qualified by prefixing the name of the mineral
or minerals which occur as porphyritic con-
stituents. The name " granite-porphyry " is
ambiguous, and should not be used.
Pyroxenite. Those members of the perk-
nite group with dominant pyroxene ; that is,
in the original sense of Coquand, and the sense
in which it is employed by Harker and Hatch.
Perknite, introduced by Turner (1901), and
adopted by Hatch (Igneous Rocks, 1914), may
be usefully employed as a group name for holo-
crystalline igneous rocks composed of various
combinations of hornblende, augite, and rhom-
bic pyroxenes, together with accessory biotite,
olivine and iron -ores. They occur as deep-
seated masses or as dykes.
Shonkinite is retained in the sense of the
original definition of Weed and Pirsson (1895),
and the more detailed definition of Pirsson
(1900). The rock of Square Butte, Highwood
Mountains, Montana, described by Weed and
MAY, 1921
281
Pirsson and analysed by the latter, is an olivine-
bearing shonkinite with accessory nepheline,
sodalite, etc., in small quantities. If, in certain
varieties of shonkinite, leucite or nepheline
become notable constituents, such rocks should
be distinguished as ' leucite-shonkinite " or
nephelene- shonkinite."
Ther.'VLITE is retained for nephelene-gab-
bros, the rock adopted as the type being the
theralite of Duppau, Bohemia, and not the rock
originally described as theralite from Gordon's
Butte, Crazy Mountains, Montana.
TONALITE should be replaced by quartz-
diorite (Tonale type).
Trachybasalt is adopted to replace the
term " trachydolerite " as used by Washington
in 1897, that is, for intermediate potash-rich
rocks containing basic plagioclase together
with orthcclase. The use of the term trachy-
basalt in the sense of Boricky (1873) having
been long discontinued, no confusion should
arise from its re-introduction in a new and self-
e.xplanatory sense.
Trachyte. Tyrrell's proposal to use " tra-
chyte," " bostonite," and " keratophyre," with
textural significations for rocks which have
essentially the same chemical and mineral com-
positions, regardless of whether they are of ex-
trusive or intrusive origin, is not adopted.
Obsolete Words.
The following terms have been used in more
than one sense, and are either obsolete or un-
necessary, so it is recommended that their fur-
ther use as petrological termsshould be avoided :
Adamellite, Anamesite, Aphanite, Bauxitite,
Binary granite, Cipolin,Cornubianite, Diabase,
Diallagite, Domite, Dunstone, Euphotide, Eu-
rite, Felspar-rock, Granitite, Hyperite, Hyper-
sthenite, Leptynolite, Leucitophyre, Leuco-
tephrite, Melaphyre, Nephelinedolerite, Oligo-
clasite,Palasopicrite,Syenitite, Trachydolerite,
Wehrlite.
Synonyms.
The following is a list of synonyms, with
the term printed in small capitals which is re-
commended in preference to the alternative
term, or terms, which are printed in ordinary
type.
Accidental Inclusion (Harker, 1900):
exogenous enclosure.
Acid: persilicic.
Allotriomorphic (Rosenbusch, 1897) :
xenomorphic ; anhedral.
Arenaceous: psammitic.
Argillaceous: pelitic ; lutaceous.
Basic : subsilicic.
Cognate Inclusion (Harker, 1900): auto-
lith ; endogenous enclosure.
Contact Metamorphism: exomorphism.
Corona: Reaction Rim; kelyphitic rim.
If the corona can be shown to be due to altera-
tion or modification of the nucleus the term
reaction rim " is preferred.
Glassy : Hyalo- ; vitro-.
Hemicrystalline : merocrystalline ;
semicrystalline.
Hypidiomorphic : hypautomorphic ; sub-
hedral.
Idiomorphic: automorphic ; euhedral.
Inclusion (in rock) : enclosure; included
nodule.
Intermediate (silica content) : medio-
silicic.
MuLLiON Structure (Kinahan, 1891):
rodding structure.
Orbicular Structure (Delesse, 1849) :
spheroidal structure.
PillowStructure: ellipsoidal structure.
PsEPHiTic: rudaceous.
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
The Greenside Mine.
The Editor :
Sir — I am afraid your correspondent "in-
terested " is not so conversant with the finan-
ciallpart of Greenside mine as he would appear
to be. A profit of 14% per annum is a good
thing, but I am sure if it v.'as realized here, it
was prior to the last 60 years.
I am puzzled to know what paid-up capital
"interested" based his calculations on, and
how obtained, as the conversion of the partner-
ship company to limited liabilityonly to^kplace
in 1890. Possibly it was over-capitalized then,
but as there was no public issue this mattered
little to those interested.
From 1890 to 1919 the mine was under my
management, and during those years we had
good and bad times, and made profits with pig
lead at a very low figure. But unfortunately
during the whole of these 29 years, royalties,
rates, and taxes practically absorbed one half
of the gross profits. Greenside has been a
wonderful mine, although a low-grade proposi-
tion. By adopting up-to-date appliances (for
instance, it was the first metalliferous mine in
this country to adopt electricity), it managed to
exist with pig lead at £9. 6s. per ton, and silver
at Is. lOd. peroz. Therearestillchancesof suc-
cess in this old mine with fair and reasonable
royalties. The owners are now prepared to
modify their terms, but, unfortunately, not be-
282
THE MINING MAGAZINE
fore the company decided on \oluiit;ii y liiiuida-
tion.
W'M. II. HoKi.ASi;,
Liquidator and late Manager.
Greenside, Cumberland, March 24.
Wave-Transmission Rock-Drill.
The Editor :
Sir — I have read the articles in your issues
of Februaryand March on Wave- Power Trans-
mission. I disagree altogether with Mr. Ris-
don's opinion aS to the suitability of this sys-
tem of power-transmission for rock-drilling, as
I hold it to be hopelessly inefficient when judged
from the power expended on the surface, and
the number of feet actually bored per unit of
time in the rock face.
Much has been written and published in re-
cent periodicals and daily papers as to the sup-
posed advantages to be gained by the substitu-
tion of wave-power for compressed air, but I
hold that the comparisons have been most un-
fair to the compressed airsystem. In all cases
that I have noticed it seems to be assumed that
electric power is to be used for driving both the
w^ave generator and the compressor, and we are
then informed that greater drilling speeds can
be obtained per horse- power expended by the
adoption of the wave- power system. I dis-
agree with this representation of the case in all
particulars.
If the two systems are to be compared on a
fair basis, we ought to assume that one system
or the other is to be installed on a mine which
is about to be equipped, and due regard should
be paid to the conditions which will exist when
the mining operations are being carried on at a
moderate depth ; for the sake of argument let
us say 1,000 ft., and, as I will show later on,
the balance will turn more and more decidedly
in favour of the compressed-air machines as
greater depths are reached.
In the compressed-air system, boilers and
steam-driven air-compressors will have to be
erected, the compressed air being led directly
to the air-drills at the working faces. If the
wave- power transmission is to be installed, the
steam will have to be taken to suitable high-
speed engines coupled to dynamos, the high-
voltage current conducted down the shaft to
the chamber or chambers which have been pro-
vided for the reception of the wave generators
and the requisite electric switch-gear, trans-
formers, and motoror motors. The power pipe-
line will start in these chambers and be led to
the various rock-drills.
Obviously the compressed-air system is by
far the simpler, being merely boilers, steam-
driven air-compressor, pipe- liiu-, and rock-drills.
In the case of tiie wave-power system we have :
boilers, highspeed steamengine, dynamo, elec-
tric cables, step-down transformers, electric
motors, wave generators, pipe line, rock-drills.
In both cases the transformation of energy
and its transmission will entail unavoidable
losses. Letus see what they amount to ineach
case, assuming that 1,000 i.h.p. is being gener-
ated on the surface. As to the compressed-air
system, any good manufacturer of air-compres-
sors will be quite prepared to guarantee 5'8
cubic feet of free air compressed to 80 lb. gauge
pressure per minute per i.h.p. in the steam
engine. With a suitable sized air pipe- line, the
loss of pressure at a distance of 1,000 ft. will
certainly not amount to more than 2 lb. per
square inch, and even this amount of energy is
not entirely wasted, as the volume of the air is
increased proportionately with the loss of pres-
sure. For the moment, however, we may as-
sume that the lossis a complete loss as itsimpli-
fies the comparisons, and that we now have
5,800 cubic feet (measured as free air) at 78 lb.
per sq. in. available for operating the rock-
drills.
The wave-power drill manufacturers seem
to have adopted for purposes of comparisons
with their own machines a cradle type of air-
driven rock-drill of a well-known make, and
for the sake of our example we will also take
a machine of this type, though we should note
in passing that there are other and more effici-
ent types of rock-drills available. The cradle
type of air rock-drill mentioned above requires
not more than 100 cubic feet of free air per
minute (measured as free air), and many rock-
drill manufacturers will be very pleased to
guarantee a considerably smaller consumption.
This machine will easily bore, in granite, at the
rate of not less than 8 in. per minute with a bit
of It in. diameter, so that with 5,800 cubic feet
(measured as free air) available, we have a bor-
ing capacity of 58 x 8 = 464 inches per minute.
Turning now to the wave-power transmis-
sion plant, with a 1,000 i.h.p. in the cylinders
of the steam engine we shall have a brake h.p.
available of about 900 ; this will give us at the
terminals of the dynamo, assuming an effici-
ency of 93%, which is quite good, the equiva-
lent of 837 h.p. The cables down the shaft
will entail a further loss of 5%, and the step-
down transformers will account for yet another
2% of the balance, leaving the equivalent of
779'25 h.p. available at the terminals of the
electric motors which are coupled to the wave-
generators.
When I saw the wave-power drill at work>
MAY, 1921
283
I noted that the wave generator required 12 h.p.
in the motor to operate one drill, and I was in-
formed that the drill was capable of boring in
granite with a It in. diameter bit at the rate of
5 m. per minute. My own observations do not
bear out the latter statement, and I am inclined
to believe that the actual boring speed would
not exceed one half of the amount given above.
But assuming for the sake of argument that the
figures are correct as stated, and that 12 h.p.
delivered to the terminals of the electric motor
is equivalenttoa drilling speed of 5 in. per minute
with a bit of the size taken, we have a total drill-
ing capacity for 1,000 i.h.p. on the surface of
7792 multiplied by 5 divided by 12 = 324'6 in.
per minute.
Stated in another way, the drilling capacities
of the two systems per minute per i.h.p. on the
surface are : compressed-air system, 464 in. ;
wave-power drill, 324 in.
From the above considerations I hold that
the wave- power system is not a serious com-
petitor to the pneumatic, even if no other ad-
vantages accrued from the use of compressed
airas a meansof operatingrock-drills, and when
Mr. Risdon states, as he does toward the end
of his article in the March issue, that manufac-
turers of compressed-air plant are living in
anxious times from the fear of the proposed
new system of running rock-drills, he is very
farfromthe truth. I can assure him thatmanu-
facturers of compressed-air rock-drills are very
anxious indeed to cut out the talk and get down
to actualities, and that the sooner a reasonable-
sized installation of wave-power rock-dnlls is
in actual use for serious mining work the better
they will bepleased, as they are quite convinced
that its replacement by the much more effici-
entand simple pneumatic system isonly aques-
tion of a very short time indeed.
With the wave-power rock-drill some system
of ventilation of the working faces, especially
in development work where the ends may be
far from the main ventilation currents, will be
imperative, and will add much to the overall
cost of breaking the ground ; with pneumatic
drills, on the other hand, this is provided for by
the exhaust, and the energy Vv-hich was counted
as lost in the air-compressor at the surface, due
to the heat of compression absorbing power,
now appears as refrigeration in the working
places, and how importantthis is will be readily
admittedbyallactually engagedin underground
drilling.
To sum up, I consider the main advantages
of the pneumatic system can be placed under
the following heads : Simpler installation ;
faster boring speeds per i.h.p. at the surface ;
more flexible system ; ventilation of the work-
ing places ; refrigeration of the workingplaces;
helps to dry the air in the working places ; dry
drilling can be done when required.
I assume that dry drilling is quite impossible
with the wave-motion drill, and it is well known
that certain deep and hot mines will not con-
sider wet drilling for a single moment, as the
humidity of the atmosphere in the working
places is even now almost intolerable.
There are many other advantages to be ob-
tained from the installation of the pneumatic
system, but as they are well known to mining
engineers it is needless to occupy any more of
your \aluable space, on which I fear I have al-
ready unduly encroached.
R. DE H. St. Stephens.
Camborne, April 10.
BOOK REVIEWS
This World of Ours. By ]. H. Curle.
Cloth, octavo, 315 pages. Price 7s. 6d. net.
London : Methuen & Co., Ltd.
I have twice read most of " This World of
Ours," and many parts I have even again re-
read, for I have been greatly interested. Those
who imagine the opening sentence, so reminis-
cent of the old admonition, " Cheer up ! You'll
be a long time dead ! " to be the forerunner of
a volume of sombre colour will be agreeably
disappointed, for many bright pictures will be
found thereafter.
My initial attempt at reading the. book was
not a success, for I soon became entangled in
its peculiarities of punctuation ; and my pre-
conceived notions of good writing were upset
by sentences and phrases terminated by prepo-
sitions. These, coming from the pen of an ex-
perienced writer like Mr. Curie, caused me to
seek for some studied effect ; and I struggled
manfully on, often losing the gist of the narra-
tive in attempting to find the hidden rhythm or
other intention of the author. I progressed for
several pages, stumbling over such difficulties
as the following sentence : " For eight hours
each day, or, every third week, each night, I
had the amalgam plates in trust ; . . .", and
finally coming to grief at the bottom of page 22
in the full belief that four horses had been sit-
ting beside Mr. Curie in a Cape cart and that
Johann Rissik held the reins and H. B. Mar-
shall. 1 laidthehook aside, notknowingwhether
I had been listening to a story told by a man
with an impediment in his speech, or whether,
sitting in one of a string of L.C.C. tramcars
during the congested hours of traffic, I had been
reading and the sentences had been punctuated
284
TllK MINING MAGAZINE
for me by frequent and sudden applications of
the brake. Having fully convinced myself
that the subtlety of the sentence-maker was
beyond my ken, I retraced my steps, started
again at the beginning and, mentally supplying
an occasional semicolon and leaving out most
of the commas, I soon became enmeshed m an
interest of travel that seldom llagged.
Perhaps the parts of Mr. Curie's book which
least appeal to one are those in which he attacks
the Christian church ; and it is to be feared
that much will be found in this direction which
will greatly detract from the pleasure of those
readers who are sensitive regarding such mat-
ters. Indeed, it is difficult to see why, because
crab eats crab, and unhygienic savages at
Nyanza die of sleeping sickness, Mr. Curie
should revile curates and clergy, any more than
one should feel moved to do so because at
Verespatak the life of a lamb was sacrificed in
order that Mr. Curie might fill himself to reple-
tion and, in an ecstasy of surfeit and emotion,
endeavour to embrace a fat old Hungarian girl.
And oh ! the conceit of the Scot who says that,
he being an agnostic, all thinkers must also
become agnostics !
The first chapter of the book touches lightly
on the youthful days of the author, his first trip
to .Australia, his return via Colombo, a visit to
Africa, and his subsequent University life.
The next chapter sees him returned to Africa
and eventually becoming managing director of
an East Rand coal mine. During the 6i years
spent on the Rand the author visits Rhodesia,
Kimberley, and other places. We should have
liked from him, as a sordid setting for the dia-
mond, one of his pen pictures of Kimberley, de-
picting its hot, dusty, depressing, and crooked
streets and uninteresting surroundings. In-
stead, we have to be content with the usual
banal remarks about the vanity of woman and
the vice of man, and with the oft-repeated ref-
erence to buckets of diamonds which nearly
every writer on Kimberley seems compelled to
make.
Chapter three sees the author standing in
reverie near the old fish-market of Cape Town
on the eve of his departure from Africa; and
it is in this chapter that the true writing of the
book begins. In it we get a fine retrospect, a
fine description of men, beasts, and places, and,
by the way, some very good tips for intending
sportsmen. Standing there in the still twilight
in sleepy, pretty little Cape Town — so often
swept by blusterous gales — the author puts
into w-ords what many a traveller must have
felt: the vastness of the African continent. It
is strange that this immensity of Africa should
be felt at Cape Town more than at Durban,
East London, or Port Elizabeth, which are also
its portals. I have fell the imiiiensily of the
Asian continent more when standing under the
shadow of the peaks of Hong Kong than in
either Shanghai, Saigon, or Singapore. Is it
that the nearby mountains or hills lend them-
selves to such reveries? If so, we have to
thank Table Mountain for a fine descriptive
chajiter from Mr. Curie.
The author next takes us to India, Australia,
South America, Siberia, the Gold Coast, Wes-
tern North-America, and Klondyke,avery long
distance to travel in 20 pages. Nevertheless,
he finds space to give us a stirring description
of an accident which befell his sleigh on the
false ice of the Amur at 20° F. below zerq.
The staccato system of punctuation here suits
the situation ; the story has atmosphere ; we
are actually with the men and horses in their
struggles; and we feel greatly relieved when
all ends well.
Pleasure travels in Spain and the north of
Africa give history as well as happy descrip-
tions of the places visited ; and so mild has be-
come the language of this vigorous writer that
he calls the odours of Harar nothing stronger
than a " shocking stench."
To attempt to follow the writer through all
his travels would be futile; but we are com-
mercially interested in his Lake Guatavita,two
days' ride from Bogota in South America, be-
cause we have heard recently of a resuscitated
project to remove the mud from this lake and
obtain the legendary jewels.
During his peregrinations round the Carib-
bean Sea, the author tells an amusing story
against himself which threatened to become
serious, while attempting to land at Aux Cayes.
He later gives us a graphic description of a
bull-fight in Barcelona which, like the story of
the sleigh accident, is much assisted by the
staccato effect of the punctuation. From jour-
neys up and down Europe theitinerarychanges
to the country between Archangel and Astra-
chan. Among other places, Nizhni was visited
and the fair found to have been destroyed, so
people said, by the advent of the Siberian rail-
way ; but, as far as my recollection goes, his-
tory relates that the real splendour of Nizhni
fair departed, and never returned, after the
slaughter of the populace by Ivan the Terrible.
Astrachan, the great centre for caviare — the
roe of the sturgeon — isvisited ; and theauthor's
remarks thereon remind one of the days before
the war, when caviare was displayed for sale
in large tubs placed outside the fish shops in
large Russian cities at ridiculously low prices.
MAY, 1921
285
One gets a general impression from Mr.
Curie's book that he considers the women of
niostcountries much superior tothemen. Page
209 gives such an example. Here we have a
song in favour of the Slav woman, to which it
is doubtful whether all who have dwelt in
Russia will subscribe; but, no doubt, all will
heartily agree with the sentiments with which
the twelfth chapter is concluded.
The descriptions of the Holy Land and of
the dwellers therein are full of interest; and
one cannot but be impressed by the author's
oft-e.xpressed high opinion of the Jewof to-day.
An interesting interlude is a thumb-nail sketch
of American tourists in the Church of the Na-
tivity. The sketch is so thoroughly typical that
one feels it to be true to the life.
The traveller then takes us through India
and the Far East ; but were he to revisit the
latter, he would find matters in Singapore far
different from those depicted on page 269. The
local D.O.R.A. has cleared out all the white
prostitutes from Malay Street ; and the glory
of Cossack Street has departed. The Japanese
higherclasses have also formed astrong society,
backed by much money and with widely dis-
tributed branches, for inducing their frailer
women-folk to depart from foreign shores and
compete with their sisters in the overcrowded
land of their nativity. All British dwellers in
the Far East will heartily endorse the author's
praise of the Chmese and his criticism of the
Japanese. The latter, taking advantage of our
war preoccupation, stepped into the Malay
Peninsula and bought houses and rubber lands
to such an extent that it became necessary
to pass an enactment practically preventing
the sale of real estate. So far, fortunately,
he has been unable to obtain a footing in
Colombo.
All will not agree with the comparison be-
tween Javanese and Malay women. Generally
speaking, a loose woman of either race is very,
very loose ; and, not taking much account of
venereal disease, is most often a being best
fitted for the lazarette.
The journey next continues to the South
Seas, the author taking his final leave of us at
a Presbyterian mission station in the New
Hebrides ; those of us who have done our mo-
dicum of world's travel envy him his excellent
memory and his facile pen.
So ends "This World of Ours." A little
boastful, perhaps ; perhaps at times a little ar-
rogant; but greatly interesting as a book of
travel, and useful to many as a book of refer-
ence.
V. F. Stanley Low.
Coal Washing. By ERNST Prochaska,
M.E. Cloth, octavo, 382 pages, illustrated.
Price 24s. net. New York and London :
The McGraw-Hill Book Company.
The number of books devoted entirely to the
cleaning of coal is so limited that the publica-
tion of a new work on the subject is of distinct
importance, especially when it is, upon the
whole, well done. Needless to say, it is written
by an American, and is restricted to .'\merican
practice, but it is idle to deny that it would
have been better had its Americanism not been
so pronounced. The author appears to have
very little knowledge either of British litera-
ture or of British practice in his subject, and it
is somewhat amusing to find him writing of
appliances as used " in Europe," without any
appreciation of the very wide difference that
exists between British and Continental coal-
washing methods. On the other hand there is
much that we on this side can learn from
American practice as described by Mr. Pro-
chaska, and attention may be directed particu-
larly to his insistence upon the use of auto-
matic feeding devices for regulating the supply
of coal to the washers, and of automatic samp-
ling appliances for taking regular samples of
the various products, two items in which we
are decidedly deficient in this country.
The book is divided into two parts, the first
dealing with the history and development of
coal washing, and the second with details of the
various methods and appliances as they are
used to-day. In the former his imperfect
knowledge of the British literature of the sub-
ject is a drawback ; for example, he does not
seem to know that the first jig with fixed sieve
was devised by a Cornishman, Captain Pether-
ick, about the year 1830. Again, his statement
that the jig "has finally attained its present
position as the only successful apparatus for
washing coal " is far too sweeping ; in this
country we have numbers of other appliances
doing quite satisfactory work. The author en-
tirely Ignores the shaking table as used for
washing nut coal, such as the Campbell and
Craig tables, and more recently the Notanos
washer of Messrs. Head, Wrightson & Co.,
Ltd., all of which are well known in this coun-
try ; on the other hand we have much to learn
in the use of tables of Wilfley type, which are
being used in America for washing fine coal,
and to which the author devotes a very instruc-
tive chapter.
There are also valuable chapters dealing
with the economic aspect of the question, and
these demonstrate that the author really knows
better than his opening chapter would lead one
286
THK MINING MAGAZINE
tosuppose.as hecoiicliuies thiswitha" maxim"
to the effect that the object of the preparation
of coal is to secure a niaxiimiiii price per ton
of output." Needless to say, this is quite false;
the real object is to secure the maximum profit
per ton of mine output, antl no one knows this
better than the author himself.
IIl•:^■|^■^■ Louis.
Political and Commercial Geology, l^di
ted by J. E. SrUKK. Cloth, octavo, 570
pages, illustrated. Price 30s. New York
and London: McGraw-Hill Company.
This book deals with the raw materials of
the metal industry and commerce, principally,
if not wholly, with those which during the war
came under Government control ; it concerns
itself with their sources, their markets, and
their places of consumption.
Each raw material is handled separately by
a specialist, such specialist being generally the
one into whose hands, under the Bureau of
Mines in the United States, watch over the
particular material was entrusted for war pur-
poses. The whole series is shortly introduced
by J. E. Spurr — now editor of the Engineering
and Mining Journal of New York, but during
the war Chief of the Mineral Boards — who at
the end more comprehensively summarizes the
position disclosed.
The attention each material receives begins
with Its uses, and then proceeds with the prac-
tice by which it is made marketable ; the chances
and effects of possible changes in practice ; the
part, essential or luxurious, replaceable or irre-
placeable, the particular material plays; the re-
spective geographical and geological distribu-
tions; theterritorial productions ; and the parts
taken by the several nations in the final control.
All these aspects are under separate headings,
the salient features being assembled in a use-
ful summary.
Thus are treated in succession : petroleum ;
coal ; iron ; manganese ; chromium ; nickel ;
tungsten; vanadium; antimony; molybdenum;
radium and uranium ; zirconium, monazite,
thorium, and mesothorium; copper; lead;
zinc; tin; mercury; bauxite and aluminium ;
emery and corundum ; magnesite ; graphite ;
asbestos ; phosphate ; potash ; nitrogen ; py-
rite and sulphur ; gold; silver; and platinum.
.\ssembling these under a broad classification,
fuels occupy about 50 pages ; iron and steel 40
pages; the ferro-alloy metals 90 pages; the
rare metals and earths 30 pages ; the major
base metals 110 pages; the minor metals 60
pages ; and the precious metals 60 pages. To
these, in conclusion, are added about 25 pages
wherein the editor puts and answers the ques-
tion " Who owns the earth ? "
The declared purpose of this series is to shed
light upon the vast political significance of
commercial control of mineral wealth. Itabnn-
ilantly succeeds. The actual fact of this im-
|50rtance was painfully realized during the war,
but the forces at work, unfelt though compel-
ling, were not so apparent. They are here
traced and recorded. In some commodities,
coal and iron for instance, territorial or national
control is adequate; thematerial generally need
not be taken away to be made marketable. In
others, zinc and nickel for instance, control is
eflected largely through smelters and refineries
and through selling contracts, the materials
being of sufficient value to bear the burden of
freights. Control with these is possible with-
out mine-ownership, and may become foreign,
the raw materials passing to other countries to
be converted.
War showed Germany largely controlling
the metal industries, and the Allies in conse-
quence with an incomplete equipment for the
test of war. It showed, moreover, that though
a foreign interest could by war be eliminated,
it left the national industry with much to im-
provise. In laying these things bare, the book
pictures the movements of ores to works, and
of metals to and from their markets, a broad
and interesting view. It casts glimpses into
the future, as when it envisages the ultimate
transference of the balance of power to the
Pacific by reason of the immense coal resources
of China. These aspects are of particular im-
portance to the political economist, but at the
same time they cannot fail to interest the min-
ing engineer. In addition, for the latter the
details of occurrence, use, practice, etc., will be
found neatly yet comprehensively summarized.
With many contributors styles differ, but the
writing is often excellent, clear, informative,
and precise. Sometimes it is a little biased,
as when it imputes an aggressive nationalistic
policy to Britain ; while throughout it shows
concern for the still stronger nationalism of
Japan ; Germany it regards as punished for
pressing nationalism too far. The whole book
must, however, be regarded as a very valuable
contribution to industrial literature,and one de-
serving of wide circulation. The net proceeds
of its sale will be used to further the purpose
to which it is itself devoted.
The United States and the British Empire
cannot but feel flattered by the place they take
in theworld's mineral industry, these twoStates
largely owning that industry.
S. J. Truscott.
J
MAY, 1921
287
Lubricating and Allied Oils. By Elliott
A. Evans, F.C.S., A.M.I.P.T. Cloth, oc-
tavo, 144 pages, illustrated. Price 9s. 5d.
net. London: Chapman & Hall, Ltd., 11,
Henrietta Street, W.C.2.
The " Directly- Useful Technical Series"
of books published by Messrs. Chapman &
Hall, Ltd., has recently been added to by the
production of the present little volume on lu-
bricants, which should prove of some practi-
cal use to oil technologists in the course of their
chemical work in the laboratory, and to engi-
neers and others who may constantly have to
investigate the properties of oils suitable to
their several requirements. The book, how-
ever, is remarkable for the unfortunate admix-
ture of relevant and irrelevant matter (the "di-
rectly useful and the indirectly useful"), and
in view of its essentially practical purport, we
are frankly surprised at some of the chapters
and paragraphs which the author has seen fit
to include in the text.
The direct utility of the volume, in our
opinion, centres chiefly in Chapters 4, 5, and
6, which discuss the physical and chemical
tests usually applied to lubricating and allied
oils; this section is undoubtedly good because,
although largely descriptive of well-known
standard methods, the author has supplemen-
ted these with many pertinent hints on their
manipulation, drawn from his own practical
e.xperience. In this connection we would
mention particularly his remarks on flash-
point determination, in which he summarizes
the commoner sources of error possible under
varying conditions of operation, and he addu-
ces some most interesting results of experi-
ments made personally showing, among other
things, how the flash-point varies with the rate
of heating and with the time intervals taken
for inserting the flame. \'iscosity also re-
ceives excellent treatment, and the Redwood,
Engler, and Saybolt viscometers are fully dis-
cussed, while the conversion tables included
for these types are most useful as a means of
rapid comparison between the conventional
expressions used in each case. The chemical
tests are lucidly described and include all those
determinations usually made for ordinary pur-
poses ; in the paragraphs dealing with sulphur
estimation no mention is made of Jackson and
Richardson's modified form of apparatus for
the lamp method, described in a paper read
before the Institution of Petroleum Technolo-
gists in November last, which would seem to
offer decided advantages over the better known
Esling apparatus. (See Journal of Inst. Pet.
Tech., January, 1921, p. 26.) It may possibly
have been too late to include this in the pres-
ent volume, but Mr. Evans will doubtless dis-
cuss this modification in the next edition of his
book, and the possibilities of its use with lubri-
cants suitably diluted.
The other chapters are of much less merit,
mainly on account of their extreme brevity or
doubtful relevance ; they include paragraphs
on the oxidation of petroleum as productive of
asphalt, on oleography, on oil refining, and on
selection of lubricants for specific purposes.
We should have much preferred expansion
under these headings at the expense of the
chapters on the history of petroleum (entirely
out of place in a work of this description), on
the occurrence of falty oils (too short to be of
any great \alue), and on oils employed, the
last a most unfortunate inclusion in its pres-
ent form, since it savours strongly of adver-
tisement, which we deplore in any technical
or scientific work. While venturing to make
the above suggestions, in compliance with the
author's request expressed at the close of his
preface, we most strongly urge the deletion of
pages 112, 113, and 114, together with the
fourth paragraph on page 115, in future edi-
tions of the book.
H. B. MiLNER.
The Technical Examination of Crude
Petroleum, Petroleum Products, and
Natural Gas. By W. A. Hamor, M.A.,
and F. W. Padgett, M.S. Cloth, octavo,
600 pages, illustrated. Price 36s. net. New
York and London: McGraw-Hill Book
Company.
The well-known text- book on the American
Petroleum Industry by Messrs. Bacon and
Hamor, finds a valuable and practical supple-
ment in the present work by Messrs. Pi amor
and Padgett, in which chapters 4, 11, 12, and
17 of the former volume are here elaborated
into eight, with two additional sections and an
appendix of 272 pages, the latter itself consti-
tuting an oil chemist's vade meciiin of excep-
tional practical value.
This book deals principally with the tech-
nical examination of crude petroleum, petro-
leum naphtha products, illuminating and lubri-
cating oils, greases, bituminous road material,
natural gas, and the distillation of oilshale,
while in view of the ever-increasingimportance
of benzol as a motor fuel, a chapter on benzol-
recovery plant operation has been contributed
by Mr. F. W. Sperrs, Jr., of the Mellon Insti-
tuteof Industrial Research, University of Pitts-
burgh. Great care has been taken in describ-
ing the various standard methods adopted in
288
THE MINING MAGAZINE
each case, and in many instances alternative
methods are discussed, the outcome of recent
research, thus enhancing the value of the work
and bringing it entirely up to date.
The sections of particular merit are undoubt-
edly those treating of the examination of bi-
tuminous road materials and the examination
of natural gas. In the former case the several
physical and chemical tests applied to bitumi-
nous materials are described in systematic de-
tail, and the methods employed are essentially
those which have been thoroughly worked out
in the laboratories of the Office of Public
Roads, United States Department of Agricul-
ture. The examination of natural gas com-
prises sampling, determination of density, heat-
ing value, analysis, estimation of amount of
gasoline content, evaluation of carbon black,
and measurement of gas (calibration of meters,
etc.). In this country there is comparatively
little opportunity for conducting investigations
of this character, and consequently our know-
ledge of the latest methods is usually restricted,
except in special circumstances; we therefore
'not only welcome thiscomprehensive summary
of natural gas examination, but we are strongly
tempted toobtain gas samples from Heathfield,
Sussex, if only to test the efficiency of the
method and apparatus for analysis described
and figured on page 257, the outcome of some
excellent work by Burrell and others at the
United States Bureau of Mines. (See also
Bureau of Mines Technical Paper 87).
Possibly a mild criticism of the book may
be levelled at the totally inadequate treatment
of oil-shale evaluation, which had far better
have been omitted as inapposite to the volume
than included in its present form. The whole
question of retorting oil-shale is so controver-
sial andourknowledge of commerciallyefificient
methods so ramified, that the barest outline of
the subject is more misleading than useful, par-
ticularly in the absence of any generally recog-
nized standard method of distillation ; we wel-
come in this connection, however, the descrip-
tion of Mr. C. L. Jones' method and apparatus,
devised at the Mellon Institute, which certainly
seems to obviate some of the more usual diffi-
culties encountered in laboratory shale retort-
ing, such as variations of temperature, uniform
heating, and the prevention of condensation of
volatile matter within the retort.
We certainly do not ever remember having
read an appendix to a technical treatise of such
great length and utility as that incorporated in
the present volume ; printed in smaller type
and crowded with tables of constants, viscosity
curves, additional methods of examination of
oils and bituminous material, diagrams and il-
lustrations of further apparatus, it constitutes
the recjuisite amount of elasticity of treatment
of the subject matter commensurate with the
scope of the work. Asa matter of convenience,
we would suggest the inclusion in futureeditions
of a contents page prefatory to this section, in
view of its magnitude and importahce.
The authors challenge us to critical analysis
of their index by the following quotation from
Horace Binney, printed at the head of page
573, and to which we venture to draw the atten-
tion of many scientific writers of to-day: The
best book in the world would owe the most to
a good index, and the worst book, if it had but
a single good thought in it, might be kept alive
by it." We congratulate the authors not only
on the excellence of their index, but also on the
production of a work of exceptional merit and
utility, a most valuable addition to existing
literature on theteclinical analysis of petroleum
and petroleum products.
H. B. MiLNER.
AText-Book of Geology. Parti. Physi-
cal Geology. By Louis V. Pirsson.
Second edition, revised. Cloth, octavo, 970
pages, with maps and illustrations. Price
17s. 6d. New York : John Wiley & Sons ;
London : Chapman & Hall, Ltd.
The appearance of a revised edition of this
well known textbook within five years of the
first issue speaks well both for the popularity
of the work and for the intention of the author
to keep his text-book up to date. The author
deals with his subject in the usual order, dis-
cussing first the action of the various destruc-
tive and constructive agents. He is careful to
impress on the student that the chemical action
of air is dependent on the presence of water,
which is important, as dry air has practically
no chemical action on the rocks. The chapter
on the geological work of organic life gives a
treatment of the subject which is much more
detailed than in many of the geological text-
books. It would perhaps have been more logi-
cal to deal withearth movement before discuss-
ing vulcanicity, but this is a point of minor im-
portance.
Section 2 deals with structural geology, in-
cluding the structure of the earth, composition
and tec tonics of sedimentary, igneous, and me ta-
morphic rocks, fractures and faults, mountain
building, and ore deposits. The plan of deal-
ing with tectonics under the various rock types
has much to be said in its favour, but the clas-
sification of the igneous rocks includes the term
" felsite " which has too many applications to
MAY, 1921
289
be satisfactory, and syenites are described at
one place as being devoid of quartz and at an-
other as containing quartz in small proportions.
The chapters on faults and mountain building
are excellent.
The growing importance of geology as an
economic science is indicated by the presence
of a chapter on ore deposits. One could wish
that the author had referred to economic de-
posits other than those of the metals, and the
statement on page 411 that " metallic copper
and silver may be also produced by the oxida-
tion and alteration " needs revision.
There is an appendix dealing with the physi-
cal and chemical properties of the more impor-
tant rock-forming minerals, and a selection of
some ore-minerals, which does not, however,
include any minerals of tin or tungsten.
The book is well illustrated by photographs
and diagrams, and it is of interest to note that
the photographs are by no means restricted to
.American examples, as is often the case in
American publications. The print is excellent
and the index appears to be full and complete.
At the end of the book is a geological map of
North America of sufficiently large scale to be
really useful. The text- book can be thoroughly
recommended to the geological student.
E. H. Davison.
■^"Copies of the books, etc.. mentioned under the heading
" Book Reviews " can be obtained through the Technical Book-
shop of The Mining Magazine, 724. Salisbury House, Lon-
don Wall. London. E.C.2.
NEWS LETTERS.
MELBOURNE.
The Coal Output. — The decrease in the
coal output of Australia is causing much
anxiety. In 1913, 12,500,000 tons were pro-
duced, and although figures are not yet avail-
able for the year just closed, it is not expected
that the total output will reach 9,000,000 tons.
In the same period the number of men en-
gaged in the industry has increased by 1,267.
In 1913 the production of coal per man was
553 tons, in 1919 it was 540 tons, and for 1920
it is expected to be about 490 tons. Mine-
owners generally are alarmed at the continued
reduction of output, and there is a feeling that
matters are rapidly approaching a crisis. Al-
though at present the strike of the marme
stewards and the consequent hold-up of inter-
state shipping have slightly eased the position
in regard to local supplies, there is still a seri-
ous shortage of coal, and at Newcastle the de-
lay to vessels awaiting shipment is as bad as
ever.
This great fall in output, owners believe, is
due to the deliberate policy of .a section of the
miners. Within the years covered by the
figures quoted, the eight -hour bank-to-bank
system came into force, but any reduction in
the output through this shortening of hours
should, they contend, be more than made up
by the increased number of men employed in
the industry, and the greater efficiency of the
modern mine equipment which has since that
time been installed. The proprietors believe
that the extremists among the members of the
Colliery Employees' Federation are out to
make private ownership of coal mines an im-
possibility, and that one of the methods they
have adopted to achieve this end is the go-
slow policy, with its consequent reduction of
production. At present the miners are work-
ing the eight-hour bank-to-bank system, which
includes the time taken in descending the pit
and arriving at the coal face, the return to the
surface, and the dinner hour. This means
that actually the miner works much less than
eight hours per day. In some pits the work-
ing hours are a little more, but generally the
owners state that the period of labour averages
six hours. The Australian output to-day is
about six million tons a year below present
market requirements, and about one million
tons below what is required for Australasian
consumption. The miners, since 1913, in ad-
dition to their claims for eight hours bank to
bank, have had granted to them increases in
wages averaging 8s. 6d. per day. They are,
however, dissatisfied with their conditions.and
are now claiming, among other concessions, a
six-hour day and a five-day week, the aboli-
tion of the contract system, and a minimum
weekly wage. Of these claims the most im-
portant is that for the reduction of hours to
six per day. As has already been stated, the
coal production of Australia is below require-
ments and a further reduction equal to 25%,
which is believed to be certain to follow the
granting of a shorter working day, must in-
evitably afTect the whole of the industrial life
of Australia.
Production, as far as efficiency of machinery
and general handling methods are concerned,
has reached its greatest point, while the em-
ployment of additional men has already been
under consideration and found impracticable.
The demands for a six-hour day and a five-day
week are put forward by the miners for health
reasons. Coal mining they say is an unhealthy
occupation, dangerous and arduous. In reply
to this contention owners declare that the oc-
cupation is no longer an unhealthy one, and
that the average coal miner is just as healthy
290
THE MININC. MAGAZINE
a person as any other in the coniniiinity. The
mines are well ventilated, the temperature even,
and there is little dust. In New South Wales,
they point out, the conditions are altogether
different from those existing in other parts of
the w^orld. Here the thickness of the coal
seam reaches to over thirty feet, and the mines
are large and roomy. In England the miner
has to work on a seam as thin as eighteen
inches, and averaging about five feet thick.
Again, in the local mines there is practically
no dampness, while the dangers below are no
greater than on the surface.
Victorian Mining. — A review of the op-
erations of the \'ictorian Mines Department
during 1920, made by the Minister of Mines,
shows that the Ministerial view of the pros-
pects of mining during the current year is
quite hopeful. The outlook for gold-mining is
considered brighter for the new year. On the
Hendigo field the results of recent surveys give
further insight into the features of gold deposi-
tion, and an extensive memorandum, accom-
panied by a complete topographical and geo-
logical plan of an area of over 30 square miles,
is being printed. This memorandum will serve
as a guide to future prospecting. At Blakeville
a survey of this one time goldfield has been
carried on, and it has reached the limits of the
Blackwood field, where detail work will be con-
tinued in the new year. To prove the existence
of a deep lead in the neighbourhood of Spring-
dallah a drill was engaged for a time, and it
located a narrow vein of wash. The Harriet-
ville field is again attracting attention, and sev-
eral good mines are in operation. At Dayles-
ford the Ajax North mine is opening up large
bodies of ore in new ground, and the prospects
of adjacent mines are brighter. In the Wood's
Point district surveys of several mines show
improved prospects. The Rose of Denmark
has found a new shoot of gold ore 625 ft. south
of the shaft at a depth of 500 ft. below the adit
level, with prospects of 650 ft. of backs on this
formation. The Al, in addition to operating
on ore of average value for the past ten years,
is now developing lodes below the worked for-
mations, and these are opening up satisfactorily
in untried ground. The Morning Star, after
five years' work, has discovered payable values
at the 500 ft. and 600 ft. levels. This work
was carried out chiefly by the guidance of the
Geological Survey officers, and assisted finan-
cially by the Mining Development Act. The
company is now resuming sinking operations
to test the dyke at greater depth. The New
Loch Fyne, at Matlock, operated on ore aver-
aging over an ounce to the ton at a depth of
100 ft. below the adit level. This work was
also carried out with the collaboration of the
Survey and the company. Shortage of labour
has handicapped the further development of
this promising mine.
Dealing with the prospects of coal, tlie re-
port says that plans of an area of about 10,000
ft. square at Morwell have been completed.
Surveys in the vicinity of Traralgon, in co-op-
eration with boring, liave extended the brown
coal-bearing areas, proving a maximum thick-
ness in one bed of 650 ft. Two drills are now
engaged in this locality. Plans embracing an
area of 400 square miles have been completed.
At Lai Lai boring is proceeding. On the Tyers
river area boring is in progress to delimit the
north-eastern extension of the Morwell open-
cut area. At Heme's Oak, south of the power-
house site, drilling is in progress for brown
coal. The brown coal deposits in the vicinity
of Corner Inlet are being tested, a drill being
worked at present near Gelliondale. Hand-
boring is in progress at Wonwron,whereaseam
1+0 ft. in thickness with 8 ft. of overburden
was proved. Near Winchelsea, a deposit of
brown coal was brought under notice, and fur-
ther testing of this deposit is now in hand. At
Yaloak \^ale, south-east of Ballan, a bed of
brown coal averaging 4 ft. in thickness was
opened, and tests of this deposit are in progress.
On the eastern side of the Koo- wee-rupSwamp
boring has been commenced, with a view to
finding brown coal in this vicinity. In the
South Gippsland fields an area of 600 miles was
surveyed. This now completes the topography
and geology of the country from a line south
of Warragul eastwards to F-fosedale, and from
the Melbourne-Sale railway line to the Mel-
bourne-Port Albert line. Boring has been con-
tinued in the vicinity of Korumburra for black
coal, and while the results have so far proved
only small seams the increasing demand for
black coal for locomotive use and gas purposes
warrants still further search in this area, where
a drill is now at work. Subsidized boring for t
the Jumbunna Co. has led to the extension of *
the known area of coal within their lease. A
detail survey of the parish of Tanjil East has
just been completed, and the result was availed
of by the electricity commissioners in connec-
tion with their work.
In the Narracan district farther outcrops of
bauxite have been discovered, and with the ad-
vent of cheap power from the Morwell scheme
the production of aluminium may be possible
in the near future. At Nowa Nowa an ex-
amination of the iron deposits was made and
data collected, which led to new interest being
MAY, 1921
291
directed to the locality. Sands for the manu-
facture of superior qualities of glass were ex-
amined in the Otway Ranges, and their suit-
ability demonstrated by laboratory tests. In
the north-east of the State surveys are being
continued. Plans of the parishes of Walwa,
Thologolong, Burrowye, and Koetong were is-
sued recently. The geology of this area is of
interest, as forming a correlation of the Vic-
torian and New South Wales mineral belts.
On the plans the outcrop of lodes containing
molybdenite, wolfram, scheelite, tin, and fluor-
spar are shown. The fluor-spar lodes are now
attracting attention, as are also the scheelite
and wolfram veins.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
Fire at Britannia Mill. — On the night
of March 19 the Britannia Mining & Smelting
Company's 2,500-ton concentrating plant was
completely destroyed by fire. The loss is esti-
mated at one and a half million dollars, only
part of which is covered by insurance. The
mill, which was the largest and most complete
in the Province, consisting of jigs, tables, and
flotation cells, took more than a year to build,
and was finished only in 1916. The Britannia
is a subsidiary of the Howe Sound Mining &
Smelting Company, and is the most financially
solid copper concern in the Province. The mill
was closed on November 30, on account of the
low price of copper, but between two and three
hundred men have been steadily employed
throughout the winter on development work.
The fire is supposed to have been due to a
short-circuit, astheelectric lamps gave a flicker
before the fire broke out. The fact of the mill
being closed at the time and the fire-fighting
appliances being inside, delayed access to this
apparatus, and undoubtedly was the cause of
the total destruction of the mill. The fire is
supposed to have been accelerated, too, by the
fact that it broke out near to where the flota-
tion-oil was stored, and it is thought that this
oil added considerably to the speed with which
the fire spread, as the whole building seemed
to be in flames within a few minutes after the
outbreak. Fortunately, the men were able to
confine the fire to the mill, so no men will be
thrown out of work by the conflagration. It
had been the intention of the company to re-
start the mill this spring. The president of the
company, E. B. Schley, is in Europe, and until
he has been consulted plans for rebuilding can-
not be made. There is no doubt, however, but
that the mill will be rebuilt. The Britannia
has an actual ore-reserve of more than nine
million tons that will average 2% copper and
a small gold and silver content. Last year the
company turned out 18 million pounds of
copper. The concentrate made at Britannia
Beach, in Howe Sound, is smelted in Tacoma,
in the State of Washington.
Premier. — After a short spell of mild
weather, which caused a temporary cessation
in the transport of ore from the Premier mine
to Stewart, cold weather has set in again, and
shipping has been resumed. The Prince Al-
bert, which sailed from Stewart on Match 20,
brought 700 tons of ore, valued at about
$300,000, from the Premier to the Tacoma
smelter. The contract for the aerial tramway
has been let to the Riblet Tramway Company,
of Spokane, Washington. The tramway will
be between 11 and 12 miles long, and there is
a fall of 1,400 ft. between the mine and tide-
water. Ore-bunkers, with an automatic un-
loading device, are to be erected near the wharf
at Stewart. The tramway will cost in the
neighbourhood of a quarter of a million dollars.
It is hoped that the heavy machinery may be
hauled to the mine before the present hard
crust of ice breaks, as this would considerably
hasten the speed of construction.
Yukon Lead. — The Dominion Govern-
ment has granted incorporation to the Mayo
Valley Railway, Ltd., for the purpose of build-
ing a line 50 miles in length along the Mayo
and Stewart rivers to open up the new silver-
lead mining district in the Yukon Territory.
Considerable work has been done during the
winter at this camp, and the Yukon Gold Min-
ing Co., the biggest operator, already has more
than 2,000 tons of ore at Mayo Landing. This
ore is said to average 200 oz. silver per ton
and 65% lead. It is expected that another 1,000
tons will be delivered at the Mayo Landing be-
fore navigation opens.
Oil Investigations. — There has just been
published from the Provincial Department of
Lands a pamphlet, entitled " Report of the Oil
Surveys of the Peace River District," by John
A. Dresser and Edmund M. Spieker. Pro-
fessors Dresser and Spieker were employed by
the Department of Lands to complete the work
started by the late J. C. Gwillim in the sum-
mer of 1919, and they spent July, August, and
part of September m the district last year.
Professor Dresser and his assistants made a
survey of the ground immediately west of the
Peace River Block, which is a Dominion
Government forest-reserve, while Professor
Spieker surveyed a strip of land some 10 miles
wide and 40 miles long trending in a south-east
direction immediately south of the Peace River
Block. Neither geologist found indications of
292
THE MINING MAGAZINE
oil, but both found geological formations suit-
able for its retention and similar to that in
which oil occurs in other parts of western
Canada. Professor Dresser sums up as fol-
lows : " The character of the St. John shales
strongly suggests that they are oil-bearing, but
accumulations of commercial value can only be
expected in the porous sandstone beds within
the shales or in the upper part of the Bullhead
sandstones immediately beneath them. Such
accumulations are most likely to occur in the
folds of the rocks, principally >" anticlinal or
upward folds. Along the Peace River one
such fold appears near Hudson Hope and an-
other at the "Gates" of the Peace, 7 miles
lower down the river. Other folds, probably
related to these, were also found on the Red
River, near the trail of the South-west Half-
way ; on Lynx Creek, near to the trail leading
to the forks of the Halfway ; and on the
South-west Halfway, near the trail leading to
Hudson Hope. These are the most promising
localities for the discovery of oil yet found in
the area. In view of the unlikelihood of find-
ing better structures and of the limited amount
of other information likely to be obtained in
the area by further field examination alone, it
seems advisable that the next step in search of
oil should be made by exploratory drilling."
Professor Spieker, with regard to the land
he surveyed, sums up : " A conclusion regard-
ing the advisability of exploration with the drill
must naturally be based on the balancing
against one another of the favourable and un-
favourable facts (not opinions) which have
been gathered. Without attempting at the
differentiation of geologic and economic data,
these facts may be summed up as follows :
Unfavourable factors: (1) Absence of evi-
dence through seepage or other appearance of
petroleum in the rocks ; (2) the great cost of
transporting drilling equipment to any of the
advisable locations ; (3) in corollary of the
preceding, the expense attached to the disposal
of such petroleum as might be found. Favour-
able factors : (1) The presence of a number of
locations in which oil could occur ; (2) the
presence of anticlines which dispose the possi-
bility of oil-bearing strata favourably to the re-
tention of petroleum ; (3) the comparatively
reasonable depth within which the beds to be
tested may be reached. As a whole the region
may be classed on the basis of geologic evi-
dence as a fair prospect."
Some two years ago, the D'Arcy Develop-
ment Company, a subsidiary of the Anglo-
Persian Oil Company, sought from the Pro-
vincial Government the sole right to explore
over an area 70 miles square in this district,
agreeing within 5 years to select an area 10
miles siiuare, and surrendering the balance to
the Province. The company further agreed
that, in the event of the discovery of petroleum
in commercial quantities, it would construct
pipe-lines or provide other means to make it
available and would pay a royalty of 12 cents
per barrel at the casing head. The majority
of the mining engineers in the Province are
agreed that the Government made a mistake
in not accepting this oder. The Government,
however, claims that it is preserving the oil
lands of the Province for the benefit of the
Empire. Exactly what value to the Empire
the oil areas of the Peace River district could
ever be in their present undeveloped state none
but the Government can fathom.
TORONTO.
April 12.
Porcupine. — The power situation, which
has latterly been improving, is now completely
satisfactory, and the mining companies are re-
ceiving their fuUrequirements. Production at
the Hollinger Consolidated, Dome Mines, and
Mclntyreis now being speededup, with theout-
put closely approaching the normal volume.
Labour is plentiful and efficient. Many miners,
released from the silver and nickel camps, are
flocking into Porcupine. The Hollinger and
the Mclntyre are making every effort to tind
accommodation for the new-comers, and are
erecting a number of additional houses for their
employees. The drawbacks of power shortage
and labour scarcity having ceased to hamper
production, a period of great activity is antici-
pated. The Hollinger has ordered 30 addi-
tional machines for underground work so as to
take on additional forces. .Atthe Dome Mines
two large ore-bodies have been encountered at
the 1,050 ft. level, the ore showing considerably
higher gold content than the average. The ore
sent to the mill is now 50% higher in gold con-
tent than the pre-war grade. The North Crown
has struck rich ore in a drift at the 500 ft. level,
the gold content running as high as §20 per ton
across the face of the drift. The Porcupine
Keora has arranged to sell two of its claims to
anewcompanytobeorganizedwithacapitaliza-
tion of §3,000,000, two-thirds of the shares to
be retained by the Keora. The company will
still have three claims with an area of 1 20acres.
The Allied Porcupine Gold Mines has been
organized with $5,000,000 capital to take over
the La Palm and Three Nations properties and
possibly other holdings. Peter Kirkgaarde, of
Toronto, has been placed in charge of opera-
I
1
MAY, 1921
293
tions. Operations have been resumed at the
Premier Paymaster, south-west of the Dome.
Diamond- drilling is bemg undertaken to deter-
minethe extension eastward of a large ore-body
opened up on the 200 ft. level. The Porcupme
Miracle, which is preparing for active develop-
ment, has increased its capitalization from
!gl,000,000 to §2,000,000.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The season has opened
actively in this camp with quite a number of
new enterprises entering the field, especially in
Label Township. The Lake Shore during
February produced |)24,068from the treatment
of 1,458 tons of ore, being an average e.xtrac-
tion of $16'44 per ton, the mill running 83% of
possible time. The Kirkland Lake has en-
countered a new ore-shoot on the 700 ft. level,
which has been opened up for 100 ft. The
drift on the 600 ft. level has entered the same
body. Development work is being carried on
at five levels. At the King Kirkland the shaft
is down 100 ft. on a vein the full width of the
shaft with highly satisfactory results. Assays
of channel-sampleslaken atintervals dovi^n give
varying results, with an average of $1 1'GO per
ton. A new company, the Queen Lebel, has
been formed to take over three mining claims
lying south of the east end of Gull Lake, on
which a number of promising veins have been
found. The shaft of the Lebel-Oro has reached
a depth of 50 ft. on a vein carrying commercial
gold content. The Kirk Gold Mines is mak-
ing arrangements to operate three claims ad-
joining the King Kirkland on the west in the
line of the strike of the ore-bodies found in the
producing area. The Teck Hughes mill is
working to capacity, treating about 125 tons of
ore per day. The company is planning to in-
crease its milling equipment. The Bidgood
will undertake a large amount of underground
work, including the deepening of the mainshaft
from 300 to 500 ft. D. H. Angus, of Cobalt,
has been placed in charge.
Cobalt. — The silver-mining industry con-
tinues much depressed. It is hoped, however,
that the new wageschedule, under whichwages
are cut 75c. per day, which went into effect on
April 1 , may result in some revival of activity.
It is estimated that the lower wage means a re-
duction of from 3 to 5c. per oz. in mining costs,
which may give some mines now idle an oppor-
tunity for profitableoperation. The Nipissing
during February produced silver to the value
of .^111,931 and cobalt valued at .§12,460, and
shippedbuUion from Nipissing and customores
of an estimated net value of $235,374. The
annua! report of the La Rose for 1920 showed
thatproductionamountedto 410,445oz., valued
at $313,995, compared with 289,317 oz. of the
value of $356,124 in 1919. The profit on pro-
duction was $13,279. While there are several
sections of the parent property which will war-
rant further investigation, G. C. Bateman, the
general manager, does not consider that the
work would be justified at present owing to the
low price of silver. A quantity of exception-
ally rich ore is being taken from the University
property of the La Rose. The Mining Cor-
poration of Canada is making extensive altera-
tionsinitsmill, designed to increase thecapacity
from 200 to 300 tons daily. It will require at
least a month longer to complete this work, and
in the meantime productiveactivity willremain
suspended. The Kerr Lake has exercised its
option on the Hargraves property adjoining,
which it is operating from its own underground
workings. The Northern Customs Concen-
trators, Ltd., has gone into liquidation.
Sudbury. — The first mortgage bond-hold-
ers and debenture stock-holders of the British
American Nickel Corporation have approved a
scheme for the financial reorganization of the
company by theissue of $24,500,000 in income
bonds of three classes, a portion of which will
be hypothecated for debts, $2,000,000 retained
in the treasury, and the remainder exchanged
for first mortgage bonds and debenture stock.
Minority interests are taking legal proceedings
to prevent the arrangement being carried out.
Flin-Flon. — The New York syndicate,
headed by Col. W. B. Thompson, which held
an option on the Flin-Flon copper deposit in
Northern Manitoba which expired March 31,
allowed it to lapse after having expended over
$200,000 in development work. The low price'
of copper and the tightness of the money mar-
ket are the reasons assigned for failing to take
over the property. The ore-body is estimated
at about 24,000,000 tons, but its operation, in-
cluding the construction of a railway, the estab-
lishment of a new mining town, and the de-
velopment of power, might involve a total ex-
penditure of $20,000,000. Negotiations are
now under way for the purchase of the mine
by anew syndicate, headed by the Mining Cor-
poration of Canada, which held a fourth inter-
est in the New York syndicate.
Mackenzie River Oilfield. — Interest
in the oil discoveries near the Arctic Circle con-
tinues active, though prospectors have been
somewhat discouraged by the provision in the
new regulations under which when a discovery
is made three-fourths of the area included in
the prospector's licence reverts to the Crown.
A number of oil issues, some of them of doubt-
ful character, are being placed on the market.
■ I
294
Till". MIN'INT. MAGAZINE
Representatives of several British companies
are in Northern Alberta looking after their in-
terests, and the coming season will witness
much activity in exploration. A bill in the in-
terests of the Imperial Oil Co., authorizing the
construction of a pipeline from the Mackenzie
River oilfield, is before the. \lberta Legislature.
It is meeting with strong opposition from other
interests, who contend that any pipe line
authoriz.ed to be built should be constituted a
common carrier, available for the product of all
operators, and not a monopoly.
PERSONAL.
Clyde Allen is expecied from Nigeria.
Dr Charles ANonRSON has been appointed Direc-
tor of the Austrahan Museum. Sydney.
Professor C. O. Bannister, of Liverpool Uni-
versity, istherecipient of an Andrew Carnegie Research
Award of ;f 100.
F. O'D. BouRKE is here from Nigeria.
W. E. Cameron has been appointed Mining Geo-
logist to the Federated Malay States Government.
A. D. Combe has been appointed Assistant Gos'ern-
ment Geologist in Uganda.
W. H. Corbol'LD is expected from Mount Elliott,
Queensland.
Paul S. Couldrey has left British Columbia to take
an appointment in Spain.
Clement Dixon is visiting Central Europe.
W. R. Feldtmann is back from West Africa.
B. L. Gardner has left for Selangor to take up an
appointment as Inspector of Mines.
Philip Grimlev is home from Nigeria.
Dr. J. A. L. Henderson is back from Canada.
Harley E Hooper has returned to Adelaide from
Burma, where he was for some years on the stafl of the
Kanbank Burma Wolfram Mines company.
J. M. ILES is here from Nigeria.
A. F. Keene is here from New York.
Eldred a. Knapp has gone to Venezuela.
H. W. Laws has returned from Nigeria.
Arthur E. Lewis has gone to Ipoh, Perak.
Edward P. Mathers has gone to South Africa.
E. P. Mathewson will be leaving shortly on his re-
turn to New York.
L. H. McLaggan has returned from West Africa.
A. H. P. Moline has been here from Australia, and
is returning by way of South Africa.
C. Algernon Moreing has had conferred on him
by the President of the French Republic the Order of
the Legion of Honour,
R. J. Morgan has returned to Sydney from Siberia.
Clifford W. Nash has opened an office in Mel-
bourne, where he will practice as a consulting metal-
lurgist.
J. .\ T. Robertson has left Missouri for Y'unnan.
W. R. RuMBOLD is back from Portugal.
William Selkirk has returned from India.
R. C. Sharp has returned from South America.
Ralph S. G. Stokes, assistant general manager in
the mining department of the De Beers Consolidated
Mines, is visiting England on long leave.
Dr. O. ]. STANNARDisback from the United States.
H. PlayfordTuck has joined the staff of the Elec-
trolytic Zinc Co. of Australasia in Tasmania.
Paul M. Tyler is here from the United States.
F. c;. Wii-SON has been appointed manager for the
Austral Siamese Tin Company.
Ykatman I'v: Hkhrv have moved their office from
111. Broadway, to Room 1,604, 165, Broadway, New
York.
T. K. C. ATEHOUSE, for forty years editor of the
Hlcctrical Review, died on March U. He w.is an
editor of discrimination and high honour, and he was
also endeared among the electrical profession by being
a musician and violinist of no mean order.
Beu TKAM Blount died last month in his 54tli year,
after a long illness which supervened on strenuous war
work. He was known in many departments of chemi-
cal engineering, and wrote books on cement, electro-
chemistry, and chemistry for engineers. His paper and
investigations on the accuracy of chemical balances
aroused much attention among metallurgists ; this
matter was referred to in our pages early in 1918.
A. ] C. MOLYNEi'X, a member of the Rhodesian
Geological Survey, died last December, lie origin-
ally went to Rhodesia in 1S93 with Major Alan Wil-
son's force which occupied Matabeleland. After the
country was settled, he made many geological expedi-
tions. His most important work was the discovery of
several of the coalfields in Rhodesia, and his correla-
tion of these deposits with the Karroo Coal Measures.
He was the founder and first secretary of the Rhodesia
Scientific Association, and one of the first trustees of
the Rhodesia Museum. He joined the Geological
Survey in 1917.
Richard A. Varden died last month. He was a
graduate of Clauslhal. and his first appointment was at
the Wohlfart mines in (Germany. Subsequently he
went to the United Stales and Mexico. In 1895 he went
to West Australia as manager of Hannan's Brownhill
mine. In 1897 he joined Bainbridge, Seymour & Co.
as Australian partner, and later became a London part-
ner of the firm. In 1910 he became Australian partner
of Hooper, Speak & Co., and continued in tliat capacity
until 1918. when he retired from active practice. While
in Australia for Hooper, Speak & Co , he was chiefly
concerned in the management of Great Boulder Perse-
verance and Ida H. He was a man of singular charm
and high character. That he lived so much abroad was
always regretted by his confreres in England.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
The Henry Wells Oil Co.. of 11. Haymarket,
London. S.W.l. send us a pamphlet describing the
'• Germ Process" lubricating oils.
The Swainson Pump Co., Ltd., of Newcastle-on-
Tyne, have put on the market anew hand-pumpsuitable
for use in mines.
BULLIVANT & Co., Ltd., of 72, Mark Lane, Lon-
don, EC. 3, and MiUwall, send us a copy of their re-
vised catalogue of steel wire ropes and accessories.
The catalogue contains illustrated descriptions of a
great variety of applications of the firm's ropes.
The Edgar Allen News for May, published by
Edgar Allen & Co., Ltd., Imperial Steel Works,
Sheffield, contains articles on the design of furnaces for
heat treatment by S. N. Brayshaw, and on the impor-
tance of shape in rock-drill bits.
The Westinghouse Electric International
Co., of 165, Broadway, New York, publish a monthlv
magazine called the " Westinghouse International."
The April issue deals with several of the firm'sspecialties
and also with the outlook throughout the world for elec-
trical business.
Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd.,
MAY, 1921
295
of Manchester, and 4 , Central Buildings. Westminster,
send us leaflets describing high-tension contactor
panels and Star- Delta contactor starters ; also a pamph-
let relating to the installation and operation of the firm's
power transformers. They also send us their pamph-
lets relating to iheir turbo alternators and electric arc
welding.
The English Electric Co , Ltd., of Queen's
House, Kingsway. London, W.C.2,sendusanew publi-
cation relating to steam turbines. This firm is a recent
consolidation of Dick, Kerr & Co., of Preston, the
Siemens Dynamo, of Staftbrd. WillansS Robinson, of
Rugby, the Phoenix works. Bradford, and the Ordnance
works, Coventry. The steam turbines o( this firm are
specially adapted to the driving of great alternating-
current dynamos.
Sir W. G. Armstrong. Whitworth & Co., Ltd.
(civil engineering and contracting department, 8 &
10, Great George Street, Westminster), have obtained
the contract from the Crown Agents for the Colonies
for the Ebute Metta workshops, which are to be erected
near Lagos for the Nigerian Government Railways.
The contract calls for the supply, erection, and equip-
ment of new locomotive shops, carriage and wagon
shops, an electric power station, saw-mills, etc.
StTBMERSiBLE MOTORS. LTD., of Soulhall. near
London, have issued particulars of their electrically-
driven pumps for mines. The vertical type of sub-
mersible motor-pump is adapted for use in sinking
operations. The construction is such that the appara-
tus takes up very little room in the shaft ; there are no
awkward or projecting corners and angles ; the pump
can be very quickly slung in chains or on ropes ; and
it IS immaterial as to what angle the pump is suspended.
The advantage of being able to lower the pump and
motor into water until the apparatus is either wholly or
partly submerged without it losing in reliability orefSci-
ency is incalculable. Sinkers frequently use these
pumps as a standing, when drilling their sumping and
side holes. The horizontal type is adaptable for practi-
cally any emergency in mines, and can be installed at
a shaft bottom or any part of mine workings with com-
pleteconfidence and safety. In cases of accumulations
of water, in dip or deep workings, a submersible motor
pump is of peculiar advantage. In these cases the ap-
paratus can be securely fastened to a skid or low trolley
and lowered completely into the water. No undula-
tions of the floor, in whatever direction, have any ad-
verse effect on the pumps. The reliability of these
pumps can be exemplified by the installation at Pengam
Colliery in Monmouthshire. Here a 6 in. single-stage
pump was started on May 6. 1920, and has been con-
linuously at work for over nine months, for the greater
part of the time running 24 hours per dav for weeks to-
gether. During the whole period the motor-pump was
working entirely submerged, and has only been raised
twice for examination, when everything was found to
be in excellent condition.
THE BUILDING TRADES EXHIBITION.
OLYMPIA.
The Building Trades Exhibition at Olympia was
open for two weeks, from April 12 to 26, and attracted
a large number of visitors. To mining engineers coii-
cerned in the housing of their employeesit oftered many
pointsof interest, particularly inregard to the materials
of which houses may be built nowadays. There were
many exhibits by firms known among mining men, of
which brief notes are given in the following paragraphs.
G. A. Harvey & Co. (London), Ltd., of 5. Lau-
rence Pountney Hill. London, E.C.4, and Woolwich
Road, E.14, showed galvanized iron tanks and also
screens of perforated metal and woven wire.
TheMolerFire-Proof Brick & Partition Co.,
Ltd., one of the Vickers group of companies housed
at Vickers House. Broadway, Westminster, with works
at Colchester, had an exhibit of fire-proof and sound-
proof bricks, and bricks suitable as insulating boiler
coverings. The material used is diatomaceous earth
obtained from Denmark. The deposit was described
by E. A. Manners in the Magazine for March, 1916.
Ferodo, Ltd., of Chapel-en-leFrith. showed their
fibre stair treads. Ferodo is known among engineers
as a surface material for brakes and clutches.
The Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd., of 147,
Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C.I, confined their
exhibit to ventilating fans and vacuum cleaners.
The WiLFLEV Company. Ltd., of Salisbury House,
London, E.C.2, showed their Marbolilh jointless floor-
ing.
John & Edwin Wright, Ltd., of the Universe
Rope Works, Birmingham, and Salisbury House. Lon-
don. EC. 2, had an excellent display of their hemp and
steel wire ropes.
MiLLARsTiMBER & Trading Co., Ltd.. of Pinners
Hall, London, E.C.2. had an exhibit of rock crushers
and air-compressors, and illustrations and models of
steam shovels, cranes, and other machinery.
S. Thornley Mott & Vines. Ltd.. of 11, Old
Queen Street. Westminster, showed " ironite " cement
and flooring, hollow concrete blocks for building pur-
poses, Watson bottom-dumping wagons, and concrete
mixers. They also showed photographs of the Marion
steam-shovel, for which they are agents in thiscountry.
We also observed applications of the Dorr plant to
sewage treatment and NissF.N huts ; these were shown
by users and not by the manufacturing firms.
Ready access to the galleries was provided by a
special exhibit of lifts made by Waygood-Otis, Ltd.,
of 54 and 55, Fetter Lane, London, E.C.4.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — Remarkable steadiness characterized the
London standard copper market during April, and
price fluctuations have been very small, despite the coal
stoppage and the threat, happily unfulfilled, of a general
strike. The fact that demand from consumers is still
poor and likely to diminish further under present in-
dustrial conditions seems to have had little influence
on values, and there is quite an optimistic undet tone in
the market. In the United States, the price has kept
steady around 12j cents per lb., and business there is
also quiet. During the first quarter of the year, stocks
in that country increased, but in view of the recent
closing of a dozen or so important mines, production
will show a falling off in the near future, and a decrease
in the huge American stocks is to be expected. It is
understood, by the way, that it will be possible to re-
start the mines there at very short notice when condi-
tions are favourable to such a policy. The Kennecott
Copper Corporation hascutdown production, and may
later close down completely. The Braden concern has
reduced output to some 1.000 tons. Neither the Chile
nor Braden companies is expected to shut down, how-
ever. The Quincy Mining Co. at Calumet has reduced
wages by 10%. Chilean mines, it is understood, are to
restrict production, but the Union Miniere du Haut
Katanga is undertaking fresh development schemes and
has no apparent intention of adopting a similar policy.
Average price of cash standard copper : April 1921,
;f69 Ss. Ud. ; March 1921, ^67 13s. 3d. ; April 1920,
;fl03. 23. lid. ; March 1920, )(^109. lis. lOd.
Tin.— The standard tin market in London was domi-
296
TlIK MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Metal Prices: Official Closing
Copper, Lead, Zinc, and Tin per Lonii
COPPKK
Standard Cash
Standard (!
mot.)
Eleoirolviio
\\
IK I'.Al-
Best Selected
April
I s.
d.
I s.
d
I s.
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C
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£ s.
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8. d.
11
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May
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nated at the beginning of the month by the coal crisis,
and quotations were accordingly depressed. Later,
values fluctuated upon every fresh development in the
industrial situation, optimism 6nally gaining the upper
hand, with the consequence that prices at the end of
the month showed a moderate rise. There had been a
general feeling that the bottom had been reached, and
the upsvard reaction was therefore not altogether un-
expected. Consuming demand, however, still continues
unsatisfactory, and purchases by the Continent have
rather tended to fall off of late. Stocks, on the other
hand, are well held both here and in the East. Of
course, the Federated Malay States Government holds
a considerable quantity of metal, acquired at compara-
tively high prices, but the intention is to wait for amore
remunerative level of quotations before liquidating. It
had been expected that the Straits mines and smelters
would commence curtailing output, but up to the pres-
ent no definite news is to hand as to what has been done
in this direction, although the Nigerian and Bolivian
mines have found themselves forced to adopt such a
policy. Apropos the general impression that profitable
tin production in the Straits is difficult at current mar-
ket values, it is interesting to observe that the Gopeng
company's cost of producing black tin last year was
;f59. 2s. 3d. (average profit /122. 14s. 4d.), the Rambu-
tan's cost ^'73. 7s. 3d. (average profit /'116. 17s. 6d.),
and Tekka-Taiping's cost ;^69. 3s. 4d. (average profit
/108.2s. 8d.). The Nigerian companies appear to have
been harder hit by the fall in tin, and have successfully
applied for concessions from the Government in regard
to rents and royalties in order to give them some relief.
The Straits have been shipping only moderately of late,
the figure for April being 1,800 tons, of which 715 tons
came to the United Kingdom, 925 tons were taken by
the United States, and 100 were despatched to the
Continent.
Average price of cash standard tin: April 1921, ;f 164
Os. lid.; March 1921, £^156. 4s. 7d. : April 1920, /345.
13s. Id. ; March 1920, /369. 14s. 5d.
Lead. — The London lead market has kept fairly
steady during the past month, the tendency being
slightly upwards. Undoubtedly, the feature has been
the purchases of Spanish lead direct by America, which
has had the effect of somewhat reducing the arrivals in
thiscountry. The American buying has been influenced
by the apprehension of increased import tariffs in the
near future. Practically the only supplier of lead to the
London market has been Spain. America is above our
parity, liurma sells to the East, the situation in Aus-
tralia does not permit of supplies from there, while
IJelgium and Germany send nothing. It was believed
that the stocks in Spain were considerable, but owing
to the lack of information on the position there it is not
known whether further heavy shipments are likely. It
is possible, of course, that the United States may later
re-export some of the metal recently purchased. News
from the producing countries tells invariably of curtail-
ed output. At Fremantle, the smelter of the Fremantle
Trading Co. has been shut down owing to the ceasing
of supplies from the neighbouring mines. The Chihua-
hua and Monterey smelters in Mexico have closed in-
definitely, while Spanish advices state that the Penar-
roya Co has stopped work at the Santa Isabella mines.
As regards the United States production, this appears
to be generally curtailed except in some cases where
the ore is mined for its silver. Stocks in the United
States are reported to be large. The March production
of lead of the Rhodesia Broken Hill was 1,630 tons.
Average price of soft pig lead : April 1921, /20. 16s.
lOd. ; March 1921. £\9. 2s. 9d. ; April 1920, /40. 4s. ;
March 1920, £^7. Is. 9d.
Spelter . — The London spelter market during April
had a firm tendency, prices rising very gradually but
steadily. The chief reason for this was no doubt the
absence of offers of German metal, owing to the deaden-
ing influence of the Reparations Act, and the better
sentiment thereby engendered. As long as the Act re-
mains in force, it is difficult to see how Germany, which
is believed to be the only producer to whom the present
London price is profitable, can continue to export ;
while the other producers are naturally averse from
doing so because prices are too low. Both Belgium and
Norway appear to be looking for higher levels before
entering the market on a large scale, and America also
is not likely to ship anything to this side. Under these
circumstances, despite the fact that consuming demand
is generally poor owing to the unsatisfactory condition
of the galvanizing industry, the tendency certainly ap-
pears to be toward higher prices. The Belgian produc-
MAY, 1921
297
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Tons ; Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Zinc
Standard Tin
Silver
GOL
D
Soft ForeiS"
English
(Spelter)
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
£ s.
d. £ s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £
s.
d.
£
s.
d. £s.
d.
s.
d
April
20 15
0 to 21 5
0
22
5
0
25
15
0to27
0
0 163
0
0 to 163
5
0
165
15
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0
34i
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364
36
104
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333
334
104
11
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0 to 21 15
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0: 169
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4
6
tion during March showed a reduction on the month of
1,890 tons, being only 4.640 tons. The German output
is estimated at around 4,000 tons monthly, but present
conditions may force curtailment there also, Belgium
is apparently finding a ready market in France and else-
where for her zinc sheets, so it is more than probable
that her stocks will find an outlet in that direction rather
than be unloaded on the Lotidon market. As regards
the .American position, the present output there has
been estimated at about one-third of what it was a year
ago, while stocks are believed to be double. The Ameri-
can quotation has been 5rmer during the month.
Average price of spelter: April 1921, £2(i. Is. 5d. ;
March 1921, £25. 10s. 5d. ; April 1920, ^48. 9s. 4d. :
March 1920, /54. 16s. 7d.
ZiN'C Dl'ST. — Business has been quiet, and prices are
practically unaltered on the month, as follow : High-
grade Australian about £55, high-grade American ;^55
to /62. 10s., and best English about /60 per ton. Con-
tinental material appears to be offering at lower figures.
Antimony. — English regulus has kept steady at /37
to ,f40 for ordinary brands and at /38. 5s. to £A2 for
special brands. Foreign regulus on spot is quoted
around £25 to ;^28 per ton in warehouse.
Arsenic. — The market is stagnant, and Cornish
white is nominally quoted at ;f46 to £'\i per ton de-
livered.
Bismuth. — The leading interests quote 7s. 6d. per lb.
Cadmium. — There is only a small demand, but the
price is steady at 6s. to 6s. 3d. per lb.
Aluminium. — Producers are nominally quoting
/150 per ton for both home and export, but this price
would possibly be shaded, especially as there have re-
cently been offers of cheap Continental metal.
Nickel. — The chief interests made two reductions
of £5 in the price during .April, and the present quota-
tion is ^190 per ton for both home and export.
Cobalt Metal. — Demand is quiet, the price being
ISs. to 20s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — Black oxide continues at 16s. and
grey at 17s. 6d.
Platinum and Palladium. — Thereislittlechange
to report. The leading sellers of manufactured metal
(sheets and wire) have increased their price to /20 per
oz. Raw platinum, however, is still reported to be
changing hands around /17 per oz. and raw palladium
at about /15.
Quicksilver. — The market has been easy and
quiet. The present quotation is ,^11. 5s. to £li. 10s.
per bottle.
Selenium. — The market is quiet, the quotation be-
ing 10s. 6d. to 13s. per lb.
Tellurium. — Sellers continue toquote90s. to 95s.
per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — The tendency is still down-
ward, and the present quotation is about £28 to /30.
Manganese Ore. — The market is rather quiet,
with Indian grades steady at Is. 4d. to Is. 5d. per unit
c.i.f. U.K.
Tungsten Ores. — This market continues a very
difficult one. The current price is about 12s. 6d, per
unit, c i.f.. for 65% WO.,, but buyers are waiting for
lower figures, while sellers are inclined to hold out for
higher prices. Business is consequently restricted.
Molybdenite. — Business isdull, with 85% nomin-
ally quoted at 52s. 6d. to 60s. per unit c.i.f. U.K.
Chrome Ores. — The price of Indian and African
grades is steady at £5. 10s. to £6 per ton c.i.f. U.K.
Silver. — The quotation for spot bars at the begin-
ning of April was 32jd., the price rising till 36id, was
attained on the 12th. Subsequently the price fell to
33|d. on the 15th, recovered to 35id. on the 18th, and
later kept fairly steady, closing the month at 34|d.
Graphite. — Madagascar, 80 to 90%, continues to
be quoted at £20 to /25 per ton.
Iron and Steel. — .A further cut in the price of
Cleveland pig iron was made at the beginning of April,
but any hopes that were anticipated of a revival in
trade were dashed to the ground by the coal strike,
and the close of the month found production of iron
and steel in this country virtually at a standstill. The
price of No. 3 Cleveland pig iron is £6 per ton for
both home and export, but Belgian foundry iron can
be obtained at £5. 5s. c.i.f. It is the same story in
the finished iron and steel trades. Most works are
closed, and few makers are showing inclination to
book for forward delivery, as the whole question de-
pends upon the new basis price of fuel. In the mean-
time what little business is about is being secured by
Continental makers.
298
THE MINING MA(i.\/lNE
STATISTICS.
P M o RUCTION oy Gold in thk Transvaal.
R""" «h"; T0..1
Year 1919
January. 1920 ■
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September ....
October
November —
December —
Oz.
S.I 1 1. 271
653.295
607.918
689.615
667.926
681.551
659.199
718.521
683,604
665,486
645,819
618,525
617.549
Total, 1920
January, 1921 ■
February
March
7,949.038
637,425
543,767
656,572
Oz,
218,820
17.208
17.412
17.391
19.053
17,490
16,758
17,578
18,479
16,687
16,653
15,212
14.666
Oz.
204,587
14,168
14,370
14,551
651,593
588.137
671,123
Price of
Gol(] pecoz.
107 6
110
■OS
102
105
102
105
112
115
117
117
115
105 0
103 9
103 9
Natives Employed in the Transvaal Minks.
March 31 .
April 30
May 31
June 30
July 31
Aueust31
September 30-.
October 31
November 30--
December 31 ■■
Gold
mines
January 31, 1920 176.390
February 29 185.185
188.564
189.446
184.722
179.827
174,187
169,263
163.132
159.426
158.773
159.671
January 31. 1921
February 28
March 31
165.287
171.518
174.364
Coal
mines
12766
12.708
12,788
12.951
12,897
13,036
13,005
13,535
13.716
13 858
14.245
14.263
14.541
14,697
14.906
Total
4,796
5,217
5,232
5.057
4.793
4.596
4,521
4.244
4,323
4.214
3.504
3.340
3.319
1.612
1.364
193.952
203.110
206 584
207.454
202.412
197.459
191.713
187.042
181.171
177.498
176.522
177.274
183.147
187.827
190,634
Tons
milled
Yield
per ton
Work'e
cost
per ton
VVork'g
profit
per ton
Total
working
proBt
Year 1919
24.043,638
s. d.
28 7
s. d
22 11
s. d.
5 6
i
6.605,509
January. 1920—
February
March
2.038.092
1.869.180
Z.188,104
2.065.446
2.117.725
2.146.890
2,194,050
2,057,560
1.950.410
1.871.140
1.799.710
1.797.970
34 4
35 1
31 8
31 5
31 9
31 10
33 6
36 11
38 11
39 9
40 2
39 11
24 2
28 3*
25 2
26 3
25 11
25 2
24 6
25 0
25 6
26 1
26 3
26 8
10 2
6 10*
6 6
5 2
5 10
6 8
9 0
11 11
13 5
13 8
13 1
13 3
1,036.859
644.571*
716 610
533.940
618 147
May
692.510
985 058
July
1 ,226 906
September ...
1,276.369
1.278,385
1,255.749
1.193.672
November
December
January, 1921...
February
1.895.235
1.575.320
35 0
35 6
26 3
28 6
8 9
7 0
829,436
550.974
1919
1920
1921
January
February
March
£
211,917
220,885
225,808
213,160
218.057
214.215
214.919
207.339
223.719
204,184
186.462
158.835
oz.
43,428
44,237
45.779
47.000
46.266
45.054
46.208
48.740
45.471
47.343
46.782
46.190
oz.
46.956
40.816
31.995
May
—
July
August
September ...
October
November ...
December ...
-
Total
2.499.498
552.498
125,767
Tkansvaal Gold Outputs.
Cost and Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from oflicial statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines. Thepro6t available for dividends is aboui
65% of the working profit. Figures for yield and profit for 1919
based on par value of gold; subsequently gold premium included.
* Results affected by the back-pay disbursed in accordance
with new wages agreement.
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
February.
Treated ^ YieTd
Aurora West
Urakpan
City Deep
Cons. [.anMtaagte
Cons. Main Reef
Crown Mines
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand P.M
Ferroira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's LydenburK
Goch
Government G.M. Areas
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Langlaagte Estate
Luipaard's Vlei
Meyer & Charlton
Moddeifontein
Modderfontein B
Moddeifontein Deep
Modderfontein East
New Unified
Nourse
Primrose
Randfontein Central
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodepoort United
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates-.
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Rand Consolidated
Witwatersrand (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep —
Wolhuter
Tons
7.OS0
48,500
52. SCO
14,300
33.000
124,000
24,550
112.000
22.500
40.000
39.760
5.560
12.000
111.500
43.S00
21.300
27.100
14.360
9,700
83.000
50.000
39.4C0
25.000
9.300
35.600
20.300
100.500
26.700
39,200
22.000
47.500
53,200
29.500
9.500
14.835
28.100
46.800
43.300
30.100
28.500
32.C60
23.600
March
Treated
Oz.
flO.030
19.937
22.266
£27.9871
11.515
42,328
7.719
29.099
7.457
14.058
10.804
i'5.5eo!
£13.8981
1C23I.4OOI
11,723
5.469
£45.2831
j(;ifi.905(
£31.5401
39.580
25.324
21.656
9.883
£l0.762l
11.678
£22.32S|
£l62.605l
5.769
12.208
£22,224+
10,748
12.657
12.843
5.CC6
£26.1291
£44.5191
£l27.877t
13.475
£45.7891
£43.04 It
£49,205)
5.928
Tons
10.000
52.000
85.000
42,000
47.800
187.000
26,500
131. ;oo
32.000
45.000
46.950
3.277
16.600
136.000
48.O0C
25.8C0
40,000
16.000
14.300
92.000
57.000
42.700
26.000
10.900
42.000
21.700
120,000
39.8C0
60.100
23.000
53.300
61.100
42.000
9.900
13.945
31,100
50.600
48.700
32.300
32.000
,37.665
32,200
1^
£20
Yield
Oz.
£l4,595f
22.339
36,584
£62.4191'
16,759
51,218
8,778
34,270
10,290
15.359
12.781
£4.9901
_20.284t
£283.2901
13,297
6,178
£62,290+
£l8,456t
£45.361 1
43.114
29.200
22.809
10.430
£13. 2191
13,253
£21.397 +
£187.4691
7.814
17.279
£22.209 +
12.871
13.540
L8.776
5.557
£22.415!
£47.4531
£138,977+
14.643
£48.892+
£47.940+
£54.669 +
8.291
* Returns not yet received. + £5. 3s. 9d. per oz.
per oz-
West African Gold Outputs.
: £5. 2s. 9d.
Abbontiakoon
Abosso
Akoko
Ashanti Goldfields ...
OlDbuassi
Prestea Block A
Taquah
* At par. + Including premium.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
February
Treated Value
6.057
4.240
4.603
662
6.923
2.500
Oz.
£9.543"
1,696
5.059
£2,414+
£12.914*
1.627
March
Treated Value
6,709
5,000
4,837-
818
6.705
2.300
i 11.497'
1.996
4.720'
£2.480+
£16.094!
1,222
Tons
Cam & Motor 8.200
Falcon 15,103
Gaika 3.211
Globe & Phoenix 5,364
Jumbo 790
London & Rhodesian 2.213
Lonely Reef 4.900
Planet-Arcturus 5.470
Rezende 5.100
Rhodesia G.M. & 1 509
Shamva -..| 25.500
Transvaal & Rhodesian ---I 1.450
February
Treated
Oz.
1,495
2.89411
1,356
6.319
343
£2,799
4.776
2,662
2,466
194
£17,795:
£5,116+
March
Treated
Tons
10.052
15.105
1,204
1.450
2,308
1,690
1,950
2,400
597
16,150
1,700
O2.
2.666*
2.937
608
441
£2.792
1.669
1,065
1.635
215
£l4.695t
£5,028+
• Also 250 tons copper, t At par. I Gold at £5 per oz.
li Also 251 tons copper.
MAY, 1921
299
West Australian Gold Statistics. — Par Values.
Reported
for Export
January, 1920 ■
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September ....
October
November ..■■
December ..,.
January. 1921 .
February
March
April
836
1.928
835
227
502
167
141
174
128
321
523
684
10
607
Delivered
to Mint
oz.
25.670
49.453
54,020
56,256
50,976
56,679
48,341
54.258
54,910
53.801
54,729
53.595
50,934
26,872
47,875
46,602
Total
oz.
26.506
51.381
54.020
57.091
51.203
57.181
48.341
54,425
55.081
53.975
54.857
53.916
51.457
27.556
47.885
47.209
Total
value i
112.590
218.251
229.461
242.506
217.495
242.638
205.340
231.185
233.963
229.275
233.017
229.057
218.574
117.050
203,401
2C0.635
Australian
Gold Returns.
Victoria.
Queensland.
Wales
1920
1921
1919
1920
1920
1921
Oz.
Oz.
i
Oz.
£
January .--
7.105
4,587
37.100
4.724
28.000
20.463
February
8.677
—
43,330
7.200
15.000
21.575
March
24.126
—
48.000
6.973
22.000
24.344
April
6.368
—
61.200
8.368
12.000
—
May
13 ''63
38 200
8.432
13 800
13.725
8,700
July
12.782
—
42.060
9.596
17,410
—
August ..-
12..S09
—
49.700
9.973
17.168
—
September
13,973
—
37.120
11,789
13,872
—
October -.-
13.432
—
36.100
9,300
24.752
—
November
9.245
—
32.720
10.200
16,907
—
December
15.305
—
44.500
12,874
18,137
—
Total ..
152.792
4,587
514.630
114.181
207.746
66.382
Australasian Gold Outputs.
Associated G.M. (W.A.)
Blackwater(N.Z.)
Bullfinch (W.A.)
Golden Horseshoe (W.A.)
Great Boulder Pro. (W.A.)
Ivanhoe IW.A.)
Kalgurli (W.A )
Lake View & Star (W.A ).
Menzies Con. (W.A.)
Mount Boppy(N,S.W ) ..
Oroya Links (W.A )
Progress (N.Z.)
Sonsof Gwaha(W.A)
South Kalgurli(W.A.)
Waihi (N.Z.)
Waihi Grand Junc'n (N.Z
Yuanmi (W.A.)
February
Treated
Tons
5,355
2.710
4.550
9.084
8,080
13,705
4.703
7.344
1.360
5.751
2,063
8.830
12.830 {
'* 10.710 I
1.063
Value
£
7.60111
4,73211
5.377
4.669t
25.0481!
5.029:
7.26111
9.969 f
2.604'
1.393:
11.660+
17,83011
3,472;
20,971
3.119;
13.690§
3.423*
Tons
5.977
2.956
9.936
8.585
14.973
4.280
7.067
1.350
5.590
1,490
7,216
12,204 ■
5.780 ■
1.200
£
7.964 !l
5.742*
5,183:
24.6001!
6.230:
9.691!!
14.521+
2.415"
1.089:
8.4091
12.188!!
3.056:
23.304S
2,039:
8.354§
£4.342"
+ Including royalties : ; Oz. gold.
* Including premium.
§Oz silver;
* 7 weeks.
I At par ;
Miscellaneous Gold and
Silver Outputs.
February
March
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Brit. Plat & Gold (C'lbia)
Tons
28.250
2.680
9,425
6,300
8.100
32.407
60"
14.000
£
229§
201.000+
5,133++
8.268
158.980+
60.070'
92.500+
2,07611
10.374
38.300
1.233;
56.000+
Tons
29,500
2,450
11.340
7.200
10.000
37.754
55"
15.600
£
166§
202.000+
308+ ;
Frontino & Bolivia (C'lbia)
Mexico EI Oro (Mexico)...
Mininf? Corp. of Canada...
Oriental Cons. (Korea)
7,624
186,960+
108.500+
2.27211
PlymouthCons. (Calif 'rnia)
St. John del Rey (Brazil)
Santa Gertrudis (Mexico)
11.345
38.000
9.098:
Tomboy (Colorado)
59.000+
+ U.S. Dollars. ; Profit, gold and silver. II Oz. gold. 'Oz. silver.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. ** Production of silverore. +t Dollars,
loss.
Pato (Colombia) : 17 days to April 2. $30,045 from 53.829 cu. yd.
16 days to April 18. $36,295.
Production op Gold in India.
1917
1918 1 1919
1920
1921
January
February ...
March
April
oz.
44.718
42.566
44.617
43.726
42.901
42.924
oz, oz.
41,420 38,184
40,787 36.834
41.719 \ 38.317
41.504 1 38.248
40.869 1 38.608
41,264 38.359
40.229 38.549
40.496 37.850
40.085 36.813
39.472 37.138
36.984 , 39.628
40.149 42.643
oz.
39.073
38.872
38.760
37.307
38.191
37.864
37.129
37.375
35.497
35.023
34.522
34.919
oz.
34,028
32.529
32.576
August
September
October
November
December
Total ...
42 591
43.207
43.041
42.915
44,883
—
520,362
485.236 461.171
444.532
99,133
Indian Gold Outputs.
Balagbat
Champion Reef ■•■•
Mysore
North Anantapur .
Nundydroog
Ooregum
February.
Tons
Treated
3.000
10.831
15.950
700
8.324
12.500
Fine
Ounces
2.220
4,561
11,563
917
4.901
8.367
Tons
Fine
"reated
Ounces
3.250
2.324
11,710
4.407
15.573
11,285
700
908
8.952
5,204
12.900
8,448
Base Metal Outputs.
Arizona Copper Short tons copper
j Tons lead cone
British Broken Hill ... \ Tons zinc cone
( Tons carbonate ore.
ri , II n rt J Tons lead cone.
Broken Hill Prop { ^^^^ ^j„^ ^^„^
Broken Hill South Tons lead conc.
■o r- J Tons refined lead ...
Burma Corp \ ^^ ^^g^^^ ^.^^^^
Fremantle Trading ..-Long tons lead
,, J ^, J Tons copper
Hampden Cloncurry.. -j q^ gold
Kafue Copper Short tons copper
( Tons copper
Mount I, yell -I Oz silver
lOz.gold
J Tons copper
lOz. gold
North Broken Hill ■■ [^T^:::::::::::::.
Pilbara Copper Tons ore
Poderosa Tons copper ore
Rhodesian Broken Hill. ..Tons lead ._ ...
S'th American Copper Ton scop, oreship'd..
£. , ,., ^ ,. 1 Tons lead cone
Sulphide Corporation -, .j.^^^ ^.„^ ^„„^
Tanganyika Long tons copper
„. -, J Tons zinc cone
Z'OoCorp iTonsleadconc
Mount Morgan
Feb.
2
231,
406
!.816
409
975 +
i.025 +
203
420
1.215
!,811
!.990
1.467
'.650
552
Mar.
697
3,020
245.962
418
512
15,413
389
300
1.630
1.868
2.850
8.740
71
+ 8 weeks to March 20.
Imports of Ores. Metals, etc . into LTnitedJ
Iron Ore Tons ..
Manganese Ore Tons ..
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons ..
Copper Ore. Matte, and
Precipitate Tons ..
Copper Metal Tons •.
Tin Concentrate Tons ■.
Tin Metal Tons ..
Lead. Pig and Sheet Tons ■■
ZinclSpelter) Tons ..
Quicksilver Lb. ■■
Zinc Oxide Tons .,
White Lead Cwt. ..
Barytes. ground Cwt. ..
Phosphate Tons ..
Sulphur Tons ..
Borax Cwt. ■■
Other Boron Compounds Tons ..
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. ..
Nitrate of Potash Cwt.
Petroleum :
Crude Galloni
Lamp Oil Gallons
Motor Spirit Gallons
Lubricating Oil Gallons
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil Gallons!
Total Petroleum Gallons
Feb.. 1921
283.839
35.193
40.719
3.555
7.186
2.546
1.581
14.684
4,319
16.982
239
5.939
22.646
37.465
960
1.428
133.664
7,525
920,111
14.621.854
13.775.416
3.392.702
3.193.753
33.515.259
69.420.821
Mar., 1921.
257,324
20.987
38,166
932
12,483
2.255
576
12.560
5.803
378.750
342
4,889
18.588
25.726
6.435
1.059
3.448
58,079
12.716
11.603.953
23.056.848
3,844,085
4.282.603
41,148.617
83,938,899
300
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Outputs oi' Tin Mining Companiks.
In Tons of Concentrate.
NiKeria :
Associated Nigerian
Bisicbi
BonKwelli
Champion (Nigeria)
Dua
Ex- Lands
Filani
Gold Coast Consolidated
Guruui River
Jantar
Jos
Kadiina
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Lower Bisicbi
Lucky Cliance
Mintia
Monnu
Naranuta
NaraRiita Extended
Nigerian Consolidated
N.N. Baiichi
Oflin River
Rayfield
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields ,
■\'arde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang
Gopeng
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamunting
Kinta
Labat
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Rambutan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
South Crofty
Other Countries :
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia)
Bereneuela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook Ronpibon (Siam)
Leeuwpoort ITransvaa))
Macready (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rooiberg Minerals (Transvaal) -■•
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam)
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
Jan.
Tons
7
2S
i
a
30
4
3
11
14
6
Si
9i
1
51
35
10
17
40
45
86
Feb.
Tons
7
26
ii
20
3i
2
12
15
145
8«
4
5j
Ti
60
10
24
40
30
82
18
-
1
i
4
4
5»
7
72
66
21
19i
154
3li
28i
6Si
564
804
804
166
136
164
15
33
35
254
29
21
15
36
19
95 f
55t
157
24
11
20
90
45
83
67
21
130
26
8
16
314
45
50
33
13
Mar.
Tons
i
20
3
13
14
3
6i
3
53
•70
8
20
45
28
97
4*
6
13
81*
72
21
174
122*
30
57
95i
213
13
42
30
13i
20
200
31
8
304
99
19
21
50
57
37
• Three months, t Tin and wolfram
Nigerian Tin Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unspeciBed content
Soie These figures are taken from the monthly returns
made by individual companies reporting in London . and
probably represent S5% of the actual outputs.
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
January
February ■■■
March
Tons
531
528
547
Tons
667
646
655
555
509
473
479
551
538
578
621
655
Tons
678
668
707
584
525
492
545
571
520
491
472
518
Tons
613
623
606
546
483
484
481
616
561
625
536
511
Tons
547
477
505
467
383
435
484
447
528
628
544
577
Tons
438
370
443
April
486
S36
lune
310
506
498
—
July
—
—
September
October
November ...
December ...
Total ...
535
584
679
654
-
6.594
6.927
6.771
6.685
6,022
1.253
PaoDUCTtON Of Tin in Fkdhratkd Malay Status.
Estimated at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters.
Long Tons.
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
January •••
February •■■
March
Tons
3.558
2.755
3.286
3.251
3,413
3,489
3,253
3.413
3.154
3.436
3.300
3.525
Tons
3.030
3,197
2,609
3,308
3,332
3,070
3.373
3.259
3,157
2.870
3.132
3.022
Tons
3.765
2.734
2.819
2.858
3.407
2,877
3.756
2.956
3.161
3,221
2,972
2,409
Tons
4.265
3.014
2.770
2.606
2.741
2.940
2.824
2.786
2.734
2.837
2.573
2.838
Tons
3.298
3.111
2.190
—
—
l,,Iv
—
August
September .
October
November .
December .
—
39.833
37.370
36.933
34.928
8.599
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss Ic Co. Lone Tons.
Straits and Australian Spot
Ditto. Landing and in Transit...
Other Standard. Spot and Land-
ing
Straits. Afloat
Australian, Afloat
Banca. in Holland
Ditto. Afloat
Billiton. Spot
Billiton. Afloat
Straits. Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto. Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States-
Stock in America
Total
Feb. 28
16.900
Mar. 31
2.128
1.738
1.357
10
80
183
5.365
5.456
5.081
40
333
775
295
200
150
3.187
2.974
2.867
209
—
200
755
579
534
-
95
100
1,385
781
1.441
3.546
3.476
2.441
15.764
April 30
Shipments. Imports. Supply, and Consumption of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
April
Shipments from :
Straits to U.K
Straits to America
Straits to Continent
Straits to Other Places
Australia to U.K
U.K. to America
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
Supply:
Straits
Australian
Billiton
Banca
Standard .•
Total-
Consumption :
U.K. Deliveries
Dutch
American ..
Straits. Banca & Billiton. Con-
tinental Ports, etc.
Total..
Feb.
20
220
33
100
715
800
240
100
1.561
1.961
1.321
164
1.585
Mar.
395
395
125
289
50
100
915
50
79
1.290
2.334
1.359
389
1.683
3.568
775
925
100
825
295
811
1.800
70'
865
1,531
152
1.590
95
3.368
'To March 31 only.
MAY, 1921
301
Outputs Reported bv Oil-Producing Companies.
Anglo-Egyptian Tons .•■
Anglo- United Barrels
Apes Trinidad Barrels
British Burmah Barrels
Caltex Barrels
DaciaRotnana Tons ...
Kern River Barrels
Lobitos Tons ...
Roumanian Consol Tons ...
Santa Maria Tons ...
Sleaua Romana Tons ...
Trinidad Leaseholds ...Tons ...
United of Trinidad Tons ...
Feb.
March
16.991
13.627
9,219
8.900
—
43,525
56,023
65.768
78,962
92,820
251
—
95,010
105,220
7,659
8.389
1,282
1,375
1.000
1,300
14,991
17.910
11,400
13,400
3.767
3,698
Quotations of Oil Companies' Shares.
Denomination of Shares £\ unless otherwise noted.
Anglo-American
Anglo-Egyptian B.
Anglo-Persian 1st Pref
Anglo-United. Wyoming ...
Apes Trinidad
British Borneo (10s.)
British Burmah (Ss.)
Burmah Oil
Caltex ($1) /.
Dacia Romano
Kern River, Cal. (10s.)
Lobitos. Peru
Mexican Eagle. Ord. (©lO)—
M Pref. ($10)
North Caucasian (10s.)
Phoenix. Roumania
Roumanian Consolidated ...
Royal Dutch (100 gulden) ...
Scottish American
Shell Transport. Ord
Pref. (£lO)
Steaua Romana
Trinidad Central
Trinidad Leaseholds
United British of Trinidad
Ural Caspian
Uroz Oilfields (IDs.)
April 7.
May 5,
1921
1921
£ s.
d.
£ s. d.
4 7
6
5 0 0
1 17
6
2 0 0
1 2
0
1 2 6
10
0
10 0
2 10
0
2 10 0
15
0
17 6
17
6
1 1 3
6 17
6
7 15 0
7
6
6 6
17
6
1 0 0
1 2
0
1 2 6
3 17
6
4 5 0
5 7
6
6 12 6
5 5
0
6 7 6
12
6
17 5
12
0
12 6
12
fi
14 3
44 0
0
52 0 0
15
0
12 6
5 0
0
6 2 6
8 0
0
8 5 0
14
3
16 3
3 5
0
4 12 6
2 5
0
2 12 6
17
6
1 2 6
13
9
1 0 0
8
9
8 9
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
April
April
April
May
April
May
May
April
May
April
18
16
16,
7.
21.
7.
2.
23.
7.
21.
Broken Hill Proprie-
tary
Gold Coast Amal. -.
Gold Fields Rhodes-
ian
Lake View Invest-
ment
Premier Diamond ...
Scottish Australian
Mining
Tekka-Taiping
Waihi Gold
Wankie Colliery ..
Wolhuter
Par
Value of
Shares
Amount of
Dividend
£i.
£\.
lOs.
Pref. 5s.
l\.
£l.
10s.
10s.
£1.
9d. less tax
2s. less tax
6d. less tax
5% less tax
125% less tax
74% less tax
3d. less tax
6d. tax paid
5% less tax
9d. less tax
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. May 9.
These quotations are not absolute ; they vary according to
quantities required and contracts running.
£ s. d.
Acetic Acid. 40% per cwt- 13 0
80% 2 6 0
Glacial .. 2 16 0
Alum per ton 18 0 0
Alumina. Sulphate of .. 16 0 0
Ammonia. Anhydrous per lb. 2 6
.. 0 880 solution per ton 45 0 0
Carbonate per lb. 4
Chloride of. grey per ton 45 0 0
M pure per cwt. 3 15 0
Nitrate of per ton 50 0 0
II Phosphate of „ 75 0 0
Sulphate of „ 24 0 0
Antimony. Tartar Emetic per lb. 2 7
Sulphide. Golden „ l 6
Arsenic. White per ton 50 0 0
Barium Carbonate 11 0 0
,1 Chlorate per lb. I 0
., Chloride per ton 19 0 0
., Sulphate „ 10 0 0
Benzol. 90% per gal. 3 0
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 55 0 0
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI ,, 18 0 0
Liquor. 7% 7 0 0
Borax „ 34 0 0
Boric Acid, crystals „ 69 0 0
Calcium Chloride 10 0 0
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% per gal. 1 8
crystallized. 40° per lb. 7
(3 10 0
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton \ to
1 4 10 0
Citric Acid per lb. 2 3
Copper. Sulphate of per ton 30 0 0
Cyanide of Sodium. 100% per lb. l 0
Hydrofluoric Acid „ yh
Iodine per oz. 1 0
Iron. Nitrate of per ton 8 0 0
.. Sulphate of 4 0 0
Lead. Acetate of. white ,1 48 0 0
.. Nitrate of .: 48 0 0
„ Oside of, Litharge „ 38 0 0
„ White 40 0 0
Lime, Acetate, brown 1, 9 0 0
grey 80% 13 0 0
Magnesite, Calcined „ 21 0 0
Magnesium. Chloride „ 12 0 0
Sulphate „ 10 0 0
Methylated Spirit 64° Industrial per gal. 6 9
Nitric Acid, 80° Tw. per ton 32 0 0
Oxalic Acid per lb. 0 11
Phosphoric Acid per ton 50 0 0
Potassium Bichromate per lb. 11
Carbonate85% per ton 45 0 0
., Chlorate per lb. 0 6
Chloride 80% per ton 21 0 0
Hydrate (Caustic) 90% , 47 0 0
Nitrate 55 0 0
,. Permanganate per lb. 1 9
Prussiate, Yellow „ 1 4
Red „ 2 3
Sulphate. 90% per ton 20 0 0
Sodium Metal per lb. 1 3
„ Acetate per ton 26 0 0
Arsenate 45% 45 0 0
M Bicarbonate ,. 12 0 0
., Bichromate per lb. 8
Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton 15 0 0
(Crystals) 7 0 0
., Chlorate per lb. 4j
„ Hydrate, 76% pec ton 27 0 0
M Hyposulphite n 20 0 0
II Nitrate, 95% 1, 21 0 0
Phosphate „ 25 0 0
,, Prussiate per lb. 8
<, Silicate per ton 11 0 0
„ Sulphate (Salt-cake) 8 0 0
(Glauber's Salts) 7 0 0
.. Sulphide 25 0 0
., Sulphite „ 13 0 0
Sulphur, Roll 12 10 0
,, Flowers „ 13 10 0
Sulphuric Acid. Fuming, 65° 1, 24 0 0
free from Arsenic, 144° 6 5 Q
Superphosphate of Lime. 30% 8 10 0
Tartaric Acid per lb. I 7
Turpentine per cwt. 3 S 6
Tin Crystals per lb. 1 7
Titanous Chloride 1. 1 0
Zinc Chloride per ton 23 0 0
Zinc Sulphate 19 0 0
30J
rill". MINING MAC.A/INK
SHARt QUOTATIONS
Shares are tl par value except where otherwise noted.
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa .
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende..
Shamva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa ■
Abbontiakoon (lOs.)
Abosso
Asbanii (4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taquah
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe (f 5)
Great Boulder ProprietaryC2s.)..
Great Fineall (10s)
Hampton Properties
Ivanhoe (t5)
Kalgurli
Lake View Investment (IDs.) ..
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurli (10s.)
GOI.n. SILVER.
DIAMONDS:
Ramd :
Brakpan
Central Mininit (£8)
Cily & Subtirban (£*)
City Deep
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidated Lan»:laaRte
ConsolidiUfd Main Reef
Consolidated MinesSetectiondOs.) '
Crown Mines (10s ) |
Dacuafontein |
Durban Roodepoort Deep j
East Rand Proprietary
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Gov't Gold Mininc Areas
Johannesburg Consolidated
lupiter
KleinfoiUein
Kniclit Central
Kninhts Deep
LHn»:laat{te Estate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein 'AOs.)
Modderfontein B (5s.)
Modderfontein Deep(5s.)
Modderfontein East
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central •••.
Robinson (£5)
Robinson DeeD A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer St Jack
Springs
Sub- Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.l ..■■
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolhuter
Other Transvaal Gold Minrs :
Glynn's Lydenburg
Sheba (5s.)
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates.-
Diamonds IS South Africa:
De Beers Deferred (£2 10s.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.)
May!
,
May J.
19M
921
£ s.
d.
£
8. d.
2 i?
6
2
12 6
8 15
0
6
5 0
S
3
3 0
2 11
3
2
5 0
1 12
0
18 9
1 1
3
10 0
11
9
10 6
1 9
9
15 0
2 17
6
2
0 0
IS
6
3 9
7
6
4 0
8
0
4 6
11
6
9 6
2 3
9
2
7 6
8
0
5 0
4 7
6
4
0 0
I 9
6
1
4 0
4
(>
4 0
9
0
5 6
3
9
4 3
7
A
15 0
15
6
11 3
4 10
0
4
2 6
3 10
0
3
5 0
6 10
0
1
3 9
2 7
6
2
5 0
1 5
0
11 3
1 8
9
I
3 9
10
6
6 9
2 IS
9
2
5 0
3 18
9
2
17 6
16
0
9 6
9
0
9 6
1 0
0
11 3
16
3
12 3
5
0
2 6
2 6
3
1
15 0
15
0
12 6
1 1
fi
16 9
17
6
11 0
4 7
fi
3
12 6
11
0
7 6
18
9
12 6
16
3
13 9
9
0
6 6
5
9
4 6
13
6 6
1
1 6
13
7 0
24 15
0
11
10 0
4 17
6
2
5 0
11 5
0
4
10 0
11
0
8 6
18
6
12 0
10
6
4 6
12
6
8 3
14
6
17 6
3 0
0
2
0 0
3 0
0
■
0 0
1 15
0
1
10 0
5
6
4 9
3
3
2 0
11
0
8 0
19
0
13 6
3
3
2 0
15
0
8 0
3
fi
2 3
3
0
2 6
6
0
1 0
18
9
10 0
8
fi
5 0
2
fi
1 6
1 5
0
6 3
1 10
0
17 6
12
6
10 3
17
0
10 0
6
9
5 0
5
3
6 6
GOLO. SlLVKK. cont.
OtHKRS in AtlSTKAt.ASIA t
ninckwAliT. Nfw Zt'tiland •
ConsoluliitcdG.I'.of New /eululid
Mount Hoiipv. N'.S.W. (10s) ]
Pronrc'ss. Nt-w /euland
Waihi. New Zealand j
Watlii Grand Junclion, New Z'Ind
Amkrica :
Btiena Ticrra. Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
K\ Oro, Mexico
Esperaiiza. Mexico
Frontino & Kotivia, Colombia
Le Roi No. 2 (£5). British Columbia
Mexico Mines of Kl Oro. Mexico..
Nechi (Pref. 10s.). Colombia
Oroville Dredtiin«. Colombia
^ Plymouth Consolidated. California
Si. John del Key. Brazil
Santa Gerirudis. Mexico
Tomboy. Colorado
Russia ■
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balaiihat (10s.)
Chaminon Keef '2s. 6d.)
Mysore (10s.)
North Anantapur
Nundvdroo*! (lOs.)
Ooreunm (10s.)
COPPER:
Arizona Copiier (5s.). Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India.
Esperanza. Spain
Hami)den Cloncurry. Queensland
Mason & Barry. Portugal
Messina (5s ). Transvaal
Mount Elliott (£5). Queensland ...
Mount i.yell, Tasmania
Mount Nlor^an. Queensland '
Nama<]ua (£2). Cape Province
Rio Tinto i£5). Spain
Russo-.Asiatic Consd.. Russia
Sissert. Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika. Congo and Rhodesia
LEAD-ZINC:
Broken Hii.i. :
Amalf^amated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (lOs.)
Asia :
Burma Corporation (10 rupees) ■•
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
M.iv 5.
1920
£ ». d.
May J,
1921
£ s, d
TIN:
Aramayo Francke. Bolivia
Bisichi. Nigeria
Briseis. Tasmania
Doicoath. Cornwall
East Pool (5s.) Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.). Nigeria ...
Geevor (lOs.) Cornwall
Gopeng. Malay
Ipoh Dredging. Malay
Kamunting. Malay
Kinta, Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay
Mongu (10s.). Nigeria
Naraguta. Nigeria
N. N.Bauchi. Nigeria (10s.)
Pahang Consolidated (5s.), Malay.
Raytield. Nigeria
Renong Dredging, Siam
Ropp (4s.). Nigeria
Siamese Tin. Siam
South Crofty (5s ), Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals. Cornwall
Tekka. Malay
Tekka-Taiping Malay
Tronoh, Malay
10
6 10
10
1 3
18
Ifi
1 3
12
12 6
13 0
12 6
11 6
12 6
2 12 6
1 7 C>
5 9
15 0
2 10 0
5 6
2 10
1 5
1 2
1 10
35 0
12
12
1 0
2 1
1 7
2 0
3 0
1 6
2 13
2 15
16
1 0
4 12
14
5
5
11
3
16
2 2
1 0
2 10
2 16
2 5
1 2
15
6
12
11
2 5
11
4 7
13
1 3
5 10
1 8
2 3
10 0 0
11 3
1
3
1 10
10
1 7
11 3
10 0
1 5
15
5
5
1 15
4
10
13 0
10 0
15 0
30 0 0
8 6
7 3
10 0
1 3 9
15
16
1 15
10
1 2
•1 5
10 0
8 9
7 61
7 6
10 0
15 0
2
6
5
1 7
6
2 2
6
8
18
1 0
1 5
i 10-rupee shares of Indian Co.
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section ive give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief .records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
ANACONDA ELECTROLYTIC ZINC.
A paper by Frederick Laist and others was presented
at the February meeting of the American Institute of
Mining and Metallurgical Engineers describing the
electrolytic zinc plant of the Anaconda Copper Mining
Company, Montana. The zinc ores at this company's
group of mines are complex sulphides, and the con-
centrates average only 35% zinc and are high in iron
and lead. After trying the Horwood preferential flo-
tation process for the improvement of these concen-
trates with discouraging results it was decided to try
roasting, leaching with sulphuric acid, and electrolysis
of sulphate solutions. The paper is of considerable
length and contains many graphs, plans, and photos ;
we are able only to give an outline of the main points
of the process.
Experiments. — The authors, in the first section of
the paper, give an account of the facts as ascertained
in laboratory examination of the proposed method.
They soon found, as had other investigators, that the
only way to obtain a good zinc deposit is to have the
electrolyte free from all metals more electro negative
than zinc, such as copper, cadmium, lead, arsenic, anti-
mony, etc. Arsenic and antimony are particularly in-
jurious, causing very poor current efficiency and small
yield per horse-power when present even in amounts
so small as almost to defy detection, 1 ma. or less per
litre. A pure zinc is soluble only with difficulty in sul-
phuric acid ; an impure zinc dissolves verv readily.
Electrolytic zinc deposited from pure solutions is, of
course, extremely pure and dissolves only about one-
fiftieth as rapidly as ordinary zinc. The dissolving of
pure zinc in dilute sulphuric acid can be greatly acceler-
ated by the addition of a few drops of a solution con-
taining copper or arsenic. The presence of these metals
in thesolutiongoingtothe electrolytic cells would have
the same effect on the zinc deposit at the cathodes, so
that re-solution would set in and might proceed at a
rate that would entirely offset the depositing power of
the current. In such a case no zinc would result from
the passage of the current, and nothing but hydrogen
would be made at the cathode and oxygen at the anode.
Smaller amounts of impurities would result in the zinc
being redissolved, but more slowly than it is deposited,
producing cathodes lull of holes of various sizes, while
the yield per horse-power-day would be proportionally
decreased. H. W. Gepp, in experimenting at Bully
Hill, California, found that one of the most injurious
impurities present in those ores was cobalt. Accord-
ing to him fifteen parts of cobalt per million parts of
solution is fatal to electrolysis. The cell work is seri-
ously impaired with only ten parts per million. The
cobalt may be precipitated with manganese by the ad-
dition of permanganate or it may be thrown down in
the presence of manganese by the addition of beta-
naphthol and sodium nitrite, also by zinc dust from the
neutral solution in the presence of ferric iron, copper,
and arsenic. It was not found difficult to maintain an
extremely high degree of purity in the zinc solution go-
ing to the cells if the iron in the solution was thoroughly
oxidized, before being precipitated, by means of lime-
stone or excess calcine, and if sufficient zinc dust was
added to satisfy fully the copper, cadmium, and what-
ever small amount of lead might be present. If the ore
contains very little iron, in proportion to its arsenic con-
tent, it might be necessary to add iron in the form of
ferric salt in order to ensure the complete precipitation
of all arsenic as ferric arsenate. It was found that the
best way to make sure of the oxidation of the iron was
to maintain a small amount of manganese in solution.
Manganese becomes oxidized in passing through the
cells, forming permanganic acid, manganic sulphate,
and manganese dioxide. The ores contain sufficient
manganese for this purpose, so that it is seldom neces-
sary to provide outside manganese. It is possible to
ensure oxidation of the iron by other means, notably
continued air agitation in the presence of milk of lime.
An aluminium plate made the most suitable cathode and
a lead plate the most suitable anode. The latter quickly
becomes coated with a brown layer of manganese di-
oxide and lead peroxide, and if the zinc solution is
entirely free from chlorides the lead is not attacked.
Some of the lead anodes have been used for three years
and seem to be just as good as when put in. In the
beginning it was the intention to use aluminium plates
only for building up starting sheets of suitable weight.
This, however, proved unsatisfactory, as the starting
sheets tended to warp and cause short circuits. Alu-
minium cathodes are therefore used in all of the cells,
and the zinc is allowed to deposit until a sheet of suffici-
ent weight is built up to go directly to the casting fur-
nace. Generally 4S-hr. sheets, which weigh about 20
lb., are made, so that about 401b. of zinc is stripped
each time the cathode is withdrawn. In order to avoid
re-solution, good contact must be maintained between
the zinc and the aluminium plate. The plate, there-
fore, must be roughened sufficiently to ensure adher-
ence as the zinc sheet becomes heavier. This limits
the weight of zinc sheets it is possible to buila up, and
this, together with the tendency toward sprouting, limits
practice to 48-hr. deposits. Seventy-two hour sheets
have been successfully made, but on the average the
48-hr. plates give the best results. The better current
efficiency with the younger deposits more than offsets
the labour required for more frequent stripping. The
experimental work was done with current densities vary-
ing from 10 to 100 amperes per square fool. In prac-
tice, the most satisfactory density is from 22 to 25
amperes. It is not necessary to circulate rapidly as,
with the current density used, the evolution of gas at
the anode is sufficient to provide the necessary agita-
tion.
Roasting. — The authors proceed to detail the steps
whereby the process was gradually de\"eloped. and then
describe the process as established at Great Falls. The
plant as finally completed has an output of 150 tons of
electrolytic zinc per day. Roasting of the concentrates
is done partly at Anaconda, where McDougal furnaces
are used, anti partly in Wedge furnaces at Great Falls.
The following is an average analysis of the concentrate
and of the resulting roasted material :
303
304
Til
MINING MAGAZINE
Koa^tfld
Conceniraie Material
% ?o
Zn 305 330
Cu 18 10
Pb 9'5 103
Ak 1«'5 17S
Au 006 007
Insoluble 6'3 7'4
FeO 200 323
S 345 45
It was recognized at the beginning that the concen-
trates must be finely ground to get ihe maximum solu-
bility ; screen analysesofthecrushedconcentratesshow
thai 67'\, goes through minus 200 mesli. A low initial
temperature of the roast gives better solubililies on con-
centrates containing appreciable amounts of lead and
iron sulphides. Lead, if 5% or more is present, tends
to cause the roasting concentrate to sinter and ball up
at the higher temperatures ; as these agglomerated
masses will be insufficiently roasted, poor solubility re-
sults, and a larger amount of classifier sand is produced
in the leaching plant. The aim is lo prevent simultane-
ous oxidation of the iron and zinc, as far as possible, by
keeping the temperature of the two top roasting hearths
below the active break-up temperature of zinc sulphide
and yet high enough to permit FeS,, and KeS to oxi-
dize in the time allowed. Unfortunately, zinc sulphide
begins to oxidize at the low temperature of the upper
hearths but to a less degree than the iron sulphide, and
therefore a small amount of ferrate will be formed. If
the dross containing a large amount of metallics is fed
in with the concentrates, even at the low temperature of
the top floors, the formation of ferrates is greatly in-
creased. If the dross is charged to the lower floors,
where there is little or no iron sulphide, there is very
little formation of ferrates.
The amount of sulphate formed is dependent on a low-
initial temperature, so that apparently the amount of
sulphate formed is largely influenced by the amount of
FejOa present and the reactions that take place in sul-
phate-roasting are those of the contact acid process,
where freshly prepared ferric oxide is used as a cataly-
ser. The iron sulphide is oxidized to ferric o.xide in the
top hearths and acts as a catalyser changing the sul-
phur dioxide from the roasting zinc sulphide to sulphur
trioxide which, in turn, combines with thefreshly form-
ing zinc oxide to form zinc sulphate. In proof of this,
if the temperature at 6rst is high, practically all of the
iron will be combined with the zinc to form ferrates, in
which case very little sulphate will be formed, although
temperatures and sulphur elimination are the same in
the lower part of the furnace as when sulphating. The
amount of sulphate remaining in the finished calcine is
dependent on the end temperature. To decrease the
percentage of sulphate and sulphur, it is only neces-
sary to raise the end temperature and break up or pre-
vent the formation of sulphates. While the solubility
falls when the sulphates are broken up, it w-ill be better
than when ferrates are formed on the top hearths in-
stead of Fe.^Oa-
Leaching. — The leaching is continuous and is car-
ried out in two steps : (1) A neutral leach where all the
calcine and approximately one-half of the total acid is
added ; (2) an acid leach where no calcine and the re-
mainder of the acid is added. Thesolution forthefirst,
or neutral, leach is made up with one-half of the cell
acid(lli% sulphuric acid and 24% zinc) and the partly
spent leach liquor (06% sulphuric acid and 10% zinc
from the acid leach). This mixture is run into the first
of a series of seven continuous-leaching Pachuca tanks.
Sufficient iron must be present and oxidized to account
for all the arsenic and antimony, otherwise they will
not be removed and poor tank-room efficiency will re
suit. Calcine is run Into the three succeeding I'achuca
tanks in such a manner that there is an average drop
of 2A% acid in each tank. Nothing is added to the
fifth lank, as it is used as an indicator, or control, tank
in which I lie acid should be nearly, or completely, spent.
One-sixth of the total amount of calcine is added lo the
sixth I'acluica tank, togetherwith asmall amounlof pul-
verized limestone. The excess base contained in the cal-
cine and lime rock completely precipitates I he ferric iron,
granulates the gelatinous silica, and partly precipitates
the copper These chemical precipitates, together with
Ihe insoluble residue, carry down the freshly formed
insoluble compounds ofarsenic and antimony, and com-
pletely free the solution from them. For instance, the
arsenic may be as high as 2 grams per litre in the liquor
of the third Pachuca tank and less than 1 mg. in the
seventh Pachuca, which is also a control tank, but
its lunction is mostly physical. After the base is
added it takes several minutes for the leach to coagu-
late. If this step is carried out too rapidly, poor settle-
ment results, and in ashort time the rest of the plant will
be blocked with mud. When this step is properly car-
ried out. each granular particle of solid appears to be
enclosed in a Hake of freshly precipitated iron, lime, or
gelatinous silica ; that is, each solid particle becomes
a nucleus about which the chemical precipitate collects
and provides the necessary weight to carry down these
flaky particles. The capacity of the settling equipment
is dependent on the proper handling of the seventh
Pachuca. It is easy to control, but requires closeatten-
tion. The discharge of the last Pachuca goes to the
neutral classifiers. These take out the sands, which
are re-groiind and returned to the system for further
treatment. The overflow from the classifier flows to
Dorr settlers, which discharge a clear overflow for the
purification tanks, and a spigot product, containing 50%
solids, which forms the feed to the acid leach.
In this neutral leach, all the calcine enters the pro-
cess and approximately three-fourths of the soluble zinc
is taken into solution ; the iron is oxidized and precipi-
tated ; gelatinous silica is coagulated by excess base and
rendered granular ; the arsenic and antimony are com-
pletely precipitated ; 80% of the copper is precipitated
as hydroxide by the excess base, this making possible
the cheap removal of most of the copper and supplying
the iron for the removal of arsenic and antimony in the
acid leach ; a large percentage of the zinc is separated
from the residues and is contained in a clear settler
overflow along with 20% of the soluble copper and all
the soluble cadmium which goes to the purification
plant, W'hile the settler spigot product containing three
parts of solids and two parts of solution is elevated to
the acid leach.
The ground neutral classifier sand and the neutral
settler spigot product are leached in three 10 by 20 ft.
continuous leaching Pachuca tanks with the remainder
of the cell acid and sent to the acid settlers. This
operation is simple ; it is necessary only to see that the
overflow from the Pachucas is maintained at approxi-
mately i% acid. Variationsof 1% over a considerable
time do not materially affect results, but too high an
acid for a long period increases the volume of solution,
hindering settlement, and causes the iron to circulate,
which interferes with the settlement of the neutral side.
Too low an acid for a long period results in low re-
covery due to undissolved ZnO and to high moisture
in the filter-cake caused by precipitating ferric hydrox-
ide, gelatinous silica, and alumina without granulating.
Poor settling of the acid settlers also results for the same
reasons.
The spigot product of the acid settlers, containing
MAY, 1921
305
60% solid and 40% moisture, goes by gravity to blan-
ket-covered filters of the Oliver type. The cake from
these filters is re-pulped with hot water or hot water
and acid, in case there is enough acid-soluble zinc left
in the first cake to justify it, and then re-filtered on a
second set of blanket-covered Olivers to recover more
of the soluble zinc. Hot wash water is used on each
set of filters. If this double filtering operation is properly
carried out, less than 20% of the zinc contained in the
residues will be soluble in dilute sulphuric acid. In
other words, if 90% of the zinc in the calcine was solu-
ble. 10% of the total zinc in the calcine would be in the
final residue as insoluble zinc and would be 80% of the
total zinc in the residue. That is. the recovery would
be 87J%. This is considered good practice and easily
obtainable on 45% zinc calcine. The filtrate from the
acid filters is combined with the acid settler overflow
and goes to the copper roughing tanks, where scrap zinc
from the tank room and scrap iron are added to rough
out the copper. It is then pumped to the first of the
neutral leach Pachucas and forms a part of the neutral
leach acid.
The results of the acid leaching system are : (1) Solu-
tion of the remainder of the acid-soluble zinc and the
copper ; (2) final separation of the solids from the zinc
and copper solutions : (3) roughing out of the copper
and chlorine ; (4) solution of sufficient iron to guaran-
tee the removal of arsenic and antimony in the neutral
leach step ; (5) elimination of the arsenic and antimony
which are only partly redissolved in dilute acid. About
10% of the arsenic and antimony circulate in the acid
Dorr overflow.
Purification of Solutions. — The failure of early ex-
perimenters to recognize the harmful effects of minute
quantities of certam impurities is the principal reason
for their disappointment. It is not safe to say that a
definite amount of any impurity such as copper, arsenic,
antimony, cobalt, cadmium, tellurium, or selenium can
be tolerated because the evil eftects of most of these
appear to be cumulative. For instance, when a small
amount of copper is present (10 mg. per litre), the harm-
ful effect of a httle arsenic or antimony is greatly multi-
plied ; therefore the only safe thing is to eliminate all
to the greatest possible degree. If the neutral leach is
properly carried out. the neutral Dorr overflow will
contain, in addition to zinc sulphate, all the soluble
cadmium and a certain percentage of the copper ; but
the arsenic, antimony, ferric iron, and part of the cop-
per will have been precipitated . Final purification with
zinc dust will take care of the copper and cadmium and
willprecipitate a certain amount of any arsenic and anti-
mony that has passed the neutral leach ; but it is not safe
to depend on zinc dust for arsenic and antimony removal.
The Great Falls purification plan is based on the fact
that a large excess of zinc dust will completely precipi-
tate the last traces of cadmium and copper ; therefore,
to get a reasonable efficiency from the zinc dust, a re-
covery system was installed and later supplemented by
a purification slime- treatment plant. Copper is rapidly
removed by the zinc dust, but cadmium is removed
slowly and svith difficulty unless a large excess of zinc
dust is used. Ascadmium must be reduced to less than
20 mg. per litre in the purified solution, to make grade
"A" zinc in the tank room, and as no rapid test of
which the authors are aware is sufficiently delicate to
indicate that small amount of cadmium, it has been
necessary to develop the present practice.
The overflow from the neutral settlers is pumped to
twelve 10 by 20 ft. air-agitated Pachuca tanks, where
it is treated ; first, with recovered zinc sludge from the
purification classifiers, to rough out the copper, then
with zinc dust, added carefully until copper cannot be
detected with the hydrogen-sulphide test. A definite
excess of zinc dust is then added to ensure that all cad-
mium is precipitated. The amount of excess dust ad-
ded is determined by practice and is varied from day to
day by the zinc-plant superintendent after he has re-
ceived the analyses of the neutral Dorr overflow and
the purified solution for the previous day. It is a cut-
and-dry method, but is not difficult to control. Like the
rest of the process it must be carefully watched because
an error here results in poor tank-room efficiency for
several days. The best method is to avoid trouble by
using plenty of dust. On the other hand, the use of
too much dust is expensive, but so long as there is in-
sufficient zinc sludge coming back from the classifiers
to rough out the copper too much zinc dust is not be-
ing used.
After the addition of the excess zinc dust, the tank is
agitated for 15 minutes and then discharged through a
drag-line classifier to two 10 by 50 ft. Dorr settlers in
parallel, which are in series with six 25 by 65 ft. con-
crete settling ponds. The ponds are arranged in paral-
lel, so that any one can be cut out for cleaning without
interfering with the others, and are 7 ft. deep at the feed
end and 2J ft. at the discharge; the sloping bottom
facilitates cleaning. During normal operations one
pond is sluiced out per shift ; if the sludge is allowed to
remain in the bottom of the pond too long, the cadmium
oxidizes and goes into solution. Traces of acid or ferric
sulphate hasten the re-solution of the cadmium. The
pond overflow launder leads to a concrete sump, which
supplies the feed to eight Shriver clarifying presses.
The purified solution, after passing the presses, is as
clear as crystal. If the overflow from the ponds is clear,
the presses are probably superfluous, but they act as a
safeguard, and all the solution has been forced through
them. The clarified solution is pumped to two 12 by
50ft. storage tanks and forms the feed to the tank room.
The sludge from the purification Dorrs and the ponds
is pumped to a scavenger Dorr, which receives all the
spill and washings from the presses and the purification
settling system and acts as a combination settler and
slime storage tank for the purification slime treatment
plant. The overflow of the scavenger settler ispumped
back to the purification tanks. The spigot product of
the scavenger settler is the feed to the purification slime
treatment plant.
The scavenger spigot product is pumped to two 10 by
17 ft. leaching Pachuca tanks until they are about one-
third full, then cell acid (10% sulphuric acid) is run in
slowly while the tanks are agitated until copper tjegins
to go into solution. At this point, the zinc and cad-
mium are in solution while the copper is still in the solid
state. These leaches are now pumped to the copper
settler, where the copper is collected in a rich slime,
30% copper in the spigot product, and is filtered on a
12 by 12 ft. Oliver filter and sent to the copper smelter.
Theoverflowof the copper settler contains the cadmium
and zinc and is run to two 10 by 17 ft. Pachuca puri-
fying tanks, to which fine zinc dust is added in suffici-
ent quantity to reduce the cadmium content of the solu-
tion to that of the neutral Dorr overflow. After the
cadmium is precipitated, these tanks are discharged to
a 10 by 30 ft. cadmium settler, the overflow of which
goes back with the scavenger settler overflow for purifi-
cation. The spigot product of the cadmium settler
contains 12% cadmium and is to be treated for the re-
covery of metallic cadmium. Approximately 500 lb.
of cadmium per day is contained in this product. The
process for the recovery of cadmium has been worked
out and the plant will, most probably, be installed when
the demand for cadmium justifies it.
(To be continued).
306
THE MINMNG MAGAZINE
IlKAT TREATMENT IN SHARPENING DRILL STEELS.
In the .MiHi- mtil (Jiiiirry for April, J. A. iNoycs ami
K. M. Lee discuss the scienlilic principles uiiilerlyinn
the healing of drill steels prior to sharpening, it is
becoming generally recognized that the rule of thumb
methods usually followed in the mine-drill sharpening
shop must be supplanted by a systematic yet practical
application of known facts about the physical proper-
ties of high-carbon steel. This article makes a few
practical suggestions regarding the proper heating,
forging, and tempering of high-carbon drill steel.
In the discussion of the proper forging and temper-
ing temperatures, it is first necessary to understand
what is meant by the critical point of the sieel. The
critical range can be ascertained by watching the slow
heating of a piece of steel in the furnace. The steel
brightens in colour with the rising heat of the furnace
until a point is reached where the steel apparently be
comes a trifle darker and cooler than the furnace. If
the heating continues, the steel again increases in
brightness, once more assuming the same brilliancy and
temperature as the furnace. The darkening is due to
the absorption of heat and the temperature at which
this absorption takes place is known as the decalescent
or critical point. At this point the ferrite and pearlite
are converted into austenite. If the furnace is now al-
lowed to cool slowly, a point will be reached where the
steel remains visibly brighter than the furnace, but in
a few seconds it again assumes the colour of the fur-
nace and darkens with it. This brightening of colour
is due to the throwing-ofi of heat and is the recalescent
point, where the austenite changes back to ferrite and
pearlite. The decalescent point on the rising heat is
at a higher temperature than the recalescent point of
cooling. For practical purposes, the critical point is
the decalescent point, and the critical range includes
the temperatures just above the critical point. The
critical point of steel is different for steels of different
carbon contents For drill steel averaging 060% to
090% carbon, the critical range is from 1,420' to
1,350"F. By coincidence this steel becomes non-
magnetic at a temperature which for all practical pur-
poses is the same as the critical temperature of the
steel. This fact therefore affords a simple, easy me-
thod of determining the critical point of any drill steel
regardless of its carbon content. By bringing the
heated drill bit up close to an ordinary horse-shoe
magnet, it can be determined whether or not the tem-
perature of the bit is above the critical range of the
steel by merely noting whether or not the magnet is
attracted by the hot steel. If the magnet is attracted,
the temperature is below the critical point. If it is not
attracted by the steel, the critical temperature has been
passed
The structure and physical properties of the drill bit
depend on the temperatures used for heating the steel
preceding both forging and quenching, as well as on
the care exercised in the mechanical working or forg-
ing of the bit. The finest grain size obtainable exists
just as the steel passes through the critical range on
the rising heat. Further heating above the critical
temperature coarsens the grain, and this coarse struc-
ture remains in the steel if it is allowed to cool undis-
turbed. If, instead of allowing the steel to cool un-
disturbed, it is vigorously hammered, the coarse cry-
stalline structure can be broken up and the grain
refined. If, however, the hammering is stopped above
the critical range, the coarse crystallization sets in
again, and the higher the temperature above the critical
range at which the forging stops, the coarser the struc-
ture will be. The finishing temperature for the forg-
ing operation of the drill steel bit should therefore be
at or slightly above the critical temperature, and the
forging should be by rapid, vigorous hammering and
not by " bull-dozing " or sipiee/ing It is a well known
fact that hammered forgings command a much higher
price than drop forgings, where the metal is literally
pressed into shape at high temperatures. The forging
operation should not continue below the critical range,
because cold working below this heat causes distortions
and internal strains, which result in briltleness and in
steel breakage.
Heating in a coal forge is unsatisfactory, as the
abundance of oxygen retjuired for the combustion of
the coal gives a heavy oxidizing flame, causing exces-
sive scaling of the steel. Coke is only slightly better
as a fuel. With both coal and coke furnaces, it is al-
most impossible to get a close regulation of tempera-
ture. In heating steel, it expands, except in passing
through the critical range, at which point it contracts.
Therefore, if a piece of cold steel is thrust into a rag-
ing hot fire, the outer surfaces are passing through the
critical range and are contracting, whereas the centre
of the bit is still expanding, having not yet reached the
critical temperature. This causes cracking and check-
ing of the steel. In the same way, even if the steel is
not thrust directly into a raging open fire, but is only
inserted directly into the combustion chamber of a fur-
nace, where the extreme high temperature flames are
allowed to impinge directly against the drill bits, this
same condition will result, and either cracking or check-
ing of the bits takes place. It is a well-known fact
that if the higher carbon steels are allowed to remain
in a hot furnace for any great length of time the car-
bon is precipitated in the form of graphite, and when
this occurs, the steel is greatly reduced in efficiency,
even if not entirely ruined. It is common practice in
drill-sharpening shops for the smith to allow the drill
steel to remain in the furnace wliile making adjust-
ments on the drill-sharpening machine, changing dol-
lies, or making minor repairs, and this is sure to prove
costly in the end, as the outer surface of the steel be-
comes decarbonized and will not respond to the same
heat treatment that is effective before the soaking takes
place. This soaking also increases the coarseness of
tructure, as coarseness of structure not only increases
wiih high temperatures, but also with the length of
time for which the steel is held at the higli tempera-
ture. The maximum temperature for forging drill steel
should not exceed 1,650° to 1,750^"F. Temperatures
higher than this coarsen the structure to such an ex-
tent that even the thorough, hammering during the
forging operation cannot again refine the grain. The
result of too high a forging heat is checked, cracked,
and brittle bits, irrespectue of what the subsequent
tempering treatment may be.
In tempering all drill bits, quenching should take
place at the critical temperature or at about 50°F.
above this point and on a rising heat. When quench-
ing takes place at this temperature, maximum density
and toughness, with maximum hardness, are secured.
The heating preceding the quenching should be slow,
uniform, and thorough, and at the lowest possible tem-
perature that will secure the desired results. The fur-
nace temperature should be slightly above the critical
point of the steel to compensate for some loss of heat
while transferring the steel from the furnace to the
quenching bath. Heating for quenching cannot be
done satisfactorily in a coal or coke furnace, where
close regulation of temperature is impossible. Over-
heating is the cause of 90% of the bad results from
MAY, 1921
307
drill steel. Unfortunately many practical smiths still
believe in the efficiency of high temperatures for
greater hardening effect. While to a very limited e.t-
tent it may hold true that the liigher the temperature
the harder the steel, the questionable gain in hardness
is more than offset by increased coarseness in the grain
of the steel, and by internal strains, both resulting in
faster wear on the bits, and more breakage. Heating
for hardening requires great care. The rapid quench-
ing of hot steel is the most severe test that steel can be
put to. If the heating is not uniform, it naturally fol-
lows that the bit after quenching will be subjected to
severe internal strains. Hardening cracks are there-
fore more often a result of improper heating than of
any defect in the steel.
To emphasize the importance of quenching steel
at the lowest possible temperature and still be above
the critical point, the authors cite a test that was made
on two gears that were machined from the same bar of
steel, and given identically the same heat treatment,
with the single exception that gear Bwas quenched at
a temperature 50" higher than gear A. Both gears
showed the same degree of hardness. While it required
48 blows of a 10 lb. hammer dropping 30 in. to break
a tooth out of gear B, it required 200 blows of the same
hammer falling the same distance before a tooth could
be broken out of gear A. This difference of only 50"
lower quenching temperature resulted in 400% in-
crease in toughness. This example clearly illustrates
that in order to get the maximum wear-resisting quali-
ties in a drill bit, the quenching should be at the tem-
perature at which the magnetism leaves the steel, and
thus theory and practice both support the old rule that
the lowest temperature that gives the desired results is
the best temperature.
One of the conditions that works a hardship on the
drill smith in the average drill shop is having to handle
steel which contains varying percentages of carbon.
Steel containing 090% carbon does not require as high
a temperature for hardening as a piece which contains
050% carbon. If both steels were quenched at a tem-
perature suitable for the higher carbon steel, the other
steel having a lower percentage of carbon would be
too soft. If the quenching temperature is raised high
enough to secure the proper hardness of the 0 50%
carbon steel, and if the steel with the higher carhon
content is quenched at this higher temperature, break-
age and chipping of the bit is practically certain. This
may cause the blacksmith a great deal of trouble, as in
one section of the mine there may be a complaint about
the steel being too soft, while other sections of the
same mine will report the steel as being too hard.
The authors describe an inexpensive electrical indi-
cator for determining when the steel has reached the
decalescent point. This is an ordinary horse-shoe mag-
net hung from a fibre or other non conducting support.
At the upper end of the support is a copper contact for
closing an ordinary light circuit. This indicator is
more serviceable in the shop than an ordinary horse-
shoe magnet hung from a cord. When the heated bit
is pressed against the copper plate the light will flash
if the steel is at too low a temperature for quenching.
The correct heat for quenching is when the magnetism
leaves the steel. This indicator gives one of the two
necessary facts about the temperature of the steel for
quenching. It is the fact that the steel is hot enough,
having passed the critical temperature. The second
1 fact that must be known is that the temperature is not
1 too high. This can be assured by using an oil or gas
■ furnace, the maximum temperature of which is indi-
; cated by a pyrometer. If the maximum temperature
of the furnace is maintained at a predetermined point,
5-6
there will be no danger of overheating the steel, irre-
spective of the time the steel remains in the furnace,
within reasonable limits. In the past it has been the
general practice to insert the drill bits into a raging hot
furnace and depend on the watchfulness and skill of
the operator to judge when the proper temperature has
been reached. Naturally the results have varied with
different men, different light conditions, and with the
conglomeration of steel of several makes, and various
chemical compositions.
When the proper temperature is secured, quenching
should be rapid. The object of quenching is to retain
the characteristics which the proper heating has deve-
loped. The most satisfactory quenching medium for
drill steel is circulating cold water, For uniform re-
sults the temperature of the water should be kept fairly
constant. The effectiveness of water as a quenching
medium falls off rapidly above lOO'F. Brine solution
is a faster quenching medium than water, but its effec-
tiveness decreases with increased temperature, particu-
larly where large quantities of steel are handled. Oil
is used as a quenching medium where a high degree of
hardness is not necessary.
The design of a safe, efficient drill-steel furnace is an
engineering problem, and it must be treated as such.
A drill-steel furnace must operate at different tempera-
tures, as the degree of heat required for hardening is
different from that required for forging. The tempera-
ture control must be accurate at different heats. Con-
sideration must be given to the time required for heat-
ing. The part of the steel to be heated must be con-
sidered : for example, a short heat at the end of the
steel when tempering bits or a forging heat at a point
five inches from the end when forming lugged shanks.
Fuel consumption cannot be treated by itself. It in-
volves proper and complete combustion of the fuel as
well as the results desired. The heat developed must
be used and not wasted. The authors proceed to give
details of the Sullivan drill-steel furnace. This is a low-
pressure oil or gas furnace of the underfed type. The
combustion chamber is located below the adjustable
hearths. The slot width between the hearths can be
varied from i in. to nearly the full width of the com-
bustion chamber This permits heating the bar of steel
with any length of heat and at any point along the bar.
This is a particularly valuable and serviceable feature
in forming collared or lugged shanks. At the hot end
of the furnace is a thermo-couple which registers the
temperature in connection with a pyrometer indicating
apparatus. The temperature at the point where the
drill bits are withdrawn from the furnace can, there-
fore, be kept at any predetermined point by regulating
the fuel supply, thus maintaining the desired heat as
indicated by the pyrometer. For example, in heating
the steel for quenching, the pointer on the instrument
may be set at 1,450°F. When the temperature in the
furnace at the point of withdrawal of the steel, which
is where the hot end of the thermo-couple is located,
is at 1,450°F., a white electric light will burn. If the
temperature increases 25° the white light goes out and
a red light comes on. If the temperature drops 25^ be-
low the figure at which the pointer is set, a green light
burns. In heating for forging the pointer on the instru-
ment can be set at a higher temperature, for example,
at 1.650°F., and the three coloured electric lights again
operate to indicate correct, high and low temperatures.
In this furnace the combustion of the fuel takes place
below the hearths in the combustion chamber. When
the furnace is up to heat, the combustion chamber,
hearth pieces, and the adjustable brick stop become in-
candescent and the drill bits are healed by an indirect
or reflected heat. Oxidizing or scaling of the surface
308
TTTK MINING MAGAZINE
of the bits is thus prevented. The steel cannot be in-
serted directly in the combustion chamber. The steel
cannot be overheated, as the maximum temperature at
the hot end of the furnace is a safe heat and is checked
with the pyrometer. The lenjjlh of heat on the slccl
can be kept short by narrowinj; the width of ilic slot
between the hearths. In the normal operation of tins
furnace, it is kept well filled with steel, practically
closing the slot opening from the combustion chamber,
resulting in increased fuel economy. The cold steel is
put in at the burner end, which is the cold end of the
furnace. As the heated steels are withdrawn at the
other end, the others are rolled along toward the hot
end, so the heating is progressive, slow, uniform, and
thorough Overhealing of the steel is impossible. Al-
though the construction of this furn,ace is compara-
tively simple,, the exact proporlioning of the combus-
lion chamber, the location and height of the liearlh
and hood pieces, the type and position of the burner,
the details of the adjustable drill rest, have all been
arrived at by a development process under actual work-
ing conditions.
Globe & Phoenix Metallurgy. — The January/oMma/
of the Chemical, Metallurgical, and Mining Society of
South .-Vfrica contains a paper bv V. E. Robinson on
the present method of treatment of the oreat the Globe
& Phcvnix gold mines. Southern Khodesia. It will be
remembered that an article by H. T. Brett was pub-
lished in the Magazine lor July, 1911, but the methods
there described have been largely superseded.
An analysis of the ore given by Mr. Brett is as fol-
lows ; SiOa and insoluble. 76-32"o ; Sb, 0 73% ; Fe,
2-58?i ; S, 096% ; Cat), r21% ; MgO, f,-44% : As,
trace : Cu, trace. The amount of antimony, however,
variesconsiderably. Screen samples, taken overaperiod
of three weeks, havecontained asmuch as2'39% Sband
0'26% As, while themassivestibnite removed by sorting
contains up to 80% Sb.^S;,. Muchof thegoldpresentin
theore isfree, and easilycaughtonamalgamatedplates;
some of it is coated, but can be amalgamated in grinding
pans ; and some escapes the pans but can be retained on
canvas strakes. Owing to the stibnile present, and also
possibly to ferrous iron, the tailing cannot be treated
directly by cyanide, but if it be allowed to partly oxi-
dize by weathering, it becomes amenable to cyaniding.
After breaking and sorting, the ore is wet-crushed by
stamps and passes over amalgamated plates to grinding
pans. It then flows over canvas strakes to a classifier,
which separates sand from slime. The sand is dis-
charged to the dump, and the slime to dams. Both
products are allowed to oxidize by weathering, after
which the sand is ground in tube-mills in cyanide solu-
tion, and treated by counter-current continuous decan-
tation, while the slime is treated by the ordinary decan-
tation method.
The author proceeds to give details of the processes.
The ore is trammed from the shaft bin, and dumped on
steel grizzlies, with li in. openings and set at an angle
of 50°. The oversize is fed to two 15 in. by 9 in. Blake-
Marsden breakers, svhence it is conveyed by belt to a
screening and washing trommel. Fines go direct to the
mill bin ; the remainder, before entering the bin, is fed
on to a sorting belt, where waste rock and stibnite are
removed, and discharged to their respective dumps.
About half a ton of massive stibnite is sorted out per
day. The greater portion of the stibnite remaining in
the ore is present in the fines.
The mill is equipped with -10 stamps of 1,2501b.
weight, using 200 mesh screens (200 holes per sq, in.),
with a drop of 8J in., and making 108 drops to the min-
ute, the stamp duty being 5 75 tons per day. From the
mortar-boxes the pulp flows over eight amalgamated
copper plates, 12 ft. in length, of which the lower 4 ft.
is covered with blanket. From the plates the pulp
passes to twelve 5 ft. grinding pans, to which mercury
is added. These pans run at 48 r.p.m. Their shoes
and dies are made on the mine, a set lasting on an aver-
age 60 days. The pan discharge passes o\-er canvas
strakes, then through three mercury traps to a large
launder designed as an auxiliary mercury trap, thence
to the tailing pump. This auxiliary mercury trap con-
sists of a wide launder having several layers of heavy
screening (J in. aperture) fastened to the bottom. The
strakes cover a rectangle 19 ft. long by 53 ft. broad, and
are stepped m the centre. The strake product is recon-
centrated over a small strake, the discharge of which
passes back into the grinding pans. This concentrate
is very fine, so that during barrel treatment it is mixed
with coarse river sand, and a few tube mill pebbles.
To promote efficient amalgamation a little sodium cya-
nide is added, which acts as a desulphurizing agent,
keeping the mercury clean. It dissolves no gold. From
65",, to 70"o of the gold content of the ore is recovered
by amalgamation, of which 50% comes from the plates,
13% from the blankets at bottom of plates, 19% from
the pans, and 8% from the canvas strakes. The width
of the slrakes is of more importance than their length,
and if, through insufficient space, their width must be
curtailed, it will be found advantageous to install step
tables, with a drop every 6 ft. The fall should be 1^ in.
per foot, and a convenient size for each strake is 30 in.
wide. The blankets should not be more than 36 in.
long, this length being handled easily. Canvas is su-
perior to blanket in saving fine gold. When first dis-
charged both sand and slime have a dull bluish-grey
appearance, but as oxidation proceeds this changes to
a yellowish colour.
The capacity of the sand plant is 300 to 320 tons per
24 hours, and an extraction of 75% to 80% of the gold
content is obtained. Grading analysis of dump sand
before regrinding shows :
Mesh %
5
I
4-30
24
25
18
28
- 30 + 60
- 60-f 90
- 90 + 150
- 150
Different sections of the sand dump, however, vary a
great deal, and the sand now being discharged from the
mill contains only 25°,, of +90 mesh after regrinding,
the residue grading showing about 15 to 20% of + 150
mesh. The tube-mill pebbles used are obtained from
adjacent river beds. Waste rock has been used, but is
inferior to these pebbles. The cyanide strength is kept
at about 003% KCN in the tube-mill circuit and agi-
tators : 11 lb. cyanide and 0 2 lb. lead nitrate are con-
sumed per ton. The sand is conveyed from the dump
to the treatment plant by mechanical haulage.
The dams for accumulating the current slime occupy
an area of about 5 acres, divided into three separate
portions, each being 6 ft. deep, so that, while one is be-
ing filled, another is full awaiting treatment, and the
third is under treatment. When a dam is full, it is al-
lowed to dry sufficiently to hold the weight of the oxen
and plough. The whole surface is then ploughed over
several times, at intervals of live to six weeks. When
treatment is commenced on a dam, half the ploughed
area is removed to a depth of 14 in., and taken to the
treatment plant. The rails are then shifted to the other
half of the ploughed area, which in its turn is treated,
and while treatment of this second half is proceeding.
!
MAY, 1921
309
the first half is reploughed several times. This pro-
cedure is continued until the dam is exhausted. The
ploughed and oxidized slime is trammed by oxen to a
vortex mixer. The cyanide treatment is carried out in
circulation and decantation tanks, circulation and trans-
fer being effected by pumps. The cyanide consump-
tion is about 16 lb. per ton treated. An extraction of
close on 80% of the gold content is obtained.
Precipitation on the whole is good, although the zinc
is apt to become plated with gold. The solution from
the sand treatment plant gives far less trouble than that
from the slime plant, and the prodjctsof the two plants
are kept separate throughout clean-up and smelting.
In the slime boxes, a varying amount of copper is pre-
cipitated in the lower compartments. The smelting
equipment consists of a paraffin oil-fired tilting furnace,
taking a No. 400 crucible ; three coke furnaces ; one
two-tray calcining furnace, and a retort. Slags and
other by-products are treated in a Taverner furnace.
The retort is of the usual design. A small amount of
antimony present in the amalgam causes objectionable
fuming when taking sponge from retort, and also makes
the gold very brittle After the precipitate from the
sand plant is smelted, it is refined by re-melting with
an oxidizing flux in clay-lined pots, skimmed, and a
blast of dry compressed air alio .ved to play on the sur-
face of the mollen metal for from one to two hours.
The iron pipe, J in. diameter, delivering the air. is kept
about 4 in. from thesurfaceof the metal, and just suffici-
ent air is turned on to give a faint ripple over the sur-
face; antimony, and other easily volatilized metalscome
off in dense fumes until completion of the operation.
The bars are cast under a borax cover, and assay over
800 fine. The slime bullion requires different treat-
ment owing to the large amount of copper often present.
It isgranulated, mixed with sulphur, and heated slowly
in a graphite pot. Most of the co.pper and other base
metals, as well as part of the silver, enter the matte,
but antimony is not entirely removed. After the charge
has been fused, poured, and the matte removed, the
bullion obtained is re-melted in a clay-lined pot with an
oxidizing flux, then skimmed and toughened by com-
pressed air. The matte is crushed fine, mixed with an
equal weight of borax, and quarter its weight of crushed
cyanide, and heated in a graphite pot until all action
ceases. The matte is nowdecomposed, and practically
all the gold and silver are recovered as fairly good bul-
lion, which is further refined by oxidation, and is then
included \vith the bullion obtained from the sulphur
treatment.
A considerable amount of experimental work has
clearly demonstrated the desirability of weathering be-
fore treatment. Tests quoted by the author show a
recovery of 84 2% and a consumption of 15 lb. cyanide
per ton with weathered sand, and 60 5% and 2 8 lb.
with current sand. The period required for oxidation
varies according to conditions. The slime might remain
in the dams for years, without any visible change tak-
ing place, but as soon as it is ploughed, and thus ex-
posed to the air, the change lo a yellowish colour com-
mences. Under the best conditions, slime will oxidize
sufficiently for treatment in about 20 days. Under
working conditions each half of a dam will receive two
ploughmgs in approximately six weeks. As a general
rule, the sand will be on the dump over six months be-
fore it is treated, though under favourable conditions,
such as small bulk, it would be ready for treatment in
a much shorter period. Occasionally, when the anti-
mony contents are low, a fairly good extraction may
be obtained without preliminary oxidation by weather-
ing. The use of a certain amount of lime in treating
the oxidized material is desirable, as it decreases the
cyanide consumption, but too much is fatal to a good
extraction.
Calcium. — At the meeting of the Institute of Metals
held in March, P. H. Brace presented a paper on cal-
cium, its history, properties, and manufacture. We
give here a brief abstract.
Sir Humphry Davy appears to have been the first to
isolate traces of calcium by the electrolysis of moist
lime; though while Davy's work was in progress he
received a letter from Berzelius and Pontin which de-
scribed the results of their experiments on the electroly-
sis of the alkaline earths with mercury cathodes. Davy
repeated these experiments and secured amalgams of
calcium and the other alkaline earths, confirming the
conclusions of Berzelius and Pontin. In 1854 Bunsen
prepared small quantities of calcium by electrolysing
an aqueous solution of the chloride with a mercury
cathode and subsequently distilling off the mercury.
Matthiesen, in 1856. prepared small quantities of im-
pure metallic calcium by the electrolysis of a fused mix-
ture of strontium chloride and calcium chloride. Com-
paratively little interest was shown in the subject until
Moissan. in 1898, published his results which showed
that nearly pure calcium could be prepared by the re-
duction of calcium iodide by means of sodium. In the
same paper Moissan mentions the electrolytic prepara-
tion of calcium from the fused iodide. In the same
year he published an extensive list of the properties of
the calcium prepared by the sodium reduction method.
In 1898 Bela von Lengyel gave an account of the pro-
perties of calcium prepared in a cell with a porous dia-
phragm. Borchers and Stockem described a calcium
cell in which the metal was deposited in the form of a
sponge on a water-cooled cathode projecting upward
from the bottom of the cell submerged in the electrolyte
of fused calcium chloride. A similar cell was used in
1903 by Goodwin, but he operated at a higher current
density and temperature, and so caused the calcium to
collect in the molten state and rise to the top of the
bath, whence it was removed by means of a ladle.
Shortly after this, in 1904, Rathenau made the next
noteworthy advance when he used a cathode which just
touched the surface of the molten electrolyte, and oper-
ated it at such a current density that the surface of the
calcium in contact with theelectrolyte was kept molten.
The cathode was gradually elevated as the metal ac-
cumulated, and an irregular rod was thus built up.
This method was commercially successful. Goodwin,
in 1904, published the results of extensive experiments
with an apparatus of the Rathenau type, and gave an
account of the physical properties of the calcium he had
prepared. In 1905 Wohler reported on his experiments
in which an electrolyte containing 100 parts of CaCl^
and 17 parts of CaF.^ was used. He believed that the
low melting point of the above mixture was an advan-
tage, but the experience of others has since indicated
that there are disadvantages which more than outweigh
the convenience of the low melting point. Arndt de-
scribed the preparation of calcium aluminium alloys
by the electrolysis of calcium chloride with an alu-
minium cathode. Alloys containing between approxi-
mately 20 and 80% of calcium are described, but no
particularly useful properties are mentioned. In 1909
Frary and Badger published a comprehensive biblio-
graphy of calcium metallurgy, followed by a descrip-
tion of the results of their work with the Rathenau
form of cell, and in the following year, Frary, Bicknell,
and Tronson discussed the efficiency of the apparatus
just mentioned, and concluded that practically 100%
current efficiency could be obtained by proper manipu-
lation. They were of the opinion that pure calcium
chloride made a more satisfactory electrolyte than the
310
THE MINING MAGAZINE
calcium fluoride-cilciiim chloride mixture of Wohler.
At the same time Johnson puhlislied an account of a
series of experiments with the submerged cathode cell of
Borchers and Stockem, and the Kathenan cell, and de-
scribed thedevelopment and operation of a novel appara-
tus in which the metal was deposited on a perpendicular,
vertically moving iron ribbon cathode which closed the
narrow end of a V-shaped enclosure containing theelec-
trolyte. The wall of the enclosure opposite the ribbon
was of graphite, and formed the anode. The cathode
current density was kept considerably lower than in the
case of the Kathenau cell, and it appears that the cal-
cium was deposited in the solid state, producing a thick
plate on the iron ribbon in much the same way as metals
are ordinarily deposited from aqueous solutions. In
1909 Cowper-Coles patented a process for the electro-
lytic preparation of calcium and similar metals, the
principal feature of which was the use of a cathode in
the form of a disc whose edge just touched the surface
of the electrolyte, and which was rotated as the deposit
collected. In 1911 a refining process was described in
a French patent, which had in view the elimination of
the included chloride and other mechanically held im-
purities from calcium produced by the Rathenau and
similar methods. In this process the calcium was
melted under calcium chloride and collected under an
inverted conical iron bell submerged in the molten
chloride. The idea was that the calcium would separ-
ate completely from the chloride and other impurities
by virtue of the differences in their densities. Molden-
hauer and Anderson, in 1913, described experiments
with mixed fused electrolytes in which calcium alloys
with zinc and some other metals were produced. In
1920 the writer (Mr. Brace) published a short account
of some experiments on the electrolytic production of
calcium, and described a new type of cell.
Of the properties of calcium, the most important are
its low specific gravity, 1 548, and the fact that it de-
composes water. The list of calcium alloys that have
been prepared and investigated is large. The outstand-
ing general properties seem to be brittleness and the
tendency to the formation of intermetallic compounds.
Very few of the calcium allovs appear to have any use-
fulness as structural materials. Aluminium-rich alloys
may find application because of their slight advantage
in weight over pure aluminium. Lead alloys contain-
ing calcium and other alkaline earth metals are finding
application as bearing metals for service such as the
usual white metals are put to Barr has published the
results of an extensive investigation of the properties of
a number of calcium alloys by the method of thermal
analysis. Calcium was alloyed with thallium, lead,
copper, and silver, and in every case definite evidence
of the occurrence of intermetallic compounds was se-
cured. Moldenhauer and Anderson investigated the
direct production of calcium alloys from fused mixed
electrolytes. Zinc, aluminium, and potassium alloys
were prepared. Cooper has patented alloys of calcium
with aluminium, in which the calcium content may be
as high as 8%. The claims make a feature of light-
ness, ductility, and ease of machining. Kroll has pa-
tented the use of calcium and its light alloys as a filling
for hollow steel structural members. He has claimed
that, as compared with nickel-chromium steel, struc-
tures made according to his patent have the same
strength with but 4156% of their weight. Hirsch and
Aston experimented with the production of iron alloys,
and state that up to 6% of calcium may be alloyed with
iron by reducing Fe.^O;, in gas-tight iron cylinders.
They state that calcium destroys the welding property
of iron. Watts and Breckenridge used the brittle al-
lovs of calcium with aluminium, silicon, and mangan-
ese as reducing agents in the course of experiments on
the preparation of some of the more ditlicullly reducible
metals. The brittleness of the alloys was found a great
convenience, as it enabled them to be pulverized and
brought into an intimate mixture with the substances to
be reduced. Stockem slated that calcium dissolved in
cast iron with the evolution of considerable heat, and
that if considerable amounts of calcium were added a
scum of calcium carbide collected on the surface of the
molten metal. He also stated that calcium alloys with
copper in all proportions, and that some of these alloys
are useful as deoxidizers and scavengers in non-ferrous
alloys. Watts found that calcium acted as a powerful
desulphurizer of molten low-carbon iron, but that the
effect on the phosphorus content was relatively small.
Hackspill prepared lead alloys by the reduction of lead
chloride with an excess of calcium. The alloys were
harder and less brittle than lead and tarnished in the
air. They wereslowly attacked by cold water, and more
rapidly by hot water. A crystalline alloy, Fb;,Ca,_,,
was isolated by distillation in vacuo. A summary
of the more important uses of metallic calcium is as
follows : (1) As a reducing agent in the preparation of
metals and alloys from their oxygen and halogen com-
pounds. (2) As a reagent in the purification of the in-
ert gases. (3) As a scavenger in non-ferrous metals and
alloys. (4) As a scavenger, decarburizer, and desul-
phurizer of ferrousalloys. (51 As a dehydrating agent,
as in the treatment of oils and alcohols, for example.
(6) As a means of fixing atmospheric nitrogen. (7) As
a source of pure calcium carbide by direct reaction with
purecarbon. (8) Asastiffening filling for hollow metal
structural members. (9) As a constituent of a light
aluminium alloy having useful properties. (10) .\s a
hardening component in certain lead-base anti-friction
alloys.
There are three general methods for the preparation
of calcium, as follow : (1) By the reduction of calcium
compounds by metals of the alkali group, (2) By the
electrolysis of concentrated aqueous solutions with a
mercury cathode. (3) The electrolysis of fused halogen
compounds of calcium Of these three methods the
last is by far the simplest and most direct.
Fire-Damp in Gold Mines. — During the last few
years there have been a number of fire-damp explosions
in gold mines in the Far East Rand, notably at Brak-
pan, Government Areas, and Daggafoniein, The
general supposition is that the fire-damp has its origin
in the Coal Measures several thousand feet above
the reef. A paper on this subject was read by T. N.
Desvarat the February meeting of the Chemical, Metal-
lurgical, & Mining Society of South Africa. We quote
from this paper two instances of accidents that have
occurred at Brakpan.
In the Brakpan, the first accident happened in No. 2
shaft section, on March 19, 1913. The No. 8 West
winze dipped at an angle of 15° to 20° for 270 ft., and
then rose gently for 130 ft. Two small dykes were
passed through, one on the slope and the other up the
rise. A fissure was encountered at the face from which
a large quantity of water issued, and the winze became
partly flooded. .\ pump was installed to handle the
water, .-^s the water-level fell suddenly a pumpman
went down to ascertain the cause and found the water
had fallen about 4 in. from the hanging in the hollow.
On holding his lamp up to make the inspection, an ex-
plosion occurred and he sustained fatal injuries. Later
on it was ascertained by tests that the gas issuing from
the fissure was fire-damp. The gas had accumulated
behind the water in the hollow and was released by the
lowering of the water-level to the pump. The depth
from the surface to the face of the winze was about
MAY, 1921
311
3,470 ft. On August 26, 1915. the 6re-damp was met
with in a different part of the same mine. In going
through with a cross-cut in the 17 East- level an upthrow
fault with a 70 ft. throw was encountered. It was in-
tended to put up a boxhole from the 17th to the 16th
levels, so a rise 9 (t. by 7 ft. was started at a slope of
30° and struck the fault at about 30 ft. up. Continuing
through the foot-wall shales at an angle of 60° the rise
reached a length of about 120 ft. A slight trace of fire-
damp had been met with on July 13, 1915. and a native
was burnt, so ventilation had been provided for by 6 in.
galvanized iron piping and a fan. Despite this, more
gas came off and an accident happened on August 26,
whereby the trammer and anative were seriously burnt,
the latter succumbing to his injuries. Apart from the
fault ihere was no Assuring in the shales and the place
was dry. The depth from the surface to the scene of
the accident was a little over 4,000 ft.
The author proceeds to give an explanation of the
presence of the fire-damp. Looking at the geology of
the country in the neighbourhood of the mines men-
tioned, it is found that basms of coal-bearmg Karroo
rocks overlie the dolomites, which in turn overlie the
Witwatersrand series. In several of the shafts the
dreaded " Green Dyke " is found, a dolente sheet which
weathers and gives great trouble with pressure on the
limbers. It occurs in the No. 1 and No. 3 shafts,
Springs Mines, No. 1 and No. 2 shafts. Daggafontein,
and attains its greatest thickness of 95 ft. in the South
shaft of the New State Areas. A syenite sheet split
up into several sections appears in most of the shafts in
the south and east of the Far East Rand. At No. 2 shaft.
Springs Mines, it totals 220 ft. in two sections. Inter-
bedded in places with the syenite sheet is the dolomite,
which attains its greatest development in four sections
at Daggafontein No. 1 shaft, where it has a thickness
of 436 ft. The Coal Measures are in the form of basins
of very varying thickness. Taking an averageof eleven
shafts situated in Brakpan. Government Gold Mining
Areas, New Stale Areas. Springs, and Daggafontein,
the average thickness to the base of the Dwyka con-
glomerate is 148 ft. In this area the coal seams aver-
age 19 ft. in thickness, and attain their greatest develop-
ment in aline running south and east of the gold mines.
The seams have been or are being worked at Apex,
Brakpan, Rand Colliery, Schapenrust. and De Riet-
fontein, a belt of 13.000 yards long. Brakpan colliery
was worked over the present Brakpan mines, but the
other collieries have no gold mining going on at present
underneath them. .\l De Rietfontein colliery, when it
was working, bubbles of fire-damp were sometimes
found issuing from the foot-wall. Though the Coal
Measures are well developed in the three shafts of the
Springs mines, no fire damp has been found in that
mine, which will probably in time work under theaban-
doned De Rietfontein colliery. Taking the threemines
particularly concerned in this paper, the Brakpan No. 2
shaft has a 14 ft. seam of coal in the 144 ft. of Karroo
rocks. The Government Gold Mining Areas, thesouth-
east shaft, has no coal in 90 ft. of sandstones. The Dag-
gafontein No. 1 shaft showed no coal in 72 ft of sand-
stones, but the No. 2 shaft, 2,000 yards to the west, had
50 ft. of inferior coal in 175 It. of Measures. The sur-
face elevations show that the coal has been denuded
at No. 1 shaft near the Blesbok Spruit. At the Largo
colliery, where a little fire-damp was found recently,
the development of the Coal Measures is typical. There
are three seams of coal, totalling 34 ft. in a thickness of
193 ft. Gas has only been met with in the lower seam,
which has a thickness of about 10 ft. It is overlain by
a dense close-grained shale of about 8 ft. All the strata
above this dense shale are porous, and no gas is found
in the two upper seams. The lower seam referred to
overlies 3 ft. of Dwyka shales which rest on the Dwyka
conglomerate.
It is noticeable from the occurrences described that
the fire-dampin themines of the Far East Rand is found
principally in the presence of upthrow faults which bring
the foot-wall shales into position for driving through.
In the majority of cases, faulting and water seem neces-
sary for the presence of gas In some cases sulphur-
etted hydrogen accompanies the fire-damp, but not al-
ways. It is assumed by many people that the gas travels
with the water down fault planes from the Coal Meas-
ures. The great problem is to account for the vertical
movement of the gas of nearly 4,000 ft. In the Apex old
colliery a little fault came through on the east side of
the shaft. This was about 1896. and a good supply of
water came off the fault. A sump was made and an
electric pump installed to raise the water to the surface
for boiler and domestic use. The workings of the col-
liery steadily progressed away from that area, and the
supply remained undiminished. Some water over-
flowed into the abandoned workings near the shaft and
remained there for years. About 1906 the Brakpan
mines began to develop from the No. 2 shaft. 1,500 yards
distant. As the drives came forward toward the Apex,
the spring suddenly disappeared, and the water in the
workings followed suit. It would, therefore, appear
that in places there is a definite connection through
faulting from the Coal Measures to the gold zone. The
dolomites form a very convenient waterchannel allover
the area. They are jointed and large quantities of
water lie in the crevices. For instance, during cemen-
tation work at Brakpan No. 3 shaft, small plates of
cement were found in sinking through the dolomite in
the south shaft of the New State Areas 3,300 yards
away.
The difficulty is just why fire-damp should not take
the line of least resistance and escape up the faults to
the surface, instead of travelling down them. The fact
remainsthatfire-dampisgenerallyfoundin mines where
the Coal Measures are developed above or where a con-
nection with them is available through the dolomites
lor gas to travel. On the other hand it is to be noticed
that the gas is usually found actually in or about the
foot-wall shales which are very jointed. Carbon is al-
so found occasionally on the contact of the reef and the
shale where, especiallyif associated with pyrites, agreat
enrichment of values takes place. Perhaps under heat
and pressure some reaction may take place betv.'een the
pyrites, water, and carbon in or under the shales to pro-
cJuce something in the shape of fire-damp.
Redmayne, in the" Ventilation of Mines," states that
a blower of fire-damp has occurred from time to time
in the Van lead mine, near Llanidloes, in Montgomery-
shire, the vein of which traverses rocks of the Lower
Silurian age. It is difficult to account for the presence
of fire-damp at this mine as there are no Carboniferous
rocks in the neighbourhood, and decaying timber could
not account for the existence of a blower of gas. Pos-
sibly it owes its origin to the decay of plant or animal
life of the Silurian period, and has been pent up through
the succeeding ages, or it may be due to the chemical
action of acidulated waters or mineral substances. It
is a peculiar feature of the emissions at this mine that
they are accompanied by sulphuretted hydrogen.
The difficulty in connection with occurrences of fire-
damp in metalliferous mines is the fact that very few of
the men working there have any knowledge of fire-damp.
It constitutes a danger when it comes in contact with
people who have not even heard of it. Its presence is
often first announced by fatal burning accidents. In
these deep mines the temperature of the workings is
312
THE MINING MAGAZINE
generallv fairly liifih, about 75° to 85°. European and
natives alike work with a minimum of clothing;, and
when an accident happens, the burning is severe owing
to the amount of skin exposed.
Trevorite. — In our issue of August, 1920, brief inen
tion was made of a new discovery of nickel in South
Africa, the mineral being apparently a new one. At
theFelruary meeting of theChemical, Metallurgical, &
Mining Society of South Africa, Andrew K. Crosse ex-
hibited the mineral, which assays as follows:
%
Nickel Oxide <0 30
Iron Oxide 40 30
Ptiosphorus 0'13
Calcium Oxide 020
Silica 6 50
Loss on iRnition, chiefly water 2*15
The metallic nickel content is29'6%, and metallic iron
content 357% ; platinum was present in the sample to
the extent of 0 2dwt. per ton. Mr. Crosse also ex-
hibited an alloy of iron, containing 52% nickel, made
by smelting this ore. There is no arsenic or sulphur
in the mineral, and the crude ore can be concentrated
on tables or magnetically. Mr. Crosse proposes to
name the mineral " trevorite," after T. G. Trevor, Min-
ing Inspector for the Pretoria and Uarberton districts.
Mr. Trevor proceeded to give some account of the oc
currence. The deposit is found on the Lily line in the
Jamestown Series, just opposite Sheba Bridge, Bar-
berton district. Particulars were given in the short
article in August last, as already mentioned.
The Mackenzie Oilfield— At the meeting of the In-
stitution of Petroleum Technologists held on April 27,
Dr. T. O. Bosworth read a paper on the recently dis-
covered oilfield near Fort Norman on the Mackenzie
River, in the North-West Territories of Canada. Dr.
Bosworth was engaged a few years ago m geological in-
vestigations in connection with oil in this part of the
world. The new oilfield is the most northerly of the
prospective fields then examined, and the flowing well
recently brought in is No. 1 test- well located during his
expedition seven years ago.
Within the region discussed by Dr. Bosworth in the
present paper petroleum appears to have been first re-
corded about a century ago by Sir John Franklin, who
saw, near Bear Mountain, "sulphurous springs and
streams of mineral pitch." Also, for the past fifty years
or more, a " tar spring," far inland from the river, has
been known to the Hudson Bay Company's men at Fort
Good Hope, who have utilized this seepage oil for tar-
ring their canoes. In 18S7 an exploration of the Mac-
kenzie Basin was made by K. G- McConnel, who re-
ported in the Annual Report of the Geological Survey
of Canada, 1888-9, the occurrences of bituminous or
petroliferous rocks throughout the valley. From that
date onward no further geological study of the region
was made until the investigation by Dr. Bosworth, in
1914. It was not until 1919 that a drilling outfit was
conveyed into the North-West Territory, the oil claims
having been acquired by the Imperial Oil Company,
who were conducting an exhaustive search for oil
throughout Canada. The location of this first test well
was chosen in 1914, as a site where a hole of moderate
depth could not fail to penetrate the several petrolifer-
ous formations which had been found. The well is on
the river bank about half-way down the Long Reach,
near the mouth of Camp Creek, where there are copi-
ous seepages of oil Geologically speaking, the location
is upon the outcrop of the lower measures of the Camp
Creek Series, low down on the south-west flank of the
Wolverine Anticline, about eight miles from the axis of
the fold. It was clear that the oil rocks would lie rather
shallow here, but by refraining from going further down
the dip there was less risk of finding the beds occupied
by water, and also there was less cliance of failure to
reach the desired horizons occasioned by engineering
dilhculties in such a remote country. The well was
drilled during the summer of 1920. Almost from the
started was coming into the hole : and before a depth
of 100 ft. was reached, a yield of five or ten barrels a day
could be obtained. After passing from the Camp Creek
Series into the dark Fort (treek shales, the oil showings
still continued, until at a depth of 783 ft. a strong flow of
oil was encountered which spouted to a height of 70 ft.
After about ten minutes the well was capped. Some
hundreds of barrels of oil issued from the well before
it was finally shut in, but no dependable estimate of its
capacity can yet be made. It is thought that the initial
output will be at least 500 barrels a day. Whether or
not this first well will settle down as a steady, large pro-
ducer yet remains to be seen. And, in any case, many
more wells must be drilled before the importance of
the'field is fully proved.
Dr. Bosworth proceeded to give an outline of the
geology of the region. The strata exposed in the Mac-
kenzie oilfield district include :
Tertiary Shales, sandstones, and lif^nites.
Cretaceous ••• Clay-shales and sandstones.
Devonian -.. Limestones, shales, and sandstones.
Silurian Limestones, etc.
It is in the Devonian only that the oil and gas have
been found. In the region containing the lower part of
the Mackenzie I?iver. from Fort Norman northward,
the Devonian is divided provisionally by Dr. Bosworth
into the following main groups:
Thickness
in ft.
Camp Creek
Clay-shalesand sandstones. Green-
2.000+
Series.
ish and vari-coloured. Marine
shells and plant particles.
Fort Creek
Biiuniinous shales with thin seams
500-1.000
Series.
of sandy limestone. Black, but in
places burnt brick-red. Plants and
marine shells.
Beavertail
Bituminous limestone beds. Black
or dark. Corallites and other
marine fossils
350
Rampart
Massive grey limestone. Many fos-
100-200
Limestone.
sils, marine.
Hare River
Calcareous clay-shale. Grey-sreen.
300
Shales.
Few fossils, marine.
Barren Series
•
Brecciated dolomite and white, grey,
and buff limestones, without
fossils.
2.000 (?)
After passing Fort Norman, the river comes in con-
tact with a mountain system, referred to as the Limestone
Mountains. These mountains, which consist of anti-
clinal folds of Devonian rocks, are encountered by the
river for a distance of a hundred miles. It is in this
territory that the favourable indications and structural
conditions were found, which have led to the recent
strikeofoil. This is thesiteof the new oilfield. A few
miles beyond FortNorman, theMackenzieturnssharply
to north-westward, so as to flow along the S.W. flank
of the Limestone Mountain range. This straigh t course,
known as the Long Reach, is maintained for 75 miles,
parallel with the range, and a few miles from it. The
river then turns northward, and in a distance of 25 miles
it cuts across the trend of the inountains, at their west-
ern end. The Devonian strata of the Limestone Moun-
tain district have been thrown into a series of bold asym-
metrical folds, whose axes plunge up and down, steeply
and frequently. In thesynclines, the soft Camp Creek
MAY, 1921
313
series and Fort Creek shales give rise to low ground.
But wherever the upward pi tchings of the anticlinal axes
bring the arches of the Beavertail limestone up above
the general level of the land, the denudation has de-
veloped out the arches, as conspicuous anticlinal hills.
Four main anticlines are thus revealed where the Mac-
kenzie River crosses the folds. At this place all of them
are pitching down toward the west. In order from south
to north, they have been named by the author : Wol-
verme, East Mountain. Bat Hills, and Beavertail.
.Anticlinal structure in the region was first observed at
Bear Mountain by R. G. McConnel, but the main folds
were found and mapped by the author in 1914. The
four axes lie roughly parallel, at intervals of about seven
miles. Their direction, where the river crosses them,
isslightly north of east ; but on the east side of the river
they bend round to a E.S.E. course, which is perhaps
their more important direction. These four main anti-
clines are very much alike, each forming a line of more
or less discontinuous limestone hills, exceeding 1,000ft.
in height. In each of these anticlinal ranges a core of
the grey barren limestones, or the Fort Norman lime-
stones, is laid bare in the parts where the axis rises to
its maximum height. On each of them the bituminous
Beavertail limestone forms steep dip-slopes ; and gener-
ally it is also seen forming conspicuous arches on some
parts of the crests. Low down on the flanks, the Fort
Creekshalesarefound, followed by thesoftCampCreek
beds. Near the axes, the strata at the core are very
steeply inclined ; but a mile or two away, on the flanks
of the anticlines, the dip is 15^ to i5'".
It was the remarkable character of the Fort Creek
Shales and Beavertail Limestone, rather than the oil
seepages, which led to a favourable view of the pros-
pects in this field. For here, extending over a large
region, there are 1,000 to 1,500 ft. of highly bituminous
rocks, which obviously are a potential source for the
generation of a great quantity of petroleum. These
limestones and shales are black with bituminous ma-
terial, which appears to be present, not as a migratory,
but as a fixed constituent. In some places where these
beds are much exposed, the bituminous odour is so
strong that it may be noticedat a distance of half a mile.
The bituminous shales are undergoing slow combustion
at their outcrop, and often they are burnt to a bright
brick-red colour, or even to a grey colour, becoming so
hard that they clink when struck In several localities
there are conspicuous cliffs of these bright red rocks,
over a hundred feet high. Fluid oil is not visible in the
bituminous rocks, though where they pass under water
some liberation of gas is seen. But oil might reason-
ably be expected in the porous beds of the overlying
thick seriesof clay shales and sandstones, and also there
was a good chance that at depth, and under favourable
structure, accumulations of petroleum might occur
within the black shales and limestones themselves.
After study of the bituminous beds, the sands of the
overlying Camp Creek Series were searched for oil. At
each place examined, either seepages were found, or
the presence of oil was detected on crushing the rock
under water. The principal seepages occur on the
shores of the Long Reach, where the river flows for
seventy-five miles along the outcrop of the Camp Creek
Series. Near the mouth of Camp Creek (which at first
was called Oil Creek) the seepages are conspicuous for
a distance of two and a half miles. On digging in the
river gravel, the outcrops of the green oil-sands are ex-
posed, and the oil could be collected in considerable
amount. Further out in the river much oil rises up to
the surface of the water, and in winter it collects, form-
ing pools on the ice.
The oil has a paraffin base and is of high quality.
The seepage oil, obtained on digging in the outcrop of
the Camp Creek beds, has a greenish black colour, and
a strong paraffin smell. The specific gravity is 0905.
The crude oil from the well is of light colour, low
specific gravity, highgasolinecontent, and low cold test.
Dr. I3osworth's paper contains also a large amount
of information as to the general stratigraphy, means of
access and transport, the structure of the individual
anticlines, and analyses of the oil.
Andean Geology, — .\t the meeting of the Geological
Society of London held on April 29, J . A. Douglas read
a paper entitled : " Geological Sections through the
Andes of Peru and Bolivia, III, from Callao to the
River Perene." This paper is the third of a series by
the writer dealing svith the geological structure of the
Andes of Peru. The ancient rocks of the coastal Cor-
dillera of the south are no longer met with in Central
Peru, and the zone of Mesozoic rocks extends to the
Pacific coast, which is here formed of shallow-water de-
posits of Lower Cretaceous age. The granodioritic
batholith which forms the core of the Andes is encoun-
tered in the neighbourhood of Lima, and again almost
at the summit of the range. The western flanks of the
Cordillera are characterized by a great development of
Cretaceous porphyritic agglomerate ; while the normal
calcareous facies is the dominant feature of the high-
level regions. The intensity of the Tertiary folding has
obscured the effects of the post-Jurassic uplift, previ-
ously shown to occur in the south, and it is only on
palaeontological evidence that a break in the sequence
of Mesozoic deposits can be determined. Intrusions of
andesite and dacite in the form of volcanic necks are of
common occurrence ; but there is no trace of recent
volcanic activity in this area. The fossiliferous De-
vonian and Permo-Carboniferous deposits of the Titi-
caca district are not continued into the region here de-
scribed. The rocks of Palaeozoic aspect which form
the eastern flanks of the Cordillera are. for the greater
part, unfossiliferous, and have largely been converted
into phyllites and mica-schists, penetrated by granite,
which has also shared in the metamorphism. On the
Rio Perene another and much bigger mass of red granite
is met with. This is essentially a rock of alkaline
character, as distinct from the calcite granodioriles
of the Cordillera. It is suggested that its origin, like
that of a similar rock in the coastal Cordillera of the
south, dates from a very early period, antecedent to the
uplift of the mountain-ranges.
In the discussion following the reading of the paper,
Dr. J. W. Evans said that the comparison between the
geology of this section across the Andes with those
previously described was full of interest. He suggested
that the change of strike from roughly north-west to-
wards north-north-west was not without significance.
Ultimately, still farther north, the strike became north
and south. In a paper on the rocks of the Madeira Falls
he, the speaker, had contended that the lines of folding
in South America with a north-west and south east di-
rection were older than those striking north and south,
and this view was consistent wiih the facts adduced by
the author of the paper just read.
Prolessor W.J. Sollas said the author had wisely ab-
stained from entering upon hypothesis, but it would be
interesting if hecould inform them as to what he thought
about the mechanism of mountain building. In such
a lofty range one might well have expected mighty over-
thrusts, some plains of Piedmont overriding the high
.A.lps. but they were told of nothing worse than strata
vertically upreared on end and some overfolds. The
igneous intrusions were, however, on a grand scale, and
it looked as though it might be necessary to make a
partial return to hypotheses now out of date. Possibly
314
THE MINING MAGAZINE
batholitlis may have played a more important part than
the opinions at present fashionable would concede.
The author, in reply to the discussion, said he fully
agreed with Dr. Evans that mucli of the evidence tended
to show that the foldniu was not contemporaneous
throuKhout the lenytli of the chain. In the Jurassic
rocks, for example, deposition appeared to have ceased
with the Lower Lias in the district now described ;
farther south it was continued into Bajocian time«,
while in the north of Chile beds of Oxfordian age were
found. The transition of the fossiliferous. Cretaceous
limestones of the north mto the gypsiferous red sand
stones of the south was also a sinnificant feature. In
reply to Professor Sollas. he said tb.at the (acts now re-
corded were in no way opposed to the views that he had
previously expressed as to the nature of the processes
which gave rise to the uplift of the Andes. The ureal
granite mass of the Perene formed, with the nepheline-
syenites of the Inambari district, one of the jaws of the
vice that had compressed the transgressive deposits of
the geosyncline. Fragments of the other jaw were to
be found in the similar granite of thecoastal Cordillera
SHORT NOTICES.
Drilling for Oil. — At the meeting of the Institution
of Petroleum Technologists held on April 19, .Man VV,
Davson read a paper on the education and training of
a driller.
Mine Atmospheres. — The March Journal of the
South African Institution of Engineers contains a paper
by A J. Orenstein and H J. Ireland on the effect of
heat and moisture on workers in mines.
Roof Supports in Mines. — The/)-o« &Coal Trades
Review for April 1 publishes an illustrated paper by
Alfred Terrell on the best methods of supporting the
roof and sides of roadways and working places in coal
mines.
Ventilating Currents. — At the April meeting of the
Mining Institute of Scotland, David Penman describ-
ed a new method of measuring ventilating resistances,
with special reference to the operation of mine fans in
combination.
Shaft-Sinking. — .\t the April meeting of the Man-
chester Geological and Mining Society, Charles Walker
read a paper describing his system of sinking shafts
through wet ground, being a modification of the
cementation process.
Mining Costs. — At the March meeting of the Insti-
tution of Mining and Metallurgy, \ E. Pettit presen-
ted a paper on " Notes and Records of Mining Costs."
Gunite. — In the Engineering and Mining Journal
for March 26, G. J. Young writes on the application
underground of gunite, that is to say, cement mixture
put in place by an air-blast machine.
Cyaniding in Ecuador. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for April 2, P. C. Schraps describes
the cyanide plant at the Zaruma gold mine, Ecuador.
Electrolytic Zinc. — At the April meeting of the Far-
aday Society, Samuel Field read a paper on electro-
lytic zinc, recounting the work done by him at Swansea.
We gave a notice of a previous paper by him in the issue
of October last. Comment is made on this subject in
Engineering for April 1.
Nickel-Copper Alloys. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for March 30, P. D. Merica
discusses alloys of nickel and copper, particularly in
connection with coinage alloys
Copper in Steel.— In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineer/ng for March 30, E.A.andL. T. Richardson
continue the discussion of the influence of copper on
the physical properties of iron and steel.
Colorado Oil-Shale«. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for March 30, A. J. Franks dis-
cusses disiillaiion problems in connection with Colo-
rado oilshales.
Potash Alum and Sulphur. — In Chemical and
Metallurgical Engineering for March 23, L. Duncan
describes tlie recovery of potash alum and sulphur, oc-
curring in rhyolitic lulls at Tonopah. Nevada.
Feld's Ammonium Sulphate Process. — The Chemi-
cal Trade Journal for ,\pril 16 conlains notes on the
Feld direct process for producing ammonium sulphate
at gas works. Reference to ihis process was made in
the M.\<',a/im; for August, 1912.
Hober Ammonia Process. — In ihe Journal oi the
Society of Chemical Industry for March 31, J. R. Par-
tington describes the operation of the I labtr syntheiic
ammonia process as operated by the Hadische Anilin
& Soda Kabrik at Oppau.
Jarosite in Victoria. — Chemical Engineering and
Mining Reviexv (Melbourne) describes a deposit of
jarosite, the basicsulphate of aluminium and potassium,
near .\nglesea, Victoria.
Gold in Victoria. — Economic Geology for March
contains an article by N R. Jiinner on the geology of
tlie gold occurrences in N'lctoria
Oil Geology. — In Economic Geology for March, R.
A, Mills discusses the relation of texture and bedding
to the movements of oil and water through sands.
Phosphates in Pacific Islands. — The Journal of
the Society of Chemical Industry for March 31 con-
tains a report of a paper read by T. Steel before the
Sydney section on the phosphate deposits of Nauru
and Ocean Islands, in the Pacific Ocean.
The Pas. Manitoba. — The Bulletin of the Canadian
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy contains a paper on
the occurrence of gold at Herb Lake, The Pas district,
Manitoba.
Peat Power in Germany. — The Engineer for April
22 describes the scheme for supplying electric power
throughout Germany from seven generating stations
where steam power is obtained by the combustion of
peat
Conditions in Silesia. — In the Colliery Guardian
for April 1, Edgar P. Rathbone gives his experiences
during a recent visit to Upper Silesia.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED.
(^^^■.-1 Co^j' of the specification of any o< the f'ltents men-
tioned inthis column can be obtutucd by sending Js. to
the Patent Otjice, Southampton Buildings. Chancery
Lane, London, W .C.2.. with a note of the number and year
of the patent
14,794of 1920(144,276). W. Tyrrell, Seattle,
U.S.A. Binder for bnquetiing ores consisting of dia-
tomaceous earth, sulphate of soda, concentrated lye,
and magnesium carbonate.
15,878 of 1920 (144,725). ]. E. Kennedy, New
York. Combined ball and tube mill.
19,013 of 1920 (160,708). F. Milliken. New-
York An alloy consisting of copper, nickel, zinc, and
iron, capable of resisting acids at high temperatures.
20,763 of 1919 (159,525). C.J Grace, Truro.
Machine for drying china-clav or other plastic material.
21,812 of 1919 (160,477). R. L. Lloyd, New
York. Improvements in the Dwight-Lloyd sintering
plant.
24,721 of 1919(159,530). BritishOxygenCo.,
London. Improved furnace for reducing metals from
oxides by the action of hydrogen.
26.136 of 1919 (159,537). Armstrong, Whit-
worth & Co., Newcastle-on-Tyne. An alloy which
is non-corrosive and has a high resistance to the action
of steam, consisting of 82j% copper, 9^% aluminium,
5% manganese, and 3% iron.
MAY, 1921
315
27.561 of 1919 (135,179). A Knobi.och and
O. Mandl. Teplitz, Czecho-Slovakia. Boring ma-
chine for driving tunnels and levels.
28,228 of 1919 (159,942). H. J. Thackeray,
Chesterfield. Combined metal and wood pit-prop.
29,216 of 1919 (159,568). W. B. Ballantine,
London. Making a pure ferro-chrome by removing
carbon from crude ferro chrome by means of an oxidiz-
ing blast, and then adding a thermo reduction mixture
containing a chromium compound so as to adjust the
desired chrommm content.
29,293 of 1919 (137,513) and 29,539 of 1919
(149,927). New Jersey Zinc Co.. New York. Im-
provement in the method of producing zinc oxide by
the Wetherill intermittent process.
29,965 of 1919(159,950). Traylor Engineer-
ing & Manufacturing Co.. Allentown, Pennsyl-
vania Impro\'ed construction of gyratory crushers.
30,8 16 of 1919(160,231). F. S. Newall, New-
castle-on-Tyne. Improved electric furnace for calcin-
ing magnesite.
30,884of 1919(159,659). J. R. Broadley, J. M.
Lee. and L. Stevens Burt. London Centrifugal
pump, illustrated as theWilfleypump in the Magazine
for February.
30,950 of 1919 (159,659). ]. J. Collins, Wins-
ford, Cheshire. Purification of tin and the production
of tin salts from crude tin.
31,359 of 1919 (160,254). ]. M. and A. T. HoL-
MAN. Camborne, Machine for sharpening rock-drill
steels.
32,132of 1919(160,554). S. O. Cowper Coles,
London. Method of stripping electrically deposited
sheets of metal.
32,243 of 1919 (133,459). J Delecourt. St.
Ghislain, Belgium. Improved method of drilling by
percussion.
32,416 of 1919 (160,293). J. L. Mennell and
Chas. Butters & Co., Ltd., London. .Apparatus
for giving a continuous indication of the density of a
liquid as it flows through a tank and for delivering the
liquid as it leaves the tank to one of a number of laun-
ders according to its density.
2,077 of 1920 (159,737). Osmosis Co., W. R
Ormandy, and D. Northall - Laurie. London.
Method of vitrifying china-clay deposited by osmosis.
4,976 of 1920 (139,195). V. Gerber, Zurich.
Method of producing aluminium nitride.
10,756 of 1920 (160,373). General Electric
Co., Schenectady, New York. Method of making fila-
ment for electric lamps containing 95% tungsten and
5% silicon.
17.388of 1920(145,709). Fried. Krupp, Essen,
Germany. Making low-carbon ferro-chrome by blow-
ing high-carbon ferro-chrome in a converter.
18,079of 1920(160,395). E. \V. Dahl, London.
Plant for manufacture of white lead.
19,202 of 1920 (160,114). T, H. Oswald and
A. D. D, Brown, London. Plant for distilling oil
from sandstone, shale, etc.
19,675 of 1920 (147.689). R. E. Bea, Paris.
Electrolytic vat for producing sulphate of copper from
copper waste and scrap.
20,078 of 1920 (148,168). H. Schranz, Frei-
berg. Germany. Making concentrating surfaces of
porous material through which air or water may pass
upward.
26,523 of 1920 (156,472). J. Rheinberg. Lon-
don. Improved method of producing metallic surfaces
on glass, consisting of platinum or metals of the plati-
num group, intended for use as mirrors.
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, Etc.
. ir* Copies of tile books, etc., mentioned below can be obtaiDed
lhrou;^h Ihe Technical Booltshop of The Mining Magazitte.
724. Salisbury House London Wall. E.C.2.
Weil-Boring for Water, Brine, and Oil. By C.
ISLER. New Edition. Cloth, octavo, 212 pages, illus-
trated. Pricel6s.net. London: E. & F. N. Spon, Ltd.
Storage of Petroleum Spirit and Calcium Carbide.
By Major .A. Cooper-Key. Cloth, small octavo, 135
pages. Price5s.net. London :CharlesGriffin&Co.,Ld.
Recent Practice in theUse of Self-contained Breath-
ing Apparatus. By Re.\ C- Smart. Cloth, octavo,
250 pages, illustrated. Price 15s. net. London ■
Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd.
Elementary Text-Book on Mechanical Drawing.
By John E. Jagger. Cloth, quarto. 250 pages, illus-
trated. Price 15s. net. London: Charles Griffin &
Co., Ltd.
Catalogue of the Collections in the Science Mu-
seum, South Kensington. Pricels.net. This section
of the catalogue describes the exhibits relating to min-
ing and ore-dressing.
Geology of the British Empire. By F. R. C. Reed.
Cloth, octavo. 480 pages, illustrated. Price 40s. net.
London : Edward Arnold.
West Australian Geological Survey, Bulletin 83.
Geology and mineral resources of the north-west, cen-
tral, and eastern divisions. By H. W. B. Talbot and
R. A. Farquharson.
Aluminium and Bauxite. Published by the Im-
perial Mineral Resources Bureau. Price 9s. net.
Bismuth 1913 to 1919. Pamphlet published by
the Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau. Price 6d
Thorium. Zirconium, and Rare-Earth Minerals,
1919. By W. T. ScHALLER. Published by the
United States Geological Survey.
COMPANY REPORTS
Tharsis Sulphur & Copper. — This company has
worked pyrites mines in the south of Spain since 1866.
The headquarters are in Glasgow, and it has several
works in this country where burnt pyrites is treated for
the recovery of copper. The report for 1920 shows that
251,620 tons of ore was raised from the Calanas mine,
and 62,298 tons from the Tharsis, making a total of
313,918 tons, as compared with 260,801 tons ir. 1919.
The new Sierra Bullones open-cut at Tharsis is now
yielding a steady supply of ore, and the North Lode
will shortly be drawn upon for shipping ore. The
metal works have been fully employed during the year,
and the amount of material treated has been exceeded
only twice in the history of the company. The net pro-
fit was jfl34,949, out of which ^131,250 has been dis-
tributed as dividend, being at the rate of 15%. The
total dividends since the beginning have been
^;i0,999,057, and /2, 729, 109 has been written off pro-
perty and plant account.
Mason & Barry. — This compatiy has worked the
San Domingos cupriferous pyrites mines at Mertola,
Portugal, since 1853, and has made large profits. Dur-
ing the war the restriction of trade and shipping facili-
ties seriously interfered with the business of the com-
pany. The report for 1920 shows that conditions have
improved again. The amount of ore raised was 93,812
tons, as against 60.522 tons in 1919. The shipments,
inclusive of washed pyrites, amounted to 226,739 tons,
as against 41,827 tons in 1919. The profit was ^67,685,
out of which ;f46.293 was paid as dividend, being at the
rate of 25%. The sum of /5.C00 was placed to the
316
THE MINING MAGAZINE
account of the statT pension fund.
Sons of Gwalia. — This company was formed in 1898
to work a jjold mine near Mount Leonora. West Aus--
traha. Bewick, Moreinj; A Co. are the managers. The
report for 19J0 shows tliat 135,230 tons of ore was
treated for a yield of 41,690 oz., reahzing /;255,234, of
which ^77,353 represented premium. The working
profit was ^'60,257, from which has to be deducted
/If), 310 for taxes and ;fS.2SS for depreciation. The
dividend absorbed ;f 16,250, being at the rate of 5%. As
already reported, a lire destroyed most of the mill and
treatment plant in January, and the stoppage of produc-
tive operations followed. The directors intend to re-
build the plant, and have placed /20.000 out of the
year's profit to the account for continuing development
and providing new plant. Satisfactory settlement has
been made with the insurance companies.
Ooregum Gold. — This company belongs to the John
Tavlor group, and operates a gold mine in the Kolar
district. Mysore State, South India. The report for
1920 shows that 153.350 tons of ore was treated, yield-
ing 96,268 oz. of gold. The amount of ore treated was
about the same as the year before, but the yield of gold
was 5,834 oz. greater. This rise is accounted for by
the policy adopted of working richer ore so as to pro-
vide funds for sinking the new shaft and for supplying
new plant necessary for continuing work at depth The
gold realized jf 499. 756, and the working profit was
^226, 017. The shareholders received ;^93,173, the
dividend rates being 32i "o on the preference shares and
22i°o on the ordmary shares. There was written off
for depreciation ^IS.OOO. and /33.182 for expenditure
on the new circular shaft ; while .^50,000 has been al
located to mine equipment account. The ore reserve
is estimated at 422.656 tons, a fall of 5.310 tons on the
year. In the lowest levels of the mine, namely, the
61st and 62nd in Oaklev's section, and the 59th to 62nd
levels in BuUen's section, the lengths of ore are not so
great as in the levels above, owing to intrusions of peg-
matite, but the ore is of good quality
Gopeng Consolidated. — This company was formed
in 1912 as a consolidation of the Gopeng and New Go-
peng, which had been operating alluvial tin properties
in Perak. Federated Malay States, since 1892 and 1903
respectively. The object of the consolidation was to
facilitate the financing of a scheme, undertaken con-
jointly with KintaTin Mines, Ltd., for bringing a new
supply of water at higher pressure for use in hydraulick-
ing from the Kampar river. The control of the com-
pany is in Redruth. James Wickett is chairman, and
Osborne & Chappel are the engineers. The report for
the year ended September 30 last shows that, owing to
an unusual drought, less tin ground could be treated,
the figure being 1,115.196 cu. yd . as compared v\ith
1.423. 283 cu. yd. during the previous year. The out-
put of tin concentrate was 733^ tons, as compared with
836 tons the year before, and the yield per yard was
r48 lb. as compared with 1 32 lb. The income from
the sale of concentrate was £133. 745. and the working
cost was ;f43.736. Dividends and interest brought an
income of /5.931. The total profit was ^97,399. out
of which /^59.365 was distributed as dividend, being at
the rate of 15 per cent.
Tekka-Taiping. — This company was formed in 1913
as a subsidiary of the Tekka for the purpose of acquir-
ing an alluvial tin property at Taiping in the Larut dis-
trict of Perak, Federated Malay States. James Wickett
is chairman, and Osborne & Chappel are the engineers.
Operations were started with a pump-dredge, but a
bucket-dredge was substituted later. A second bucket-
dredgf is on order. The report for the year ended Oc-
tober 31 last shows that 892,020 cu. yd. of ground was
treated, for a yield of 3949 tons of tin concentrate,
being at the rateof 0 99 lb. per yard. The income was
j[70,0Zi. and the working profit was £M,S02. out of
which /.17,433 was paid as dividend, being at the rate
of 5%. The allowance tor depreciation of plant w.is
/5,000, and a large balance was kept in hand pending
settlement of liability for taxation. The yield from the
ground treated was much higher than the calculated
contents, the bore-hole figures calling for only 0 63 lb.
per yard.
Rambutan. -This company belongs to the Wickett
group, of Kedruth, and was formed in 1905 to work al-
luvial tin ground in the northern part of the Kinta dis-
trict, I'erak, Federated Malay States A pump-dredge
was used at first, but hydraulic elevating was adopted
afterwards. The report for the year ended June 30,
1920, shows that 212 tons of tin concentrate was ex-
tracted from 504,752 cu. yd. of ground, being a yield of
0 95 lb. per yard. The income from the sale of concen-
trate was .^40,355, and the working profit was ;f 25,403,
out of which /1 5,000 was distributed as dividend, being
at the rate of 15 per cent.
Pengkalen. — This company belongs to the Wickett
group, of Redruth, and was formed in 1907 to work al-
luvial tin ground at Lahat, in the state of Perak, Feder-
ated Malay States. At first an electrically-driven pump-
dredge was installed, but it did not give good results.
A bucket-dredge is on order, and in the meantime the
property has been let on tribute. A substantial income
is at present realized by the sale of electric power to
other mining companies, and this electric plant is being
extended. The report for the year ended September 30
last shows that the income from tribute was ;f 6, 473, and
from the sale of power /27,926, while /1, 450 was re-
ceived as dividends from investments. The costs at the
mine and power plant were /19,789, and the working
profit was ;f 15,412, out of which /5,000 was written off
for depreciation of plant, while /7,088 was distributed
as dividend, being 15°n on the preference shares and
5';'o on the ordinary shares.
Chendai Consolidated. — This company belongs to
the Wickett group, of Redruth, and was formed in 1914
as a consolidation of the Redhills, Sungei Chendai. and
the Chendai Lodes companies, operating in the Kinta
district of Perak, Federated Malay States. The report
for the year ended .\pril 30, 1920, shows that the lode
property was not worked owing to deficiency of avail-
able ore, and that the ore in the bottom level could not
be mined owing to water in the stopes. A small amount
of development work was done. The alluvial proper-
ties were let to tributers, who won 37 tons of tin concen-
trate, selling for ;f5,782, of which ;^780 accrued to the
company as tribute. The company's accounts for the
year show a loss of ;f823.
Plymouth Consolidated Gold Mines. — This com-
pany was formed in 1914 by Bewick, Moreing & Co.
to acquire a gold mine, reported on by W. J. Loring,
in Amador County, California. Dividends were paid
regularly from 1915 to 1919. Thereport for 1920 shows
that owing to unavoidable curtailment of development
during preceding years, the tonnage of ore treated
showed a decrease, being 91,350 tons as compared
with 119,200 tons during 1919. The yield of gold was
/■121.799 as compared with ;^148.666; and the yield per
ton 26s. Sd. as compared with 24s. Ud. per ton. As
the mine is in the United States, no premium is received
on the sale of gold. The working cost was .^110.614,
and after allowance for depreciation and .American
taxes, the total cost was ;f 122,382, leaving a balance of
profit of ^2,358. The working cost per ton was 24s.
2d., as compared with 18s. 9d. in 1919, and 16s. in 1918.
The advance in cost was due to increased wages and
MAY, 1921
317
prices of materials. The development done during the
year has given satisfactory results. The No. 2 South
ore-shoot was developed at the 1,500 and 1.600 ft. levels
where, although theshoot was narrow, high values were
disclosed, and the main and north foot-wall ore shoots
were opened up with good results at the 2,600 and
2,750 ft. levels respectively. At the 2,900 ft. level high-
grade ore was developed, which it is believed forms the
apex of a new shoot subsequently opened up at the
J. 050 ft. level where, for a length of 204 ft., it averaged
57s. per ton over a width of SO in, A winze from the lat-
ter level was sunk 50 ft. in oreaveraging 54s. 6d. per ton
overan exposed width of y2 in. Theshoot was also inter-
sected by a cross- cut from the shaft at the 3, 120 ft. level,
and averaged 33s. 6d, per ton over a width of 108 in.
To expedite the opening up of this new ore-body the
winze mentioned is being continued concurrently with
shaft-sinking, and it is expected that when work has ad-
vanced sufficiently to enable the concentration of min-
ing operations on this section, an improvement will re-
sult, not only in the output, but also in working costs.
Santa Gertrudis. — Thereportof this company, which
works silver mines at Pachuca, Mexico, shows that dur-
ing the year ended June 30, 1920, 356.753 tons of ore
from the Santa Gertrudis and 120,322 tons from the El
Bordogroup weretreated. for an extraction of 4.430.433
oz. of silver and 23,070 oz. of gold. The net profit was
£237,384. of which /65,000 was allocated to income
tax, while £ 150,000 was distributed as dividend, being
at the rate of 10% Developments at the Santa Ger-
trudis mine continue to give littleresult.and thereserve
is estimated at 476,678 tons with recoverable contents
of 4.309,556 oz. of silver and 24,382 oz of gold. At the
El Bordo group, developments at the El Bordo pro-
perty have given good results and the reserve has been
substantially increased, standing now at 1,064.180 tons,
the recoverable content being estimated at 11,000,000
oz. of silver and 48,400 oz. gold. At the Malinche mine
development has been continued, but more work will
have to be done before the value of the deposit can be
ascertained. The reserve is estimated at 102,810 tons,
containing 832,190 oz. silver and 3.670 oz. gold recover-
able. Transport connection has been made with the El
Christo mine, and shipments have commenced. There-
serve is estimated at 147.750 tons, containing 1,188,300
oz. silver and 5,225 oz. gold recoverable. The com-
pany owns 250,000 i\ shares and /70, 000 seven-year
notes in the Mexican Corporation ; also49,996£'l shares
in the Mexican Chemical & Metallurgical Corporation,
which was formed in January, 1920.
Camp Bird. — The report of this company for the
year ended June 30, 1920, shows that the exploration
conducted upward by means of the long tunnel has
been continued, but that no important runs of gold ore
have been discovered. The company received ;^58,917
as dividend on its holding in Santa Gertrudis, and made
a profit of /50, 320 by realization of certain investments.
The accounts show a profit of ;^29,451. Dividends on
the preference shares declared for the year absorbed
;f45,473. The company has subscribed for 100,000 £\
shares in the National Mining Corporation, and for
250,000 /I shares and ;f 70,000 seven-year notes in the
Mexican Corporation ; also for 24,998 £\ shares in the
American Chemical & Metallurgical Corporation,
which was registered in January, 1920.
Mexican Corporation, — This company belongs to
the Camp Bird group, and was formed in July, 1919,
to work the Fresnillo silver mine in Zacatecas, and the
Teziutlan copper mine in Puebla. The company's in-
terest in these mines is that it is supplying money for
reorganizing and extending the scale of operations in
return for 40% and 37^% respectively of the net profits.
The company has also invested funds in the National
Mining Corporation, and the Burma Corporation ; it
has a share in the Union en Cuale option obtained by
the Esperanza company ; and it holds an interest in the
British Equatorial Oil Company. The report now
issued covers the period from the formation of the com-
pany to the end of June, 1920. It is here staled that
/999,396 had been dispatched to Mexico for capital
purposes by December 31, 1920. Particulars are also
given of the development work. At the Fresnillo mine
there are two separate workings, one in an oxidized sur-
face ore-body, and the other a system of deeper work-
ings containing complex sulphide ore. The surface
ore-body is estimated to contain 4,000,000 tons of ore
which is easily treated by cyanide. The sulphide ore
will probably have to be submitted to some concentra-
tion process before treatment. During the period No-
vember 1, 1919, to June 30. 1920, there was treated
100.901 tons from the surface ore-body, from which
390, 744 oz. silver and 531 oz. gold were extracted. Also
96,225 tonsofold tailing wastreated, yielding 180. 141 oz.
silverand 428 oz. gold. At theTeziutlan property con-
centration plant has been erected, having for its chief
object the removal of the zinc from the copper ore.
During the period above-named, 35,256 tons of ore and
concentrate was smelted, and the blister copper pro-
duced contained 2, 199,692 lb. copper, 829 oz. gold, and
58.451 oz. silver,
Randfontein Central. — This company owns pro-
perty in the farthest west Rand. The control passed a
few years ago from J . B. Robinson to the Barnato group,
under whose auspices the underground work was en-
tirely reorganized. The report for 1920 shows that
1,561.330 tons of ore. averaging 5'62 dwt. per ton, was
raised and sent direct to the mill. The yield of gold by
amalgamation was 240,099 oz.. and by cyanide 170.714
oz., making a total of 410,813 oz, equal to 5 '26 dwt. per
ton. The revenue from the sale of gold was ;£2, 300, 695,
of which about ^550.000 came from premium. The
working cost was /^2, 142. 595. leaving a working profit of
/15S.100. Against this profit was charged ^138.580 for
debenture interest, and /34,769 for interest on the loan
advanced by the controlling house. The revenue per
ton was 29s 5d., and the working cost 27s. 5d. The ore
reserve is estimated at 3,593,410 tons, averaging 6'2
dwt. per ton. Of the two new main vertical shafts, the
northern is already in commission, and the southern
will be ready in July or August. The new development
work has disclosed ore, in addition to the proved re-
serves, which is likely to last for many years.
Durban Roodepoort Deep. — This company belongs
to the Central Mining-Rand Mines group, and was
formed to work a deep-level property in the middle
west Rand in 1895. The report for 1920 shows that
308,713 tons was raised, and after the rejection of 10%
waste, 277,200 tons was sent to the mill. The yield of
gold by amalgamation was 62,337 oz..and by cyanide
26,533 oz., making a total of 88.870 oz., or 6 4 dwt. per
ton. The revenue from the sale of gold was ;f 490,620,
of which ;f 112,900 represented premium. The work-
ing cost was £476,937, leaving a working profit of
£l3,6S2. The revenue per ton was 35s. 5d., and the
working cost 34s. 5d. The development during the
year was restricted owing to the shortage of labour, but
the results obtained were good, 196,200 tons averaging
71 dwt. per ton being proved. The reserve is estima-
ted at 1.094,900 tons averaging 6 6dwt. per ton. Dur-
ing the first half of the year, when the gold premium
was low. operations were being carried on at a loss, and
the directors deemed it advisable to stop the sinking of
the new vertical shaft, which had reached a depth of
2.272 ft. This shaft is necessary if working costs are
318
THK MININC. MAGAZINE
to be reduced, and the directors are now considering
the advisabihty of resuming; sinking
Langlaagte Estates & Gold. — This company belongs
to the Hsrn;ilo f;roiip and works an oiucrop properly
in the western portLon of the central Hand. The re-
port (or 1920 shows that 465.J00 tons averagin^e 2 dwt.
per ton was mined and sent direct to the mill. The
vield of gold by amalgamation was 83,181 oz . and by
cyanide 55.592 oz. being a total of 138,773 oz., or
5 96dwt. per ton The revenue from the sale of gold
was ^774.031 . of which /lS4,000represented premium,
and the working profit was ^153, 352 The revenue per
ton was 33s 3d. and the working profit 6s Td. The
. shareholders received ^'88.650, the dividends (Nos, 59
and 60) totalling 10%. Development has continued to
give satisfactory results. The ore reserve is estimated
at 1 ,01f>, 800 tons averaging (V't dwt. per ton.
Consolidated Langlaagte Mines. —This company he-
longs to the Barnato group, and operates a deep-level
mine in the western part of the central Rand. The re-
port for 1920 shows that 484,247 tons of ore was raised
and sent direct to the mill, together with 19,653 tons
taken from the dumps. The average assay-value of
the ore treated was 6 1 dwt. per ton. The yield of gold
by amalgamation was 104,716 oz, and by cyanide
39,853 oz., making a total of 144,569 oz., or 5 74 dwt.
per ton. The revenue from the sale of gold was
£806,076, of which about £190,000 represented pre-
mium Theworking profitwas £185.109. Therevenue
per ton was 31s. lid , and the working profit 7s 4d.
The shareholders received £118,750, the dividends
(Nos. 13 and 14) being together 12i%. Developments
in the bottom levels were very discouraging. The
ore reserve is estimated at 1,339,000 tons, averaging
6 2 dwt., as compared with 2,090,300 tons of the same
tenour last year. The fall in the reserve is due not only
to poor developments, but also to some of the ore in
the Leader proving of lower grade than originally esti-
mated.
Village Deep. — This companv belongs to the Cen-
tral .VIining-Rand Mines group and works a deep-level
property in the central Rand to the west of City Deep.
The report for 1920 shows that 604,686 tons of ore was
raised, and after the removal of 8% waste, 555,800
tons averaging 6 63 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill
The yield of gold by amalgamation was 113,039oz.,and
by cyanide 60,187 oz.. making a total of 173,226 oz.,
or 623 dwt. per ton. The gold was sold for £956,921,
of which about £220,000 represented premium. The
working cost was £828,339, leaving a working profit of
£128,581. The revenue per ton was 34s. 5d., the cost
29s. lOd., and the profit 4s. 7d. The shareholders re-
ceived £106,067, thedividendsbeing at the rate of 10%.
The development during the year gave fairly good re-
sults, and 533,700 tons a%'eraging 6'3 dwt. per ton was
proved. The reserve is estimated at 2,381,200 tons
averaging 6 1 dwt. per ton : of this amount, 508,900
tons averaging 59 dwt. is in pillars. The main incline
shaft has been sunk to the 32nd level, and is now 6, 059 ft
vertically below the outcrop.
City beep. — This company belongs to the Central
Mining-Rand Mines group, and works a deep-level
property in the central Rand. The report for the year
1920 shows that follosving on the absorption of the City
& Suburban it was possible to increase the native la-
bour supply. Consequently a much larger amount of
ore was milled. In fact, for the first time in the his-
tory of the mine, it was possible to work the mill at full
capacity. The amount milled was 862,500 tons, com-
pared with 617,800 tons in 1919and 670,000 tons in 1918.
The assay-value of the ore milled was8'45 dwt. per ton.
The yield of gold by amalgamation was 252,828 oz..
and by cyanide 98,533 oz , making a total of 351,361 oz ,
or 8 14 dwt. per ton milled The income from the sale
of gold was £1,951,330, of which about £458,000 was
line to premiiiin, the average price obtaineti for tlie gold
being ills, per oz. The revenue per ton was 45s, 3d.
The working cost was £1,301,981, or 30s. 2d. per ton.
leaving a working profit of £649,348, or 15s. Id per ton.
Dividends absorbing £415,250 were distributed, being
at the rate of 32A%. The profit was £191,601 higher
than that for 1919. The cost per ton has continued, to
increase, and compares with 27s 9d. in 1919 and 24s.
Sd. in 1918 The developments have not been (juite as
good as they were during the previous few years ; never-
theless 598,500 tons averaging 8 9 dwt. was proved
The reserve is estimated at 3,099,200 tons averaging
9 dwt. per ton, as compared with 3, 418, 452 tonsaverag
ing 9'4 tons the year before. The sinking of the new
shaft near the southern boundary, which will be 7,000 ft.
deep, has been described in a paper by E£ II. Clifford,
(|uoted m our March issue.'
Crown Mines. — This company belongs to the Cen-
tral Mining Hand Mines group, and works deep-level
ground in the central Rand. The report for 1920 shows
ihat 2.254,583 tons of ore was raised, of which
1,342,676 tons came from the Main Reef Leader,
919,731 tons from the South Reef, and 150.965 tons
from the Main Reef. After the removal of 10% waste,
2,201,000 tons, averaging 6 35 dwt. per ton, was sent
to the mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation was
496,589 oz., and by cyanide 175,016 oz., making a total
of 671.605 oz , equal to 6 1 dwt. per ton. The par value
of the gold was £2.872,542, equal to 26s Id. per ton.
To this must be added £926,062 accruing from pre-
mium, equal to 8s, 5d. per ton. The total revenue was
thus £3,704,273, equal to 33s. 8d. per ton. The work-
ing cost was £2,611,137, or 23s. 9d. per ton, leaving a
working profit of £1,093,335. or 9s. lid. per ton. The
shareholders received £728,582, the dividend being at
the rate of 77i%. The reserve is estimated at S,131,7CO
tons, averaging 6 4 dwt. per ton, of which 4,972,800
tons, averaging 69 dwt., is in the Main Reef Leader,
and 3,158,900 tons, averaging 5 4 dwt , is in the South
Reef. Of this total, 1,289,000 tons, averaging 7 3 dwt..
IS in pillars and is not immediately available for stop-
ing. The development of the large area below the 19th
level is being actively conducted. No. 5A shaft has
been sunk 1,573 ft. vertically below the 19th level main
haulage east, and is now in readiness for the develop-
ment of the area north-east of the South Rand dyke.
Preparations are in hand for the sinking of No. 14A
shaft below No. 14 vertical shaft, situated 2,000ft. south
of No. 5\ shaft. This shaft is intended for the exploita-
tion of the south-eastern part of the company's ground.
The sinking of No. 15 shaft in the western section has
been completed to the requisite depth, and the sub-
shaft No. 15A is now in hand. The two shafts Nos. 14
and 15, with their continuations in depth, Nos. 14Aand
15A, will be used in developing the extensive ground in
the southern part of the property.
Meyer & Charlton, — This company belongs to the
Albu group and works an outcrop gold mine in the cen-
tral Rand. The report for 1920 shows that the remark-
able prosperity of this comparatively small mine has
continued, and owing to the premium has made a big-
ger profit than ever. The reserve of rich ore is, how-
ever, limited. During the year, 160,150 tons of ore
averaging 13 16 dwt. per ton was mined and sent to the
mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation was 39, 649 oz.,
and by cyanide 45,010 oz. ; in addition 17,503 oz. was
extracted from concentrates. The total yield was
102,163 oz., equal to 1277 dwt. per ton. The revenue
from the sale of gold was £566,563, of which about
MAY, 1921
319
/l J3,000 came from premium. The workmg cost was
/2^1.469. and the working profit ^345,093. The
revenue per ton was 70s. 9d., the working cost 27s. 7d..
and the working profit 43s. Id. The shareholders re-
ceived ;f240,000, the div'idends (Nos. 61 and 62) total-
ling 120%. The ore reserve is estimated at 450,050
tons averaging Hldwt. per ton, as compared with
516.489 tonsaveraging 15 5 dwt. These figures do not
include ore in pillars ami hanging and foot-wall reefs ;
54.555 tons was drawn from these sources during the
past year
GeldenhuisDeep.—Thiscompany has worked a deep-
level properly in the near east Rand since 1893, and in
laier years absorbed the Geldenhuis outcrop mine. The
control is with the Central Mining-Rand Mines group.
The report for 1920 shows that 598,435 tons was raised,
and alter the rejection of waste, 557,500 tons averaging
5'93 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill. The yield of
gold by amalgamation was 104,101 oz., and by cyanide
52,093 oz , making a total of 156. 194 oz , or 56 dwt. per
ton. The revenue from the sale of gold was ^861,944,
of which /189,000 was premium. The working cost
was ^777,053, leaving a working profit of ^84.891. The
revenue per ton was 30s, lid., the working cost 27s.
lid., and the working profit 3s. The shareholders re-
ceived ;f87,862, the dividends being at the rate of 15%.
The ore reserve is estimated at 1,467.100 tons averag-
ing 61 dwt. per ton. Ore continues to be exposed in
the western section of the mine, though of limited ex-
lent. In the eastern section many falls have taken
place, and it is a question how long ore can be extracted
safely. The life of the mine depends also on the gold
premium.
Knight Central. — This company has worked a deep-
level property in the middle east Rand since 1903, but
little profit has ever been made. The control passed
from Neumann's to the Central Mining-Rand Mines
group three years or so ago. During the last two years
the mine has been on the point of ceasing work on more
than one occasion, but the gold premium together with
new discoveries of limited extent have postponed the
evil day. The report for 1920 shows that 295,100 tons
of ore averaging6T6dwt. per ton was mined and sent
direct to the mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation
was 49, 635 oz., and by cyanide 36, 385 oz.. making a total
of 86.020 oz. or 5 83 dwt. per ton. The gold realized
/470.,697, of which about ^^108,000 represented pre-
mium. The working cost was £402,097, leaving a
working profit of ;f68,600. The revenue per ton was
31s. lid., the working cost 26s. lOd., and the working
profit 4s-8d. The shareholders received ;f67.500. being
at the rate of 7.J%. This is only the second dividend
ever paid. During the year, 120,000 tons of ore averag-
ing 5 9 dwt. per ton was exposed, and at the end of the
year the reserve was estimated at 150.700 tons averag-
ing 6 1 dwt. The development of the area south of the
Simmer dyke between No. 4 and No. 5 incline shafts
has given uniformly poor results. As regards the eas-
tern part of the mine, further development would in-
volve a large expenditure on a new incline shaft, and
this expenditure is not considered to be warranted.
The exploration of the large area on the dip could only
be done by means of a new vertical shaft, which would
cost far more than the funds at the company's disposal,
and it would not be warranted by the prospects. It is
not likely that the mine will survive the current year.
Witwater»randGold. — This company belongs to the
Barnato group and works the Knight's mine in the mid-
dle east Rand. The report for 1920 shows that 463.055
tons of ore was delivered to the sorting station, and after
the removal of 10% waste. 416,200 tons, averaging
5 8 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill. The yield by
amalgamation was 87, 61 5 oz., and by cyanide 29, 01 loz,,
making a total of 116,626 oz.. or 5 6 dwt. per ton. The
revenue from the sale of gold was .f 650, 133. of which
/145.000 represented premium, and the working profit
was /133,757. The revenue per ton was 31s. 3d., and
the working profit 6s. 5d. The shareholders received
£9i.9l5. the dividends (Nos. 32 and 33) totalling 20%.
The ore reserve is estimated at 774,500 tons averaging
6 dwt. per ton, as compared with 1,142.500 tonsaverag-
ing 5 '9 dwt. the year before. The sinking of the south-
ern incline shaft has been stopped at a depth of 3.353 ft.
as the prospects in the bottom of the mine are not
promising. Toward the end of the year 47 claims were
acquired from Knights Deep. It is hoped to obtain
from these claims a substantial tonnage of ore which
will help to keep the battery more fully employed than
it otherwise would be. •
Witwatersrand Deep. — This company used to be-
long to the Central Mining-Rand Mines group, but two
years ago local shareholders obtained control. There-
port for 1920 shows that 369,597 tons of ore was raised,
and this, together with 20. 208 tons of low-grade ore from
the dumps, was sent to the sorting station, where 5.885
tons of waste was removed. The ore milled was383, 800
tons averaging 5 53 dwt. of gold per ton. The yield of
gold by amalgamation was 72,190 oz., and by cyanide
29,599 oz., making a total of 101.789 oz. The revenue
from the sale of gold was £557,104, of which £l36.404
came from premium. The working cost was £492,267,
leaving a working profit of £64.837. The revenue per
ton was 29s., the cost 25s. 8d., and the profit 3s. 4d. No
dividend is paid, as funds are required for development
and improvement in underground facilities. During
the year the reserve has been increased from 922.639
tons averaging 6 4 dwt. to 1,018,390 tons averaging 63
dwt. The results obtained on the 24th level were on
the whole disappointing, but conditions on the 25th
level are better.
New Kleinfontein. — This company belongs to the
Anglo- French Exploration group and works a group of
outcrop mines in the Far East Rand The report for
1920 shows that 667,392 tons of ore was raised, of which
93,070 came from the Benoni section. 16,652 tons from
the .'\pex, and the remainder from the Kleinfontein.
After the removal of 15% waste, 561,820 tons, averag-
ing 6 OS dwt. per ton. was sent to the mill. The yield
of gold by amalgamation was 104,212 oz. , and by cya-
nide 57,665 oz., making a total of 161,877 oz.. equal to
5 76 dwt. per ton. The revenue from the sale of gold
was £875,490, or 31s. 2d. per ton, of which ibout
£187,500 represented premium. The working cost was
£798,991, or 28s. 5d. per ton, leaving a working profit
of £76,498, or 2s. 9d per ton The shareholders re-
ceived £57.577. the dividend being at the rate of 5%.
The ore reserve is estimated at 1.623.574 tons, averag-
ing 5'32 dwt per ton, as compared with 1,923,474 tons,
averaging 5 61 dwt. the year before. In the Apex sec-
tion, which is now closed, the reserve is estimated at
374,997 tons, averaging 498 dwt. The Apex mill is
leased to Modderfontein East.
Modderfontein B. — This company belongs to the
Central Mining-Rand Mines group and operates a gold
mine in the Far East Rand. The report for the year
1920 shows that 614,736 tons was raised, and with
15,545 tons from the dumps, was sent to the sorting
station. After the removal of 14% waste, 627.700 tons
averaging 10'2 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill. The
extraction of gold by amalgamation was 179.343 oz.,
and by cyanide 132. 874 oz., making a total of 312, 217oz.,
or9'95dwt. per ton milled. The revenue from the sale
of gold was £1,736,750, of which £438.304 came from
premium. The working cost was £818,326, leaving a
320
THE MININC. MAC.AZINI
working profit of ^9IS,423. The revenue per ton was
55s. -td.. of whicli 1-ts. represented premium, ilie cost
^6s. Id., and the profit 29s. Jd. The sliareholders re-
ceived / 577.500, the dividends (Nos. 16 and 17) beinj;
at the rate of 82i%, while /l4-t,S14 was allocated to
capital expenditure, chiefly on the two new southern
shafts. The ore reserve is estimated at 3,006.600 tons
averaging S'6dwt. per ton, as compared with 3.215,100
tons averaging 9 dwt. the year before. Development
work has proved that mnch of the ground in the north-
east area is disturbed by faults and dykes and unpay-
able. Most of the profitable ore exposed during the
year was in the south-west area. The new south-east
shaft was sunk to the reef, which is much disturbed
here. Connection will be made with the rise put in
from the Geduld in the south east corner, where the
ground is also disturbed, though a promising ore-body
has been found. The south-west shaft is in course of
sinking.
Governmenl Gold Mining Areas (Modderfonlein).
— This company belongs to the Barnato group and
works a gold mine in the Far East Rand. The report
for 1920 shows that 1,763,913 tons of ore was raised,
and after the rejection of 14% waste, 1,515,000 tons
averaging S'3 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill. The
yield of gold by amalgamation was 335,563 oz., and by
cyanide 267,676 oz,, making a total of 603,239 oz., or
7 96 dwt. per ton. The revenue from the sale of gold
was ^^3.314,749, of which about ^750, 000 represented
premium The working profit for the year was
£1,708.163 The revenue per ton was 44s. 9d., and the
working profit 22s 6d. The Government's share of the
profits was £^882, 975, and £^700, 000 was distributed
among shareholders, the dividends (Nos. 6 and 7) be-
ing 50% for the year. Development during the year
has given excellent results. The reserve is estimated
at 10.291,000 tonsaveraging 8 2 dwt per ton. Arrange-
ments are in hand for making the south east shaft an
upcast so as to improve the ventilation. Eventually it
is expected that another shaft will have to be sunk for
ventilation purposes only.
Van Ryn Deep. — This company belongs to the Bar-
nato group, and works a gold mine in the Far East
Rand. The report for 1920 shows that 750.606 tons of
ore was raised, and after the removal of 22% waste.
583,950 tons averaging 10 58 dwt per ton was sent to
the mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation was
198.387 oz., and by cyanide 107,441 oz., making a total
of 305,824 oz. The revenue from the sale of gold was
£1,677,474, of which about iili 000 represented pre-
rnium. The working profit was £964,883. The revenue
per ton was 54s. 6d., and the profit 33s. The share-
holders received £777,979, the dividends (Nos 14 and
15) amounting to 65%. The ore reserve is estimalea
at 3.260,000 tons, averaging9 7 dwt. per ton. Develop-
ment has recently been pushed in the western section
of the mine, which has hitherto been neglected owing
to the prospects being considered unpromising. The
results have been encouraging, for though the ore is
not of high assay value, still it is payable, and the reef
widths are considerable.
Modderfonlein Deep Levels. — This company be-
longs to the Union Corporation (formerly Goerz) group,
and operates a gold mine in the Far East Rand. The
report for 1920 shows that 635,414 tons of ore was
mined , and after the removal of 20% waste partly below
ground and partly on the surface, 507.700 tons averag-
ing 10 82 dwt. per ton was sent to the mill. The yield
bvamalgamation was 171.524oz ,andbycyanide96.348
oz.,makingatotalof 267.872 oz.. or 10 55 dwt. per ton.
The revenue from the sale of gold was £1,466,594, of
which £327,634 represented premium. The working
cost was £575,287, and the working profit £891,307.
The revenue per ton was 57s. 9d., the working cost 22s.
Sd , and the working profit 35s. Id, The shareholders
received £725,000, the dividends being at the rate of
145?i. As compared with the previous year, the rev-
enue was 9s. 6d. per ton higher, the costs 4s. 3d. higher,
and the profit 5s, 3d. higher. The reserve is estimated
at 4, 100, 000 tons averaging 94 dwt. per ton, as compar-
ed with 3,775,000 tons averaging 91 the year before.
.•\ larger proportion of waste is now sorted out than
formui Iv,
Geduld Proprietary Mines. — This company belongs
to the flnion Corporation (formerly Goerz) group, and
works a gold mine in the Far East Rand. The report
for 1920 shows that 637,276 tons of ore was mined, and
after the rejection of 15% waste, 527. SOO tons, averag-
ing 7'63 dwt. per ton, was sent to the mill. The yield
by amalgamation was 83,937 oz. . and by cyanide 102,993
oz., making a total of 186,930 oz, or 7 1 dwt. per ton.
The income from the sale of gold was £1.023,953, and
the working cost £635,283, leaving a working profit
of £388,673. The premium on gold accounted for
£229,259. The yield per ton was 38s lOd., the working
cost 24s. Id., and the working profit 14s 9d The
shareholders received £205,296. the dividends being at
therateof 17*%. The developments have given good
results, especially in No, 7 level east from No. 3 shaft
toward No. 7 shaft, where a large amount of very high
grade ore has been found. The reserve is estimated at
3,220,000 tons, averaging 8 dwt., as compared with
2,580,000 tons, averaging 7 4 dwt.. the year before.
Brakpan Mines. — This company belongs to the Con-
solidated Mines Selection group, and has worked a gold
mine in the Far East Rand since 1903. The report for
1920 shows that 699,019 tons of ore was raised, and after
the removal of 14j% waste. 597,100 tons averaging
8'85dwt. per ton was sent to the mill. The yield of
gold by amalgamation was 174,446 oz,, and by cyanide
79.219 oz., making a total of 253.665 oz.. equal to 8'5
dwt, per ton. The par value of the gold was £1.087,614,
or 365, 5d. per ton, and the premium brought an addi-
tional income of £336,164, or 6s. lid. per ton. The
working cost was £881.393. or 29s, 6d, per ton, leaving
a working profit of £542,385. or 18s, 2d per ton. Share-
holders received £380,190. the dividends (Nos 17 and
18) totalling 45% ; £25,000 was placed to reserve for
reorganization of plant and equipment, and /125,000
was allocated to expenditure on the new leased area.
The ore reserve is estimated at 2,526,517 tons averag-
ing 8 SSdwt. per ton, as compared with 2,484,000 tons
averaging S 74 dwt. the year before.
Springs Mines. — This company belongs to the Con-
solidated Mines Selection group, and was formed in
1909 to work gold mining property in the Far East
r<and. The report for 1920 shows that 569,963 tons of
ore was raised, and after the removal of 18j% waste,
465,800 tons avei aging 9 58 dwt, per ton was sent to the
mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation was97, 293 oz.,
and by cyanide 110,843oz , making a total of 208, 136oz.
The par value of the gold was £881,421. or 37s. lOd.
per ton. and the premium realized £271,503. or lis. 8d.
per ton. The working cost was £714.436. or 30s. 8d.
per ton, and the working profit was £438.487, or 18s.
lOd, per ton. Theshareholdersreceived £251.372. the
dividends (Nos. 3 and 4) totalling 20%. The ore re-
serve is estimated at 2.726,178 tonsaveraging 876 dwt.
per ton, as compared with 2,417,298 tons averaging
874 dwt. the year before. The increase is due chiefly
to the further excellent development of the large ore-
shoot in the east haulage area in the South Shaft dis-
trict, but is also due to good results in the area con-
tiguous to the north-west haulage.
.-!--"
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director.
Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Ediior.
Tl-blished on the 15th <^i each montli by The Mining Pl-blications, Limited,
AT Salisblrv HofSE, LoN'DON Wall, London, E.C. 2.
Telephone : Lo>Kfon iroH Sn3S. Telegraphic Address ; 0/igocIas<!. Codes : Mc.WiVi, both Editions.
' 420, Market Street, San Francisco. Subscriptiov ' ^^s- PW "n""™ (Smgle Copy Is. 6d.) mciudmg
Branch Offices - ^J^; ^^^^^^ g^^^ Chicago. btBSCRiPTio.v ^ p^^,^„g ,^ 3^^ ^^^ ^f ,1^^ World.
Vol. XXIV. No. 6. LONDON, JUNE, 1921.
Price Is. 6d.
C O N T I<: N r S
r.A.GE
Editorial
Notes 322
Oil for Power Purposes ; The Camborne War
Memorial : Greenland ; Cultured Pearls ; In-
stitution of Electrical Engineers ; Charters
Towers School of Mines ; Annual Dinner of the
Royal School of Mines.
Dr. J. D. Falconer on Nigeria 323
The Editor draws attention to Bulletin No. 1 of the
Nigerian Geological Survey.
Dust and Gases in Mines 324
Mention is made of deleterious gases in mines, such
as carbonic o-xide, and of the prevention of the
effect of fine silica on the lungs.
Central Mining and Investment 324
Mr. H. F, Marriott's figures for the results during 1920
are based on the par value of gold, thus showing
the real economic state of the industry.
The Porphyry Coppers 325
Figures for output, cost, and profit are quoted from
Hayden, Stone & Co.'s circular.
Review of Mining 327
.Articles
Nigerian Geology. .Dr. J. D. Falconer 331
A study of the rocks and surface deposits in the central
tin-producing district of the Bauchi Plateau.
The Iron and Steel Industry of India
Dr. J. Coggin Brown 339
Book Reviews
Smart's " Recent Practice in the Use of Self-
contained Breathing Apparatus "
Stanley Nettleton 348
Penzer's "Tin Resources of the British
Empire " Henry Brelick 349
Cox, Dake, and Muilenburg's "Field Methods
in Petroleum Geology " H. B. Milner 351
Cooper-Key's "Primer on the Storage of
Petroleum Spirit and Carbide of Calcium "
H. B. Milner 352
PAGE
News Letters
Brisbane 353
Roma Oil Geology.
Vancouver 355
Mining in the Yukon ; Consolidated Mining and
Smelting ; Premier Mine ; Oil Drilling ; Granby Con-
solidated ; .\lluvial Gold ; Platinum ; Fluor-spar.
Toronto 357
Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt ; Gowganda ;
Boston Creek.
Letters to the Editor
Wave-transmission Rock-drill
Charles R. Love 358
Camborne War Memorial
H. If. Hutchin
Stanley B. White 359
Personal 359
Trade Paragraphs 360
Metal Markets 360
St.atistics of Production 363
Prices of Chemicals 367
Sh.\re Ouot.ations 368
The Mining Digest
Search for Oil in Western Canada John Ness 369
Diamondiferous Breccias in Brazil
David Draper 372
British American Nickel Corporation
W.A.Carlyle 375
Herb Lake Gold Deposit, Manitoba
F. J. Alcock 376
Anaconda Electrolytic Zinc
Frederick Laist and others 378
Short Notices 380
Recent Patents Published 381
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 382
Company Reports 382
Apex (Trmidad) Oilfields ; Aurora West United j Balaghat
Gold Mines ; Dundee Coal ; GlencM (.Natal) Collieries | Golden
Horse-Shoe Estates ; New Brunswick Gas and Oilfields 1 New
Goch ; New Primrose ; New Unified .Main Reef t Rezende Mines ;
Rhodesia Gold Mining and Investment ; Roodepoort United Main
Reef ; Waihi Gold ; West Rand Consolidated Mines.
EDITORIAL
THE coal strike has caiisod the power
engineers to turn their attention to oil
once more, and some of the railways and
electric stations are thereby enabled to carry
on. The Government has announcixl that ail
new ships built for the Navv are to use oil-
fuel. ^
WE would draw attention to a com-
munication, printed elsewhere in this
issue, in which Messrs. H. \V. Hut chin and
StanlcyB.Whitcappeal forsubscriptions tothe
Camborne Memorial to old students who fell
in the war. Some particulars of the Memorial
were given in our issue of January last.
AFTER having served its purpose well
for twenty years, the Charters Towers
School of IMines is to be dissolved. Owing
chiefly to the decay of the local goldfield, but
partly also to the general depression of
mining operations in Queensland, there is
little demand now for facilities in connexion
with mining education. In future, such
instruction will be given at the Charters
Towers Technical College. During its com-
paratively short existence, the influence of
the school has been felt throughout .'\ustralia,
and it.s graduates have made good in many
important positions.
PUBLISHERS of and subscribers to
technical journals and proceedings of
scientific societies were naturally alarmed
at the proposal of the bureaucratic dead-
heads of St. Martin's Le Grand to double
the postage on printed matter sent abroad.
Fortunately the Government defeat in the
Westminster election supervened, and the
obno.xious decree has been withdrawn.
The Postmaster-General, seeing the signs of
the times, has appointed a committee of
active business men of acknowledged stand-
ing, with whom he will confer before pro-
posing any more modifications of the postal
service. This is a distinct improvement in
public policy.
A MILD sensation was caused last month
b}' the announcement in the daily
press that a Hatton Garden pearl merchant
had been deceived by artificial pearls
grown in Japan. The fact is that this
" culture " has been known to scientists
and to the market for some years. Mr. K.
Mikimoto, the pioneer of this work, published
a description and diagram of the process in
Ins catalogue, and Dr. I.yster Jameson
described it at the meeting of the British
.\ssociation held in Dundee in 1912. Briefly
described, the ])rocess consists of inserting
a head of motlier-of-pearl in the oyster in
a particular way and allowing the oyster to
do the rest. V\'e are not sufiiciently versed
in the art of casuistry to care to argue
whether these pearls are really " pearls "
or not.
ATTENTION is once more being drawn
to Greenland and its possible resources
by the celebration of the two hundredth
anniversary of the foundation of a Danish
colony there by Pastor Egede. The presence
of the King and Queen of Denmark at
Godthaab, Egedc"s little settlement, will
serve to renew interest in the northerly
outposts of civilization. Much is heard of
Spitsbergen, and the coal deposits in Iceland
have been the subject of discussion recently.
The only mineral at present worked in
Greenland is cryolite, which is required as
a solvent for alumina in the electric produc-
tion of aluminium. But most of Greenland is
covered with the glacial cap and only a small
coastal fringe is available for prospecting.
IT is surprising to hear that the Institution
of Electrical Engineers is not yet in
possession of a Royal Charter. In these days
it is hardly possible for the casual observer
to believe that electricity is a new thing,
any more than a mining engineer can
realize without reflection that Johannesburg
had no railway communications until 1892.
The Institution was formed originally as
the Society of Telegraph Engineers, and in
those days it applied for a charter. This
application was, of course, opposed by the
Institution of Civil Engineers, 'as all such
proposals are. It seems strange that another
application has been postponed so long, but
presumably there will be no valid objection
this time. Indeed, there seems to be some
disposition on the part of the Council to
truckle to theCivils, for the proposal is made
that members shall be entitled to the
exclusive use of the designation " Chartered
Electrical Engineer," just as the Civils are
now trj'ing to establish a " Chartered Civil
Engineer." This word " Chartered " does
not seem to convey much distinction ; it is
too reminiscent of the proverbial " chartered
libertine." If we have any grumble to make
322
JUNE, 1921
323
against the Electricals, it is tliat they admit
stockbrokers who may happen to be on the
board of electrical companies to full member-
ship of their Institution.
ELSEWHERE in this issue we print
extracts from Dr. J. D. Falconer's
Bulletin on the geology of the tinfields of the
Bauchi P'ateau in Nigeria. This is No. 1
of a series of bulletins in course of preparation
by the Geological Survey of Nigeria, which
was established in 1919, with Dr. Falconer
as director and Captain R. C. Wilson as
assistant director. The scientific staff was
augmented in 1920 bj' the appointment as
geologists of Messrs. C. Raeburn, F. Y.
Henderson, and A. D. N. Bain. Dr.
Falconer, together with Messrs. Raeburn
and Henderson, have been chiefly engaged
in mapping the tinfields, and Captain Wilson
and Mr. Bain in exploring the railway belt.
The e.xtracts which we give comprise only
a small portion of the bulletin, but they
suffice to indicate the general geology of the
plateau as now interpreted. Specific
references to the rocks and alluvial deposits
are omitted, and it has been impossible to
reproduce the geological map. We have,
however, drawn an outline topographical
map, which will help in the reading of the
article. As regards the merits of the bulletin,
mining engineers will have no two opinions,
for it is obvious that the information and
the reasoning will be vastly helpful and
encouraging to the manager and prospector.
Dr. Falconer's book on the Geology and
Geography of Northern Nigeria, published
in 1911, written as a result of investigations
made for the Colonial Office, was useful
to the pioneer, though, as the author said,
the ground covered was large and there was
no great concentration on any particular
line of investigation. The man in search
of ore, wrongly impatient of geological
studies of no immediate financial aid to him,
did not appreciate that book in the way he
should. However, he ought to be satisfied
now, for the bulletin gives him just the
information he desires. Dr. Falconer has
substantially modified some of his views,
after prolonged acquaintance with the tin-
field, and after studjdng the evidence brought
to light during the mining operations of the
last few years. In this way he has been
able to amplify the explanation of the
geological history of the district, and to
unravel the complicated succes.sion of igneous
and volcanic actions and intermediate
-6—3
erosions. Thus, he can give hopes for the
discovery of many buried alluvial deposits
hkely to be rich in tinstone. Several mining
engineers have already expressed views to this
effect, and it is consequently gratifying to
all interested in Nigeria that Dr. Falconer
should accept this interpretation of Bauchi
geology. As we have already said, it is
impossible to quote Dr. Falconer in full in
our pages. Engineers should read the com-
plete bulletin in order to understand the
matter fully. The bulletin is published by
the Nigerian Government, but is obtainable
at the Technical Bookshop of The Mining
Magazine, at the price of ten shillings,
THE forty-fourth annual dinner of the
old students of the Royal School of
Mines was held on May 27 at Gatti's
restaurant in the Strand, and, as usual,
proved a highly successful function. The
toast of the evening was proposed by Sir
Edgar Walton, High Commissioner for South
Africa. In reply, the President, Professor
S. J. Truscott, called attention to the presence
at the dinner of many official representatives
of the Overseas Dominions, and took the
opportunity of pointing out the strong and
increasing interest taken by leaders of
thought in all parts of the Empire in the
scientific treatment of mining problems, and
in the provision of modern educational
facilities for training the rising generation
in a manner adequate for the tackling of
the ever-increasing difficult problems with
which a mining engineer is faced. Mr. R. C.
Griffith subsequently proposed the toast
of the Guests, to which Sir James Allen,
High Commissioner for New Zealand, and
Mr. C. McDermid, Secretary of the Institution
of Mining and Metallurgy, responded. Mr.
McDermid arrested the attention of his
hearers by giving some inside history of the
saving of the Royal School of Mines and the
creation of the Imperial College of Science
and Technology. Let us say that the Council
of the Institution collectively and
Mr. McDermid individually have taken no
small part in overcoming the inertia and
indifference of the Government educational
authorities and in bringing the Imperial
College to a high level of efficiency and
influence. While on this subject of the
Institution's services to education, we would
express the hope that the Council will before
long take another step in assisting the
educational cause by reinstating the post-
graduate scholarships which were suspended
:?2i
THE MIXINi. MAi.A/INI
during the war. Willi mining in such a
depressed condition, it may liardlj' seem to be
an appropriate time for reviving this scheme,
but it must be said that its abeyance partakes
to some extent of the nature of a damper.
Rn\TEWIXG ]-ieutenant Smart's new
book on breathing ajiparatus used
in mine rescue work, Mr. Stanley Nettleton
draws attention to the records in this book
of noxious gases given off by explosives.
Lieutenant Smart's experience was partly
obtained at tlie Front, and partly in the
mines, and he draws on much of his war
experience for the benefit of the mining
engineer. Of all tlKMioxious gases mentioned
by him, carbon monoxide is by far the most
insidious and dangerous. It is deadly, and
at the same time undetectable by the five
senses. If it had not been lighter than air,
it would have been the poison gas par
excellence in warfare. And there is no
antidote to carbonic-oxide poisoning, for its
effect is to change the character of the blood
in a vital manner without any hope of a
reversal of the process. Lieutenant Smart
mentions the opinion of certain authorities
that the effect of the presence of this gas in
the resultant fumes of explosive action in
mines is to induce tuberculosis in the lungs.
At the present time quartz spicules are
bearing the blame for miners' phthisis, and
the effect of poisonous gases is in the back-
ground. While writing of the deleterious
effects of carbonic oxide, it is appropriate
to mention that the towns' .supplies of so-
called illuminating gas now contains 20%
of this poisonous gas. The gas delivered to
our homes for lighting, heating, and cooking
purposes is the rankest of poisons, and woe
be to those who by inadvertence or careless-
ness permit its escape in unconsumed form.
The source of danger is not by any means
confined to the want of care on the part of
the members of the household, for many
stoves supplied by the gas companies arc
badly made and do not burn all the gas
emitted, while there is always the danger of
accidental leaks in pipes and fittings, and
we are well aw-are of the deficient intellect
of the ordinary plumber. No doubt those
who read the reports of the coroner's courts
know something of the alaiming increase in
gas poisoning recently. Reverting again to
the quartz spicules, it v.ill be remembered
that various authorities have said that the
ill effects of these .spicules can be obviated by
adding other dust to the air breathed into
tile lungs. .\t a recent nuiling of the
American Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers, Dr. H. M. Landis
gave evidence which goes to raise doubts
on this .subject. In speaking of the
jiotter's phthisis, he said that the potter
inhales clay dust in which there is a
small amount of silica, and that in the course
of years the potter's lungs get into the un-
satisfactory state associated with silicosis.
The conclusion is that silica is always the
cause of the trouble, and that admixture with
clay and similar harmless minerals tends to
postpone the evil day. Thus the addition
of other mineral dust to the mine air is only
a palliative and not a certain prophylactic.
Central Mining and Investment
In the last issue a brief survey was made
of the results of mining on the Rand, and of
the present out'ook there. Since then the
report of the Central Mining and Investment
Corporation has been published, containin,;,'
a review by the Company's consulting
engineer, Mr. Hugh F. Marriott, of the
performances of the mines under the control
of the Central Mining-Rand Mines group
Mr. Marriott's yearly reports are already
well known for their directness and clearness
of statement, and for their freedom from
suppression or meretricious glozing of the
less favourable circumstances. In the present
report Mr. Marriott makes his primary-
calculations on the basis of the par value
of gold, so that it is possible to see at a
glance the influence of the premium on the
current fortunes of the mines. He also gives
full particulars of working costs, with com-
parative figures for the previous year. We
extract from his report a few of the many
interesting points.
The Central Mining-Rand Mines group
controls no fewer than twenty mines
operating on the Rand. Among these are
found mines of all sorts of conditions and
age. First in point of importance is New
Modderfontein, w^hich shares with Govern-
ment Areas, of the Barnato group, the
honour of being the greatest gold mine of the-
world. Its neighbour, Modderfontein B, is
also a big producer, and another neighbour,
Modderfontein East, is typical of the new
work now being done in the Far East Rand
under the adverse conditions of financial
stringency. Crown Mines, City Deep, and
Village Deep are celebrated large deep-
level properties. Robinson is an ex-greatest
gold mine of the world, just about at its.
JUNE, 1921
325
end ; East Rand Proprietary is one of the
great low-grade consolidations, and it is
struggling for its existence. Ferreira Deep
and Wolhuter are old mines approaching
exhaustion. Rose Deep, Geldenhuis Deep,
Knight Central, Durban Roodepoort Deep,
Consolidated Main Reef, and Nourse Deep
Jive by the grace of the gold premium, at the
present level of costs. Bantjes has given
poor development results, and is closed.
City and Suburban, New Heriot, and Village
Main Reef are mines with excellent records,
but are now entirely exhausted.
The gold output of this group during 1920
was worth £15,879,251, par value, or nearly
one half (to be exact 47-|%) of the Rand out-
put, which was £33,2,31,257. The whole
output of the world during 1920 was
estimated at 70 milhon pounds, so it will be
seen that Central Mining controls 28% of
the world's production of gold. The
aggregate working expenditure at this group
of mines was £14,911,835, so that without
the premium the working profit would have
been only £967,416. The premium brought
an additional revenue of £4,913,764, making
the total profit £5,881,r80, out of which
£4,280,336 was distributed as dividends.
The mines showing a working profit, exclusive
of premium, were the following : —
/
Xew Modderfontein 1 ,03l7l85
Moddprfontein B 492,984
Crown Minfis 209,603
City Deep 173,734
Modderfontein East 24,72,5
Ferreira Deep 32,287
Eose Deep 8,002
Total 1,972,520
It will be seen from the figures quoted here
that the aggregate losses at par value were
about one million pounds ; of the individual
items, the largest were : East Rand Pro-
prietary, £334,459 ; and Durban Roodepoort
Deep, Geldenhuis Deep, Nourse Mines, and
Village Deep, approximately £100,000 each.
Mr. Marriott analyses the figures for
revenue, costs, and profits per ton milled,
and shows that at the mines belonging to the
group the average yield at par was 2Ss. per
ton, average additional revenue accruing
from premium 8s. 8d., total revenue 36s. 8d.,
working cost 26s. 9d., working profit at par
Is. 3d., working profit, including premium,
9s. lOd. There is also the item of
taxation, over and above working cost, of
Is. 5d. per ton, so that taking gold at par
there would have been a net loss of a few
pence per ton. Mr. Marriott sees the chance
of the cost of materials coming down, but
does not hold out much hope for a reduction
in white labour costs unless some drastic
changes in conditions are introduced, and
modifications made in certain obsolete mining
regulations, which unduly restrict the hours
of work of native labour and prevent the
natives undertaking higher classes of work.
The Porphyry Coppers
Some elaborate tables have been published
by Messrs. Hayden, Stone & Co., of Boston,
giving particulars of the outputs, reserves,
profits, and financial positions of the
Jackling group of copper mines usually known
as the " porphyries ", or " disseminated
coppers ", namely, the Utah Consolidated,
Nevada Consolidated, Chino, and Ray. These,
with the Miami, Inspiration, and Arizona, con-
stitute a class of copper mine by themselves,
which depend for their success on the cheap
mining of immense low-grade ore-bodies, in
which the important copper mineral is
chalcocite. Utah Consolidated has been
producing since 1905, Nevada Consolidated
since 1907, Ray since 1910, and Chino
since 1911. They had a set-back at the
outbreak of war, owing to foreign trade
being dislocated, but afterwards the big
war demand brought unwonted prosperity
during 1917 and 1918. Subsequently
the output had to be curtailed, and the
figures for 1919 and 1920 are about half
those of 1917 and 1918, and correspond
virtually to those of 1912 or 1913. The
costs have gone up during the past two years,
and the price of copper has fallen, so that
during 1920 the margin of profit became very
narrow. Since the end of 1920 the position
became worse, and, as already recorded in
these columns, operations have been
suspended at all the Jackling coppers.
It is quite impossible to reproduce the
tables here owing to the exigencies of space.
All we can do is to quote some of the items
of interest, and recommend readers to apply
for copies of the originals. At the Utah Con-
solidated the ore milled during 1920 was
5,556,800 short tons, averaging 1'16% copper,
from which 101,897,758 1b. of metal was
extracted, the recovery being 8138%. At
the Nevada Consolidated, 2,568,588 tons,
averaging 145%, yielded 48,311,895 1b., the
recovery being' 70-2%. At Chino, 1,838,148
tons, averaging 1-76%, gave 44,051,849 lb.,
the recovery being 70-67%. At Ray,
1,706,928 tons, averaging 172%, gave
326
Till'; MINING MAGAZINE
47.062,0;{0 II)., the recovery being 82%. I'he
percentage of recovery has improved con-
siderably during the past two years at Utah
and Ray, tlic 81 and 82^ „ comparing with
about 65% six years ago. The improvement
is due to the introduction of notation plant,
and it is of interest to remark that the validity
of the process used is still the subject of
litigation. .\pi')arently this system of con-
centration is not used at Nevada Consolidated
or Chino, for the recover}' figures do not .show
much variation. The improvement at Utah
has been so substantial that it has been
possible to maintain the output of copper,
though the ore treated contained only 1'16%
metal, as compared with l-'S'y%, the average
of the reserve.
A study of the statistics relating to cost
and price of copper per pound indicate the
irregular nature of these items in base-metal
mining. At Utah Consolidated the cost per
pound shows a steady fall from the beginning
of operations intil 1915, when the figure was
as low as 66 cents. Subsequently it rose
once more, advancing to 695 cents in 1916,
11 cents in 1917, 125 cents in 1918, and 13 1
cents in 1920. During the years 1916 and
1917 the prices obtained for the copper were
26- 11 cents and 24-18 cents, figures far
higher than any other recorded. It is not
surprising therefore to find that the disbur.se-
ments to shareholders for those years were
19^ million and 23J million dollars
respectively. During 1919 and 1920, the
average was 17- 7 cents in each case, so that
the margin of profit was not great. At
Nevada Consolidated the cost per pound in
1920 was 1728 cents and the price realized
17-7 cents ; at Chino, 144 cents and 17' 4
cents ; and at Ray, 155 cents and 175 cents
respectively.
The reserves of ore at the four mines are
best given in the form of a table : —
Utah Consolidated . . .
Nevada ConsoUdatr-d
Chino
Ray
Tons.
364,130,800
63,845.631
105,689,247
83,004,043
7o
1-35
1-58
1-53
2-06
The reserves are not quite so high at Utah as
they were four years ago, the new ore added
being about half the amount of ore mined ;
the same may be said of Nevada Consolidated.
For the last five years no new ore appears to
have been brought in at Ray ; on the other
hand, considerable additions have been made
to the reserve at Chino.
As a companion table to that dealing with
ore reserves, we give herewith figures for
the tonnage treated and the co]iper jjroduced
from the beginning of operations at each
mine. The dates of conmtencement have
already been given.
Ore. Copper.
Tons. Short I'ons.
Utah Consolidated 89,340,223 773.076
Nevada Consolidated . 35,180,801 379,810
Chino 21 ,490,4 1 5 255, 1 56
Kay 23,522.127 279,766
The disbursements to shareholders since
the beginning, together with the surplus at
the end of 1920, are given in the following
table :—
Total Surplus at
Disbursements, end of 1920.
$ $
I.'tah Consolidated 1!1„509,662 44,177,422
Nevada Consolidated . 46,768,616 6,537,602
Chino 29,991,709 13,889.908
Kay 25,4 12,620 14,264,228
Messrs. Hayden, Stone & Co.'s circular also
contains some general figures relating to the
copper position in the United States. The
unsold stock of copper in the United States
is estimated as at April 15 at 362,500 short
tons ; the figures given for the output,
domestic consumption, and export for 1913,
1918, and 1920 are as follows :—
Short Tons. Short Tons. Short Tons.
1913. 1918. 1920.
Output 810,000 1,177,500 832,500
Domestic
Consumption 382,500 740,000 622,500
Exports 437,500 377,500 242,500
These indicate at a glance the inability of
foreign customers to buy American copper,
and the fact that the United States has been
able to consume much more copper in 1920
than in 1913. It would appear that the slump
in 1921 has been caused, not so much by any
further fall in exports, but by a slackening
of domestic demand.
As regards cost of production throughout
the United States, the figure for 1920 is
given at 15'5 cents per pound, ioc 1918,
15-47 cents, and for 1913, 105 cenis. The
estimated average prices for the same years
were 1746 cents, 2463 cents, and 1527 cents
respectively. The price at April 1 5, 1921, was
12-75 cents, a price below the average cost
of production, and one which indicates a
serious fall in demand. That so many mines
should have closed, and no improvement
since have occurred in the price, shows how
dead the market is and to what a low level
consumption has fallen. The cut in wages in
the manufacturing industries in America
may revive the demand, but the producers
are still looking in vain for an improvement
in foreign business.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — The general situation re-
mains much the same as last month. The
coal strike continues, and efforts are still
J being made to find a way out of the difficulty.
In the meantime other industries have been
brought to a standstill. In the Lancashire
cotton trade the position is almost identical
with that in coal mining, the employees
objecting to the big cut in wages proposed
by the mill-owners. As regards metal mining,
the chief item of importance is another
sudden drop in New York exchange, the
effect of which has been to send the gold
premium up again.
Transvaal. — The cost of mining has pro-
vided the subject for many addresses by
cliairmen of mining companies during the
last month. Mr. Walter McDcrmott, in his
speech at the meeting of shareholders of the
Consolidated Mines Selection, held in London,
went bald-headed for the agitators who
apparently want the business of the world to
come to a standstill. In the case of this
company, orders for necessary new machinery
cannot be filled in this countr}', owing to the
coal strike and the concomitant paralj'sis of
the steel industry, and, in default of any other
resources, the machincr\' has been obtained
from German^^ One of the shareholders
expressed a doubt as to the advisability of
Mr. McDermott making this attack on
labour, but the sen.se of the meeting was
soon seen when another shareholder ex-
postulated in no uncertain words with the
first shareholder for his timidity and his
disinclination to meet the labour agitators
face to face. The result was that Mr.
McDermott was thanked by the whole
meeting for his courageous stand.
Another speech of importance in this con-
nexion was made by Mr. Samuel Evans, in
his capacity as chairman of the Crown Mines,
at the meeting held in Johannesburg. He
expressed his opinion that prices of materials
and labour would fall to such an extent during
the next few years that the costs of all
operations, including mining, would soon
reach a low level. He was sufficiently
optimistic to believe that before long it might
pay Crown Mines to start from the outcrop of
the Main Reef once more and work 3 dwt.
ore.
Elsewhere in this issue we quote Mr. H. F.
Marriott's analysis of the results for 1 920, and
his views as to the future of Rand mining
contained in his report to the Central Mining
and Investment Corporation. We also print
in full Sir Lionel Phillips's speech to share-
holders of Central Mining.
The crank-shaft of the hoisting engine
in the Driefontein section of the East Rand
Proprietary Mines broke on June 1. If a
suitable shaft can be obtained locally, the
period of idleness will not be more than a
fortnight.
The report of the Transvaal Consolidated
Land and Exploration Co. contains some
particulars of the company's tin operations
in the Northern Transvaal. The Grocn-
fontcin mine made a profit of £13,208 during
1920, but it is now closed temporarily owing
to the low price of tin. The Mutue Fides
mine is exhausted, after having yielded
satisfactory profits on a small scale. At
Witfontein the early promise did not endure,
and prospecting work has been discontinued.
The \\'elgelegen prospect is giving en-
couraging results, and so is Allemansdrift.
Cape Province, — A scare was started last
month in the daily press to the effect that
De Beers Consolidated was about to make
a new issue of debentures, and the public
consequently feared that the diamond position
was unexpectedly serious. When the official
announcement was made, the proposed is.sue
was found to be in connexion with the Cape
Explosives Works, Ltd., which operates the
explosives factory near Cape Town, founded
by De Beers, and subsequently becoming
famous owing to the distinguished technical
management of Mr. W. R. Ouinan and Mr.
Kenneth Ouinan. These works have been
considerably extended recently, the funds
being advanced by the De Beers Company.
The issue of the debentures of the Cape
Explosives Works, Ltd., was made for the
purpose of repaying De Beers for the loans.
It is of interest to note that the extension of
the works was in connexion with the manu-
facture of other articles than explosives.
Superphosphate of lime and a number of
other fertilizers are now being made, as well
as many other chemicals used in agriculture
and cattle raising. The debentures were
eagerly subscribed by the public.
Work at the Namaqua Company's copper
mines continues to be confined to exploration
and development owing to the conditions
not favouring a resumption of smelting. The
results have been gratifying, and the reserves
have been substantially increased, par-
ticularl}' at the Homeep property. The
327
;V28
THE MINING MACAZINI-:
total rt'siTvcs ;it tlio various iiiiius is
estimated at 0;{,200 tons, averaging 7°;
copper. Of recent years the company used
to iirodiice a matte and ship it for treatment
elsewliere. Present economic conditions
would not admit of this course, so the
directors contemplate the erection of a con-
verter plant.
West Africa. — In a recent issue it was
recorded that the AshantiGokirulds Corpora-
tion is changing over from dry to wet
crushing, on account of the great scarcity of
fuel required for roasting the ore, the new
plan consisting of wet crushing, concentra-
tion, and the roasting and cyaniding of
concentrate. A report issued by the com-
pany last month states that Mr. W. R.
Feldtmann, the consulting engineer, has
visited the mines, and has made the necessary
arrangements for the alteration in practice.
The new plant is now in course of erection.
In regard to the fuel question, the company
was fortunate in being able to secure 2,000
tons of Welsh steam coal and ship it just
before the strike. It is believed that this
coal will so supplement the present local
wood supplies as to keep things going until
the wet crushing and concentration plant is
ready.
Nigeria.— The Keffi Consolidated Tin Co.
is to absorb the .Associated Nigerian Tin
Mines. These two consolidations were formed
last year and in 1919 respectively, and
particulars were given in this column at the
time. The expanded company owns ex-
tensive properties on the Bauchi Plateau.
The director^ intimate that they are con-
cerned in the financing of a hydro-electric
power scheme. We take this to mean that
thev are coming to the rescue of the Northern
Nigeria (Bauchi) installation, the completion
of which was prevented by inability to raise
the necessary additional capital.
The Naraguta (Nigeria) Tin Mines, Ltd.,
has issued a circular containing a report by
the general manager, Mr. F. O'D. Bourke,
covering a report bv Mr. Clyde Allan, which
gives some particulars of prospecting and
development operations on the gold lodes
of I-Jirnin Gwari. It was assumed by the
market that this report referred to absolutely
new discoveries. As a matter of fact, the
occurrences have been known for many years.
Dr. Falconer, in his book published in 1911,
refers to quartz veins and alluvial gold in
this district, and he gives many suggestions
as to opportunities for prospecting for gold-
bearing lodes. He also refers to alluvial gold
being found in association with tin on the
Bauchi Plateau, a subject which has been
revived in the mining market since the
Naraguta circular was issued. Mr. Clyde
.Allan's report deals with the tracing of lodes
below the alluvium, and some of his results
may be considered to be quite promising.
The report of the Nigerian Tin Corporation
for the 21 months ended December 31 last
reflects the imsatisfactory position of the
tin industry in Nigeria. The com])any
is not a large producer of tin, its activities
being more on the fmancial side. The outjnil
yielded ;fl3,<SiS."), against an expenditure in
Nigeria of 09,338. Tin mining has since
been suspended. Dividends, commission,
interest, and profits on realization of invest-
ments brought an income of £15,153, and
after the payment of London expenses, a
net profit of £4,617 remained. The company
is controlled by Mr. Oliver Wethered, and it
has large interests in many Nigerian, Cornish,
and Malayan tin companies.
Australia. — The attempts of various com-
panies to induce their men to accept lower
wages and speed up the work all appear to
be doomed to failure. The men may be
agreeable, knowing the circumstances, but
all their negotiations have to be conducted
by the unions, who care little for either master
or men. Thus at Mount Lyell the board's
proposals for reduced wages have been
rejected, so that all operations are to be
suspended on June 16.
The directors of the Bullfinch Proprietary
have placed the management of the mine in
the hands of Bewick, Moreing & Co., who will
inaugurate a limited scheme of development
for the purpose of finding payable ore.
A report by Mr. J. B. Lewis has been
issued on the Federation Tin Company's
properties at Mount Hecmskirk, on the west
side of Tasmania. As there is a movement
on foot for raising further working capital
in England, some particulars of the property
will be of interest. The granite is intersected
by many lodes of varying mineralogical
composition, all characteristic of the usual
intrusions of residual matter following the
granite flow. Twenty lodes from 2 ft. to
30 ft. in width have been sampled, and have
been proved to contain J% and upwards of
tin. Sufficient work has been done on eight
of the lodes to warrant an estimate of the
reserves. Mr. Lewis gives the figure at
57,700 tons, averaging over 1%, with the
probable ore at 450,000 tons. The district
was originally discovered in 1875, and work
JUNE, 1921
329
was done intermittently in 1880, 1893, and
1903, but owin£j to the small scale of
operations the financial results were not
satisfactory. There is now a battery of
•forty stamps on the spot. A dam has been
built across the valley, and a hydro-electric
station is to be erected. It is believed that
under these conditions excellent profits w^ill
be made when tin recovers.
India. — The Gersoppa falls, in Mysore
State, are to be utilized for the production
of hydro-electric power, the Government of
the State having the matter in hand. The
falls are 830 ft. high, and the power-house
is to be 150 ft. below the bottom, so that a
head of over 1,000 ft. will be obtained. A
dam is to be built above the falls. This will
be 120 ft. high, and the reservoir so formed
will have a capacity of 42,000,000,000
gallons. It is estimated that 100,000 h.p.
will be generated.
Burma. — The Burmah Oil Company is
about to issue £3,000,000 8% preference
shares, which are part of £5,000,000 new
preference shares authorized at a meeting
held in Glasgow on June 1. The directors
also proposed that the two existing series
of preference shares should be consolidated,
and the rate of interest raised to 6|%, but
the votes in favour did not give the necessary
three-quarters majority. Why so many
shareholders failed to send their proxies
is not quite clear.
Malaya. — The Idris Hydraulic Tin Com-
pany reports a yield of 263 tons of tin con-
centrate during 1920. This and tributers'
ore brought an income of /46,979, and the
profit admitted of the payment of £18,000
as dividend, being at the rate of 15%. As
is tlic case with most other Malay tin mines,
little or no curtailment of output has been
made since the serious fall occurred in the
price of the metai.
Cornwall.- — A serious accident at East
Pool occurred last month, resulting in the
choking of the main hoisting shaft at about
the 130 fathom level. At this point the
shaft runs through an old stope, and it was
the collapse of this stope that caused the
blockage. It is too early to estimate the
actual amount of damage done.
The only Cornish tin mines which have so
far weathered the gale of adverse circum-
stances and kept running are the Giew mine
of the St. Ives Consolidated Mines, and the
small privately owned Magdalen mine at
Ponsanooth. As neither of these can boast
of anything remarkable in the way of mineral
riches, their continuance in active operation
is surprising, and creditable to those in
control.
At the Kings.down mine, near St. Austell,
the new main shaft has been sunk and
timbered to 220 ft., and the erection of the
pumping and hoisting plant is in hand.
Development below water level will be
commenced forthwith. The lease of the
adjoining Ventonwyn property has been
secured.
Particulars of Cornish Kaolin, Ltd., have
been published during the past month.
As has already been mentioned in these
columns, the company was formed in 1912
to work china-clay deposits on Bodmin
Moor, on lease from Lord Clifden's estate.
This estate now belongs to Tehidy Minerals,
Ltd., and the mineral rights were acquired by
the company when the control was purchased
recently from the original operators. Messrs.
Bewick, Moreing & Co. are the general
managers, and the necessary working capital
has been subscribed by the Sons of Gwalia,
Ltd., East Pool & .\gar, Ltd., and Tehidy
Minerals, Ltd. The previous operators had
developed the Glynn Valley property, and
had built a pipe-line to Bodmin Road Station,
where a dry was erected. Since the change
in control, further deposits of clay have been
proved, and arrangements have been made
for increasing the rate of output.
United States. — Further curtailment of
copper output has taken place, among the
mines closing recently being the Copper
Queen and the mines of the Arizona Copper
Compan\^
The Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
mined 2,152,760 tons of ore during 1920,
a figure considerably below normal, but
an increased amount of exploratory and
development work was done, with very
satisfactory results. At the copper smelters
2,319,336 tons of ore and precipitate was
treated, of which 1,828,379 tons came from
the company's mines, 458,339 tons was
purchased or custom ore, and the remainder
precipitate and cleanings. The total copper
produced was 155,339,575 lb., the silver
7,113,659 07.., and the gold 32,530 (5z. The
leaching plant treated 484,352 tons of
tailing and 43,271 tons of purchased ore,
and the yield of copper precipitate was
5,037 tons. The zinc plants treated 310,572
tons of the company's ore and 133,010 tons
of purchased material. The yield was
101,332 lb. of electrolytic zinc, together with
330
THE MINING MAGAZINE
.'i,2r);'),ir)2 lb. of zinc in dross, and rosidiu'
from which were produced 12,5:H6,ti88 lb. of
lead, 2,173,080 lb. of copper, 2,073,318 oz.
of silver, and CloOoz. of gold. The net
profit for the year was §2,691,660, and
the dividends, partly jiaid out of surplus,
absorbed $6,993,750;
Canada. — The following; table gives the
outjuit lit metals ami minerals in Canada
during 1920 :—
MftaUu.
Cobalt, metallic and contained in
oxide, etc Lb. 593,920
Copper Lb. 81,1,S.S,360
Gold Oz. 766.912
Iron, pig, from Canadian ore . . . .Tons 75,869
Iron ore, sold for export Tons 7,85.S
Lead Lb. 33,985.974
Nickel Lb. 61,136,493
Platinum from alluvial sands . . . .Oz. 17
Platinum, palladium, etc., from
Sudburv matte Oz. 1 ,922
Silver ." Oz. 12.793.541
Zinc Lb. 40,166,2(10
Non-Metallic.
Actinolite Tons 100
Arsenic, White, and in Ore Tons 2,408
Asbestos Tons 167,731
Asbestic Tons 20,956
Chromite Tons 10,500
Coal Tons 16,623,598
Felspar Tons 36,856
Fluor-spar Tons 11.229
Graphite Tons 2,227
Grindstones Tons 2,319
Gypsum Tons 429,144
Magnesite Tons 18,373
Magnesium Sulphate Tons 1,855
Mica Tons 2,150
Natural Gas M. Cu. Ft. 16,961,284
Oxides Tons 18,768
Peat Tons 3,900
Petroleum, Crude Barrels 196,937
Pyrites Tons 174,744
Quartz Tons 127.995
Salt Tons 210,21 1
Sodium Sulphate Tons 813
Tripolite Tons 260
Dr. Mackintosh Bell, manager of the
Keeley silver mines, situated near Cobalt,
cables to the effect that on No. 9 vein the ore
averages 150 oz. silver per ton over 3 ft. for
a distance of 65 ft. Toward the end of this
development the .silver is contained in two
separate veins which average 300 to 3,000 oz.
per ton over 2 to 10 in. This is the best
report yet received from the mine.
Mexrco. — The official estimate of the out-
put of gold and silver during 1920 gives the
gold figure at 750,000 oz. and that of silver
at 63,750,000 oz.
Colombia.— During the latter half of 1920
the Frontino and Bolivia company treated
15,320 tons of ore, yielding 10.665 oz. of
gold, the extraction being 1392 dwt. per
ton. The develojiment has given dis-
ajipointing results at several places and the
reserves, at 58,200 tons, show a decrease
of 7,500 tons. .\i the Marmajito, which is
being reopened by a subsidiary company,
the pumps and other machinery have been
delivered, and it is expected that pimiping
will coHuiience in July.
Trinidad. — The General I'etnjlcum Com-
pany of Trinidad, Ltd., is absorbing the
Amalgamated Oilfields of Trinidad, Ltd.,
the Anglo-Trinidad Oil Co., Ltd., and the
San Francique Oil Co., Ltd. These companies
are all under the same control. Sir Clifford
Cory and Mr. Herbert Guedalla arc joining
the board of the expanded company, and
Messrs. Cory Brothers and Co., Ltd., the
South Wales shipping and coal firm, have the
contract for the marketing of the oil. The
drilling campaign was started recently, and
the first well yielded oil on May 12, at a
depth of 900 ft., the flow being over 150
barrels per day.
Venezuela. — The British Controlled Oil-
fields, of which Mr. D. Elliott Alvcs is
president, and Sir E. Mackay Edgar vice-
president, has issued an interim report.
In the western division of the Buchivacoa
section drilling is being done over -10 miles,
six wells having been drilled or being in
course of drilling. One of these has been
flowing intermittently for fifteen months.
No. 2 well has reached the upper oil sands
at 630 ft. In the eastern division two wells
are being drilled and another is to be com-
menced. No very definite results appear to
have been obtained so far in any part of
Venezuela by the company's engineers.
Ri.ghts over a number of islands in the
Orinoco delta have been acquired, and
Mr. G. B. Reynolds has examined part of the
property, indicating suitable places for
drilling. F)ricf particulars are also given
of work in Trinidad and Ecuador. Geological
examinations arc being made in Colombia
and Costa Rica. The company also has con-
cessions in other parts of Central America,
where Mr. B. F. N. Macrorie is to make
investigations.
Spitsbergen. — The Scottish Spitsbergen
Syndicate announces that arrangem.ents are
in hand for forming a subsidiary company
to develop its proved coalfields in the Klaas
Billen Bay area. It has been decided to
continue the investigation of other coal-
bearing districts, and for this object a small
expedition has been sent to the islands this
spring.
NIGERIAN GEOLOGY
A STUDY OF THE ROCKS AND SURFACE DEPOSITS IN THE CENTRAL TIN-PRODUCING
DISTRICT OF THE BAUCHl PLATEAU
By J. D. FALCONER, M.A., D.Sc,
Director of the Nigerian Geological Survey
We present herewith, by permission, a brief resume
Introduction. — The area over which the
tinstone is distributed in Northern Nigeria
hes at an average elevation of 2,000 ft.
above the sea. It includes, however, the
plateau of western Bauchi, which rises to
an elevation of over 4,000 ft., is bounded on
the north, west, and south by a more or
less dissected escarpment, but on the east
slopes gently downward to the plains of
the Gongila. The richest deposits of tin-
stone have so far been found on and around
the Bauchi plateau, and the tinfields as a
whole may be subdivided into three sections :
(1) The Plateau Tinfields of Bauchi
Province.
(2) The Northern Tinfields of Bauchi,
Kano, and Zaria Provinces.
(3) The South Western Tinfields of
Nassarawa Province.
The present Bulletin deals with an area
of about 1,800 square miles, extending from
the Delime valley in the north to the margin
of the closed country in the south, and
including the northern front of the plateau
and the whole of that portion of the plateau
over which tinstone is now being won. No
account is given of the extreme southern
portion of the plateau, which is also tin-
bearing, but which is at present closed to
prospectors for political reasons.
General Geology. — An ancient crustal
complex of gneisses, schists, and gneissose
granites has been invaded by a younger
granite batholith, the higher portions fo
which have been, in course of denudation,
exposed at the surface and now appear as
a series of detached stocks, bosses, and dyke-
like masses separated from each other by
more or less extensive areas of older rocks.
Upon the plateau itself seven main outcrops
of younger granite have been recognized.
These may be termed : (1) Bukuru-Shere ;
(2) Rukuba-Buji ; (3) Vom-Ganawari ; (4)
Jarawa-Fusa ; (.5) Forum ; (6) Ropp-Dress ;
(7) Sha. The Bukuru-Shere and Jarawa-
Fusa outcrops are connected at the surface
by a number of narrow necks or bars of
granite porphyry. Otherwise the various
outcrops are entirely separated from each
other.
of Bulletin No. I of the Geological Survey of Nigeria.
The younger or " plateau granite " is
typically a medium-grained biotite granite,
pink, red, white, or yellow in colour from
the prevailing tint of the felspars. It
varies somewhat in texture, becoming in
places finer grained or coarser grained than
normal. It varies also in the amount of
biotite it contains, while in some places
ricbeckite or soda hornblende replaces biotite.
Marginally the granite tends to pass into
a granite porphyry with felspar and quartz
crystals set in a matrix of fine-grained
granite rich in biotite. At its junction with
the older rocks the granite usually becomes
fine grained and microgranitic, occasionally
micrographic or felsitic, with scattered
porphyritic crystals and knots of quartz
and pegmatite.
Associated with the granites and markmg
one of the later stages of igneous activity
is a series of basic and acid dyke rocks.
The basic types are mainly fine-grained
basalts and dolerites, which, while most
abundant outside of and on the margins of
the granites, are also found in the interiors
of the outcrops. The acid types include many
varieties of felsite and quartz-porphyry.
After consolidation the younger granite
was much broken and fissured. Along some
of the fissure lines movement took place and
gave rise to definite crush structures. More
generally, however, the fissures formed lines
of egress for vapours and solutions from the
igneous focus, with the result that in places
the granite suffered considerable alteration
and mineralization along and in the neigh-
bourhood of the fissure lines. The alteration
was mainly in the direction of greisenization
and silicification with addition of topaz
and tinstone.
The older rocks which the younger granite
invaded are of many and varied types.
There would appear to have been originally
occupying the site of the plateau a series
of mctamorphic rocks of mixed sedimentary
and igneous origin into which two types
of gneissose granite were injected. No
mineralization accompanied these earlier
intrusions, and no metamorphism of the
older rocks took place as the result of the
331
r!rt2
Till' MININC. MAC.A/INI':
injection into thoni of the younger granite.
In places, however, the older rocks were
altered by pneumatolytic action in the same
way as the younger granite.
After the close of igneous acti\-ily long ages
of denudation supervened, during which the
older rocks were attacked and worn away
and the upper surface of tlie younger granite
batholitli gradually exposed. The covering
of older rocks has not yet been entirely
removed, with the result that considerable
stretches of the older series still separate
the various granite outcrops, while in places
detached masses of older rock can be seen
still adhering to the surface of the granite.
The upper surface of the batholitli was
probably highly irregular and the major
irregularities on the surface of the plateau
prol')ably represent much reduced fangs
of the younger granite which originally
projected upward from the general surface
of the batholith into the overlying rocks.
\Miere the covering of older rocks has been
completely removed, a considerable portion
of the superficial layer of the granite outcrops
has also disappeared. It is believed that this
upper layer of granite and, doubtless, also
the older rocks immediately overlying were
in places highly mineralized, indication of
such mineralization being still apparent in
the granites. In the course of denudation,
and before the elevation of the plateau,
the tinstone from the minerahzed areas
became gradually concentrated in stream
channels on and around the granite outcrops,
and possibly as the result of crustal warping
and consequent drainage changes, became
buried beneath a scries of alluvial, eluvial,
and volcanic accumulation, for which the
name of Fluvio- Volcanic Series is suggested,
as descriptive of their most typical develop-
ment. With the elevation of the plateau,
probably in Mio-Pliocene times, the whole
surface was subjected to renewed erosion.
New drainage lines were established on the
plateau and the older superficial deposits
in great part removed, while their tinstone
content was rearranged along the floors of
the present valleys. There still remain,
however, considerable areas of the older
Fluvio-Volcanic Series, mainly along certain
primary and secondary watersheds, forming
narrow stretches of high plateau or
picturesque groups of flat-topped hills.
At some time during the recent period of
erosion volcanic activity again broke out,
with the result that large areas of the plateau
were flooded with basaltic lava, which not
only liiled the valleys and covered up the
tin-bearing di'posits on their floors, but
doubtless also obscured many ])artially
eroded portions of the earlier Fluvio-
Volcanic Series.
Origin of thk Tin stone. — Throughout the
areas surveyed, tinstone has nowhere been
fovmd disseminated through the plateau
granite as a ])rimary constituent. That it
may occur locally as such is, however,
probable from the fact that at Forum River
tinstone occurs in the (piartz knots of a
marginal granophyre. This implies that
small quantities of tin were present in the
original magma, and that during the con-
solidation of the outer layer it was segregated
along with the residual silica into miarolitic
or crystallization cavities in the marginal
granite. Incomplete segregation would result
in the dissemination of small crystals of
tinstone through the granite. A similar
process may have been operative during the
consolidation of the interior of the batholith.
So far as can be judged, however, from the
area surveyed, this would appear to have
been only a minor source of the tinstone of
the plateau tinficlds. There is little doubt
that the greater part of the tinstone is of
pneumatolytic origin, and was originally
contained in lodes and veins and in
mineralized streaks and patches in the
outer shell of the batholith and in the older
rocks immediately overlying. There is some
evidence for the assumption that a highly
mineralized belt 4 or 5 miles in width
formerly extended from north to south across
the Bukuru-Shere massif from the neigh-
bourhood of Jos to the vicinity of Kuru.
Throughout this belt there are abundant
quartz leaders and veins, and streaks and
patches of altered granite frequently carrying
tinstone. Loose sub-angular fragments of
lode tin of considerable size and weight
are frequently found in the surface wash,
while the richest alluvial deposits of the
Bukuru-Shere massif occur on cither side
of this belt, which appears to have shed
tinstone both to the east and to the west.
Throughout the belt alteration and
mineralization appear to have followed
indifferently joints, fissures, and other hues
of weakness running north and south, east
and west, and in intermediate directions.
A somewhat similar, but less extensive
mineralized belt runs north and south
through the Ropp massif in the neigh-
bourhood of the Dome. Veins and stringers
of cassiterite quartz occur in the older rocks
JUNE, 1921
333
Sha Hills
•^ Hill
BAUCHI PLATEAU TINFIELDS
Motor Poa d 3
Railway
2 3*56
Scale of ^'les
33i
1111. .MINIM. M.U,.\/.1M':
must liiquiiuly ill the lU'ii^lihouihood of thc
granitc maif^ins, Init sonutiims at a con-
siikialilo distaiur from tlii'iii. On the
liypotlusis that the yourifjtr graniti' may
evirvwhi'io iindoilio tlio oldi r sorics, wluic
only the latter appears at the surface, there
is ever}' probability that the gneisses and
schists may in places be highly mineralized.
The attempts which have hitherto been
made to open up known occurrences of
tinstone in the granites and gneisses have
proved unsuccessful, but careful prospecting
may j'ct reveal workable lodes, pipes, or
stockworks within the rocks of the plateau.
The minerals which have been founil in
place in existing veins and altered rock
include, besides tinstone, topaz and
spccularitc, which are widely distrihutid,
wolframite around Bukuru, near the Dome
in the Ropp group, and on the Gwini River
in Rukuba, pyrite and chalcopyrite near
Jos, galena near Jos and at South Ropp,
arsenopyritc on the Jarawa River, and
molvbdenite near Jos and in the Jarawa Hills.
Fluor-spar occurs very sparingly in two
localities near Jos, but' it is an almost
constant accessory mineral of the granite
in microscopic crystals. The large crystals
of tinstone and topaz with one perfect
termination, which are frequently found in
the surface wash, have probably been dis-
integrated from vughs in veins and lodes
which have now been removed by
denudation. Topaz and mica are the only
minerals which have been formed by
pneumatolytic action. The complete absence
of tourmaline from the younger granite and
its pneumatolytic products points to a
general deficiency of boron in the original
magma, its place having been taken by
fluorine, which gave origin to the fluo-
silicate, topaz, in place of the boro-silicatc,
tourmaline. Tourmaline pegmatites, how-
ever, are commonly associated with the older
rocks, but on the plateau they have not yet
been found to be stanniferous.
Fluvio- Volcanic Series. — From the date
of the granite intrusion to late Tertiary
times there is no evidence of recrudescence
of activity in the igneous focus. As the
result, however, of long ages of denudation,
the cover of older rocks was largely removed
and the underlying granite partially exposed.
The earlier stages in this process of denuda-
tion can no longer be traced. It is probable
that there were in the past repeated oscilla-
tions of the crustal surface, repeated variations
in the rapidity of denudation, and many
alternations of pi i io Is of erosion and periods
of accimiuhitidii. During the periods of
erosion the tinsione ilisintegrated from the
granites and gneisses was accumulated in the
liver beds and stream channels, while during
till' periods of accumulation the valleys were
inlilled with gritty and earthy wash to such
an extent that on the renewal of erosion
the rivers frequently formed for themselves
new channels over the surface of the land.
Owing to the recent elevation of the plateau
the present is naturally a period of erosion,
but traces of one of the more recent periods
of accumulation still remain in the h'hu'io-
X'olcanic Series of the plateau.
It is presumed that during the period of
crustal instability which preceded the
elevation of the plateau, the transporting
power of the rivers was reduced, probably
through surface warping, and conditions
became favourable for the accumulation
of detritus over the site of the plateau. The
ancient valleys with tinstone along the stream
lines were inlilled with river and rain-wash
and volcanic material, and the minor
irregularities of the surface obliterated by
a mantle, of debris (the Fluvio-Volcanic
Series), which may have reached in places
a thickness of 200 ft.
The constitution of the mantle is very
variable. Its predominant constituent is
a red gritty earth, varying much in the
proportions of angular quartz and earthy
material. It may be white, yellow, purple,
en- brown in colour, and streaked, banded,
or mottled according to the amount and
distribution of the iron oxide. As a rule
the colouring becomes more intense towards
the summit of the scries. Concretionary
knots and bands and lenticles of clay iron-
stone are common, and the more gritty bands
are often compacted with a ferruginous
cement. These gritty earths probably repre-
sent decomposed granitic and gneissic wash,
possibly mixed with some volcanic material;
their content in iron being due in part to the
decomposition of ferruginous and ferro-
magnesian minerals originally enclosed in the
wash, and in part to the precipitation of
iron oxide from ferruginous solutions cir-
culating at a later date through the wash
under conditions somewhat different from
those existing during the period of
accumulation.
Associated with these gritty earths are
beds of fine grained, compact, kaolin clays,
white, pink, or lilac in colour, breaking with
a conchoidal fracture, and containing
JUNE, 1921
335
occasional knots of quartz. These probably
represent original accumulations of fels-
pathic mud in pools of standing water in
areas of uncertain drainage.
Also associated with these gritty earths
are beds of soft yellow, blue, red, purple, or
mottled earths of a peculiar fariniform
texture, homogeneous throughout, entirely
free from quartz, breaking v/ith an even
fracture and occasionally showing traces of
a spheroidal structure. Sometimes, as in
Kwi Hill they present a vesicular character
with the vesicles arranged irregularly or in
parallel series. Microscopic investigation
has shown that these represent thin beds
of entirely decomposed basaltic or doleritic
lava, which flowed over water-logged plains
during the period of uncertain drainage,
and were covered up by further
accumulations of rain and stream wash
and rapidly decomposed. The alkalis, lime,
magnesia, and iron appear to have been
largely leached out of these earlier basalts,
leaving pseudomorphs of felspar in
amorphous hydrated silicate of alumina.
Small quantities of gibbsite or hydrated oxide
of alumina are occasionally present, especially
in the vesicles, and Dr. Morrow Campbell has
figured a decomposed dolerite from Monguna,
in which the replacing material is mainly
gibbsite.
With the basaltic earths are associated
reddish earths of similar texture, but showing
traces of a brecciated structure and con-
taining a small amount of angular quartz.
These are probably beds of much decomposed
volcanic ash, the quartz having been an
original constituent torn from the walls
of the volcanic pipes. The foci from which
this material and the associated lavas were
emitted are naturally difficult to locate, but it
is possible that some of the isolated pipes
or plugs of basalt which are found throughout
the western gneissic area may represent
these older vents.
In this connexion it is interesting to note
the occurrence and contents of what appears
to have been an ancient volcanic pipe,
discovered in the course of drilling operations
on the Lower Gona. All traces of the
pipe and of its accompanying volcanic
accumulation liave been removed from the
surface, which is now covered to a depth of
90 to 130 ft. with recent alluvial deposits.
In the pipe itself the uppermost 320 ft.
consist of the usual sands and clays, but from
320 to 350 ft., the limit of the bore-hole, the
pipe is filled with fragments of both vesicular
and compact basaltic lava in a matrix of
basaltic debris mingled with angular quartz
grains and fragments of granite and gneiss.
If material of this kind had been originally
spread out on the surface and then weathered
and decomposed, the result would have been
a gritty brecciated earth very similar to that
described above.
This mantle of gritty earths, clays, and
volcanic material would naturally cover up
the earlier stream-beds with their
accumulations of tin-bearing wash, as well
as the earlier detrital deposits on the slopes
of the buried valleys. The general aspect
of the country at the close of the period of
accumulation would be very similar to that
of the plains of Zaria at the present day,
with occasional knobs, hummocks, kopjes,
and groups of hills projecting from the
general level, while the solid rocks below
their mantle of water-logged debris would
themselves be decomposed and whitened
or kaolinized to irregular depths. On the
higher portions of the surface, and wherever
free oxygen could penetrate, iron oxide would
be precipitated above the ground water
level.
There followed the elevation of the plateau
and the consequent renewal of erosion. New
drainage lines were established and the
mantle of debris rapidly removed from large
areas of the underlying irregular surface.
Remnants of the Fluvio- Volcanic Series
now occur mainly along primary and
secondary watersheds as narrow scarped
plateaus or rows and groups of flat-topped
and pyramidal hills.
One result of the elevation of the plateau
and of the renewal of erosion was the freer
circulation of the oxygenated waters through
the earthy mantle and the consequent
abundant precipitation of iron oxide as the
level of the ground water gradually fell.
With this is to be correlated the deeper
staining and the greater coritent in iron
of the upper portion of those relics of the
Fluvio-Volcanic Series which still survive.
The caps of lateritic ironstone, which are
characteristic of the residual hills, and which
have been largely instrumental in their
preservation, represent certain portions of
the original surface of elevation or of a later
degradation level which were marked by
the excessive deposition of iron in the subsoil.
To this result many causes may have con-
tributed, such as the local enrichment in
iron of the ground water, the influence of
bacteria in the soil, and of capillarity and
336
THE MINIXC. MAGAZIXIC
evaporation (Uirinjj; thr dry season, as will
as the local issue of ferruginous springs on
gentle slopes and valley floors. To the
last is probably due the formation of the
laminated clay ironstone, which sometinu'S
occurs on the" summits of the hills, and in
which impressions of leaves arc occasionally
found. Often the ferruginous cap is simply
brecciated ironstone, composed of the re-
cemented detritus of some earlier ferruginous
deposit which formerly existed in the vicinity.
Those ironstone caps which exhibit a porous
vesicular-, and sometimes pisolitic haljit
arc the enriched and hardened detrital
surfaces of the red and white mottled grits
and volcanic earths which so frt(|uintly
which had foinurh- aicuinuiate<l along tiie
ri\-er liTies and on the valley slopes. I It
follows that underneath the existing remnants
of the Muvio-Voleanic Series there may occur
buried river channels or detrital deposits
rich in ore. As an example may be cited the
occurrence of tin-bearing wash in Kwi Hill,
a flat-topped pyramidal hill situated to the
south of Kuru. The hill is composed of a
thick (100 ft.) bed of volcanic earth or clay,
representing a decomposed basaltic lava,
set on a basement of gneissose granite with
large parallel porphyritic felspars. The
clay is white, yellow, or purple in colour,
often striated at various angles, becoming
\-esicular towards the top, and covered with
^^■^v
Kwi Hill
A RELIC OF THE FlUVIO-VOICANIC SeRIES ON A
BASENrENT OF OLDER GRANITE.
form the subsoil. The original motthng is
due in part to the irregular deposition of
iron, in part to the reducing action of
decaying rootlets in the subsoil. On exposure
the uncemented material is w'ashed out, and
the iron rearranged and compacted by local
solution and redeposition and enriched by
further capillary activity to form the
characteristic scoriaceous cap. WTiere the
deposition of iron is accompanied by that of
alumina, the resulting cap may approach
a true secondary laterite in composition.
The main economic interest of the Fluvio-
Volcanic Series lies in the fact that the com-
ponent grits, earths, and clays have covered
up an old land surface, and with it the
alluvial and the detrital tin-bearing deposits
Head of a recbkt tribiiary creek of the Werran River.
WITH a relic of the FhvioVolcasic Series on the water-
shed IN the background.
a gritty ferruginous cap, underneath which
the clay is veined, streaked, and knotted
with iron ore. Beneath the volcanic earth
is a gritty kaolin clay, which on the northern
front overlies a deposit of tin-bearing wash
much cemented with iron. This deposit
had an extension of about 80 ft. into the
hill, beyond which it became unpayable.
The Fluvio-Volcanic Series is thus w-orthy
of careful prospecting for buried alluvial
and detrital deposits. Its remnants can
frequently be recognized as flat-topped hills
or narrow plateaus, provided with caps
of gritty lateritic ironstone. Where, however,
the removal of the Series has been almost
completed, relics of the same may be found
JUNE, 1921
337
on secondary watersheds where no flat-topped
hills occur to mark the spot. In their place
may be simply rounded ridges or gentle
slopes on which the base of the Fluvio-
Volcanic Scries is represented by a thin
cover of sandy wash and broken ironstone.
Recent Volcanic Rocks. — During the
period of erosion which followed the elevation
of the plateau the ancient surface was largely
destroyed and the present topography
gradually evolved. The drainage system was
rearranged, the present river valleys
developed, and the tinstone content of the
earlier superficial accumulations recon-
centrated along the existing stream lines.
This period of erosion was not, however,
and adhering to the scarped slopes over which
it flowed. It follows that underneath the
recent basalts there are buried river valleys
and sti'cam channels of varying age, doubt-
less in some cases carrying rich deposits
of tin-bearing wash.
Many foci, large and small, appear to have
existed on the plateau, the smaller ones being
of the nature of plugs from which little or
no lava was emitted. The flows are always
witliout porphyritic crystals of augite and
olivine. Of the larger foci in the southern
section of the areas mapped, one forms
a prominent elevation on the principal water-
shed of the plateau to the south of the Ropp
HiUs. The lava of the focus is in places
Columnar B.\sai.t in the Dum River.
entirely continuous, one of the most
important interruptions being caused by the
renewed outbreak of volcanic activity on
the surface of the plateau, with the result
that large areas were flooded with basaltic
lava. The lava not only covered up con-
siderable tracts of country, from which the
Fluvio-Volcanic Series had been entirely
removed, diverting the rivers and streams
from their established channels and burying
the recent irregular surface of erosion, but
it also mantled considerable areas from which
the Fluvio-Volcanic Series had been only
partially removed, with the result that it is
now found in places wrapping round the
bases of residual flat-topped and rounded
hills, and in others capping the relic plateaus
very vesicular and encloses numerous
fragments of granite and gneiss. The
adjoining flow has not only covered up and
protected a considerable area of the Fluvio-
Volcanic Series on the watershed, but has
also descended over the northern escarp-
ment into the valley of the South Ropp River.
Another important foci is that of Kassa
on the Ropp road, about half-way between
Bukuru and Ropp. The focus itself consists
of a small group of rounded hills, but the
lava from it flooded the whole country
between the Kassa River and Kwi Hill, and
sent a long tongue eastward towards Lafon,
and another westward into the valley of the
Kuru River, where, owing to recent erosion,
only scattered patches of basalt now remain.
338
IW. MlXIXn MAGAZINE
The economic interest of tin- niont
volcanic scries lies in the fact Ihal Ihw lavas
have covered up an ancient land surface with
its river valleys and stream channels, and
its renmants of earlier superficial
accumulations, all of which may at times
carry ancient leads of tin-bearing wash.
Prospecting for such deposits is, however,
naturally costly and difficult, and little
progress can yet be recorded.
Alluvi.\l Deposits. — The progressive
degradation of the surface consequent upon
the elevation of the plateau can be clearly
traced in the varied alluvial deposits of the
existing valleys in those regions where
recent volcanic accumulations are absent.
During the early stages in the dissection of
the plateau edge many creeks and gorges
must have existed, from which, for various
reasons, the streams were diverted at a later
date.
Where quartz leaders or mineralized rock-
carrying tinstone outcrop at the surface,
sharp angular tinstone is found everywhere
in the surface wash. On the other hand,
when through the progress of denudation
ancient terraces have been entirely removed
from the slopes of a valley or when older
alluvial deposits on watersheds have again
come within the cycle of erosion, the surface
wash of the valley slopes may carry rounded
tinstone in greater or less abundance. Ou
the northern front of the plateau well worn
particles of tinstone may be found on
bare disintegrating granite surfaces, and in
the angular wash at their base. With the
tinstone are associated occasional water-
worn pebbles of topaz and white quartz, all
of which are relics of ancient alluvial deposits.
With the exception of the sharp angular
tinstone, which is still being shed from local
sources at the present day, the greater part
of the tinstone of the plateau tintields would
appear to have been detached and dis-
integrated from the original veins and lodes
and mineralized streaks in the granite and
the older rocks at a very early period and to
have had a long and complicated alluvial
history, of which only some of the -atest
stages can be traced to-day. In the oldest
recognizable deposits of the Fluvio-Volcanic
Series, which are generally also the highest,
the tinstone is already well rolled and water-
worn, and there can be little doubt that these
ancient high-level deposits have been the
proximate source of the greater part of the
tinstone now distributed throughout the
lower alluvial accumulations.
The bulk of the tinstone of the plateau
tintields is black in colour, but ruby and grey
tin arc both common, the latter being some-
times almost white. Small quantitiis of
wood tin are found in places. A semi-
translucent resin tin occurs at Forum River,
and a somewhat similar variety at Rutin
Sainyi on the Ngel River. Ulack tinstone
with a black streak, and in small particles
attracted by the electromagnet, occurs neai
Amo. When in well-formed crystals the
tinstone occurs mainly in short square
prismatic forms, frequently showing the
characteristic twinning. No pseudomorphs
in tinstone after felspar or quartz have been
detinitely recognized. The minerals most
commonly associated with the tinstone in
the alluvial deposits are topaz, ilmenite,
magnetite, rutile, zircon, monazite, garnet, I
and more rarely columbite, wolframite, I
corundum, and gold.
The alluvial deposits of the plateau tin-
tields, all of which in places carry tinstone,
may be classified as follows : —
(1) Deposits unrelated to the present
drainage system.
(a) Deposits of the Fluvio - Volcanic
Series.
{b) Deposits preserved underneath recent
lavas.
(2) Deposits related to the present
drainage system.
(a) Low terrace deposits with bedrock
on the same level as the present stream
bed.
(b) High terrace deposits with bedrock
above flood level of the present stream.
(c) Valley flat deposits with bedrock
below the level of the present stream.
(d) Stream bed deposits in hollows and
pockets of rocky channels.
{e) Eluvial or detrital deposits.
So varied are the types of stanniferous
deposits upon the plateau, and so complex
has been the history of the present surface,
that almost every square yard deserves
prospecting to bedrock. Rich alluvial
deposits may occur not only in the present
stream beds and banks, but also on the water-
sheds, on the valley slopes, in buried channels,
and in ancient river beds, to which the present
topography may afford no clue, while surfaces
of bare rock may exhibit areas of primary
alteration and mineralization, which, if
unremunerative in themselves, may yet
indicate the presence of valuable secondary
deposits in the vicinity.
THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY OF INDIA
By J. COGGIN BROWN, O.B.E., D.Sc, M.Inst.M.M., F.G.S.,
Officiating Superintendent, Geological Survey of India.
This article is written with the permission of the Director, Geological Survey of India.
Introduction. — In this article an attempt
is made to give a connected account of the
development of the iron and steel industry in
India. The first part is mainly historical and
deals with indigenous methods. It is
followed by brief notices of the early attempts
to introduce modern methods which have
culminated in the successful enterprises of
the present day ; and then by a summary of
our present knowledge regarding the iron ore
resources of India and their relations to its
coal reserves. A very extensive literature has
grown around the subject, and the following
notes are a compilation from the more
important papers, published under official
auspices and by private workers. It is hoped
that such a review will help towards a better
appreciation of the promising outlook for the
future of the Indian iron and steel industry.
The writer is indebted to the authors he has
quoted, especially to those whose papers
appear in the Records of the Geological
Survey of India, and also to the Tata Iron
& Steel Co., Ltd., and the Bengal Iron Co.,
Ltd., who have kindly revised the portions
dealin? with their works.
The appro.ximate date of the introduction
of iron into India, or of its first manufacture
in the country, is not known. At the time of
Alexander's invasion (326 B.C.) the armed
nations of Northcria India were as familiar
with the use of iron and steel as the Greeks
themselves. Quintus Curtius mentions that
the chiefs of the Punjab presented Alexander
with 100 talents of steel. Archaeologists who
have studied the prehistoric remains of
Northern India believe that the Iron Age may
well go back to 1500 or even 2000 B.C. there.
The antiquity of the knowledge of iron
metallurgy in India may be judged from the
rusted implements found in the urn burials of
an early period ; from the famous pillar at
the Kutab near Delhi ; from the forged iron
bars of the temples of Orissa ; from the
hammered door panels of ancient shrines and
tombs ; and from the superb collections of
arms preserved by the princes and nobles.
Burma is noted for the iron ornaments and
balustrades of its pagodas, while the engrav-
ing and carving of iron and steel in such
6—1 339
articles as armour, weapons, shields, and
caskets has been carried on from time
immemorial. The pillar at Delhi weighs over
6 tons, is of solid wrought iron of an excellent
type, 23 ft. 8 in. in height, 16| in. in diameter
at its base, and 12 in. just below the capital.
It is sunk into the ground for 20 in., and there
expands into a bulbous form, 2 ft. 4 in. in
diameter, resting on a grid of iron bars
fastened with lead into a stone pavement.
Incised on the pillar is a Sanscrit poem, con-
stituting the epitaph of the Gupta king
Chandragupta II, composed in or about
A.D. 415. This iron pillar is not unique.
There is another, in fragments, which was
apparently nearly twice the height of the one
just described, at Dhar in Central India.
But while the Dhar column bears a Persian
inscription of Akbar, incised in a.d. 1591-2,
there is no original record on it, placed there
when it was set up.
The manufacture of " wootz ", or Indian
steel, anticipated the cementation process by
many centuries, and some authorities believe
that it was exported to the west long before
the Christian era. There seems little doubt
that it was from Indian crucible-steel that
the celebrated Damascus sword-blades were
made, and these had long enjoyed their
reputation for flexibility, strength, and
beauty before it was recognized that the alloy
from which they were fashioned was pro-
duced in obscure Indian villages, whence it
was obtained by Persian traders.
Further information on this subject will be
found in the Imperial Gazetteer of India,
vol. ii, pp. 25 and 98 ; and in The Com-
mercial Products of India, by Sir George
Watt, p. 692.
The Indigenous Industry. — For in-
formation under this heading reference may
be made to the following publications : —
(1) V. Ball, Geology of India, pt. iii, 1881, pp.
335-416.
(2) Sir G. Watt, Dictionarv of the Economic
Products of India, vol. iv, 1890; pp. 499-520.
(3) Sir T. H. Holland, Iron Industries of the
Southern Districts, Madras Presidency, 1893,
pp. 1-24.
(4) Sir T. H. Holland and L. L. Fermor,
Quinquennial Reviews of Mineral Production in
India.
340
Till. MIXIXC, MACAZIN'K
(5) T. H. P. La Touchc, Aniiotali-il Iiultx of liiJiun
Minerals of Economic Value. 1918, pp. 231 81.
(6) Numerous papers in the Journal of Ihe Iron
and Slecl Inslilute, etc.
Until it almost succumbed in com-
paratively recent times under the competition
of imported metal, the indigenous Indian
iron industr\' was both widespread and
prosperous, capable of meeting all the
internal demands of tlic country. There is
hardly a single district in India from the
extreme south to the Himalayas, or from
Baluchistan to the Shan States of Burma,
with the exception of the great alluvial plains
of the Indus, Ganges, Brahmaputra, and
Irrawaddy, where heaps of old iron slags have
not been found. Iron ores of high enough
grade and in large enough quantities to meet
the small requirements of the primitive
smelter occur in most of the geological groups,
though it by no means follows that all of
them are worth consideration from the
modern point of view.
Quartz schists carrying magnetite and
hematite are verj' prevalent among the
crystalline rocks of peninsular India. In the
\'indh\"an . formations iron compounds arc
disseminated through immense thicknesses of
beds giving rise to the red and brown tints
characterizing these rocks.
The ironstone shales of the Gondwana
system, in the Damuda Valley, take their
name from the limonitic and sideritic ores
they contain. Other divisions of the same
system elsewhere carry segregations and thin
bands of iron ore, utilized in the past by the
native smelters. The nodules of ironstone
wliich occur in the Cretaceous rocks of the
Trichinopoly district were at one time
collected and smelted by the local in-
habitants. The rivers draining the Dcccan
Trap not infrequently deposit magnetite
sands derived from these basic rocks.
Ferruginous laterites are exceedingly common
and their basal la^'ers often form easily
worked brown hematites. Such ores have
been reduced on a small scale over the whole
of India. The Indian smelters in the
Himalayan region found their ores in both the
Tertiary and the crystalline rocks. On the
Shan plateau of Upper Burma residual iron
ores occur in the red earth which forms a
mantle over a great part of the country, and
as gossans to certain veins. But the only
deposits which have proved large enough for
the requirements of the modern blast-furnace
are those of the peninsular Dharwar rocks,
though the concretions from the ironstone
shales of the Raniganj coalfuld wwv usid for
some years befori' being fmally abaniloned.
The ancestral Indian iron-maker, however,
drew his supplies from any of the formations
mentioned, breaking up the quartz-iron ore
schists and concentrating his product by
winnowing it in the wind, or washing it in
a stream ; ]5icking out the richer bits from
the ferruginous laterites, or the rusty cement
from the ancient sandstones ; or panning tiic
sands of the river beds. The Khasias, a hill
tribe in Assam, used to obtain their iron ore
by the sj'stematic ground sluicing of decom-
posed granite and gneiss.
In spite of the competition of imported iron
goods and of the gradual diminution of the
available charcoal fuel, the manufacture of
iron by the old, small-scale method still
persists in i.solatcd parts of India. In I'.H.'J
there were furnaces working in a few districts
of Bihar and Orissa, the Santal I'arganas,
Monghyr and Sambalpur ; in the Kumaun
Himalayas ; in Mysore ; in the districts of
Malabar, Salem, and Trichinopoly of Madras ;
in H\'dcrabad ; and in some of the States of
Central India. The industry shows signs of
greater activity in the Central Provinces than
elsewhere, but even there signs of an
approaching end are apparent. In 1909 there
were 510 small Indian blast-furnaces in
operation, but by 1919 the number had fallen
to 159. The average annual production of
iron for the five years ending 1909 was 557
tons for the whole of the Central Provinces,
but no returns are available for later periods.
The principles of iron smelting as carried
out by the natives of India are practically the
same in all parts of the country, though the
dimensions of the furnace and the construc-
tion of the blast-producing apparatus vary
from place to place. Descriptions of the
furnaces have been given by many writers,,
including Dr. Percy in his Metallurgy of Iron
and Steel (1864). A useful bibliography has
been compiled by Sir Robert Hadfield which
brings the list of references to comparatively
recent times (see Joiirn. Iron and Steel Inst..
vol. Lxxv, 1912, pp. 170-2). The latest paper
on the subject is one by Dr. A. McWilliam,
who gives an account of aboriginal methods
which are still being carried on almost under
the shadow of the Tata Iron & Steel Works
(see Joiirn. Iron and Steel Inst., vol. cii, 1920,
pp. 160-70).
In the early part of the eighteenth century
the industry attained a comparative!}' high
stage of development in the western parts of
the Birbhum district of Bengal. The furnaces.
JUNE, li)2l
341
ivTAP of i:ndi^
Showina ApproKimate Posibons or CerLam Mineral Deanna Areas
are stated by contemporary writers to have
been capable of turning out about 35 tons of
iron per annum each, which, contrary to the
usual practice, was tapped in a molten con-
dition and then refined by a second process
resembling puddling. In Malabar, too, at
a later period, furnaces up to 10 ft. in height
were common. Built from a mixture of red
clay and sand, and held together in a stout
wooden frame, they were fitted with two
platforms in front to support the four goat-
skin bellows arranged in pairs, and at the
back with a pit into which the molten slag
trickled from a slag-hole. In this type a
bloom of iron weighing about 5 cwt. was
produced in from 48 to 60 hours.
As a general rule, however, the furnaces are
much smaller than these, heights of 3 or 4 ft.
being common. They are built of clay or of
sun-dried bricks, and are conical in form. In
front, near the bottom, there is an opening
which is stopped with clay while the blast is
on, and through which the bloom is removed
at the end of the operation. Clay tuyeres are
inserted near the base and convey the blast
from two skin or leather bellows, worked
alternately to keep up a continuous stream of
air. A few variations from this gcnera:l type
may be briefly mentioned. Thus the furnace
of the Narsinghpur district of the Central
Provinces was built across the centre of an
oblong pit dug in the ground. Its hearth was
made of stone work, and the blast, from
bellows of concertina form, was conducted
through iron pipes. It is recorded that a
suspension bridge was built in 1830 across the
312
nil-. MIM.NU MAcAZlNi:
Bias River, from iron whidi IkuI been jiro-
diiccii in furnaces at 'fendiiklietla in tins
district. Tlu' Maiiipur furnaces liaii their
tuyeres inserted at tlie ixiclc, while in front,
and opposite to them, was a semicircular
opening some 9 in. across through which the
products of combustion passed. The upper
part of the furnace was only used for feeding
in the ore. Remains of furnaces have been
found in Upper Burma in banks of firm
alluvial clay. They appear to have been used
in making iron without the aid of an artificial
blast. In Kathiawar the furnaces were of a
very unusual shape, being rectangular in
section and constructed of brickwork lined
with clay. A chimney was built into one end,
and close to the opposite extremity were two
holes. Through one of these the blast
entered, and bj' the other the slag was
removed. A few workers still remain in the
isolated parts of the Himalaya Mountains,
but their " bloomeries " arc much the same as
those of the plains. The bellows differed
vastly in size and shape in various parts of
the country, but were nearly always made of
goat or bullock skins, worked either by the
hands or by the feet. Indians do not seem
to have evolved a mechanical blower such as
that used by the ancestral Chinese in their
metallurgical operations.
As a rule, only the softer varieties of ore
are smelted, and it is the custom to clean and
concentrate them before they go to the
furnace. The fuel employed is charcoal, and,
with the exception of the Waziris who utilized
nummulitic limestone for the purpose, no flux
is used. When the furnace has been brought
to a sufficiently high temperature the ore is
sprinkled in at the top, in small quantities at
frequent intervals, and alternately with
sufficient charcoal to keep the furnace nearly
full. From time to time during the blast,
which lasts several hours, the slag is removed
through a hole which is then plugged up
again. At the end of the operation the blast
is stopped, the front orifice opened, and the
bloom removed. It is refined by re-heating
and hammering, often repeated more than
once, as the temperature is seldom high
enough to cause the liquefaction of the charge.
Sometimes the refining is done by the smelters,
but more usually they cut the bloom almost
in two halves, to display the quality of the
metal to the buyer, and sell it in that state,
when the further purification is carried out by
others. The consumption of charcoal in the
Indian process is very high in proportion to
the amount of iron obtained, but the metal,
by reason of its purity and malliabilit\', has
always been held in great esteem by Indian
blacksinilhs. who use it for the manufacture
of all kintls of agricultural and domestic
implements such as spades, hoes, jilougli-
shares, sickles, hooks, axes, spoons, and pans,
l-'or these purposes it is preferred to foreign-
made iron, when it can be obtained readily.
At some localities in the Jubhulpore <listrict
of the Central Provinces a manganiferous
hematite is smelted and a steely iron known
as " klieri " made. This is in demand in the
surrounding regions, and is welded by the
blacksmiths on to the ordinary country-made
soft iron to form the edges of knives, scythes,
and ploughshares, the striking faces of
hammers, and the heads of anvils.
The " lobar " or " agaria ", as the native
smelter is called, belongs to the lowest ranks
of the proletariat, and although the metal
which he makes is sold at a comparatively
high price, the bulk of the profit is said to go
to the traders through whose hands it passes.
On the whole his processess are very in-
efficient, and the iron turned out bears but
a poor relation to the material, labour, and
time expended. The " lobar " flourishes
longest in the most inaccessible parts of the
country, where there is an abundance of
timber and an absence of restrictions against
its destruction, and where there are difficulties
in the way of distributing European iron and
steel. Yet the readiness with which foreign
articles are obtainable even in the remotest
bazaars, and the tempting wages which may
be earned elsewhere, owing to the general
industrial progress of the country, combine to
encourage the iron-makers to desert their
hereditary occupation.
Indi.w Crucible Steel. — Steel is made
by the inhabitants of South India either
by the carburization of wrought iron in
crucibles, or by the decarburization of cast
iron. The former product alone is the true
" wootz ". The following descriptions of the
two processes have been given by Sir T. H.
Holland. In the Trichinopoly district the
crucibles are made of a mi.xture of ferruginous
clay with charred rice-husk and are about
6 in. in height and 3 in. in diameter. They
are charged with pieces of wrought iron,
together with 4 or 5% of its weight of wood of
the " .\varam " tree (a species of Cassia), and
with leaves of certain shrubs, and then tightly
sealed with clay. Twenty-five crucibles are
built up into an arch in a furnace fitted with
a tuyere connected to a bellows. After about
two hours continuous blast the twelve central
JUNE, 1921
343
crucibles are removed, having been subjected
to a greater heat than those around the sides.
By this time the iron is well fused and
carburized. The crucibles which are taken
out are replaced by fresh ones, previously
raised to a high temperature by having been
placed on the surface of the arch during the
blast, and the process is continued. The
charcoal fuel is fed in from below. The
finished ingot retains the shape of the bottom
of the crucible.
In the Salem district, during the manu-
facture of wrought iron, certain easily fusible
beads of iron are produced and melted oft' as
shot. These are in reality highly carburized
particles, or cast iron, and it is from them that
the steel is made. A hole is dug in the ground
about one foot deep and one foot in diameter.
At one side a semicircular groove is cut from
the surface to the bottom of the pit. This is
separated from the rest of the excavation by
a clay partition. The bottom of the small
chamber is covered with a layer of quartz.
On this an ignited coal is placed and the
chamber filled with charcoal. A tuyere,
built in with the partition, points downwards
and receives the blast from two bellows. The
cleaned shot are thrown upon the charcoal
and the blast continued for about half an
hour, when the process of decarburization is
complete, and the tuyere and clay partition
are broken down for the removal of the steel
cake, which is cooled by sprinkling water on to
it and hammered to remove its casing of slag.
Early European Methods. — Failure
attended every early attempt to graft
European methods on to the native processes
and to manufacture iron on a large scale in
India. About the year 1825 Mr. J. M. Heath,
formerly of the Madras Civil Service, obtained
from the directors of the East India Company
an exclusive right to manufacture iron on a
large scale in that Presidency. In 1830 works
were established at Porto Novo in the South
Arcot district, with the aid of advances from
the Government, and in 1833 the business was
taken over by a Company, the works were
enlarged, and a new plant established at
Beypore on the Malabar Coast. Free mining
leases and fuel cutting rights were granted,
but in spite of these privileges the under-
taking failed. Pig iron made at these works
was sent to England and commanded a good
price for conversion into steel. A large
quantity of it is said to have been used in the
construction of the Britannia tubular and
Menai suspension bridges. In 1853 a new
association, the East India Iron Company, was
started. It also held exclusive mining rights
over several districts in Madras and erected
blast-furnaces at Trinomalai in South Arcot
and at Pulampatti in the Coimbatore district.
Operations ceased at Porto Novo in 1866, and
at Beypore and Trinomalai in 1867.
The history of the attempts made to
manufacture iron on a large scale in Bengal is
a long one, dating back to the year 1777, when
Messrs. Motte & Farquhar applied for the
exclusive privilege of smelting iron, and of
selling the metal free of duty over a large
portion of the province. On their part they
contracted to supply shot, and shell to the
East India Company at Fort William, at
four-fifths of the average cost of the same
when landed from Europe. In 1779 Mr.
Farquhar obtained an advance from the
Government to enable him to complete his
furnaces, but by 1789 he had relinquished
the speculation.
In 1852 Dr. Thomas Oldham, the first
Director of the Geological Survey of India,
reported on the iron ores of Birbhum and the
Damuda valley. The court of directors of the
East India Company had especially directed
his attention to the question of iron manu-
facture in connexion with the introduction of
railways into India. At this time about
seventy native furnaces were at work in
Birbhum alone. About the year 1855
Messrs. Mackey & Co., of Calcutta, erected
iron furnaces at Mahomed Bazaar in Birbhum
and made small quantities of pig iron of
superior quality for a number of years before
closing down. A final experiment started by
Messrs. Burn & Co. in 1875 was soon
abandoned. The Kumaun iron works at
Kaladhungi in the foothills of the Himalayas,
in the United Provinces, commenced opera-
tions in 1857, and, after many vicissitudes,
failed like all the earlier ventures. Another
attempt was made about 1862 at Barwai in
Indore, a State of Central India. A Swedish
specialist was engaged by Government, a
blast-furnace, rolling mill, and charcoal ovens
were nearly erected, and a large quantity of
ore proved, when Government abandoned
the enterprise. The Raja of Sirmur. a State
in the Punjab Himalayas, had a blast-
furnace and a foundry built in 1867, designed
for an out-turn of 75 tons per week. History
is silent regarding the progress of the under-
taking, but some time later the foundry was
converted into a sugar-cane mill !
For all these schemes charcoal was the fuel
used, or proposed to be used, and it was not
until 1875 that advantage was taken of the
:tii
TllIC M1NI\(. MM.A/IM
iMi'oKTs or Imon asu Stebl into Inmha,
UIU-1-'. 11113-U.
Tons. V'jiliic.
(.
Pig Irnn lr>,as7 fiO.lKlS
IroiMMaiuil.iclunsI) 33,HS7 28,s.r)(ki
Iron and Sti-rl (Mnnuluclurwl) . . . 4115,1103 r>,41l'J,.'i7ll
Steel (Manufactured) I(i0.722 l,i«>".2U"
Total Tliri.DS!) • (V.HI'.l.ai? l.llll.mj in.'.W.iM'i
Tons.
l.-.,.'-..17
S.'i.LI'-.'
7as,4(M
a.V).(!m
Tons.
i;.nii
ll.Tllfi
a:ii.«'.Ki
115,317
u.-)..iia
l!1l9-20.
Valui-.
£
Kt.JIll!
•J117.IM7
H,lW!l.!t71
i!.Oil),2M2
ll.y'lMiXli
Indian coal supplies. In that year two large-
scale e.xperiments were made at Warora, in
the Central Provinces, in smelting rich ore
from the Chanda district with the local coal.
(In IS.ii) Messrs. Jessop & Co., of Calcutta,
had attempted to smelt Burdwan ore with
coke on a very small scale, but the results
were inconclusive ; see V. Ball, p. 390.) The
results may be described in an observer's
words : " The hearth quickly filled with
spongy iron which would not liquefy. The
blast was intensified and more blank charges
of coal added. The temperature in the hearth
increased, and the fire-bricks, the tymp plate,
and even the bottom of the hearth, were
fusi'd ; still the iron that had settled down
was so mixed with the ashes of the coal that
it would not liquefy, and only kept
accumulating till the iron reached the top of
the tuyeres, and then a stop was put to all
further proceedings till the mass was dug out,
which was over a ton in weight." So ended
the first attempt to smelt Indian iron ore with
Indian coal.
The Barakar Iron Works Co. was formed in
1874. Two furnaces were erected at Kulti
near Barakar, each capable of producing
20 tons of pig iron per day. The ores were
clay ironstones obtained fron the surface in
the neighbourhood of the works. The lime-
stone flux was quarried from crystalline rocks
a short distance away, and the principal fuel
used was coke made from coal either from the
Karharbari field or from mines of the
Raniganj field within a few miles radius of the
works. The company came to an end in 1870
after producing some 13,000 tons of pig iron.
The chief reason for its failure is believed to
have been insufficiency of capital. In 1882
the concern was taken over by the Govern-
Tnent, and the first blast-fiirnace was re-
started in 1884. In 1889 the works were
resold by the Government to the Bengal
Iron & Steel Co., who entirely remodelled and
gradually developed them, until, with four
blast-furnaces, they have to-day a potential
output of 10,000 tons of pig iron and 1,.")00
tons of ferro-manganese per month. The
Bengal Iron & Steel Co. completed the
erection of a steel plant at Kulti in 1903.
The SieiiU'iis - Martin basic oi)eii- health
furnaces had a capacity of 20,000 tons of
steel per annum. The experiment, however,
was not successful, and the plant was closed
down Ix'fore 190.'). In 1919 the company was
reconstituted as the Bengal Iron Co., Ltd.
The successful o|)erations of the Bengal
Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., in the later stages of
its career under that constitution, mark thi'
establishment of modern iron metallurgy in
the Indian Empire on permanent foundations,
and the next step in building up the industrj'
was the inauguration of the Tata Iron &
Steel Co., Ltd.
Indi.\n Iro.n .\n'I) Steel Trade. — Before
considering its rise and development it is
advisal)Ie to glance for a moment at the iron
and steel trade in India generally. In 1912,
the year in which the blast-furnaces of the
Tata Company were completed, India's
domestic production of iron amounted to
about .50,000 tons per annum, while her
requirements of iron and steel may be gauged
from the imports in the same year, which
totalled upwards of 700,000 tons covering
a great diversity of products. In the last
twenty years there has been a very remark-
able increase in the consumption of iron and
steel in India, though the import trade
suffered a general set-back during the war.
The above table gives the quantity and
value of the heavy iron and steel imports
for the fiscal years ending March 31 in 1912,
1914, and 1920.
In this table manufactured iron includes
angles, rods, bars, channels, and bolts. The
steel manufactures include similar products,
together with ingots, blooms, billets, and
cast steel in addition. The undifferentiated
iron and steel articles comprise beams, pillars,
girders, hoops, strips, rails, chairs, sheets,
plates, wire, nails, rivets, etc. A con-
sideration of similar statistics for the quin-
quennial period 1913-18, in which allowances
are made for the domestic production, for
exports and re-exports, leads to the con-
clusion that India's consumption, during a
series of years in which her industrial
development was retarded by the war, was
in the neighbourhood of one million tons per
JUNE, 1921
345
annum. There is every reason to^believe that
this figure will show a rapid rate of increase
in the future.
Yet the articles which have just been
enumerated by no means represent India's
total imports of iron and steel goods, and
to gain a more accurate appreciation of the
true position, the more highly finished articles
such as machinery, railway plant and rolling
stock, hardware and cutlerj", have to be taken
into account. Adding the values of these to
the values of the heavy goods of the above
table, the totals become as follows : —
Total Value of Iron
years.
and Steel Materials.
Approximately.
1912
£lli,LKXl.l>IH)
1914
£27,000.U(I0
1920
£25,000,000
The manufacture and rolling of Indian steel
was successfully established about the end of
1913, after the usual preliminary difficulties,
always met with in the introduction of
complex metallurgical processes into new
countries, had been overcome. Before the
war Indian pig iron had been shipped to
Burma, the Straits Settlements, Ceylon, Java,
Manchuria, China, Japan, Australia, New
Zealand, the United States, and South
America. During the war export was pro-
hibited, and the whole output of Indian rails
from the Tata works was taken by Govern-
ment for military purposes in Mesopotamia,
East Africa, and Palestine, a portion being
even shipped as far as Salonica. Shell steel
was supplied to the Indian munition works,
and both the Tata works and the Bengal
Iron Co. made ferro-manganese on a large
scale.
The Tata Iro\ & Steel Co., Ltd. —
Jamsetji Nusservanji Tata, a member of
the priestly caste of the Parsees, who was
born in the State of Baroda in 1839, was the
first Indian to realize the possibilities of
an extensive iron and steel industry in his
native land, and he also possessed the fore-
sight to visualize the potential develop-
ments which have since come to pass. The
operations of the Bengal Iron & Steel Co.,
Ltd., had already proved beyond question
that pig iron could be made profitably in
India, and it remained for Mr. Tata to
institute the second iron-manufacturing
concern and to introduce modern steel
works and rolling mills.
The Tata Iron & Steel Co., Ltd., was
formed in 1907 with a capital of
Rs. 2,31,75,000 (£1,545,000). To-day it has
an authorized capital of Rs. 10,52,12,500
(£7,014,166), of which Rs. 3,98,04,570 are
issued. After preliminary investigations in
India, Europe, and x\merica, Mr. Tata
engaged Mr. C. P. Perin, of New York, as
his consulting engineer. The lattcr's
associate, Mr. C. M. Weld, arrived in India
in 1902, and for some years examined various
iron ore deposits, many of which had been
discovered in the first instance by the officers
of the Geological Survey of India. The
earlier work was carried out in the Central
Provinces, and large reserves of excellent
ore were proved, but the forest resources
of that region did not prove big enough
to warrant the establishment of a charcoal
iron works there. The surveys were then
continued further on towards the east, in
order to approach the coalfields of Bengal
more closely, and finally the deposits of
Gurumaishini in Mayurbhanj were chosen
as the source of the iron ores.
The works are situated at Jamshedpur
(formerly known as Sakchi), adjoining
Kalimati station on the Bengal-Nagpur
Railway. This place is 154 miles west of
Calcutta, about 115 miles from the Jherria
coal mines, 100 miles from the Hmestone
quarries, and 45 miles from the Gurumaishini
iron ore mines. The following description
of the Tata works is compiled from papers
bv Messrs. Perin, Tutwiler, and Surtees
Tuckwell. The writer is especially indebted
to the last-named for his kind assistance.
Construction commenced in 1908, and the
Sakchi jungle was rapidly transformed into
a town, which now promises to become the
centre of one of the leading industrial regions
of Asia.
The two original blast-furnaces of the
company, each 77 ft. high and 19 ft. in
diameter, with a capacity of 200 tons of
pig iron per day, were blown-in in November,
1911, and September, 1912, respectively.
Each furnace is equipped with up-to-date
charging apparatus and four Cooper-Kennedy
stoves. These two furnaces have since been
enlarged to turn out 280 tons per day each.
The shortage of ferro-manganese in India
during the war led to the rapid erection of
a third furnace of a somewhat smaller type
in 1919. At the present time two of the
most modern skip-filled furnaces, with a
capacity of 600 tons per day each, are
nearing completion.
The original coke-oven plant consisted of
180 Coppee non-recovery ovens. To these
have been added a battery of fifty Koppers
by-product ovens and a Simon Carves
316
Till': MIXING MAGA7INK
sulphuric acid plant, which supplies the acitl
necessary for the production of sulphate of
ammonia. Three batteries of Wilputte
design, each containing fifty ovens, are being
added, together with extensions to the coal
tar, annnoniuni sulphate, and lunzol
recovery plants. All the silica shapes
requisite for the construction of these new
ovens have been made in India by the
Kuniardhubi Hrick Co.
The steel works plant consists of one
300 ton mixer, which receives the molten
pig iron from the blast-furnaces before it
is charged into the open-hearth furnaces.
There are seven of the latter, four of which
have a capacity of about 55 tons per heat
and three of 75 tons capacity. These enable
an output of 27,000 tons a month to be main-
tained. The new steel plant includes two
25 ton Bessemer converters, two 100 ton
tilting open-hearth furnaces, and one
1,300 ton mixer. The converters will
remove all the silicon and as much carbon
as is desired from the iron, leaving the tilting
furnace the duty of removing the
phosphorus and sulphur and bringing the
iron to the required percentage of carbon.
The elimination of these elements is said to
reduce the time necessary for the finishing
of a heat in the tilting furnace by about
75%. The large mixer is being erected to
store the hot metal from the blast-furnaces
over the week-ends, when the open-hearth
plant is not working. The present 300 ton
mixer is to be used as an additional open-
hearth furnace after the new mixer is built.
Provision has also been made for the
installation of a 250 ton recarburizing mixer,
a third converter if necessary, a third
duplex tilting open-hearth furnace, and three
Heroult electric furnaces for the manufacture
of special steels or ferro-alloys.
There are four soaking pits in the steel
works, equipped with mechanically operated
lids, and an electric overhead charging and
drawing crane. The ingots are made 21 in.
by 19 in., and weigh between 2 and 3 tons
each. They are removed by a self-tipping
electric trolley to the mill tables.
The blooming mill consists of a 40 in.
mill, operated by a Galloway engine of
11,000 h.p. In this mill the ingots from the
soaking pits are made into blooms and
billets. Another 40 in. reversing motor-
driven blooming mill with hydraulic
manipulator and followed by hydraulic
shears is being added.
The present 28 in. finishing mill has three
sets of rolls, and is worked by a 12,000 h.]).
engine. It is capable of turning out rails
from lot) lb. to 30 lb. ; beams from 15 in.
by () in. down to 5 in. by 3 in. ; angles from
(> in. by <> in. to 3 in. by 3 in. ; and channels
from 12 in. bv I in. to G in. by 3 in. The
blooms from the blooming mill are reheated
before they are rolled, and the sections of
rails or structural materials, afti'r being rolled
to the recjuircd dimensions, are cut by circular
saws into the necessary lengths, and are
conveyed mechanically by rollers to a cooling
bed of the moving type. From the cooling
bed all the bars and rails are passed through
straightening machines in the finishing
department, which also contains the usual
]ilaning and drilling devices. The products
are handled by an overhead electric crane.
The motor-driven blooming null will serve
a new 28 in. to 30 in. combination rail and
structural mill.
There is one IG in. bar mill making light
rails weighing 30 lb. to 14 lb. to the yard ;
angles of all sizes from 3 in. to Ijin. ;
channels from 4 in. to 1| in. ; beams of
4 in. by If in. ; and fish-plates for rails.
There arc also two 10 in. mills devoted to the
production of lighter sizes of flats, squares,
and rounds. The new bar mill is of the
latest continuous type, and will take billets
from the sheet, bar, and billet mill at present
under erection. Independent motor-driven
rolls are being added for the production of
wire rods.
The plate mill is now nearly completed
in a separate building over 1,000 ft. long
and about 100 ft. wide. The mill will produce
plates from Jin. to l^in. thick in various
widths up to 96 in. and various lengths up
to 50 ft. It is to be driven by a 2,000 h.p.
motor taking alternating current at
3,000 volts, and is provided with four
bottom-type reheating furnaces. The
building also contains the straightening
and shearing machines for the plates.
The sheet, bar, and billet mill is in direct
line with the new blooming mill, and will roll
billets from If in. square to 6^ in. square
for the bar mills. It will also roll sheet
bars up to 8 in. wide for the sheet mOl. It
is proposed to finish steel sleeper sections
up to 16 in. wide on this mill.
The sheet bars will be delivered from the
mill just described to the sheet mill proper,
where six special furnaces will reheat
them. The rolling equipment consists of
two jump rolls, two balanced rolls, six
finishing mills, and two cold roUing mills.
JUNE, 1921
317
all driven by a 4,000 h.p. motor taking
alternating current at 3,000 volts. This mill
will produce sheets to any width up to 38 in.,
and of any thickness desired from |- in. down
to 001 in.
The present scheme of extensions also,
contemplates a wire mill capable of
producing 20 tons of miscellaneous sizes
of wire per day of 24 working hours, to be
used for fencing, wire-netting, nails, etc. ;
a bolt and nut shop with a sufficient number
of machines to produce 50 tons per week ;
a steel sleeper press ; a cast-iron pipe
foundry ; and a new roll-turning shop. A
large new machine-shop is under erection,
in which the housings, castings, and the
bulk of the heavy components for the new
rolling mills, etc., are now being made. In
addition there are shops for pattern-makers,
carpenters, blacksmiths, locomotive repairs,
electrical repairs, and structural shops for
bridges, roofs, and buildings.
The power-house contains three turbo-
blowers, which supply 32,000 cubic feet per
minute to the blast-furnaces under a pressure
of 15-5 lb. per square inch. The plant
consists of two 1,000 kilowatt and one
1,.")00 kilowatt, 3,000 volt turbo-alternators,
running at a speed of 3,000 revolutions
per minute, and three transformers of
1,2.50 K.V.A., 3,000 to 440 volts, and two
motor generator sets of 500 kilowatts each.
To supply the power for the new
extensions, the whole of which will come into
operation progressively within the next two
years, large additions to the former power-
plant have been neccssar3^ These include
a large range of new boilers, fired with blast-
furnace gas, three 5,000 kilowatt turbo-
generators, one 4,200 kilowatt turbo-
generator, one 2,000 kilowatt generator, one
2,000 kilowatt mixed pressure turbine, the
steam for which is principally obtained from
the existing rolling mill engines, and the
necessary transforming equipment to step
down from high to low tension. Corre-
sponding increases have been arranged in
the water system, pumping plant, the
transporting department, laboratory, offices,
etc., to say nothing of the essential
augmented reserves of raw material.
When the present extensions are com-
pleted, the Tata iron and steel works will have
a potential output of 700,000 tons of pig
iron and 580,000 tons of steel ingots per
annum. Of the latter, it is proposed to
convert some 426,000 tons into finished
and semi-finished products, and the whole
of the new plant has been so laid out that
future extensions may be added with the
least inconvenience.
The company owns its own collieries,
iron ore mines, manganese ore mines,
wolfram mines, and limestone and magnesite
quarries. It also holds a large interest in the
Kumardhubi Silica & Fire Brick Co., Ltd.,
which makes silica bricks from the gannister
deposits of the Gaya region, magnesia
products from Mysore magnesite, and other
refractories from fire-clay, chromite, etc.
The Tata Company to-day finds employ-
ment for 25,000 men and women, and, as it
is still the custom of the ignorant to under-
estimate the capability of the Indian work-
man, it may be pointed out that the manage-
ment has gradually been able to reduce the
number of European and American
employees and to substitute Indian labour.
For example, in the bar mill, three eight-
hour shifts, which would necessitate the
employment of twenty-seven Europeans,
are manned by a crew of twenty-five Indians,
who run the plant economically with only
two European superintendents. In other
departments similar reductions have been
made. Out of 137 covenanted Europeans
and Americans, 75 are employed as
supervisors at the steel furnaces and rolling
mills, which between them find employment
for 4,200 men. At the blast-furnaces there
are only 8 Europeans to 1,600 Indians ; in
the mechanical department 6 to 3,000 ;
and in the traffic department only 1 to
1,500. The chemical laboratory originally
employed five European chemists. Now the
chief and the assistant are Europeans, the
remainder of the . staff being twenty-one
Indians. According to Mr. H. Surtees
Tuckwell, " in very many instances Indian
workmen have shown themselves possessed
of extraordinary skill and manual dexterity,
and the electrical department is under the
superintendence of an Indian gentleman,
a graduate of an Indian University, assisted
by a staff of Indian wiremen and
electricians." The coke-oven department is
also under the sole charge of an Indian.
Social welfare work among the employees is
actively undertaken at Jamshedpur, which is
a well-laid-out town possessing a modern
water supply and sanitation system,
hospitals, schools, and recreation grounds.
(To be concluded.)
;ii,s
Tin- MixiX(, M\c,\/iNi-:
BOOK RFA'IKWS
Recent Practice in the Use of Self-
contained Breathing Apparatus. IW
l.iiiitciiant l\i£X C. Smakt. Cloth, octavo,
;U0 pagi's, illustratt'il, I'lici' l.'is. net.
London : Charles Ciiiffin & Co., Ltd.
The title does not fully indicate the
ciiaiaetei" of this vahiabk' work, for the book
goes far towards being a textbook on mine
rescue organization and the training of men
in the use of breathing apparatus. As
officer in charge of the First Army Mine
Rescue Station, B.E.F., the author had
exceptional opportimities for the study of
mine riscue work under the severe conditions
of military warfare. His record of
experiences in the employment of breathing
apparatus should be of general interest to
mining engineers and of considerable value
to those connected with rescue stations.
The subject is treated from a military
standpoint, but though there are such
references as " Pails Mark I and II ", " as
per A.F. W. 3419 ", and " the Q. i C. School ",
the book generally is free from military
jargon, and civilian readers will ha\'e no
difficulty in following the text.
It was essential that appliances on any
portion of the army front should be
standardized as far as possible. The author
gives brief notes on leading types of rescue
appliances, but the only appliances dealt
with in detail in this work are of the Proto,
Salvos, and Novita designs.
The account given of the course of training
for tunnellers of the Royal Engineers at
the Mines Rescue School in 1916-17 suggests
that the holder of a certificate of competency
from that training centre would be able to
do work equal to that of the most efficient
members of English colliery brigades at the
present time. Lieutenant Smart gives full
details of the tests for proficiency and the
examinations at the schools, and the
questions may be studied with advantage
bj- any member of a mine rescue team. As
illustrating the searching character of the
examination, we may say that there are given
16 questions on the rubber bag and its
contents in dealing with the Proto apparatus,
and under the heading of pressure gauge
valve 21 questions might be submitted to
a candidate.
Points to be observed in adjusting the
apparatus and notes on repairs form a
valuable feature of the publication, and the
Jes of statistics relating to stocks and parts
of apjiaratus repaired, as illustrations of
elficiency in organization, should be of service
to those who have to arrange the office
routine of a rescue station on a large scale.
The section on the charging and testing
of ap])aratus is well written, but the
illustrations of oxygen cylinders arc not so
clear as is desirable. A system of air and
water circulation is generally better shown
b\' pl.iin line diagrams, such as the author
employs lor illustrating the design of valves,
than by reproductions of photographs of
assembled fittings.
Physiological considerations connected
with the use of respiratory a])paratus arc
dealt with in an able manner, but in several
instances expressions might be modified to
the advantage of the general reader who
would ].)robably umlerstand references to
heart-failure and difficulty in breathing
more quickly than he grasps the purport
of the statement that " nun may suffer
from oxygen deficiency syncope without
dyspniea symptoms ".
Considerable attention is given to the
phenomena of gas explosions. The effects
of explosions in collieries are generally com-
plicated by the presence of finely divided
coal. There was no possibility of inflammable
dust being present in the galleries on the
army front, where gas explosions occurred,
and data on effects of force and other
features are worthy of record for comparative
purposes in the study of explosions under-
ground.
Methane or firedamp (CH,) may be one of
the products of the detonation of nitro-
cellulose, but the most dangerous gas
derived from gun-cotton, ammonal, and other
explosives used in military mining was
carbon monoxide. After the explosion of a
charge, which frequently amounted to many
tons of explosive, the enclosing strata were
likely to be saturated with noxious gases.
The effect was particularly noticeable with
" camouflets ", that is, where the charge
of explosive was not sufficient to break
through to the surface of the ground, no
mine crater being formed. The gases
occluded in the rocks discharged themselves
into the galleries, which stood open after
the mine was fired, and secondary explosions
resulted in many instances from the ignition
of gases by candles. Plans are given showing
areas of workings affected by explosions
of this type. They appear to be very local
in character, although in some cases con-
siderable force was developed. The author
JUNE, 1921
349
notes occasions where a succession of
explosions occurred at regular intervals of
two or three minutes duration.
In dealing with the features of carbon
monoxide poisoning it is stated on the
authority of Marshall, p. 577, that miners'
phthisis was due principally to carbon
monoxide poisoning in the South African
gold mines. This is not in accordance with
the views of leading authorities on miners'
phthisis, a matter which has received
considerable attention from those connected
with the gold-mining industry. Inhalation
of noxious gases may have influence on the
resistant power of the lungs, but the presence
of fine silicious dust in the atrriosphere is
almost universally regarded as the primary
if not the sole cause of miners' phthisis
on the Rand.
As the equipment of a mine rescue station
is not complete without a supply of small
creatures for testing the purity of air,
Lieutenant Smart gives notes on the care
of mice and canaries in the concluding
section of his work. We learn that oxymel
of squills may be given with advantage to
birds suffering from bronchitis, and what is
a good design of cage for the housing of
mice. As a sidelight on the thorough nature
of military organization, we learn from
another portion of the book that mice may
be regarded as units on the strength of a
company, for the stores drawn from ration
dump include: Bread (for mice), one loaf
per day for 25 mice ; milk (for mice), one
tin per day for 25 mice.
Although military organization as
described by Lieutenant Smart may not be
necessary for civilian work, we would call
attention to the remarks made by Professor
Sir John Cadman in a foreword, to the book
under review. He says : " It is clear that
rescue work in collieries would be conducted
more efficiently and with less danger by the
application of some, at least, of the rules and
regulations and by the adoption of the
standardized system of training which were
employed by the military authorities in
connexion with the rescue operations con-
ducted by the Tunnelling Companies of the
Royal Engineers during the war."
Wherever noxious or irrespirable gases
may be met with, rescue apparatus is a
necessity, and in dealing with warehouse
fires, gas undertakings, coke-ovens, and
chemical works trained men equipped with
self - contained breathing apparatus may
be able to save life and property.
Lieutenant Smart has written a book which
will go far towards supplying the needs of
those who desire to study self-breath'ng
apparatus and the organization of mine
rescue work. In these times of trade
depression it is gratifying to note that
Messrs. Charles Grifhn & Co. have added so
valuable and original a volume to their
well-known series of textbooks for mining
engineers.
Stanley Nettleton.
The Tin Resources of the British
Empire. By Norman M. Penzer, M.A.,
F.G.S. Cloth, octavo, 350 pages. Price
15s. net. London : William Rider & Sons,
Ltd.
This book is a compilation of extracts from
articles and bulletins by some of the leading
geological and mining authorities on tin,
and gives in a concise and attractive style all
the known localities within the British
Empire where tin occurs. While the author
acknowledges his indebtedness to these
various authorities, the work would carry
greater weight if quotations and extracts were
more clearly defined instead of leaving the
reader in doubt as to which parts, if any, are
written from the author's own experience.
The book opens with an introduction giving
a brief historical sketch of the etymology
of the word " tin ", and its early sources and
uses, together with a list of the ores containing
tin. Chapter II deals with the geology and
occurrence of tin in the United Kingdom,
with special reference to the principal mines
in Cornwall and Devon, now unfortunately
closed down owing to the depressed state
of industry. Of geological interest is the
occurrence of tin in Scotland and Ireland,
but in neither case are they of economic
importance.
A large part of the book is taken up by
Chapter III, relating to the tin-producing
British possessions in Asia, one of which
alone, Malaya, has by far the largest output
in the world. The author deals thoroughly
with this important section under different
headings, but one cannot leave unnoticed
some few inaccuracies that appear. On
p. 56 it is stated that " malaria is not
common ", whereas it is very common, but
fevers of the malignant type are rare, and
consequently the mortality is low compared
with other tropical countries. Under
" Methods of Mining " the word " lampan " is
bracketed with " dredging ", from which one
would naturally infer that " lampan " is the
350
Tin: MINING M\(.\/IXK
equivalent of " dredging ", whereas it means
" ground sluieing ". ^luddy water does not
assist concentration, as the author states on
p. 73, but rather impedes it, wliile the
statement on p. 77 tliat wolfram is removed
from tin-tungsten concentrates by means of
a horse-shoe magnet is an error which should
not have been allowed to creep in. Dredge
buckets, too, arc usually seven to twelve
rather than ten to twelve cubic feet capacity.
Several interesting photographs illustrating
the methods of working are given and the
section ends with a number of tables of
output, chairts of production and export of
tin over a period of thirty years, and a
glossary of a few^ Malay-Chinese words used
in mining.
Of the Indian Empire the Burma deposits
are, as the author points out, the most
important, while, apart from geological
interest, the tin occurring in Bengal and
Bombay is negligible. Interesting historical
and geological data are given of the Mergui
and Tavoy districts, development of which
has been slow owing to the lack of means of
communication, but according to the table on
pp. 146 and 151 a pronounced increase in the
output is noticeable in recent years.
The African colonies and the newly
acquired " German South-West Africa "
are dealt with in Chapter IV, with Nigeria
as the most important producer. Here the
deposits are in many respects similar to
those of Malaya, though by no means so rich
or so extensive, and their development was
retarded by labour and climatic conditions.
In the historical sketch the author states
that it was in 1884 that tin was first brought
to the notice of the Governor of Northern
Nigeria, though from the table showing
the output it was only in 1907 that tin was
mined in any quantity. He attributes this
delay to the public being slow in taking
advantage of the situation (p. 161), but he
might have also added to a great extent to
the lack of sympathy shown to the industry
by the Government, who failed to realize
that the miner is one of the forerunners of
civilization. Since this book was written,
representations made to the Government to
help the industry have received favourable
consideration, and the promised construction
of additional railway lines will greatly
assist the development of deposits now too
far distant for profitable exploitation.
In Chapter V Canada is mentioned on the
meagre evidence that tin has been found
there, but this chapter could well have been
omitted from liie l)ook. Tin has doubtless
been found in other British colonies, but
this would hardly justify their inclusion in
the liook as bi'ing important to the resomces
of till' Hritish lim])ire.
Ciiapter \T deals with .\ustralasia. The
\'arious tin-producing countries are well
described, and the accurate maps are helpful
in following the description of the fields.
The latest statistics of the Commonwealth
are not complete, but there is a distinct
falling off in the outjiut.
Chapters VII and VIII describe the
industrial application of tin and prices of the
metal, ending with a table of the world's
outi)ut, which might have been brought up
to a more recent date than 1917. The heading
of the table " Tin Ore (Tin Content) " on
p. 294 is misleading, as the figures relate to
either the quantity of metal produced or to
its equivalent in the ore, and not to tin ore.
The unprecedented demand for tin, created
by the war, caused its price to rise to a
fabulous figure, which acted as an incentive
to increased production, more especially in
those countries unaffected by the high
taxation to which companies operating in
the British Empire were penalized. The
result was a large increase in the production
of tin in foreign countries, which reaped all
the benefits of the high prices. Thus, while
in 1914 the production in the British Empire
amounted to o~%, in 1918 when the price
had risen to close on ;f400 per ton, the pro-
duction had fallen to 44% of the world's
total output. This high-water mark in the
price of tin was reached in the early part of
1920, when the metal sold for /419 per ton,
and the subsequent decline to the present
level, far below the cost of production, has
caused a falling off of the output which is
bound to be reflected in an advance in the
price £0 soon as the industrial world returns
to more normal conditions. The statistical
evidence presented shows this gradual decline
in the production of tin in the British Empire,
and therefore great efforts will be needed to
retain the supremacy in the world's supply
which we have held in the past.
An excellent bibliography completes an
interesting and instructive book, which
should prove helpful both to the general
public and to the student in acquiring a
knowledge of the tin resources of the British
Empire. A somewhat similar work on the
Tin Resources of Foreign Countries, as fore-
shadowed in the general introduction, would
fill a much-felt want. Henry Brei.ick.
\
JUNE, 1921
351
Field Methods in Petroleum Geology.
By G. H. Cox, C. L. Dake, and G. A.
MuiLENBURG. Cloth, octavo, 310 pages,
illustrated. Price 24s. net. New York
and London : McGraw-Hill Book Com-
pany.
The progress of modern methods in field
geology as applied to oil-finding has been
extremely rapid of latter years, more
particularly since the value of scientific
investigation of petroliferous areas has
become generally recognized. The tendency
has undoubtedly been towards the creation
of a highly specialized field technique,
involving an intimate knowledge of accurate
geological mapping, a knowledge only
attained after extensive personal experience.
The opening up of several new areas all
over the world has further necessitated the
initial construction of topographical maps
as preliminary to geological work, and in
many cases the geologist has had to act as
his own surveyor, usually a matter of regret,
though not without obvious advantages
in many cases. It follows, therefore, that
the training of an oil-geologist must at least
include instruction in the first principles
of surveying, in order that, if need arise,
he may be able to use the ordinary
instruments necessary to the production of
a topographical map on which to base his
future work. We are thus able to appreciate
the reason of the two distinct sections into
which the present volume is divided, the
first dealing with instruments and instrument
methods, and the second with the structural
geology of petroleum, including identification
of structures and general field operations.
The chapters on surveying are, if anything,
more lucid and comprehensive than those
devoted to actual geological field work ;
from the antithetical nature of the two
sciences this was rather to be expected,
since any discussion of field methods, unless
extensive, is bound to lend itself to much
adverse criticism from the very nature and
magnitude of the subject. The proof of
this lies in the fact that no really exhaustive
treatise on structural geology has ever
been written, and if it were it is doubtful
whether it could adequately replace even
a part of that training which actual field
experience gives, and from which ability
and competence can alone be won. The
authors have attempted a very ambitious
task in the production of this book, and
although it certainly fills a gap in technical
literature as intended, it hardly comprises
a "satisfactory systematic discussion of the
minutiai of field procedure " (to quote the
preface), even applied to oil geology. Such
a discussion, if at all feasible, would fill a
book many times the size of this little volume.
In the chapter on instruments, compasses,
levels, barometers, alidades, levelling and
stadia rods, and the plane table all receive
careful treatment, and, as concise descriptive
matter, this is a very commendable part of
the book. The succeeding chapter is devoted
to the various methods of usage of such
apparatus in actual practice, and contains
ample information for those unaccustomed
to the handling of instruments of this
description. The important initial deter-
minations in oilfield work are those of
direction, distance, and elevation, and the
methods discussed rightly eliminate all details
having no direct bearing on these points.
Preceding to the geological section of the
book, we are at once struck by the narrow-
ness of view taken by the authors in their
treatment of the subject ; for example,
a statement appearing on the opening page
(129) of this section reads as follows : " The
field-work of a petroleum geologist is confined
largely, and in wild-cat territory, almost
wholly, to the working out of structural
conditions of folding and faulting ; in other
words it is made up largely of a search for
anticlines and terraces, and of the mapping
of such areas." Such a statement, more
especially the latter part, is not only
elementary, but it shows a decided lack of
imagination, to say the very least. When
geologists confine their attention solely to
the location of anticlines or terraces, then ■
they may as well retire from the field
altogether ; if the experience of the last
decade gained from many parts of the
world is simply bounded by the word
" anticline ", it is not only a poor outlook
for future oil exploration, but is at the same
time a doubtful reflection on the standard
of work carried out. To be of real and
universal value any discussion of suitable
oilfield structures and their identification
should be, if not actually comprehensive,
at least broad and constructive, and to
narrow the possibihties down is simply to
evade the wider questions.
Under the heading of field operations is
included a great deal of miscellaneous
information of value to a field party, as
contributing both to the success of the work
and to the welfare of the individual.
The volume contains a glossary of technical
352
111. minim; ma( .a/ink
terms, and also an apiuiulix inchulini;
tables of natural functions, stadia tables,
temperature corrections for altitude scale,
etc. In addition, there is an introductii)n
which, in eleven pages, disposes of the origin
of oil and gas, reservoirs, migration,
and structural conditions favouring
accunuilation ; the iliagrams illustrating
these features, showing inclined water, oil,
and gas zones in some cases arc indeed
difficult to follow.
11. i;. Mii,m:k.
Primer on the Storage of Petroleum
Spirit and Carbide of Calcium. J^\'
]\Iajor A. CouPEK-Key, CLi. Second
Edition revised. Cloth, octavo, 1-10 pages.
Price OS. net. London : Charles GiilTin &
Co., Ltd.
The general utility and public appreciation
of this little handbook on the storage of
petroleum are proved by the issue of this
second edition, in which the author has
revised certain parts of the text, bringing
it both legally and technically up to date.
The success of a publication of this
description is not at all surprising, since it
seems to be a curious feature of English law
that, although framed for the protection and
well-being of the community at large, a
species of popular edition of any particular
Act or Order has to be written before the
tenets thereof can be grasped by the public
directly affected. UsuaUy the niceties of
legal terminology and the quaint com-
plexities of phrasing leave the layman in
a perfect maze of doubt and incom-
prehensibility on perusal of the official
documents, and it is not until his favourite
newspaper gives an intelligible account, or
a readable annotated version of its purport
is published, that he really knows exactly
what to do and what not to do. Thus, on
matters pertaining to the conveyance and
storage of petroleum, petroleum products,
benzol, and similar inflammables (including
acetylene and calcium carbide also dis-
cussed here), there must obviously be no
misapprehension, since the risk of fire or
explosion, particularly in densely populated
districts, and the possible disasters attendant
on carelessness of keeping or handling such
materials, are too great to allow of any
evasion of regulations through lack of under-
standing.
The great fillip accorded to the motor
industry as a result of the war has tended
to an enormous increase in the number of
jKisons using jnUoliuni products both in
commercial and private interests ; con-
sequently a great deal more motor-spirit
is ]irivatelj' stored than was the case a few
years ago. The Act allows the ordinary
consumer to keep sixty gallons in a suitable
store-house, subject to the regulations made
by the Secretary of State imdir Section 5
of the Locomotives f)n Ili};liways Act,
1896, full details of whicli will he found in
.Vjipendix V in the present volume. The
majority of people, we are sure, are
conscientious in the matter of carrying out
the necessary regulations, but there is
always that casual minority, who either
through ignorance or selfish disregard for the
safety of others, declines to worry about such
" trifles " as regulations, and in this case
the allowance is just sixty gallons too much.
The truth of the old adage that " familiarity
breeds contempt " never received more
cogent proof than from the long record of
accidents resulting from careless handling
of oil ; chauffeurs as a class are particularly
remiss in this respect, and we welcoinc the
author's eight "Dont's" for their guidance.
Such a practice as smoking while replenishing
petrol tanks, for example, is of common
occurrence ; in nine times out of ten nothing
untoward happens, but there is always the
tenth chance.
In this book the preliminary chapter
deals with oil and flash point determinations
in so far as these affect the legislative control
of oil. There follows a chapter on the storage
of oil without licence, in essence a lucid
explanation of the existing regulations. The
author also deals with the various aspects
of bulk storage and of the licences issued for
this purpose by the local authority ; the
treatment of these questions is very excellent,
because some valuable personal suggestions
are embodied in the text, making it com-
paratively easy for petroleum inspectors and
others to carry out their duties in the best
interests of all concerned. Such features as
site, construction, mode of storage, quantity
permissible under particular circumstances,
conveyance, and garage supplies are all
adequately discussed, together with the
sound modern plan of underground storage,
a method finding favour with many large
commercial firms at the present time. In
the last chapter on future legislation, a variety
of matters are discussed in which criticism
and suggestion play an important part ;
the paragraph on tank-ships (" tankers ")
might well have been extended from the
JUNE, 1921
353
point of view of general information ; it is
surprising how few people have any idea
whatever of the nature of the vessel con-
veying oil from one country to another.
Finally, the inclusion of a chapter on
acetylene and calcium carbide, their pro-
perties, storage, uses, and dangers, and also
the paragraphs dealing with existing
' legislation in regard to these matters, are
' entirely relevant to a book of this description.
The probability is that at least 70% of
motorists use acetylene lighting at the
present time, despite the many obvious
advantages of electricity ; under these
circumstances the use and storage of calcium
carbide are, with the acetylene to which it
gives rise, subjects just as worthy of careful
consideration and regulation as petroleum.
H. B. MiLNER.
^J^'Copies of the books, etc.. mentioned under tlie heading
" Book Reviews " can be obtained through the Technical Book-
shop of The Minitig Magaziiu-, 724, Sahsbury House, London
Wall, London, E.C.2.
NEWS LETTERS
BRISBANE
March 30.
Roma Oil Geology. — For the last year or
so Dr. H. I. Jensen has been studying the
geology of the Roma district in South Queens-
land, 300 miles west of Brisbane. This is the
locale of the much-discussed and celebrated
Roma bore, which is being sunk by the State
authorities. A report by Dr. Jensen has this
month been published by the Queensland
Department of Mines. He has, since May,
1920, been investigating the geology of a
considerable area of country north of the
\\'estern Railway between Roma and
Mitchell. So far, the examination of the
country has been carried north to the
Carnarvon Range, where the tributaries of the
Comet River rise, and to Crystalbrook and
Eddystone Vale stations, roughly 100 miles
north of the Western Railway. The work has
been beset with difficulties owing to the
scarcity of rock outcrops over considerable
areas ; nevertheless, the main features of the
structure of the region have now been dis-
closed. A full account of the country with
geological details is being prepared for
publication as a Bulletin of the Geological
Survey. A brief resume of the principal
results of the investigation are given herewith.
The geological formations embraced in the
area examined are : (1) the Ipswich series of
the Jura-Trias, consisting of sandstones,
shales, calcareous shales, limestone (impure).
and calcareous tuff occupj'ing a fringe along
the extreme north of the area, and dipping
south-west under (2) the Bundamba series
(also Jura-Trias), consisting principally of
sandstones, mostly of a siliceous t5'pe, con-
glomerate and some intercalated shale ; this
latter series spreads over the greater part of
Pony Hills, Westgrove, Merivale, Crystal-
brook, and Eddystone Vale stations, and dips
southerly and south-westerly under (3) the
Walloon (also Jura-Trias) series, which
extends from Forest Vale, Toolumbilla,
Mount Hutton, Myall Downs, and Durham
Downs stations on the north almost to the
railway line between Roma and Wallumbilla,
and to within 12 miles north of the railroad
between Amby and Mitchell. South of the
Walloon there is (4) the Cretaceous Marine.
Areas of rock which has been assumed to be
(5) Upper Cretaceous, on the ground of litho-
logical character and stratigraphical position,
but destitute of fossil evidence, have also been
determined north of Mitchell ; and (6) the
basalts of Mount Hutton and the Dividing
Range have been mapped more accurately
than hitherto.
In BuUetin 247, p. 17, Mr. W. E. Cameron
estimates the dip of the Trias-Jura beds under
the Roma region at between 1.^0 ft. and
200 ft. in the mile towards the south. In the
present investigation the average southerly
dip in large areas of massive sandstone on
the Dividing Range north of Orallo was found
to be somewhere between 1 in 4.5 and 1 in 50,
that is, between 105 ft. and 120 ft. in the mile.
Observations in the field on Crystalbrook and
Eddystone Vale stations gave the southerly
factor of dip as 60 ft. in the mile for this
region.
In a section prepared an average dip of
1 in 50, or about 100 ft. to the mile, to the
south was assumed. It was noticed that
this brings the gas zone at the bottom of the
Roma bores into the heart of the Injune
Creek coal area or Lower (calcareous)
Walloon division. In fact, the Roma gas
zone seems to coincide with that of the " bore-
hole coals " passed through between the
surface and 400 ft. in depth in Nos. 3 and 3.\
water bores on ;\Iount Hutton subdivision,
about 8 miles west of the 51 mile on the
Injune Railway. A comparison of the strata
passed through in these bores and those of
the Roma bores shows that both consist of
a rapid alternation of shale, carbonaceous
shale, sandstone, and limestone, with occa-
sional hard streaks, cements, etc., with this
difference, that the Injune sections show
354
THK M1MN(, M.\(,.\ZINI-:
fivqiunt intiicalations of coal as will. TIk'
rapidly thaiijjinf; natuii.' of thi' deposits
indicates formation undor istuarinc and
deltaic conditions, therefore favourable for
the production of ( il. The two Injune Creek
bores referred to also yielded gas, which,
however, on analysis, proved to be coal gas.
Inasmuch as Cunningham Craig has shmvn
in the case of the Trinidad field, and other
geologists for other fields, that a coal series
may within a few miles change into an oil
scries, there is no objection to the correlation
of the Injune Creek coal beds with the Roma
gas zone. In fact, all the geological evidence
collected points to the identity of the two
zones. Thus, the rocks actuaJh- met w-ith
in the field passing north from Roma, and
plotted on a section assuming the average
dip of about 100 ft. to the mile, give almost
the same thickness of each horizon passed
through as in the Roma bores. In reality
the dip is not as regular as assumed above.
Field work shows that the entire region is
folded into gentle anticlines and synclincs
on approximately north-south axes, and that
there are a series of monoclines and
fiattenings, or terraces passing from south to
north which have developed on east-west
a.xes.
To deal first with the rolls on north-south
axes, it may be mentioned that there are
indications of a sjTicline of a very gentle
nature between Roma and Wallumbilla.
Roma is near the axis of a gentle anticline,
but would appear to be slightly (perhaps
3 to 4 miles) east of the actual centre. A
broad sjTicline has its centre near MuckadiUa,
as shown both by the curvature of th'
Cretaceous Walloon border north of Mucka-
diUa, and by the section of the MuckadiUa
bore. Another antichne has its axis a few-
miles west of Amby, but there are indications
of a severe north-south fault, with down throw-
to the west, between Amby and the sharp
bend in the Dividing Range. This down-
throw moves the boundary between the
Cretaceous and Walloon many miles north
of where it otherwise would be.
As regards the monoclines or terraces, there
is a very decided flattening of dip at Orallo
and Cornwall about 30 miles north of the
Western Railway. There is a slight increase
in dip from the 35 mile to the .50 mile, and a
great flattening between the 50 mile and the
62 mile on the Orallo line. The dip steepens
again north of Injune Creek, and noticeable
dips are frequent as far as Baftie Creek and
Westgrove, but the beds lie almost horizontal
in the Dawson River near Boxvale and north
ol I^oxvak' to the Carnarvon Range. In
this range they steepen very considerably, the
southerly component often exceeding G
degrees.
Of all the formations met wiih through
the entire region, those outcropping in the
Injune Creek basin show most freely the
characters of an oil series, as regards nature
of si'diments anil mode of deposition, as well
as in the saline nature of this belt as compared
with the other belts. It was stated by many
cattle men that cattle do not require salt on
the Mount Hutton (Injune Creek) runs,
whereas both south and north of this belt
salt is necessary. There were, however, no
signs noticed either of oil exudations, or of
asphalt, bitumen, earthwax, or any other
result of the evaporation of the liquid
fractions of oil, on which one can definitely
assert this area to be an oilfield. In the
records of the water bores put down by the
I'ublic Estates Improvement Branch, which
kindly supplied all the particulars they
could, there is frequent reference to " oily
shale " having been passed through. Some
of the muds out of bore 3a, which were seen
by Dr. Jensen, were of a greasy nature, and
floated as a dark dirty scum on top of the
water ; but as drilling was not in progress
at the time to enable him to get an uncon-
taminated sample no analysis of these scums
has yet been made. They are probably
only carbonaceous muds. Several drillers
consider that they noted a smell of kerosene
in boring in various parts of the district, but
such evidence is of little or no value. It
would be much better if the drillers would
make a practice of taking a sample of the
drillings and forward them to the Mines
Department for analysis, when they think
they see indications of oil.
The apparent absence of earthwax,
ozokerite, sohd paraffin, etc., may be due to
the Injune Creek beds being coal measures
only in this region, but it is also quite possible
that such substances will yet be found.
Much of the country is covered with dense
brigalow and belar scrubs. Brigalow is
a timber which grows on heavy clays such
as are found in association with coal seams.
It probably covers most of the outcrops of
coal seams, and if there were any oil or
paraffin exudations in the district the odds
are greatly in favour of their being hidden
in brigalow scrubs. Discoveries may yet be
made by the new settlers who are clearing
and exploring their holdings.
JUNE. 1921
355
If the ncgativ'c evidence of the water bores
on the Mount Hiitton settlement be not
considered to rule out the probability of
oil in this district, boring for oil should be
located east of the 49 mile in the Dividing
Range near the head of Eurombah Creek, this
being, as far as can be gauged, the axis of the
meridianal anticline. But this is 8 miles or
more from the railway line. Orallo seems to
be a very favourable place for oil drilling on
the railway line, since not only is it on a
terrace of the east-west folding, but the dips
around Orallo and Cornwall show a tendency
to a local dome near Orallo.
However, preliminary diamond drilling,
to determine the exact locus of the anticlinal
axes, where much oil drilling is intended,
would be highly advisable to ensure the oil
bores being placed on the best sites. This
is, in fact, what Mr. Cameron recommended
in Publication 247. These bores need not
be deep — only deep enough to cut some easily
recognized horizon. It is quite impossible
to determine the exact locus of anticlines by
field observations owing to the paucity of
outcrops.
There are three important horizons for
coal in the Walloon. The first is met with
in the Upper Walloon division, outcrops in
Bungeworgorai Creek near Nareeten, and is
met with in the Roma bore at a depth of
700 ft. to 800 ft. The coal is inferior, and
very high in ash, occurs in thin bands, and the
country rocks are exceedingly friable, making
very bad standing ground. The next coals
occur in a considerable thickness of rocks met
with at depths of from 1,800 ft. to 2,400 ft.
beneath Roma. They are Middle Walloon,
and outcrop at Orallo, Cornwall, and Alcurah.
The coals are high in ash, contain frequent
bands, and occur in rocks which crumble so
much on exposure to air that they are the
worst of standing ground. Moreover, the
coal bands are very variable in thickness at
comparatively short distances.
The next coal series is that of Injune Creek,
which appears to be represented by the gas
and possible oil series under Roma. It is
Lower Walloon, and contains scores of small
seams (met with in the Injune Creek bores)
and some large seams. They appear to thin
out and thicken in comparatively short
distances as is usual with estuarine sediments.
The quality of the coal is very good in some
of the seams, and the country rock in this
■division forms far better standing ground
than in the higher measures.
The most easily accessible, and apparently
6—5
also the best, seam so far located is one
occurring in Boyd's and Ferguson's wells west
of the railway line between the 56 and 59 mile
and in other wells and water bores east of the
railway, which seem to indicate an extent of
at least 3 miles by 3 miles. There is,
according to Mr. Boyd, 3 ft. of clean coal in
his well underlain by 6 in. shale and between
6 in. and 1 ft. of coal below. The analysis
of this coal from Ferguson's well yielded
moisture 5%, volatile matter 40-5%, fixed
carbon 49-7%, and ash 4-8%. The depth of
the coal ranges from 40 ft. to 100 ft. below
the surface in the area mentioned, and the
thickness is generally mentioned as about 4 ft.
The Walloon area appears to contain
numerous seams of kerosene shale, little
specimens of which are often said to have
been found in the creeks. Dr. Jack mentions
kerosene shale as occurring somewhere on
Injune Creek. Dr. Jensen did not obtain any
specimens there, but in Bungeworgorai Creek,
near the junction with Stewart Creek,
occurred a bed of oil shale, which was pro-
bably 2 ft. in thickness, but only 1 ft. of the
thickness was clearly exposed above the muds
and talus under the bank. This shale,
analysed by the Government analyst, yielded
44-8 gallons of oil to the ton.
It is obvious, therefore, that there are both
good oil and coal possibilities in the Walloon
measures, but development is retarded
through the fact that outcrops are so rare.
Diamond-drilling alone can absolutely deter-
mine the best way to exploit the mineral
resources of this region.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
April 27.
Mining in the Yukon. — The Yulcon Gold
Company has developed a 9 ft. vein in its
No. 9 tunnel, at Keno Hill, in the Mayo
district. Two feet in the centre of the vein
is solid galena, running upwards of 200 oz.
per ton in silver, while the ore on either side
is carbonate, also rich in silver. A winze
has been sunk 75 ft., and a rise put up to the
surface, also 75 ft., without any appreciable
alteration in either the character or tenor of
the vein. The company has more than
2,500 tons of ore sacked and delivered at
Mayo Landing, awaiting the opening of
navigation. The ore wiU average 200 oz. per
ton in silver and between 60 and 70° o in lead.*
A wealthy United States syndicate, headed\
by F. W. Bradley, of the Bunker HiU & \
Sullivan, has bonded a number of claims in
the Mayo district. A number of claims have
356
in: MINING MACAZINIi:
been bonded, too, by other United States
syndicates. There will be much activity in
the district during the coming smnnier.
A start is being made in placer-gold mining,
and the operations will be more extensive this
year than for any year since the eommence-
inent of the war. The Yukon (Sold Conijxiny
will open its 70 mile ditch, and by the aid of
syphons and flumes will carry water to its
Gold Hill diggings, above the town of Grand
Forks, on Itonanza Creek, where extensive
hvdraulicking will be done. The company,
too, will operate a dredge on Gold Run Creek.
The Canadian Klondike Company will have
three large dredges in operation, and the
North- West Corporation two smaller dredges.
These two companies will be under one
management.
Consolidated Mining and Smelting. —
The annual report of the Consolidated
Mining & Smelting Company of Canada,
Ltd., shows the mines and plant of the
compan}' to be in excellent physical con-
dition, though, of course, like practically all
other concerns of a similar nature, the com-
pany has an enormous supply of metals on
hand. The report shows tliat during the
year ended December 31, 1920, the quantity
of ore treated amounted to 592,762 tons, and
the following quantities of metals were
produced : 42,636 oz. of gold, 1,097,930 oz. of
silver, 23,474,652 lb. of lead, 4,501,594 lb. of
copper, and 36,995,394 lb. of zinc. Con-
siderable improvements were made in the
method of dressing the Sullivan mine ore,
resulting in more easily treatable lead and
zinc concentrates, and, consequently, in
increased recovery of metals and in reduction
of cost of extraction. Owing to labour
troubles the Rossland mines were closed for
part of the year, and consequently the gold
and copper output was less than it otherwise
would have been. The copper smelter and
refinery was worked intermittently, and, as
a result, the costs in that department were
greater than usual. Most of the tonnage for
the lead plant was provided by the Sullivan
mine in the form of crude ore, co'ncentrate,
and lead sulphate residue from the zinc plant.
Considerable improvement was made in t^e
electrolytic zinc plant, with the result that in
the month of December the output was
brought up to 5,000,000 lb. for the month, by
far the greatest monthly output that the
plant has ever made.
Some important new discoveries were made
by development work at the Sullivan mine.
An extension of the workings on the No. 11
level has opened up a large body of ore
running high in zinc with a fair average lead
content. Diamond-drilling from the bottom
level has pro\-cd the continuity of the rich ore
that was so prolitable in tlu' upper workings.
During the year the mine jiroduceil 242,291
tons of zinc-lead ore, 13,214 tons of lead ore
that was sent direct to the lead furnace with-
out preliminary treatment, and suflicient iron
pyrites to supply the needs of the sulphuric
acid plant. The Rossland mines produce 1
50,841 tons of smelting ore and 3,683 tons of
concentrate. A 2,500 ton concentrator had
been designed for the treatment of the low-
grade ore from these mines, and it had been
the intention to erect the plant during the
year, but laboiu' troubles at the mines made it
advisable not to go on with the work.
During the first three months of the
present year 101,898 tons of ore has been
received at the Trail smelter, compared with
73,236 tons for the corresponding period of
last year. There is this difference, however,
that while a large proportion of the receipts
for the first quarter of last year was from
indejiendent mines, 98% of the receipts
during the first three months of the present
year was from the company's own mines.
The Consolidated is still carrying a large
surplus of metals, but it is said to be finding
an outlet for its zinc in the Orient. The
company has a considerable advantage in this
trade, as the C.P.R. boats ply between
Vancouver and the Orient, and consequently
the freight charges are all in the family, so to
speak.
Granby Consolidated. — After an inspec-
tion of the Granby Consolidated Mining;,
Smelting, & Power Company's propertic>,
H. S. Munro, general manager, announced
that the Grand Forks property has bevii
completely closed, and all detachable
machinery had been removed to the
company's other properties or had been sold
The Hidden Creek mines and Anyox smelte:
are being operated nearer to capacity than any
other copper concern in North America. .\
large Dorr thick- ner is being installed at thefl
coal-washing plant at the Cassidy coUiery,™
and a powerful fan is being added to the
colliery equipment. Mr. Munro stated that
the colliery investment was not paying 5%
and the company would gladly lease or sell
it at a reasonable figure. The coal does not
produce a satisfactory metallurgical coke.
Other Mines in Kootenav. — Outside of
the Consohdated Company's mines, there is
little activity in the Kootenay district ; as
i
JUNE, 1921
357
soon as one mine starts operations, another
one seems to close. The difficulty of having
no outlet for the ores is too heavy a burden
for the majority of operators. The Silver-
smith mine, which ceased production last fall,
but which has kept about forty men at
development work throughout the winter,
closed at the beginning of April. On the
other hand, the Standard, at Silverton,
recently sent two cars, and the Wliitewater,
at Retallack, one car of ore to the Bunker
Hill & Sullivan smelter at Kellogg. In both
instances the ore was shipped by lessees.
Lessees at the Florence mine, at Ainsworth,
have some 700 tons of ore on the stock piles,
awaiting the time when the Trail smelter is
again in the market for custom ore. It is
not of high grade, and will not stand freight
charges to Kellogg unless the owners of the
Florence carry out their idea of putting a
steamer and barges on the lakes for the
purpose. The Rambler-Cariboo Mines, Ltd.,
issued its annual report recently, which
showed a balance of $10,157, after paying
$25,000 for the Jennie claim, acquired last
year. Labour troubles and water shortage
prevented the mine being worked for more
than half of the year. Some 4,000 tons of
ore was milled, and 250 tons of zinc and 220
tons of lead concentrate produced.
Premier Mine. — Mild weather has again
spoiled the sledding between the Premier
mine and Stewart, in the Portland Canal
division. It is doubtful, at this time of the
year, whether there will be sufficient frost to
put the road in condition again this season.
Taken as a whole, the season has bct n a fair
one, but the weather uncertainties have
clearly demonstrated the impossibility of a
big mine relying on snow and frost in north-
west British Columbia as the only means by
which its ore can be sent to the market. By
the time what is now at the wharf is shipped
close to 3,000 tons of ore will have been sent
to the Tacoma smelter this winter. The value
of the ore shipped runs between three and four
hundred dollars per ton. Good progress is
being made in clearing the right-of-way for
the aerial tramway. It is expected that the
concentrator and C3'anide plant will be in
operation by midsummer. The Algunican
Development Company, a Belgian concern,
which next to the Premier Gold Mining
Company was the biggest employer of labour
in the district last year, seems to be in
financial difficulties. The men it left to
develop the Spider group, which it held under
option,aresuingfor back wagestotahing $4000.
Alluvi.^l Gold. — With cost of labour and
supplies reduced, it is probable that there will
be a revival of gold mining in the Province
this year; in fact, the returns for the first
three months of the year at the Government
assay office, in Vancouver, which are 55%
greater than for the same period of last year,
show that even as early as this in the season
there is considerable activity. The fact is,
of course, that there is a great deal of un-
employment and no immediate likelihood of
the coppper mines that have been closed re-
opening ; consequently many miners, rather
than remain idle, have gone to the gold
diggings, and already some interesting fresh
discoveries have been made, which goes to
show that there is money to be made from
the old Cariboo gravels yet. Two men won
$400 worth of nuggets in a few days near
Spence's Bridle, on the North Thompson
River, and then sold the claims for $12,000.
The heaviest nugget weighed more than an
ounce. The fact that a number of claims and
mines have been bonded and substantial
deposits paid, seems to augur activity in
lode-gold mining also. The Independent and
the Pioneer, both in Lillooet division, have
changed hands recently, and the Nugget, at
Sheep Creek, is being re-opened.
Platinum. — George Clothier, resident min-
ing engineer for the No. 1 district, reports
the discovery of platinum associated with
bornite and chalcopyrite in veinlets in diorite
at Morsby Island, one of the Queen Charlotte
group. Whether the discovery is of more
than scientific interest is not yet known.
Fluor-spar. — The Consolidated M. & S.
Co. has closed its Rock Candy fluor-spar mine,
the demand for the concentrate produced
having ceased. Most of the product of
the mine was sold to steel companies at
Garry, Indiana. The company also used the
fluor-spar for making hydrofluosUicic acid.
Oil-drilling. — The Hon. T. D. Pataullo,
Minister of Lands, has announced that the
Government has let a contract for a 2,000 ft.
bore-hole at the south fork of the Red River,
20 miles north-west of Hudson Hope, in the
Peace River region, to Lynch Brothers, of
Seattle. The bore is to be sunk at the
suggestion of Professor John A. Dresser, of
Montreal, who made a reconnaissance survey
of the oil possibilities of the district last
summer for the Provincial Government. Oil
seepages have been reported from Burns Lake
on the- Grand Trunk Pacific, and arrange-
ments have been made to explore the dis
coverv with a drill.
358
THE M1\1N(^, MAGAZINE
TORONTO
PoRCl'PiNF.. — With labour and electric
power sufficient for all requirements the
spiring has witnessed a great increase in
mining activity. The Hollinger Consolidated
is working to full capacity, treating about
3,300 tons of ore every '21 hours, with a force
of 1,450 men. Underground development
is proceeding at the rate of about a mile
per month, and the output for the current
year is likely to approximate $10,000,000.
in order to provide against shortage of power
in the future, the Company has applied to the
Ontario Government for the privilege of
developing electric power at Kettle Falls,
on Abitibi River, some 60 miles from the
mine, which is capable of generating 3!i,000
h.p. The application is likely to be granted,
subject to a reservation of 10,000 h.p.
should it be needed for public utilities.
At the Dome Mines the new ore-body
encountered on the eighth and tenth levels
has been driven on for '100 ft., and proved
to be from 18 to 20 ft. in width, carrying an
average gold content of $25 to the ton. The
extent and richness of this deposit has
changed the character of the mine, which
has hitherto been regarded as a low-grade
proposition. The mill was designed for the
treatment of low-grade ore, and the treat-
ment of the high-grade ore now being
developed will involve some alterations in
the milling equipment and practice.
The Mclntyre has placed orders for the
machinery required to double the present
capacity of its mill, which is 600 tons per
day. It is to be delivered and installed before
December 1. Diamond-drilling has indicated
the extension of the vein system of the
Hollinger on the Mclntyre property below the
1,000 ft. level.
The Bewick-Moreing holdings in a central
position have been taken over by the Goldale
Mining Co. The Tommy Burns, some ten
miles south-east of the producing area,
has been placed under option, and will be
explored by diamond-drilhng. The Ankerite
Extension, not far from the' Dome, has
changed hands, and will be subjected to
exploration. The Northern Canada Power
Co., in order to prevent a power shortage
in the winter season, is constructing a con-
servation dam at Kemoganissee Lake, on
the Mattagami River, which, it is estimated,
will give a minimum extra supply of
1,500 h.p.
KiRKLAND Lake. — Work is being speeded
up in the gold mines of this camp. The
sujiply of power has been increased from
2,000 to AJ)00 h.p., and the demand is
increasing so rapidly that further additions
to the equipment are likely to be needed
shortly. The Kirkland Lake Proprietary
(1019), in which British capital is largely
interested, which is a merger of the Tough-
Oakes, Sylvanite. and Burnside in the
Kirkland Lake field and the Aladdin Cobalt,
has resumed work on the Tough-Oakcs and
Burnside, which are being imwatercd pre-
paratory to an examination by S. C.
Thomson, of New York, who has been
appointed consulting engineer. The new
mill of the Wright-Hargreaves, witii a
capacity of about 160 tons, has been put in
operation, and is treating about 125 tons
daily. A force of 85 men has been engaged.
The mill of the Lake Shore during March
treated 1910 tons of ore with a yield of
$21,675. Important results have followed
development on the 600 ft. level. No. 1
vein was cut having a width of 12 ft., the
ore showing higher mineralization than on
the upper levels. More recently vein No. 2
was cut on the same level, carrying ore stated
to be very rich. A slope opened up on the
400 ft. level contains 18,702 tons of ore,
averaging upwards of $28 to the ton. The
Kirkland Lake is carrying on diamond-
drilling from the 900 ft. level to determine
the geology at depth. An important feature
in connexion with recent development is
that the ore-bodies at the lower levels are
found to extend to greater lengths than in
the upper workings. New York interests
have secured control of the Minaker-
Kirldand, adjoining the Lake Shore. Some
200 ft. of driving has been done at the
165 ft. level, with encouraging results. The
Ontario-Kirkland is excavating a site for
its mill, which will have a capacity of 100 tons
per dav. A substantial quantity of ore
running' from $15 to $20 gold to' the ton
has been blocked out.
Cobalt. — Silver production is gradually
increasing, though the low price of silver has
a discouraging effect and many properties
remain closed. The Nipissing during April
mined ore of an estimated value of $142,610,
and shipped bullion valued at $177,762.
The annual report for 1920 showed net
profits of $1,279,091, which was only about
half of those of the two preceding years.
The surplus was $3,817,043. The production
of silver was 3,332,303 oz., the cost of pro-
duction being 374 cents per oz. The ore
reserves had decreased from 6,354,000 oz. to
JUNE, 1921
359
3,568,000. President E. P. Earle stated that
explorations had been lacking in results, and
that shareholders must realize that they had
run into lean years. The Mining Corporation
of Canada has remodelled its reduction
plant, giving it a capacity of 300 tons of ore
daily, as compared with the former rate of
200 tons. A small force of men has been put
to work on the Buffalo property, and pre-
parations are being made for a general
resumption of activity. Active develop-
ment has been started at the Silver Leaf,
adjoining the Crown Reserve. At the Bailey
a promising vein has been encountered in a
rise from the fifth level, the silver content
being stated to run 1,200 oz. to the ton.
GowGANDA. — There is some revival of
activity in this area, where very little work
was done during the winter. The main
shaft on the Castle property of the
Trethewey, now down 180 ft., will be sunk
to the 300 ft. level, as the high-grade veins
on the 165 ft. level are continuing down-
wards. The Miller-Lake O'Brien, which was
forced to curtail production owing to power
shortage, is now in full operation, working
three shifts. Several properties have been
re-opened, including the Saunderson, Gow-
ganda Enterprise, McAlpine, and Powerful,
and others are preparing to resume activity.
Boston Creek. — Mining is practically
at a standstill in this area. The Miller
Independence, the only important company
in operation, closed down last month for
want of funds, after carrying on energetic
work for months endeavouring to locate the
downward extension of a rich vein on the
500 ft. level. The dii'ectors have authorized
an issue of bonds to the amount of $50,000
to finance further development.
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
The Camborne War Memorial
The Editor :
Sir — We venture to encroach on your
colum.ns for the purpose of aiding a good
cause, namely, the establishment of a War
McmiOrial to fallen Camborne Students.
Old students are scattered to the ends of the
earth, and are difficult to reach for that
reason. By the medium of the Magazine we
hope to be able to get into contact with tliem.
The Committee desire to raise at least
£1,000, towards which about £200 has been
subscribed to date. It is proposed to
purchase the old ground on which so many
of these men played in days gone by, and to
equip it in a manner fitting to their memory ;
in addition some form of memorial tablet is
to be erected in a suitable place.
An early response is desirable, as a chance
of securing the ground has presented itself
which may not occur again.
The cause is a good one, and our appeal
is not only to all old students but to the many
other good friends of Camborne Mining
School.
h. w. hutchin.
Stanley B. White.
Honorary Secretaries.
The Mining School,
Camborne, May 25.
Wave-transmission Rock-drill
The Editor :
Sir — Reading the letter of Mr. R. de H.
St. Stephens in your issue of May, an
impartial observer trying to arrive at a
correct conclusion as to the respective
advantages of the old and new methods is
struck by the unfair obstacles raised by
Mr. St. Stephens against the wave-trans-
mission system. He assumes certain definite
conditions common to both systems and
emunerates the necessary plant in each case.
May I point out that a mine about to be
equipped would not generate current at a
voltage greater than that permissible for use
at the motors, as the expense of high-tension
switchgear at surface and underground, and
transformer underground, could not possibly
be justified except where the current was
generated at a central station and distributed
over large areas.
Then, in calculating the overall efficiency
of the wave-power, while Mr. St. Stephens
is extremely generous in allowing 93%
efficiency for the generator, he deducts 5%
for line drop in shaft cables. This is quite
impossible, as a conductor in which 5% drop
occurred in 1,000 ft. could not carry the
current without overheating. 1^% would be
the most economical figure.
As I hav.e shown above, the 2% trans-
former loss is ehminated and the 5% cable
loss is now reduced to li%. The figure
779-25 h.p. available at motor terminals now
becomes 825, and drilling capacity becomes
343 ft. per minute. On Mr. St. Stephens'
figures this still leaves an advantage with
compressed air of 464 to 343.
But in a practical application of wave-
power to a mine it is inconceivable that
a separate motor and generator would be
used for each drill, and with increasing
3li()
Till-; M1N1N(, MAi.A/.IXK
capacity oi wave gcm-ialors il naluially
follows that the ofliciency will increase.
The most bigoted advocate of compressed
air would hardly maintain that a 12 h.p.
air-compressor would supply 5 8 cubic feet of
air compressed to 80 lb. per sq. in. per horse-
power. In effect Jlr. St. Stephens is com-
jiaring a compressed-air jilant of 1,000 i.h.p.
with a wave-power plant of 12 h.p. This to
the mind of one who has no axe to grind, but
who, in common with a vast body of mining
men, is anxious to determine the true facts
of the case, is manifestly unfair.
A practical demonstration of the two
methods on the same rock face, with care-
fully recorded figures by independent
observers, appears to be the only true
comparison.
Would either part}* undertake the ordeal ?
Chas. K. Love.
Lanncr, Redruth, May 18.
PERSONAL
R. F. Allen has returned from Senegal.
C. V. Anthony has been elected a director of
Henry Bath & Son, Ltd.
G. W. C.MnrioN is here from West Africa.
Thomas P. C.vrr has been appointed manager
for the Compania Minera Anglo-Hispana Matallana,
Leon, Spain.
E. H. Clifford, one of the consulting engineers
of the Central Mining-Rand Mines group, is
in London.
W. A. DoM.4N has been appointed with W. Lang
joint editor of the Financial News. Mr. Doman
is well-known among mining men as a sound and
conscientious journalist.
C. J. Emery is here from Broken HiU.
J. \V. Finch has been visiting the Rand and the
Congo, and is back again in New York.
Colin G. Fink, lately director of the research
laboratory oi the Chile Fvploration Co., has opened
an office at South Yonkers, New York, as consulting
metallurgical engineer.
A. W. HooKE has completed his engagement with
the Bisichi and Forum companies, Nigeria, and is
now staying at Tunbridge Wells.
C. J. Inder, of Inder, Henderson, & Dixon, has
left for Colombia.
J. W. KiRKi.AND is acting as president of the
South .African Institute of Engineers, in the absence
of James Whitehouse.
Douglas Lay has been appointed manager of
the Le Roi No. 2 Mine, Rossland, B.C.
Waldemar Lindgren, professor of mining
geology in the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, is visiting Bolivia.
E. P. IIathewson left on liis return to the United
States on May 25.
A. \V. Newberry has returned to New York
from Nicaragua.
J. M. Niall, chairman of the Mount Morgan Gold
Mining Co., is here from Australia.
Dr. Ernest Fox Nicholls has been appointed
president of the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology.
Walter K. Skinner, the editor of the Miuiiig
Manual, celebrated his seventieth birthday last
month.
.\CHESON Smith has been elected president of the
.'\merican l'"lectro-Chcmical Society.
Dr. A. W. Stickney is back from Spain and
.Mgeria, and has gone to the United States on a
short visit.
W. E. Thorne has returned from the United
States.
L. Vaugiian has opened an olTicc at Kroh, Upper
Pcrak, and is in control of the work at the Betong
group of mines in Lower Siam.
A. J. Walton, manager of Crown Mines, is here
from Johannesburg.
James Whitehouse is here from the Rand.
W. B. WoRTHiNGTON has been elected president
of the Institution of Civil Engineers.
Charles Will Wright passed through London
last month on his way from Italy to the United
States.
The following have been appointed by the
Secretary for Mines to serve on the Advisory
Committee for the Metalliferous Mining Industry.
Mining Engineers: Thomas Falcon, F. H. Hatch,
Frank Merricks. Metallurgist : F. W. Harbord.
Economic Geologists : T. C. F. Hall, Henry Louis,
Malcolm Maclaren. Representatives of Tin
Mines: R. Arthur Thomas, Josei'h Harris.
Representatives of Lead and Zinc Mines : Anthony
Wilson, James Wignall.
George Blake Walker, a well-known Yorkshire
mining engineer, died on June i. He was at one
time a partner in the firm of Bainbridge, Seymour
& Co. A year or two ago he served as President of
the Institution of Mining Engineers.
.•\mbrose Monell, who was for fifteen years i
president of the International Nickel Company, l
died on May 2. He graduated from Columbia
University in 1896, and his first appointment was
with the Carnegie Steel Company. His name is
associated with the natural copper-nickel alloy now
in commercial use under the name of monel metal.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
MiiTROPOLITAN-YlCKERS ELECTRICAL CO., LtD.,
of Manchester, send us their pamphlet No. 7875/2
describing electro-motors suitable for driving
looms used in textile mills.
The Denver Rock Drill Manufacturing
Co., of Denver, Colorado, send us a pamphlet
describing the " Waughoist ", a portable hoist
driven by compressed air, particularly adrpted for
use in development operations underground.
The Westingiiouse Electric International
CoMP.\NY, of New York, send us their monthly
magazine for May. This gives interesting
information relating to trade in Japan, Buenos
Aires, and Chile, and publishes articles on electric
fans and on electric substations in France.
The British Ropeway Engineering Co., Ltd.,
of 34, Fenchurch Street, London, E.C 3, have
obtained an interim injunction against Stavers &
Partners, wherebj- the latter undertake not to carry
on the business of erecting or supplying crane cables
and ropeways and aerial transporters, and not to use
in connexion with their business the name of
''Bleichert" or "Bleichert's System" or in any way
to represent that they are carrying on the business
former!}' carried on by Bleichert & Company.
JUNE, 1921
361
^^itV'ttSWF^'-'
The Palnut Safety Lock Washer.
The Palnut in place.
The Sullivan Machinery Company, of Chigaco,
and Salisbury House, London, E.C. 2, send us three
new pamphlets. No. 77a describes the firm's
portable mine-car electrically driven air-com-
pressor?. No. 77b gives particulars of the angle-
compound power-driven air-compressors ; belted
\VJ 3, WI 3, \VJ 4, direct-connected WN 3, WN 4.
No. ,'2e describes the company's drill-sharpeners
for hammer-forging drill-bits and shanks.
The Palnut Co., Ltd., of 6 Great St. Helens,
London, E.C. 3, are putting on the market a new
safety lock washer, called the " Palnut ". This
washer is placed on top of the nut, not under it.
Pressures can thus be varied at will, and the washer
is easily detached when desired. The flanges are
cut to fit in the base of the pitch of the thread.
Being in contact with the core, they resist pressure
from the nut face, with the result that the whole
hexagon tends to flatten out, thus preventing tl;e
nut becoming unseated or lost. The thread of the
belt is in no may stripped or burred, and two threads
of the bolt suffice for the action of the washer.
The washer is particularly adapted to mining
machinery, where there is much vibration. The
accompanying illustrations show the washer and
its position on the bolt. The price is low ; for
instance, the washer for an inch bolt is sold at
thirty-seven shillings per gross.
The Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd.,
of 170, Piccadilly, London, W. 1, have opened a
branch office at 8, Clive Street, Calcutta, under the
management of Captain E. Grigg, where a stock of
air compressors, oil engines, and portable tools,
both pneumatic and electric, together with all
necessary spare parts and accessories, are kept to
enable customers' requirements to be immediately
filled. Full particulars as to the erection and
operation of this company's well-known Giant
Semi-Diesel Oil Engines can also be obtained from
Captain Grigg. G. & A. Angus, of Rangoon, and
the United Engineers Ltd., of Singapore, have been
appointed agents for Burma and the East Indies
respectively, and they will carry stocks of the
labour-saving appliances manufactured by the
Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd., so that
inquiries and orders in these areas will receive
immediate and prompt attention.
The Ingersoll-Rand Co., London office, 165,
Queen Victoria Street, London, E.C. 4, send us the
following information relating to a record made by
No. 18 Ingersoll-Leyner drills : Some time ago
a remarkable record was made by a miner by the
name of ElUtson, at the Geduld mine, with No. 18
Ingersoll-Leyner drills. The Union Corporation
now announce that this same miner broke his
previous world's record with the same three
machines in the same grade of rock and the same
stoping width. The record which he has just made
during the month of April is as follows : Type of
drill. No. 18 Ingersoll-Levner drills ; number of
drills, 3 ; total machine shifts, 78 ; total fathoms
broken, 221 ; fathoms per machine shift, 2-83 ;
tons broken per machine shift, 45 : stoping width,
63 inches. As Mr. Ellitson has used these same
drills for a considerable length of time and made
remarkable fathomage in four consecutive months
last year, that is, August, September, October,
and November, he deserves a great deal of credit
for making special efforts to break his own record
with these same machines. Ordinarily a man asks
for new machines whenever he wishes to make a
special record. This figure of 2-83 fathoms per
machine shift is an excellent performance, and is
believed to stand unequalled in the world to-day
under the same conditions, and not using more than
three drills.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The standard copper market in London
during May exhibited a steadily rising tendency
til! towards the end of the month, when a rather
easier tone manifested itself. At the beginning of
May an attempt was apparently made by certain
American interests to squeeze the standard market,
and heavy purchases of near metal caused the
market to assume a rather artificial aspect, and a
backwardation made its appearance. About
the middle of the month, however, the squeeze
was abandoned, although some American influence
was still manifestly at work supporting values,
and later on the backwardation (premium com-
manded by cash over three months) dwindled
considerably. In the meantime the .'Vmerican
market began to firm up, and from 12| cents the
price rose to 13J cents per lb. The rise in the
United States was attributed to a healthier export
demand, chiefly from Germany and Japan, but
domestic consumption in the United States was
disappointing. The artificial condition of the
standard market during the month was well
illustrated by the fact that not only was electrolytic
at one time practically saleable as standard, but
302
TllK MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Mf.tal Prices: Official Closinc;
(.(•pptT. I.c.ul. Zinc, and Tin per Long Ton;
Sland.ir.l i..i:^li
1 , ■ — ;
E
Ifclrolytic
Wirr Bars
Best Selected
May
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£ s.
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£
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5.
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71 5
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to 71 IC
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73
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73
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to 74
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to
74 10 0
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72 0
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71 0
0
to 71 2
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73
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73
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0
to 74
10
0
73
10
0
to 74
10
0
72 in
0
to
74 in 0
12
72 12
0 to 72 15
0
71 15
0
to 71 17
6
73
10
0
to 74
10
0
73
10
0
to 74 in
0
72 10
0
to
74 in 0
13
73 2
6 to 73 6
0
72 2
6
to 72 5
0
74
0
0
to 75
0
0
74
0
0
to 75
0
0
72 10
0
to
74 in n
17
74 2
6 to 74 5
0
73 7
0
to 73 10
0
74 10
0
to 75
10
0
74
10
n
to 75
10
0
74 0
0
to
76 0 0
18
74 10
0 to 74 15
0
73 15
0
to 71 0
0
75
0
0
to 76
0
0
75
0
0
to 70
0
0
74 0
0
to
76 0 0
19
74 17
6 to 75 0
0
71 7
6
to 74 10
0
75
0
0
to 70
0
0
75
0
0
to 76
0
0
74 0
0
to
76 0 n
20
75 5
0 to 75 7
6
75 0
0
to 75 2
6
7(1
0
0
to 77
0
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
74 10
0
to
78 n 0
23
75 10
0 to 75 12
0
75 5
0
to 75 10
0
7r,
0
n
to 77
0
0
70
0
0
to 77
0
0
74 10
0
to
76 n 0
24
74 0
0 to 74 2
6
74 0
0
to 74 2
6
76
0
0
to 77
(1
0
70
0
0
to 77
0
0
74 0
0
to
75 10 0
25
74 15
0 to 74 17
6
74 10
0
to 74 13
6
70
0
0
to 77
0
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
74 0
0
to
75 10 0
26
74 10
0 to 74 12
6
74 10
0
to 74 12
6
70
0
0
to 77
0
0
70
0
0
to 77
0
0
74 0
(i
to
75 10 0
27
73 17
6 to 74 0
0
73 17
6
to 74 0
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
73 10
0
to
75 0 n
30
73 0
0 to 73 5
0
73 0
0
to 73 5
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
70
0
0
to 77
0
0
73 in
0
to
75 n 0
31
June
1
72 10
0 to 72 15
0
72 15
0
to 72 17
6
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
73 0
0 to 73 2
6
73 5
0
to 73 7
6
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
76
0
0
to 77
0
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
2
73 2
C to 73 5
0
73 12
6
to 73 15
0
70
10
0
to 77
0
0
76 10
0
to 77
0
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
3
72 12
6 to 72 15
0
73 2
6
to 73 5
0
76
n
0
to 77
0
0
7'i
0
0
to 77
0
0
72 10
0
to
74 n 0
0
72 15
0 to 72 17
6
73 2
6
to 73 5
0
70
0
0
to 78
0
0
70
0
0
to 78
0
0
72 10
0
to
74 n 0
7
72 15
0 to 73 0
0
73 5
0
to 73 7
6
76
0
0
to 78
0
0
76
0
0
to 78
0
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
8
72 17
6 to 73 2
6
73 2
G
to 73 7
6
76
0
0
to 78
0
0
76
0
0
to 78
0
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
best select was nominally quoted below standard.
The April imports into the United Kingdom
were 11,413 tons against 9,889 tons in April last
year.
Average price of cash standard copper : Mav,
1921, p3 5s. lOd. ; April, 1921, £69 8s. lld^;
May, 1920, £96 18s. Id. ; April, 1920, £103 23. lid
Tin. — The standard tin market in London
fluctuated to some extent during the past month,
but on the whole the tendency was firmer. Qjuite
a feature was the freer market in the Straits,
where fair quantities have been sold at prices not
greatly above the London parity. With the coal
strike in progress, domestic consumption was even
less than had previously been the case, and it can
only be concluded that most of the interest taken
recently in the metal on 'Change has been of a
professional character. In the East fair quantities
were sold almost daily, and shipments from the
Straits during May showed a fair increase over the
April figures. The premium commanded by Straits
metal on the London market has diminished con-
siderably. It is understood that the F.M.S. Govern-
ment has renewed its agreement with the Dutch
holders in Batavia to hold the accumulated .stocks
for a further three months. In America the price
has been firm during the month. Owing to the coal
strike, production was practically suspended at the
English tin smelters during the month. The United
Kingdom imports of tin in April were 317 tons,
against 1,440 tons last year. America has only
bought spasmodically, and apparently consumers
there are not doing much. The Continent shows a
fair amount of buying interest. Generally speaking,
consuming interest is small and supplies ample,,
but the stocks are all well held.
Average price of cash standard tin : Mav, 1921,
/177 10s. 8d. ; April, 1921, /164 Os. Ud.'; May,
1920, /295 3s. 7d. ; April, 1920, /345 135. Id.
Lead. — The London lead market during May was
fairly firm, and values rose appreciably till towards
the end of the month, when an easier feeling set
in. The firmness was caused to some extent by
the small arrivals of metal owing to vessels holding
off from English ports on account of coaling
difficulties. The rise in values caused some con-
sumers to buy small quantities, but others, finding
their operations curtailed by the coal stoppage,
actually featured as sellers. Consuming demand,
on the whole, was, in the circumstances, fair. Spain
continued to be the sole supplier of virgin Icail,
the United States, Mexico, Australia, and Burma
sending nothing. As regards America, that country
herself has been buying heavily from Spain,
apparently in anticipation of the increased import
tax which it is expected may be imposed shortly.
The position in Spain is still obscure, and the extent
of the stocks there is unknown. It appears quite
possible that the higher price which is now
obtainable may stimulate production once more,
and in this connexion it is interesting to observe
that the Mexican lead-producing industry is showing
signs of greater animation.
Average price of soft pig lead : Mav, 1921,
/23 7s. 3d. ; April, 1921, /20 16s. lOd.' ; May,
1920, £39 3s. 2d. ; April, 1920, £40 4s.
Spelter. — The month of May saw considerable
firmness in the London spelter market, and prices
rose somewhat. This, of course, was chiefly due
to the paucity of new supplies, which more than
counterbalanced the extreme poorness of demand.
With the galvanizing trade in a. very depres.sed
condition, which was further accentuated by the
coal stoppage, very little consuming buying could
be expected, but, nevertheless, a steady, though
small, consuming inquiry trickled in. As regards
supplies, Germany was unable to send anything
owing to the prohibitive 50°o import duty imposed
by the Allies, and furthermore the insurrection in
Upper Silesia would have in any case hindered the
output of the zinc industry there. Belgium has
been offering a little metal rather above the London
price, and her production is still decreasing, being
only 4,320 tons in April, against 4,640 tons in
March. Norway is also willing to sell, but at higher
prices than rule here. In its annual report the
Vieille Montagne Co. makes the remark that
Europe is now only producing l.SO,000 tons of
spelter yearly, instead of 650,000 tons. The output
in the United States during April was approximately
1
JUNE, 1921
363
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Zinc
(Spelter)
Standard Tim
Silver
Gold
Soft Foreign
English
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
£ s. d. £ s.
ti- ! £ s-
d.
£
«.
d. £ s.
d.
C s-
d. £ s.
d.
I. s.
d. £ s. d.
d.
d.
s. d.
May
24 0 0to24 0
0 ;25 0
0
26
0
0to27 5
0
176 0
0 to 176 5
0
178 0
0 to 178 0 0
35i
•34}
103 3
9
24 0 0 to 24 0
0 2,=; 0
0
26
0
0to27 5
0
173 10
0 to 173 15
0
175 15
0 to 176 0 0
35
34
103 2
10
24 7 6 to 24 0
0 25 5
0
26
5
0to27 5
0
178 10
n to 17S 15
0
180 5
0 to 180 10 0
34}
33J
102 11
11
24 7 6 to 23 17
0 25 5
0 2fi
7
6 to 27 7
6
179 0
0 to 179 10
0
181 0
0 to 181 6 0
34
34
103 0
12
23 5 Oto23 5
0 ; 24 10
0, 26 10
0 to 27 10
0
178 10
0 to 178 15
0
180 7
6 to 180 10 0
34
33i
102 11
13
23 12 6 to 23 10
0 : 24 15
0 27
0
0 to 27 17
6
181 0
0 to 181 5
0
182 15
0 to 183 0 0
33i
33}
102 11
17
23 17 6 to 23 17
6 ' 25 0
0 27
17
6 to 28 17
6
180 15
0 to 181 0
0
182 0
0 to 1S2 10 0
33t
33}
102 9
IS
24 12 G to 24 10
0 1 25 15
0 23
0
0 to 28 15
0
181 5
0 to 181 10
0
182 5
0 to 182 10 0
33
32J
102 8
19
24 10 0 to 24 10
0 25 15
0 28
5
0 to 28 15
0
183 5
0 to 183 10
0
183 15
0 10 184 0 0
33
32S
102 8
20
24 7 6 to 24 7
0 25 10
0 28
0
0 to 23 10
0
184 0
0 to 184 5
0
181 10
0 to 184 15 0
33
331
103 0
23
24 0 0 to 23 17
6 25 5
C 1 27 15
0 to 23 0
0
ISl 0
0 to 181 5
0
1«1 10
0 to 181 15 0
33
33
104 1
24
24 2 6 to 23 17
6 125 5
0. 28
0
0to2S 7
6
182 0
0 to 182 5
0
182 5
0 to 182 10 0
33
33
103 4
25
23 12 6 to 23 12
0 1 25 0
0'2S
0
0 to 28 7
6
180 15
0 to 181 n
0
181 12
6 to 181 15 0
33}
38}
104 8
26
23 0 0 to 23 0
0 ! 24 10
0 28
0
0to28 5
0
177 15
0 to 178 0
0
178 10
0 to 178 15 0
33i
33t
105 1
27
22 10 0 to 22 10
0 :24 0
0' 27
10
0 to 27 15
0
173 10
0 to 173 15
0
174 5
0 to 174 10 0
34i
33}
106 1
30
22 5 0 to 22 5
0
23 15
0 27
5
0 to 27 10
0
174 0
0 to 174 5
0
175 0
0 to 175 5 9
33i
33}
106 4
31
June
1
22 15 0 to 22 10
0
24 0
0 27
0
0 to 27 15
0
173 0
0 to 173 5
0
173 15
0 to 174 0 0
33}
33}
105 0
22 5 0 to 22 2
6
23 15
0 27
0
0 to 27 15
0
172 10
0 to 172 15
0
173 15
0 to 174 0 0
33}
33}
105 5
2
22 2 6 to 22 0
0
23 10
0 1 20
12
6 to 27 12
6
170 5
0 to 170 10
0
171 10
0 to 171 15 0
33}
33 S
106 0
3
22 5 Oto22 2
0 23 10
0 20
0
0to27 0
0
168 5
0 to 168 10
0
169 15
0 to 170 0 0
34
333
107 7
6
22 12 6 to 22 10
0 1 23 15
0' 26
5
0 to 27 10
0
165 15
0 to 166 5
0
167 0
0 to 167 5 0
34|
341
109 3
7
22 17 6 to 22 12
6 1 24 0
0 1 26 10
0 to 27 15
0
107 10
0 to 167 15
0
169 0
0 to 169 5 0
341
10711
8
16,500 tons, against 4.S,000 tons in April last year.
Stocks in America are estimated at something like
80,000 tons. The Anaconda Copper Mining Co.
has reopened a portion of the Washoe smelting
workings to treat silver-zinc ores, and a production
of 2,000,000 lb. of zinc monthly is planned.
Average price o! spelter : May, 1921, /27 6s. 7d. ;
April, 1921, /26 Is. 5d. ; May, 1920, £46 Os. 9d. ;
April, 1920, ^48 9s. 4d.
Zinc Dust. — The market is very quiet, and
present prices are about : American, ;^55 per ton ;
English, £55 ; and Australian, /55.
Antimony. — Prices asked by first hands for
English have kept steady, ordinary brands being
quoted at £37 to £40 and special brands at
;£38 5s. to £42. Foreign material seems easier, there
being sellers at £24 lOs. ex warehouse.
Arsenic. — There is practically no demand at
the moment, and Cornish white is quite nominal
at £46 to £48 per ton, delivered.
Bismuth. — The quotation is steady at 7s. 6d.
per lb.
Cadmium. — Business is dull, with sellers quoting
6s. to 6s. 3d. per lb.
Aluminium. — British interests are nominally
quoting £150 per ton for both home and export,
but Continental metal has been offering during the
month at around £110, f.o.b. Continental ports.
Nickel. — The leading producers quote £185
delivered for home business, and £185, f.o.b., for
export orders.
Cobalt Metal. — The price has been weak, and
metal is obtainable at 15s. to 16s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — A reduction of 4s. per lb. has
been made in quotations, black oxide being quoted
at 12s, and grey at 13s. 6d. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — Pfices keep steady.
Manufactured platinum and palladium are priced
at £20 per oz. Raw platinum is stated "to be
obtainable at £17, and raw palladium around £15.
Quicksilver.— The tendency of late has been
slightly easier, and the current quotation is £1 1 to
£1 1 5s. per bottle.
Selenium. — The quotation continues at 10s. 6d.
to 13s. per lb.
Tellurium. — Sellers quote 90s. to 95s. per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — The present quotation
is about £30 per ton for both home and export
business.
Manganese Ore. — The tendency has been rather
easier, and Indian grades are quoted at Is. 2}d.
to Is. 3d. per unit, c.i.f., U.K.
Tungsten Ores. — Some slight signs of a recovery
have been visible in this market recently, but the
present price of 65% WO, is quoted at about
12s. 6d. to I3s. per unit, c.i.f.
Molybdenite. — Business is dull, and the price
has had a downward tendency. We call the
quotation 47s. 6d. to 57s. 6d. per unit, nominal.
Chrome Ores. — African and Indian grades are
steady at £5 10s. to £6 per ton, c.i.f., U.K.
Silver. — The silver market in London during
May was chiefly dependent for support on India,
which country bought moderately. There was
some liquidation by China, however, which caused
weakness about the middle of the month Spot
bars opened on Mav 2 at 34|d., rose to cS\d. on
May 7, fell to 33id. on the 20th, subsequently
recovered to 34 Jd. on the 30th, and closed on the
31st at33|d.
Graphite. — Madagascar, 80 to 90%, is steady at
£20 to £25 per ton.
Iron and Steel. — Business in the iron and steel
trades during the past month has been virtually
at a standstill owing to the prolongation of the coal
strike. .As regards Clevel.and pig iron, no alteration
was made in the official minimum quotations,
but with stocks of No. 3 foundry iron being gradually
diminished, owing to the cessation of production,
those who had anything to sell were asking a
premium of 10s. for home trade and 15s. for export.
Thus the official quotation remains at £6, which
price was fi.xed at the beginning of April. In the
finished iron and steel trades, there has really been
no alteration, either in the position or in home
trade quotations, but with the Continent — mainly
Belgium and latterly Germany — securing good
export orders, British makers have started to cut
quot;iticns for shipment. They still h-ive a long
way to go, however.
:5Ci
THK JIIXING MAGAZINI':
STATISTICS
Transv\al Gold Otitpi'ts.
March
Pkoduciion of Gold in niK Tbansvaai..
Rand
ElSf- i
where Total
Price o(
Or. 1 Or. j Or.
Gold pet OR.
April, 1920 667,926
Mny 681,551
Iiinc ' 699,199
July 718,521
August C83,6(M
September 605,486
October 645,819
November 618,525
December 617,549
s.
d.
19,058
686.979
102
0
17,490
699,041
105
0
16,759
715,957
102
0
17,578
736,099
105
(1
18,479
702,083
112
I!
16,687
682,173
115
0
16,653
662,472
117
i;
15,212
633,737
117
(>
14,606
632,215
115
0
Total, 1920
7,949,038 1 204,587 i8,153,625 !
-
January-, 1921 . . .
I-'ebruarj-
637,425
543,767
656.572
665,309
14.168
14,370
14.551
16.073
651,593
588,137
671,123
681,382
105 0
103 9
103 9
April
103 9
Natives
Kmpi.ovf.d in the Transvaal Mimes.
Gold
niincs
Coal ' Diamond
mines mines
j Total
April 30, 1920 1 180,446 12,951
May 31 184,722 j 12,897
June 30 179,827 i 13,036
July 31 174,187 13,005
August 31 169,263 , 13,535
September 30 163,132 13,716
October 31 159,426 13,858
November 30 158,773 14,245
December 31 159,671 14,263
January 31, 1921
February' 28
March 31
April 30
165,287
171,518
174,364
172,826
14,541
14,697
14,906
14,908
5,057
4,793
4,596
4,521
4,244
4,323
4,214
3,504
3,340
3,319
1,612
1,364
1,316
207,454
202,412
197,4!-,9
191,713
187,042
181,171
177,408
176,522
177,274
183,147
187,827
190.634
■ 189.050
April
Treated Yield Treated Yield
.\itrora West
Brakpan
City Deep
Cons. LancJaa^te . .
Cons. Main Reef . . .
Crown Mines |
D'rb'nRoodepoortDcep
I-.-ist Rand P.M
Fcrrcira Deep
GcduM
Gcldcnhuis Deep
Glynn's I.ydcnburg ...
Gorh
Govcrnmi'nt G.M. Areas'
Klcinfontein [
Knight Central i
Langlaa^te listatc ....
I.nipaard's Vlci
Meyer & Charlton
MoHdcrfontein
Moddcrfontcin B
Modderfontein Deep . .
Modderfontcin East. . . ,
New Unified
Novirse
Primrose
Randfontein Central . ,
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Koodcpnort United . . ,
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
.Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates.
Van R^Ti
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Rand Consolidated!
Witw'tersr'nd (Knights)!
Witwatersrand Deep . .
Wolhuter
Tons
10,0110
52,000
85,IKXI
42,iXX)
47,800
187,000
20,500
131,500
32,000
45,000
40,950
3,277
16.600
136,000
48,000
25,800
40,000
16,000
14,300
92,000
.57,000
42,700
26,000
10.900
42,000
31,700
120,000
39,800
60,100
23,000
53,300
61,100
42,000
9.900
13,945
31,100
50,600
48,700
32,300
32,000
37,665
32,200
Or.
Tons
£14,595t
10,800
22,339
55,000
36,584
80,(XI0
iC62,419t
43,000
10.759
48,000
51,218
102,000
8,778
26,550
84,270
135,000
10,290
31,800
15,359
44.000
12,781
49.765
i'4,990t
3.533
£20,2&4t
17.000
£2S3,290t
136.000
13,297
47.100
6,178
28.800
£62,290t
38,400
£18,4501
20,380
£45,361 1
14,000
43,114
96,000
29,200
58,000
22,809
42,000
10,430
25,700
£13,219t
11,300
13,253
46.000
£24,397t
21.500
£187.460t
128.5C0
7,814
39.000
17,279
61.3C0
£22,209t
23,800
12,871
54,500
13,540
60,600
18,776
42,000
5,557
9,900
£22,415{
15,030
£47,453t
31,520
£138,977t
.50,400
14,643
48,600
.£48,S92t
32,220
£47,940t
36,000
£54,669t
35,000
8,291
31,700
Or.
£14,596t
22,470
£182,518»
£65,123t
£85,563 ■•
£280,545*
£45,fi03«
£180,518'
£55,717*
15,150
£67,418*
£6,086:
£10,937t
£2S7,860t
13,114
£37,150*
£fi2,270t
£21,946t
£41,4G7t
£224,885*
£158,308*
22,910
£51,285*
£14,082t
£73,959*
£23,759t
£183,309t
£40,446*
13,114
£23,180+
£68,043*
14,460
18,631
6,043
£2.'i,583J
£49,C(33t
£140,608t
£76,730'
Z47,947t
£49,820t
14,491
£41,704*
* Gold at £5 3s. 3d. per oz. f £5 3s. Od. per oz. t £5 2s. 9d. per oz.
Cost and Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics pnbhshed by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines.
Tons
milled
April, 1920 . . , 2,065,
May I 2,117,
June I 2,146,
July 2,194,
August ! 2,0.57,
September . . . 1,950,
October 1,871,
November . . . 1,799,
December . . . 1,797,
I Work'g
Yield cost
per ton ' per ton
Work'g
profit
per ton
446
725
890
,050
,500
,410
,140
,710
970
s. d.
31 5
31 9
31 10
33 6
36 11
38 11
39 9
40 2
39 11
s. d.
26 3
23 11
25 2
24 6
25 0
25
26
26
26
s.
d.
5
2
5
1(1
0
8
9
0
11 11
13
n
13
S
13
1
13
3
lanuarj'. 1921 1.89.5,235 35 0 26 3 8 9
February .... 1,.575,320 35 6 ! 28 6 70
March j 1,958,730 I 34 5 I 26 1 8 4
Production op Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1920
January . .
February .
March . . .
April . . . .
May
June
July
August . . .
September
October . .
November
December
Total
£
211,917
220,885
225,808
213,160
218,057
214,215
214,919
207,339
223,710
204,184
186,462
158,835
oz.
43,423
44,237
45,779
47,000
40,266
45.054
46,208
48.740
45,471
47,343
46,782
46,190
2,499,498
5.52,498
Total
working
profit
£
533,940
618,147
692,510
985,058
1,226,906
1,276.369
1,278.385
1.255.749
1,193,672
829,436
550.974
813,636
1921
oz.
46,9.50
40,810
31.993
47,858
173.625
Rhodesiak Gold Outputs.
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phnenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planet-Arcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G.M. & I. . .
Shamva
Transvaal f^ Rhodesian
Tons
10,052
15.406
1.204
1,450
2,308
1,600
1,950
2,400
.597
16,150
1,700
2,666
2,937*
60S
441
£2,792
1,669
1,065
1,635
215
£14,695t
£5.028t
April
Ton.s
11.100
15.293
3,503
0,083
1,399
5,320
5,450
5,700
259
52.330
1.700
Oz.
£U.500t
3.08611
1,254
4,744
464
£2,592
5,299
2,592
2,601
234
£39,8231
£5,184+
• Also 250 tons copper. t At par. % Gold at £5 per oz,
II Also 272 tons copper.
West Aprican
Gold Out
purs.
March
.\pra
Treated ; Value
Treated Value
Abbontiakoon
Tons
6,709
5,000
4,^7
818
Oz.
£11.497*
1.996
4.720
£2.480t
£16,094t
1,222
Tons ' O.'
6,60'4 £ln,0'.;'
5,012 1,952
Ashanti Goldfields
5,760 5,323
760 £2,838+
5,445 ' £0,993*
2,200 1,303
Prestea Block A
Taquah
6,705
2,300
* At par. t Including premium.
JUNE, 1921
365
AUSTHALIAH Goi.D OUTPUTS.
West
Australia
Victoria
Queensland
New South
Wales
1921
oz.
oz.
oz.
£ ,
January .
51,458
4,587
4,582
20,403
"February.
27.557
10,940
9,046
21,575
March . . .
47,886
12,383
6.690
24,344
April ....
—
—
—
34,101
May
—
—
—
—
June
—
—
—
■ ■'
July
—
—
—
—
August. . .
—
—
—
—
September
—
—
—
—
October .
—
—
—
—
November
—
—
—
—
December
—
—
—
Production of Gold in India.
126,901
27,910
20,318
100,483
West Australian Gold Statistics. — Par Values.
Reported
for Export
Oz.
April, 1920 1
May I
Julie
July
.A.ugtist
September
October
N'ovember
December
J.inuary, 1921 . .
February
March
April
May
835
227
502
16?
141
174
128
321
523
684
10
607
474
Delivered
to Mint
Oz.
56.256
50,970
56,679
48,341
54,258
54,940
.53,801
54,729
53,595
50,934
26,872
47,875
46,602
47,638
Total
Oz.
57,091
51,203
57,181
48,3 U
54,425
55,081
53,975
54,857
.53,916
51,457
27,556
47,885
47,209
51,503
Total
Value £
242,506
217,495
242,638
205,340
231,185
233,963
229,275
233,017
229,057
218,574
117,050
203,'101
200,635
217,495
Australasian Gold Outputs.
Associated G.M. (W.A.) | 5,977
Blackwater (N.Z.) i 2,956
Bullfincb (W.A.) —
Gold'n Horseslioe (W.A)' 9,936
Grt Boulder Pro. (W..\.) 8,585
Ivanboe (W.A.) 14,973
K.il£curU (W.A.) 4,280
Lake View & Star (W.A.) 7,067
Menzies Con. (W.A.) . . 1,350
Mount floppy (N.S.W.) 5,590
Oroya Links (W..\,) . . . 1,490
Progress (N.Z.) —
Sons of Gwalia (W.A.) . —
South KalgurU IW.A.) . 7,216
Waihi (N.Z.) ' 13,204
,, Grand Junc'a (N.Z.)
Yuanmi (W.A.)
5,780 j g'
1,200
7,96411
5,742'
5,183t
24,800!!
6,230;
0,691!!
14,521t
2,145»
1,0891
8,409t
12,188:i
3,056t
23,304§
2,039t
^,354§
4,342*
April
Tons I Value £
5,977
2,888
9,024
9,033
12,217
6,656
1.760
3,696
1,442
7,081
10,907 I
5,260 -]
1,512
6,89011
5,110*
4,747t
27,0991!
5,773t
14,717t
2,928*
1,0451
9,23ot
12,40211
2,997t
31,134§
1,7371
5,947§
5,407*
• Including premium ; t Including royalties ; { Oz. gold ;
§ Oz. silver ; 11 At par.
Miscellaneous
Gold and Silver
Outputs.
March
.AprU
Ton3_ 1 Value. £
Tons
Value £
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia)
166§
—
3265
El Oro (Mexico)
29,500
202,000t
31,500
2O6,0O0t
Esperanza (Mexico)
—
308tt
2,31S+:
Frcntino & Bolivia (C'lbia)
2,450
7,624
2.270
7,997
Mexico El Oro (Mexico). .
11,340
186,960t
11,200
182,780t
Mining Corp. of Canada .
—
—
—
—
Oriental Cons. (Korea) . ..
17,235
109,644t
—
97,000t
Ouro Preto (BrazU) 'i 7,200
2,2721!
7,100
2,22211
Plym'th Cons. (CaUf'rnia 10,000
11,345
9,600
10,663
St. John del Rey (Brazil) . | —
33,000
—
40,000
Santa Gertrudis (Mexico) 37,754
9,09St
35,053
13,421t
Tolima (Colombia) 1 53**
—
90**
—
Tomboy (Colorado)
15,600
59,000t
16,000
48,500t
* Oz. silver, f U.S. Dollars. } Profit, gold and silver. || Oz. gold.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. ** Production of silver ore.
Pato (Colombia) : 10 days to .Vpril 28, S25,030 from 36,055 cu. yd.;
12 days to May 10, $29,677 from 35,410 cu. yd.
Nechi (Colombia) : 43 days to April 26, $31,732 from 124,292
cu. yd. ; 10 days to May 12, 52.'J,357 from 120,000 cu. yd.
January . .
February .
March . . .
April . . . .
May
June
July
August . . .
September
October . .
November
December
1917
Oz.
44,713
42,560
44,617
43,726
42,901
42,924
42,273
42,591
43,207
43,041
42.915
44,883
Total ..1520,362
1918
Oz.
41,420
40,797
41,719
41,504
40,889
41,264
40,229
40,493
40,088
39,472
36,984
40,149
1919
Oz.
38,184
36,384
38,317
.38,248
38,603
38,359
38,549
37,850
36,813
37,138
39,628
42,643
1920
Oz.
Oz.
39,073
34,023
38,872
32,529
38,760
32,576
37,307
32,363
38,191
—
37,864
—
37,129
—
37,375
—
35,497
—
35,023
—
34,.522
—
34,919
—
485,236 I 461,171 444,532 I 131,496
India.v Gold Outputs.
Balaghat
Champion Reef . .
Mysore
North Anantapur
Nundydroog
Ooregum
.March.
Tons Fine
Treated Ounces
3,2.50
11,710
15,573
700
8,952
12,000
2,324
4,407
11,285
908
5,204
8,448
April.
Tons
Treated
3,200
11,610
15,690
700
8,456
12,500
Fine
Ounces
2,328
4,492
11,027
901
5,189
8,426
Base Metal Outputs.
Arizona Copper Short tons copper . .
j Tons lead cone. . .
British Broken Hill ... J Tons zinc cone.
{ Tons carbonate ore
Ti 1 TjMi Ti_ „ t Tons lead cone. . .
Broken HOI Prop , ^^^^ ^i„^ ^^^^
Broken Hill South Tons lead cone. ...
„ ^ ( Tons refined lead
Burma Corp -^ q^ refined silver
,, . ^, ' Tons copper . . . .
Hampden Cloncurry • ■ ^, qz t^o'd
t Tons copper . . . .
Mount Lyell J Oz. silver
I Oz. gold
^ ., ' Tons Copper
Mount Morgan - qz. gold
North Broken Hill | q° ^jiypj. '/,'/',''.
Rhodesia Broken Hill Tons lead
.,,,., ^ .■ • I Tons lead cone .
Sulphide Corporation . . -^ j^^^ ^j„^ ^^^^ _
Tanganyika Tons copper
^ ^. ( Tons zinc cone. .. .
Zinc Corporation j j^^ ^^^^ ^^^^^
1,000
April
1,000
697 2,673
3,020 2,369
245,962 231,934
512
15,413
389
1,630
1,868
2,850
2.4SS
8,740
71
439
11,073
292
1,812
1,806
2,726
2,189
8,520
617
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc., into United Kingdom.
March
Iron Ore Tons
Manganese Ore Tons
Copper and Iron P>Tites Tons
Copper Ore, Matte, and Prec Tons
Copper Metal Tons
Tin Concentrate Tons
Tin Metal. . Tons
Lead, Pig and Sheet Tons
Zinc (Spelter) Tons
Quicksilver Lb.
Zinc Oxide Tons
White Lead Cwt.
Bary tes, ground Cwt.
Phosphate Tons
Sulphur Tons
Nitrate of Soda Cwt.
Petroleum
Crude Gallons
Lamp Oil Gallons
Motor Spirit Gallons
Lubricating Oil Gallons
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil : GaUons
Total Petroleum Gallons'
April
257,324
123,583
20,987
7,694
3S,166
14,662
932
7,744
12,483
11,840
2,255
1,953
576
317
12,560
7,951
5,803
11,401
378,7,50
411,316
342
328
4,889
4,770
18,588
21,133
25,726
28,210
0,435
5
58,079
114,249
7,520,101
11,603,9,53
«,992,77S
23,056,848
26,191,.535
3,814,083
3,374,996
4,282,603
3,067,510
41,148,617
46,-538,689
83,933,899
96,738,546
366
TH1-: MINING MAGAZINE
OuTpVTb OP Tin Mining Coupaniks.
In Ton? of Concentrate
Nifierin :
Associated Nigerian
Bisichi
Bongwelli
Charopinn (Xigeria) ... . ,
Dua
Ex-Lands
rilani
Gold Coast Consolidated .
Gunim River ,
Jantor
Jos
Kadiina
Kadiina Prospectors
Kano
Lower Bisichi '
Lucky Chance !
Minnsi ,
Mon^ I
NarafTuta I
Naraguta Extended I
Nigerian Consolidated I
N.N. Bauchi
Offin River I
Rayfield .
Ropp
Rukuba \
South Eukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Yarde Kerri i
Federated Malay States : |
Chenderiang j
Gopeng I
Idris Hydraulic I
Ipoh j
Kamunting
Kinla
Labat I
Malayan Tin I
Pahang I
Rambutan I
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taipin?
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
South Crofty j
Other Countries : I
Aramayo Francke ^Bolivia) .
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook Ronpibon (Siam) . .
LeeuwpGort (Transvaal) ....
Macready (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rnoiberg Minerals{ Transvaal)
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam) . . .
_Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
Feb.
Tons
7
2G
2S*
3i
2
13
15
141
8i
4
_5!
U
60
10
24
40
30
82
21
15*
281
S6Jt
soi
136
15
35
29
15
19
130
26
S
IG
31 i
45
50
.33
13
March
Tons
20
3
13
16
14
3
_0i
3
53
70
S
20
45
2S
97
4}
12
i
6
13
81*
72
21
171
122*
30
57
95J
213
15
42
30
131
20
200
31
30i
21
50
57
37
April
Tons
27
20
c,
1(1
11
4J
3G
45
8
8
41t
30
05
5
20
II
4
13
77i
21
51
77
230
15i
34
31
11
22
27
8
28
72
50
76
43
1916 I 1917 , 1918 1 1919 1920 1 1921
January . .
Februar\- .
March .'. . .
Afril
May
June
July
August . . ,
September
October . .
November
December .
Total . . .
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
531
667
678
613
547
528
646
COS
623
477
547
655
707
6fJ6
505
486
.555
584
546
467
536
509
525
483
383
510
473
492
484
435
506
479
545
481
484
408
551
571
610
447
535
538
520
561
528
584
578
491
625
628
670
621
472
536
544
654
655
518
511
577
6.594
6.927
0,771
6,085
6,022
l^KODUcnoN OP Tin in rEDERATEi* Malay States.
Estimated at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters
LoHR Tons.
I 1917
1018
1919
Three months.
Nigerian Tis Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unspecified content.
NoU. — Thes^ fizurt:? are taken Jrom the monthly returns made by
individual companies reporting m London, and probably rcbresent
85";, o/ the actual outputs.
Tons
4.38
370
445
394
. January
Febniary ....
March '.
April
May
June
1 July
August
September . . .
October
November . . .
December. . . .
Tons
3,55?
2,755
3,286
3,251
3,113
3,489
3.253
3,413
3,154
3,436
3,300
3,.525
I 39,a33
Tons
3,030
8,197
2,609
3,308
3,332
3,070
8,373
3,259
3,157
2,870
3,132
3,022
37,370
Tons
3,765
2,734
2,819
2,858
3,407
2,877
3,750
2,9.56
3,101
3,221
2,972
2,409
36,935
1920
1921
Tons
4,265
3,014
2,770
2,606
2,741
2,940
2,824
2,786
2,734
2,837
2,573
2,838
34,028 11,2S1
Tons
3,298
3,111
2.190
2,092
SiOCKS OP Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co.
1-ong Tons,
Mar. 31 April 30
Straits and Australian Spot ....
Ditto, Landing and in Transit .
Other Stan lard, Spot and Jw.inding
Straits, Afl.nt
Australian, Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto, Afloat
Bilhton, St>ot
Billiton, Afloat
Straits, Spot in Holland and
1-Iamburg
Ditto, Afloat to Continent . . .
Total Afloat for United States
Stock in America
1,738
80
.5,456
385
200
2,074
579
1,357
185
5,')81
775
150
2,867
200
534
95 100
781 i 1,441
3,470 I 2,441
May 31
1,430
585
4,457
1,505
150
3,405
445
644
SO
475
2,595
2,040
Total I 15,764 I 15,131 I 17.767
Shipments, Imports, Supply, and Consumption of Ti.v.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons. .
1,647
Mar.
April
May
Shiomeiits from :
395
395
125
289
50
100
366
775
925
100
825
295
811
1,425
1,735
507
Straits to other places
Australia to U.K
200
490
Imports of Bohvian Tin into
353
Supply :
915
50
79
1,290
1,800
70
865
3,6C7
150
1,180
Standard
394
2,334
2,735
5,391
Consumption :
1,359
389
1,683
39
1,531
152
1,590
95
■1,000
Dutch
398
1,225
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
tinental Ports, etc
132
Total
3,470
3,368
2,755
JUNE, 1921
367
Outputs Reported by Oil-producing Companies.
Tons. .
March
April
Aoglo-Egyptian
13,627
8,900
43,525
G3,70S
92,820
236
105,220
S,3S9
1,275
1,286
17,910
13,400
S,698
12,478
10,101
Apex Tnnidad
39 241
Barrels
6U,200
CaltBX
. . .BarreU
2^8
Lobitos
. Tons
RIGO
1 849
S^nta Maria
Tons .
1 400
20,095
lOflOO
Trinidad Leaseholds
United ot Trinidad
Tons..
2,813
Quotations of Oil Companies' Shares.
Denomination of Shares £1 unless otherwise noted.
nii^
June 6
1921
2 0
1 2
10
2 10
17
1 1
7 15
6
1 0
1 2
4 5
8 12
a 7
17
12
14
52 0
12
6 2
8 5
4 12
2 12
1 2
1 0
s
d.
0
0
fi
0
0
6
a
0
6
0
6
0
6
6
6
6
3
u
6
6
0
6
fi
6
0
9
£ s.
4 15
1 17
1 2
8
2 5
16
1 0
6 13
6
1 0
1 1
4 0
6 10
6 0
18
10
13
47 0
10
5 11
8 10
4 5
2 12
1 2
1 0
9
d.
Anglo-Egyptian E
fj
Anglo-United, Wyoming
0
0
liritish Borneo (lOs.)
■^
British Burrnah (Ss.)
n
Caltes ($1)
■^
Dacia Romano
0
Kern River, Cal. (10s.)
n
Mexican Eagle, Ord. ($5)
Pref. (15)
North Caucasian (lOs.) , .
Phxaix, Roumania
0
0
9
Roumaian Consolidated
Royal Dutch (laO gulden)
6
n
Shell Transport, Ord
., Pref. (£10) ...
0
Trinidad Leaseholds
United British of Trinidad
Uroz Oim^d* (lOs.l
0
Dividends Declared bv Mining Companies.
Date
May 25
May 24
May 26
May 13
June 4
May 24
May U
May 11
May 30
May 25
May 30
May 18
J uue 4 .
May 26
June 4 .
Company
Burraah Oil
Cassel Cyauide
Central Mining and Invest
ment
Chinese Engineering &
Mining
Cock's Pioneer
Cireat Boulder
Lake View Investment Trust
Lonely Reef Gold
Mexican Petroleum ....
.\ew Heriot
Pan-American Petroleum ]
Rambutan
Royal Dutch
St. John del Rey _
Shell Transport & i rading . ,
Par
Value of
Shares
a
£8
£1
£1
2s.
10s.
Pr. SlOlJ
Or. SKJII
tl
Or.A & B
$50
£1
£1
Or. /I
Amount of
Dividend
4i. tax paid.
4d. less tax.
6s. tax paid.
10% tax paid.
Is. less tax.
6d. less tax.
5% less tax.
15% less tax.
' 2%
i3%
5s.*
f 3%
8d. less tax.
40%
Is. 3d. less tax.
25% tax paid.
• First distribution on liquidation.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. June 9.
These quotations .are not absolute [ they vary according to
quantities required and contracts running.
Acetic Add, 40% per cwt. 1 4 o'
80% 2 8 0
„ C.lacial per ton 63 0 0
Alum 17 q 0
Alumina, Sulphate 15 10 0
Ammonia, Anhydrous per lb. 2 6
„ 0'880 solution per ton 32 10 0
,, Carbonate per lb. 4
,, Chloride, grey per ton 44 10 0
r, ,, pure per cwt. 3 15 0
Nitrate per ton 48 0 0
,, Phosphate , 75 0 0
Sulphate 21 10 0
.Antimony, Tartar Emetic per lb. 2 7
,, Sulphide, Golden ,, 1 5
Arsenic, White per ton .50 0 0
Barium Carbonate 11 0 0
,, Chlorate per lb. 11
Chloride per ton IS 0 0
Sulphate „ 10 0 0
Benzol, 00% per gal. 3 0
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 56 0 0
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI „ IS 0 0
Liquor, 7% , 7 0 0
Thorax 34 q q
Boric Acid Crystals ,, 69 1 1 0
Calcium Chloride 9 Q Q
Carbolic Acid, crude 00% per gal 1 9
,, ,, crystallized, 40 per lb. 61
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton 4 0 0
Citric Acid per lb. 2 6
Copper, Sulphate per ton 31 0 0
Cyanide of Sodium, 100% per lb. 1 0
Hydrofluoric Acid , 7J
Iodine per oz. 1 0
Iron, Nitrate per ton 9 0 0
,, Sulphate 4 10 0
Lead, .Acetate, white 4ri 0 0
„ Nitrate , 48 0 0
,, Oxide, Litharge , S4 0 0
., White 44 0 0
Lime, .■Acetate, brown ,, S 10 0
,, grev80% „ 12 10 0
Magnesite, Calcined 21 0 0
Magnesium, Chloride ,, 16 0 0
Sulphate „ 10 0 0
Methylated Spirit 61 Industrial per gal. 6 0
Nitric Acid, 80° Tw. per ton 31 0 0
Oxalic Ac.d per lb. 10}
Phosphoric .Acid per ton 50 0 0
Potassium Bichromate per lb. 10*
,, Carbonate per ton 45 0 0
,, Chlorate per lb. 5
Chloride 80% per ton 20 0 0
„ Hydrate (Caustic) 90% „ 36 0 0
,, Nitrate ,, 55 0 0
,, Permanganate per lb. 1 9
,, PrU5siate, Yellow , 1 3
Red „ 2 3
Sulphate, 90% per ton 2C 0 0
Sodium Metal per lb. 1 4
,, Acetate per ton 26 0 0
„ -Arsenate ■lo'"c , 44 0 0
,, Bicarbonate 12 0 0
,, Bichromate per lb. 7i
,, Carbonate (Soda Ash^ per ton 15 0 0
(Crystals) 7 0 0
,, Chlorate per lb. 4.V
„ Hydrate, 76°i per ton 27 0 O'
,, Hypoculphite , 17 0 0
„ Nitrate, 95% , 19 0 0
Phosphate 24 0 0
„ Prussiate per lb. 7
,, Silicate per ton 1115 0
Siilphate (Salt-cake) „ 7 10 0
(Glauber's Salts) 6 10 0
Sulphide , 28 10 0
„ Sulphite 12 10 0
Sulphur, Roll 14 10 0
Flowers ,, 15 0 0
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, Go- 24 0 0
,, ,, free from Arsenic, 144 6 5 0
Superphosphate of Lime, 'dO% , 8 10 0
Tartaric Acid per lb. 1 7
Turpentine per cwt. 4 15 0
Tin Crystals per lb. 1 5
Titanous Chloride 1 0
Zinc Chloride per ton 22 10 0
Zinc Sulphate ly 0 0
368
nil
M1N1.\(. M\(,\/IN1".
bilAKL QUOTATIONS
Shares arc fl par value except where otherwise noted.
GOLD, SILVER.
DlAMtlNOS:
Rand ;
Br;ikpan
Central Miiung (f8)
City & Suburban (f-l)
City Iteep
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidated Lnnglaagtc
Consolidatixl Main Reef
Consolidated Mines Scleetion (lOs.)
Crown Mines (10s.)
Daggafontcin
Durban Koodopoort Deep
East Rand Proprietary
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Gcldcnhuis Deep
Government Gold Mining Areas . .
Johannesburg Consolidated
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagtc Instate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein (lOs.)
Modderfontein B (5s.)
Modderfontein Deep (5s.)
Modderfontein liast
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central
Robinson (£5)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub-Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.)
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersraud Deep
Wolhuter
Other Tr.\nsvaal Gold Mines :
Glvnn's I -vdeaburg
Sheba (5s.)
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates
DuMO.N'DS IN South Africa :
De Beers Deferred (f 2 10s.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. (id.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa .
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phcenix (3s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Shamva
WiUoughby's (lOs.)
West Africa :
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
Abosso
Ashanti (4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taquah
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks . . . .
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe (£5)
Great Boulder Proprietary (2s.) .
Great Fingall (10s.)
Hampton Properties
Ivanhoe {;£5)
Kalgurli
Lake View Investment (10s.) . .
Sons of Gwalia
South KalgurU (10s.)
June 5,
1!)20
f, s. d.
2 11 3
S 17 l>
li 3
2 7 0
1 10 0
17 B
11 0
1 4 0
2 8
12 0
8 B
2 0 0
5 0
4 8 9
16 0
7 0
3 0
6 0
14 6
4 12 0
3 12 0
6 7 6
2 10 0
1 3 9
17 6
7 6
2 14 0
2 15 0
12 6
8 0
18 9
15 6
3 9
2 3 9
15 6
19 3
10 3
4 8 9
10 6
15 6
15 0
8 6
4 9
10 0
1 6
10 0
22 10 0
4 10 0
12 5 0
9 0
16 6
9 'J
12 6
14
3 3
2 15 0
1 16
3 0
12 3
17 3
3 0
15 C
June 6,
1921
r s. d.
2 10 0
6 7 6
3 0
2 2 6
17 0
10 0
10 0
13
2 0
3
3
4
7
3
0
6
8
6
6
2 113
6
0
3 0
5 0
4 0
16 0
11
(i
4 (1
(1
3 5
0
! 6
2 5
0
11
3
1 2
6
7
0
2 r.
0
2 15
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S
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9
0
10
(1
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2
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1 16
3
12
6
15
«
10
0
3 15
0
7
6
12
6
13
H
ti
0
4
b
0
6
1
6
7
6
10 5 0
2 5 0
4 15 0
10 0
12 0
5
8 0
16 0
2 2 6
3 0 0
1 10 0
4 6
2 9
8 0
12 0
1 6
8 0
3
6
3
0
3
(1
2
6
3
fi
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0
l.-^
• !>
11
3
H
3
5
(i
2
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. 1
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1 0
0
5
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1 7
6
15
0
12
f!
11
3
17
0
11
0
6
6
5
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y
Gold, Silvek, cont,
Othbrs in Austratasia :
HlackwiUrr, Nt*w ^^iMlaiid
( <mv)lidatc(! (i.K. o\ Ni-w Zealand...
Mount Hoppy, N.S.W. (10s.)
Prt>t;r< '.■i, Niw Zcil.md
W.uhi. Niw Zc.il.iml
Wiiihi (iraiul Junction, New Z'lnd. .
America :
Bitcna Ticrra, Mexico
Cump Bird, Colorado
V\ Oro, Mexico
I'*spcranza, Mexico
I'roiitino & Bolivia, Colombia
Lc Koi No. 2 (CO), liritish Columbia
Mexico Mines o( LI Oro, Mexico —
Ncchi [Vvci. 10s.), Colombia
Oroville DredBinc, Colombia ....
Plymouth Consolidated. California.
St. John del Key, Brazil
Santa Gcrtnidis, Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia :
Lena Goklfields
Orsk l^iority
India :
Balaghat (10s.)
Champion Keef (2f. (id.)
Mysore (10s.)
North Anantapur
Kundydroog (10s.)
Ooregijm (10s.)
COPPER :
Arizona Copper (5s.), Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India..
Esperanza, Spain
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland . .
Mason & Barry, Portugal
Messina (us.), Transvaal
Mount EUiott (£5), Queensland
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Namaqua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Tiiito (£5), Spain
Kusso-Asiatic Consd., Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika, Congo and Rhodesia . .
LEAD-ZINC:
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (OO)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia:
Burma Corporation (10 rupees) . . .
Russian Mining
I Rhodesia :
I Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
I TIN:
Aramayo Francke, BoUvia
Bisichi (10s.), Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania
Dolcoath, Cornwall
East Pool (5s.), Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.), Nigeria . .
Geevor (10s.), Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredging, Malay
Kamunting, Malay
Kinta, Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay . . .
Mongu (10s.), Nigeria
Naraguta, Nigeria
N. N. Bauchi. Nigeria (lOs.)
Pahang ConsoHdated (5s.), Malay.
Rayfield, Nigeria
Renong Dredging, Siani
Ropp (4s.), Nigeria
Siamese Tin, Siam
South Crofty (5s.), Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals, Cornwall
Tekka, Malay
Tekka-Taiping, Malay
Tronoh, Malay
June .'i,
1020
I ». d.
8 0
8 0
4 0
1 9
1 18 9
11 3
10 0
16 0
12 0
12 8
12 0
10 0
6 7 0
8 9
1 3 0
18 9
17 0
1 0 0
10 9
1 0 0
10 0
8 9
0
16
4
13
14
2 6 3
1 2 0
5 9
15 0
1 10 0
5 6
2 5 0
14 3
113
1 10 0
S3 10 0
10 6
11 3
10 0
1 10 3,
1 6
2 0
3 3
1
2 12 6
2 13 n
17 6
18 0
9 0 0
10 0
11 9
June 0,
1921
£ s. d.
2 6
2 «
1 0
1
1 10 0
8 li
2 li
4 I)
10 0
17 0
10 I)
2 6
4 15 0
0 8
1 2 6
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15 0
5 0
5 0
10 0
10 0
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1
12
2
5
11
1 2 e
15 0
6 3
5 0
1 15 0
4 0
12 6
12 6
11 3
15 0
31 0 0
11 6
7 6
13 9
1 5 0
10 3
17 R
1 17 6
10 0
1 5 0
1 5 0
10 0
8 9
7 0+
7 6
3 15
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2
5
0
12
0
4
6
4
9
£i
6
3
('
1
f\
10
0
3
6
3
0
1
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2
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1 18
9
1
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2 10
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5
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3
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10
0
6
6
9
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4
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2 2
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1
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0
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17
6
8
9
5 5
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1 0
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2 1
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• New Shares. t 10-rupee shares of Indian Co.
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING. METALLURGY. AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on milting and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
THE SEARCH FOR OIL IN WESTERN CANADA
The Bulletin of the Canadian Institute of Mining
and Metallurgy for April contains two papers on
the search for oil in Western Canada, presented at
the March meeting of the Institute, one by John
Ness, geologist for Imperial Oil, Ltd.. and the
other by E. M. Kindle, a member of the Canadian
Geological Survey. It should be mentioned that
Imperial Oil, Ltd., is a subsidiary of the Standard
Oil Company, and its chief business is oil-refining
at Vancouver, Regina, Sarnia, Halifax, and
Montreal. We quote that part of Mr. Ness's paper
deahng with Alberta and Great Slave Lake. As
we quoted Dr. Bosworth on the Mackenzie oil find
last month it is not necessary to refer in detail to
the part of Mr. Ness's paper on this subject, or
to XIr. Kindle's paper.
The area which the Imperial Oil Company is
testing extends from the plains of Saskatchewan
on the east to the foot-hills of the Rockies on the
west, and from the international boundary on the
south to within the Arctic circle. This vast extent
of territory may be conveniently divided into three
groups, in which the geological features are so dis-
similar that each carries its own particular problem.
First, there are the Cretaceous rocks of eastern
Alberta and Saskatchewan, practically undisturbed
and heavily covered by glacial material. Secondly,
the folded and faulted Cretaceous of the foot-hills
belt, the outer folds of which give a certain amount
of promise structurally. Thirdly, the Devonian
of the Mackenzie \'alley in which oil has recently
been struck.
.\s regards the geology of the plains of eastern
Alberta and western Saskatchewan the structure is
monoclinal, although there are certain local irregu-
larities and undulations, and evidence of two general
lines of folding. The first of these, which is the con-
tinuation of the structure found in the Sweet Grass
Hills of Montana, probably extends north to Bow
River. The second crosses the Alberta-Saskatchewan
boundary south of Macklin and trends north-west.
The efforts of the Imperial Oil geologists have
centred upon these known, or assumed, lines of
folding or faulting which previous investigation has
indicated as likely to repay attention ; but a general
survey — of necessity, hurried and incomplete — has
been made of the whole region as far north as Lac
la Biche, south to the international boundary, east to
Battleford, and west as far as the Cretaceous rocks
are exposed. Most of the exposures in tliis vast area
were visited and examined, a task entailing, in many
places, more travelling than actual geological work,
owing to the dearth of rock sections. Hundreds
of square miles have been traversed without
a single outcrop of bedrock being seen, the streams
having simply cut their courses in the extremely
tfiick glacial deposits. Nothing revolutionary
was discovered during these surveys, the previous
work in the area leaving little to the imagination.
Attention was devoted principally to the selection
of suitable locations for testing the oil possibilities,
those areas where the minor folding and crumpling
would conceivably create conditions suitable for the
accumulation of oil, and the supposed crests of the
broad arches which bring the sands of the Dakota
nearest to the surface being studied in detail.
Previous development in this area has resulted in the
hope that oil will be found in commercial quantities
provided the drilling is carried to a sufficient
depth. Various gas horizons have been successfully
tapped and shows of oil have been encountered,
and it is only b\- exploring the lowest beds of the
Cretaceous and, if necessary, the Devonian, that
these hopes will be either realized or dissipated.
The drilling now in progress, or under considera-
tion, should prove to be a fairly conclusive test.
Work is being carried on at the following places :
In Saskatchewan, near the international boundary,
south of Cypress Hills ; on the Saskatchewan River,
north of Swift Current ; at Muddy Lake, south-west
of Unity ; in Alberta, south of Monitor in the
Misty Hills, and near Czar at Tit Hills. Apart
altogether from the commercial aspect, the drilling
of these wells will be of immense interest to
geologists. Starting in the Bearpaw (Pierre) or the
uppermost beds of the Belly River, they should, if
carried to completion, give a reliable and unique
record of the Cretaceous sediments below these
horizons and furnish interesting information
regarding the attitude and character of the under-
lying Devonian.
As regards the second division of territory,
although e.xploration in the foot-hills belt was also
confined largely to rocks of Cretaceous age, the
problems arising differed greatly from thos^ of the
plains. At the same time, the two areas have much
in common, principally in the amount of attention
that has been devoted to them by geologists, and
the abundance of literature that has been given to
the public. Many prominent geologists have dealt
with the various aspects of this area, and one need
only turn to their reports to obtain an edifying
account of their researches.
The geologists of the Imperial Oil Company set
out on their mission well grounded in the general
features of the territory. They knew that the
Cretaceous rocks had been intensely folded and
faulted in proximity to the Rockies, and that, as
one travelled eastward, the effects of the great
upheavals, complementary to mountain building,
gradually diminished until the sedimentary rocks
were eventually found in such an attitude as to
give favourable structure for the accumulation of
oil. Not only so, but rocks, recognized elsewhere
as bituminous, were known to underlie the area
within convenient reach of the drill. Starting
from the international boundary, they followed
and mapped these outer folds into the Peace
River district, and traversed that river from above
Hudson's Hope to 30 miles below Peace River
369
310
THK MIXING MA(,.\/1\1':
Landing, the ilovolopnient aroinul tin- latli-r place
giving this a special interest. As in eastern Alberta,
the activities of the geologists were directeil inainl>-
to those points which previous research, either by
the scientist or by the driller, had brought into
prominence. The Calgary boom of 1914 was
marked by a great deal of rash speculation ami
misdirected " wild-catting ". There were certain
redeeming features, however, notably the develo]i-
nient of Western Canada's first producing oilfield in
Turner Valley, west of Okotoks. The vast amount of
drilling that was undertaken by the various mush-
room companies at this time neither proved nor
condemned south-western Alberta as an oil-producer.
Most of the wells were located at the whim of the
driller and without any regard to geological con-
ditions, while those which might have given a fair
test were abandoned, owing either to drilling
troubles or to lack of funds. The bursting of the
bubble left the field discredited to a certain extent
in the eyes of the public, but still interesting to
the well-informed oil-man. That Imperial Oil
still have faith in the future of the area may be
gathered from the fact that they have acquired
scattered leases over a large area on representative
structure, and are drilling, or preparing to drill,
a series of wells that should prove an ample test
of the foot-hills belt. On a structure designated
the Twin Buttes anticline, two wells are being
drilled, one within a few miles of the international
boundary and the other slightly to the north.
On the Willow Creek antichne, west of Nanton,
a third well is being drilled, while aa endeavour will
be made to deepen a well, taken over from another
company, in the same territory. All these wells
started in Benton shale and production would be
looked for in the Dakota, although sandy places
of the Benton might give shows of oil.
Thanks to the enlightened policy of the govern-
ment in throwing open the forest reserves to oil
investigation, other promising areas have been made
available and will probably be tested in the vicinity
of Coalspur. Here the structure exposes Belly River
strata with very steep dips, and gas seepages have
been noted. Deep drilling will probably be
necessary, but the chances of obtaining production
from the Benton, or even from the lower beds of
the Belly River, are not to be overlooked. Favour-
able indications for oil are found near Pouce
Coupe, the rocks at the surface being probably
equivalent to the Lower Pierre of eastern Alberta.
A test will, in all probability, be made there.
Regarding the present field of activity at Peace
River, success, if it does come, will probably be
attained in the Devonian, the Cretaceous rocks
having been drilled into, and through, without
exceptional results. There are other structures
in the vast area under review that offer possibilities
of oil and gas production. It is hoped that other
companies will be sufficiently impressed with their
possibilities to test them so that in the near future
it may become known whether this area is destined
to become a producer of oil or not.
The author proceeds to deal with the Mackenzie
River Basin. Exploration of the basin of the
Mackenzie dates back to the latter part of the
eighteenth century, since which time periodic
attempts, more or less successful, have been made
to collect information regarding its extent, physical
features, and mineral wealth. The full story of these
adventures is written in the pages of Canadian
history, and the illustrious names of those early
voyagfiirs are perpetuateil in memorials not made
by hands. The geologist was well in evidence in
the story of these adventures, and such names as
Dawson. McConnell, Bell, Tyrrell, Dowling, Camsell,
and Kindle, to mention only a few, are closely
connected with the activities of the pioneers. The
first investigation of the area on behalf of the
petroleum ludustrv. however, was not undertaken
until 1914. when Dr. T. O. Hosworth, latterly chief
geologist of Imperial Oil, Ltd., covered the whole
district from the cities of .\lberta to the Arctic
Ocean. Dr. Bosworth's pajjer before the Institu-
tion of Petroleum Technologists was quoted in last
month's M.\c..\zine.
.\lthough the war intervened to hold up develop-
ment, the project was naturally not lost sight of. and
in 1919 two rigs were shipped into the country to
locations previously made by Dr. Bosworth, one at
Windy Point on Great Slave Lake and the other,
destined to become famous, at a point 40 miles down
stream from Fort Norman on the Mackenzie. Along
with the drilling crews were two parties of geologists
who devoted the short season at their disposal to a
more careful study of the rocks in the vicinity of
the drilling operations. Both drilling and survey
work were continued during 1920, the former
coming to a promising conclusion in August, and
the geologists finding themselves merely on the verge
of great areas demanding careful study and pains-
taking work before their geological history can be
written.
In travelling northward on the great waterways
the Devonian formation is first found at Crooked
Rapids on th_' Athabasca. .Associated with these
limestones are " tar sands ". The natural oil
indications along the Athabasca Ixiver are probably
the most extensive and conspicuous in the whole
world. For a distance of 100 miles a bed of tar
sand from 150 to 220 ft. in thickness is almost
continuously e.xposed along the sides of a gorge-
like valley, and in many parts cliffs of the tar
rock rise steeply from the water's edge to a height of
200 ft. From the exposures on the Athabasca and
its tributaries, and by deduction, the existence of
the tar sands may be reasonably assumed over an
area of 10,000 square miles, probably the largest
deposit of asphaltum in the world. The tar
sand is a sandstone formation saturated with
a dark viscous oil. Originally the rock must have
been an ordinary bed of current-bedded sandstone,
with some shaly courses, and plant-bearing in
places. Courses of finer sandstone or sandy-clay
rock, seams of lignite, and thin lenticular seams of
concretionary limestone are occasionally found,
while, at the base, there are sometimes ferruginous
pebbly beds \vit:i little oil. As seen at the outcrops,
it is a black or dark-brown rock containing from
10 to 30% (by volume) of heavy oil ; it is soft and '
somewhat plastic and, in some instances, oil can
be squeezed out by hand. In places, heavy, tarry
oil issues slowly from the clifts and accumulates in
holes dug in the outcrop. Chemical analyses show
this oil to be of fairly good grade, the chief trouble
at present being that it is so viscous that it cannot
be pumped from the wells. It has been supposed
that the asphaltic material seen at the outcrops of
the tar sand is the residue from a vast body of oil
from which the light constituents have evaporated.
This assumption has led to the drilling of a number
of wells back from the outcrop of the sand, with the
hope of finding a lighter grade of oil. These hopes
have not been realized, however, as the oi' found was
JUNE, 1921
371
almost as viscous as at the outcrop of the sand.
It seems possible that, eventually, an oil industry
may be established in the Athabasca tar sand region,
but whether this will be the result of totally unique
methods of extracting the oil from the wells to
circumvent its high viscosity, or whether the chemist
will devise a means of extracting the oil from the
sands by retorting, will only be demonstrated by the
march of events.
stone fragments which have been derived from out-
crops under the water near at hand. Crossing the
bay Brule Point is reached, where the land stands at
a higher level. A raised beach, or really a succession
of raised beaches, of hmestone debris occurs at this
place and is traceable eastward for some miles. At
Brule Point the waves of the present lake have cut
into the older shore-line, forming a cliff about 18 ft.
high, capped by loose stones. The lower part of
Map or Western Can'ad.a to illustrate the Oil Develoi'MENts.
TSTothing need be said of the geology along the
"waterways until Slave Lake is reached. Travelling
eastward from Fort Providence along the shores of
that lake, no solid rock is found until after passing
Slave Point. On the east side of this is a deep bay
about 5 miles wide, having a beach formed of lime-
.6—6
the cliff is composed of fine grey limestone, fissile in
parts, smelling strongly of petroleum and containing
ill-preserved corals, alveolites, brachiopods, and
gasteropods. The same rocks are exposed beneath
the water. At Windy Point there are heavy beaches,
old and new, consisting of limestone fragments (all
372
TIUZ MINING MACAZINIC
more or less pctroli(ero\is). but the solitl rock is not
exposed. About li mill's from Windy I'oint, how-
ever, the solid limestone is ayain seen beneath the
water and then for 2 miles further the only evidence
is in the beaches. A jiortion of the shore is now
reached where for li miles the solid rocks arc con-
spicuous, forming a ragged coast-line with scars of
limestone reaching far out into the water. The beds
are .still dipping in the same direction, but the rock
consists of a rough bedded dolomite-linu-stone of
crystalline structure and porous texture, saturated
with Huid petroleum wliich is seeping into the waters
of the lake, giving rise to a distinct tilm of oil on the
surface at most parts of the shore for several miles.
Where met with inland, for a distance of half
a mile, the rock exposures contain small pools
of asphalt and oil. Gas seepages have been noticed
on the shore and small sulphur sjirings exist.
There is no evidence of structures, and the thick-
ness of the beds is unknown. They have been
referred to the Middle Devonian and denominated
" Slave I'oint limestone" and " l'res(iu'ile ilolomile"
respectively, and would probably correlate with the
Heavertail and Kamparts limestone of the
Mackenzie. In the valley of the Hay Kiver,
Cretaceous beds, approximately of the same age as
the Loon Kiver shales, are found, and also members
of the Tjiper Devonian correlated with the Chemung
and Portage. The well now being drilled at Windy
Point should give some interesting data regarding
the thickness and character of the underlying
strata.
DIAMONDIFEROUS BRECCIAS IN BRAZIL
The Transactions of the Geological Society of
South Africa for 1920 contains a paper by
David Draper, the doyen of diamond geologists,
on the high-level diamond-bearing breccias at
Diamantina. Brazil.
The gravel beds of the Jequitinhonha river, which
takes its rise in the Serra do Espinhaco, a few miles
south of the town of Diamantina, were, for over '
a century, the chief source whence diamonds were
obtained. During the slave-holding period many
thousands of labourers were employed in washing
the diamond-yielding gravels, thereby producing
wealth to their owners, as well as enriching the
impoverished treasury of the Portuguese Govern-
ment. The discovery of diamonds in the
Jequitinhonha dates from the year 1729, and the
yield of wealth from this source has not ceased,
though greatly diminished, up to the present day.
Though the recent river gravels, as well as the
ancient terraces, contained a rich crop of diamonds,
no one endeavoured to trace the source whence
these gems were derived, until an accidental
discovery, made by a slave woman, of diamonds
in a blue clay on the summit of the watershed
that divides the Jequitinhonha and the Sao
Francisco rivers, drew attention to the brecciated
beds which were situated on the higher ridges
flanking the Jequitinhonha. The first of these
discoveries, named the St. Joao do Chapada, was
exceedingly rich in parts, and subsequently many
similar areas were investigated with encouraging
results ; but owing to the want of water on these
high-lying areas, they have all been neglected for
many years ; yet the future of the diamond industry
in Brazil is intimately connected with their
development.
The Serra do Espinhaco, rising to a general
altitude of about 1,400 metres, with occasional
peaks reaching to nearly 2,000 metres, lies about
200 miles inland, w-ith its greatest length, over
1,000 kilometres, roughly parallel with the Atlantic
Coast, and its greatest width about 90 kilometres.
On the west the Serra do Espinhaco is flanked by
the valley of the Sao Francisco river.
The Serra is composed of alternating beds of
quartzite and shale of about equal thickness ;
owing to the severe tilting to which the whole
series has been subjected, these beds dip at a general
angle of about 45° to the eastward, and in con-
sequence the tilted outcrops of the softer slate
beds have been lowered by the forces of atmospheric
erosion, and now form flat-bottomed valleys,
Ijing between ridges of quartzite several hundreds
of feet high. These valleys continue for .short
distances in straight lines, but have been forced
out of line by numerous cross faultings ; crumpling
in a most intricate form is occasionally seen, both
in the quartzite and in the slates. The quartzite
is generally very fine grained, and made up almost
entirely of small grains of white quartz ; where
unwcathered it is extremely hard, but decomposes
into a soft friable sandstone. The slate beds are
generally yellow in colour, distinctly laminated
and soft. Those situated near the town of
Diamantina are red in colour, and somewhat
resemble the Hospital Hill slates of Johannesburg
in mineral composition. Conglomerate beds,
formed of rounded quartz pebbles in a siliceous
cement, are occasionally met with in the quartzite.
They closely resemble the conglomerate of the
Witwatersrand in appearance, but do not contain
gold.
The general aspect of the Serra do Espinhaco is
that of a rugged rocky plateau, scored by narrow
ravines, of great depth, with precipitous sides. In-
numerable ridges of low altitude run parallel with
the strike of the formation, and these consist of
quartzite, weathered into most fantastic outlines
and deeply scored and fissured. A scant vegetation
covers the flanks of these ridges, and the valley
bottoms ; but in general only rock is visible in the
higher elevations of the landscape ; where slate beds
predominate, the valleys are covered with coarse
grass and serai-aquatic vegetation. Land suitable
for agriculture occurs in small areas in the valleys,
but these are few and far between. In such a rugged
and desolate country means of communication are
bad ; beyond the railway station at Diamantina
the traveller has only mule transport to depend on
for the conveyance of his baggage and himself.
When the earlier diamond seekers discovered that
the small tributaries of the Jequitinhonha yielded
diamonds, they continued their operations until
they extended beyond the level of the water supply.
The crude methods then, and still in use, prevented
any higher workings ; hence the summits of the
diamond-bearing mounds remained intact, except
in the most favourable localities. By this method
many high-level diamond-bearing areas were
discovered. The best known of these in the
neighbourhood of Diamantina are St. Joao do
Chapada, Sopa, Boa Vista, Serrinha, Datas, and a
few other of minor importance.
St. Joao do Chapada has been inspected by most
of the leading geologists who have visited or been
residents of Brazil. Dr. Orville A. Derby, late
JUNE, 1921
373
State Geologist to the Federal Government of
Brazil, in a pamphlet published in 1898, deals fully
with the aspect of the great cutting (500 metres in
length by 40 in depth) and the occurrence of the
diamonds in three distinct veins, one of which was
of pegmatitic origin, and the occurrence of kaolin.
Unfortunately Dr. Derby did not analyse this
mineral. Hausser and Claralz declared the mineral
to be hornblende, but Rose failed to find this mineral
in the sample examined by him. Later on Harder
and Chamberlin, in 1914, described the cutting,
but they also refer to the mineral, both at St. Joao
do Chapada, as kaolin. Unfortunately they were
not able to inspect the mine as the cutting had
fallen in, and had been abandoned for the past
12 years. Von Eschwege, Von Helmreichen,
Gorciex, and many other noted geologists, inspected
the high - level diamond - bearing breccias of
Diamantina,»but none of them recorded the chief
characteristics which point so conspicuously to their
being a unique formation, agreeing in many
respects with the kimberlite pipes of South Africa,
yet possessing problems which are quite out of the
common, and which, until these mines are further
developed, will remain in doubt.
Boa Vista is the most extensive of these high-
level breccias, and as the writer has now been-
resident on the property for over a year, and has
neglected no opportunity to disentangle the
geological puzzle which it presents, it will be
described in fuller details. The Boa Vista mine
is situated about 12 miles east of Diamantina.
Encircled by the quartzite ranges of the Serra
do Espinhaco and bounded on the north by. the
Rio Bon Successo, and on the south by the Rio
Fundao, lies a mound about 250 ft. above the
fianking valleys, and covered with a scrubby brush
vegetation. Though the surrounding country
consists of naked quartzite rocks, forming ranges
over 1,000 ft. in height, there is no vestige of any
mineral matter, other than broken quartz, and
nodules of limonite in the red, grey, or yellow soil
lying on the surface of the mound, which is over
three miles in length and one mile in width. Many
small streams flow from the flanks of this mound,
and in these diamonds have been found for the
past half-century. On the northern slope of the
mound there are very extensive workings, occupying
over one mile m length, and about 100 yards in
width, and in the deepest part over 70 ft. in depth.
In these workings very interesting sections of the
deposit are obtainable, and they give the following
succession of beds : (1) Surface soil varying in
depth from a couple of feet to over 25 ft. ; (2)
brecciated sandstone cemented together by a soft
cement ; (3) highly decomposed Espinhaco quartz
much disturbed, but generally dipping at low
angles in various directions. On the northern slope
several dykes intersect both the underlying quartzite
and the brecciated bed, and where these occur
the floor has been faulted, in places for over two
feet. The mineral contained in these dykes is so
highly decomposed that it is impossible to determine
its original composition ; as seen at present it
resembled a soft soapstone, foliated, and scaly,
unctuous to the touch, colour grey, greenish, or
yellowish. The disturbance of both the floor and
the brecciated beds indicates that these veins are
of later origin than the brecciated bed above referred
to. The brecciated bed, being the diamond-bearer,
is of the greatest economic importance.
A view of any of the worked faces of the great
excavation presents the following aspect : angular
and sub-angular, rarely round boulders of soft
sandstone, differing in bulk from pieces about
six inches in diameter to masses over 18 inches in
diameter, scattered without regard to size, through-
out the mass, but occasionally in layers separated
from each other by beds of finely granular talc.
When the boulders have unequal diameters their
longest section is generally vertical or steeply
inclined. The boulders of sandstone are of many
different colours, some black and sparkling with
small bright crystals of magnetite ; others chocolate
coloured, red, yellow, or grey, but the light colours
predominating. None is hard, but all can be crumbled
to pieces by the pressure of the lingers. Rarely
do the boulders touch each other in the mass ; they
are almost invariably separated by a grey or greenish
grey cementing mineral, soft and unctuous,
differing completely in mineral composition from
the boulders. In the cement there are a few egg-
shaped pebbles of white or grey quartz, very much
fractured and generally falling to pieces on exposure.
Map of the Diamantina District.
The cement also contains magnetite, martite,
ilmenite, perofskite, small books, with rounded
edges, of phlogopite, a few crystals of black
tourmaline, very few garnets, and diamonds.
From surface to floor the whole mass is quite soft,
though immediately on the sandstone bed it is
generally somewhat harder than higher up. In
these places an olive green mineral is distinctly
in evidence, giving a characteristic colour to the
mineral filling the interstices between the boulders.
The cement also is harder than the boulders. Thin
quartz veins are also in evidence passing from the
sandstone floor for a few feet upward into the mass.
Like the dykes, these are also of later origin than
the brecciated beds.
A description of Boa Vista is, generally speaking,
applicable to all of the high - level diamond-
bearing deposit of Diamantina. The soft, soapy,
talcose mineral is characteristic of them all, but
Boa Vista is, owing to its vast size and the great
area of old workings, the only one that can be
e.xamined to any extent. Workings on all the slopes
of the mound, as well as hundreds of prospecting
:{7i
I II
MININi. MACAZINI';
pits, give evidence of the coiitiimation of tlic breccia
with its talcose cement, and the yield of diamonds
has proved it to he an area of great economic vaUie.
To this may he ailded that in the neijjhbourinf;
rivers many falls exist where an ample supply of
power can be generated : that there is no lack of
water near the mine for hydraulicking purposes ;
and finally that the entire mass of mineral is soft.
yielding less than 1 per cent of hard nodules. Under
these conditions working expenses are very low,
and as the diamonds are of the finest quality, and
inferior stones very rare, this great mine, when
handled by men of experience, will take its place
as one of the great diamond-producers of the
world.
Previous writers have all held that these beds are
of flnviatilc origin, and they have been called
conglomerates. Only Gorciex suggested that
there is no reason why the diamond may not have
been formed iii veins in the same manner as topaz
and other minerals. This was with reference to
the St. Joao do Chapada mine. Harder and
Chanibcrlin distinctly state that these occurrences
have been formed by a flowing river, and suggest
that by mapping the actual course of this ancient
river could be defined. The late Dr. Orville .\.
Derby informed the writer that he was of opinion
that they were the remains of a great trans-
gressional bed of conglomerate that covered large
portions of middle Brazil, though he admitted that
the Sao Francisco valley was a decided obstacle
to this theory. No observer, who is acquainted
with the nature of conglomerates, when examining
the faces of Boa Vista mine, would for a minute
consider them to be conglomerates, formed by
fluviatile or glacial means. In true conglomerates
the boulders would have been more rounded or
egg-shaped. They would have been superimposed
on each other, or at any rate more closely crowded
together than they are in this bed. Then, again,
the fact that the cementing mineral is of a totally
different composition from that of the boulders
is of very great importance, as well as the origin
of the boulders from the beds surrounding the
mine. Though quartzite of a very durable nature
exists on the hills surrounding the mine, the
boulders of similar rock have been reduced, most
hkely by chemical action, to incoherent sandstones.
The fact that the boulders are composed of only
one class of rock must also be taken into con-
sideration as opposed to the fluviatile origin of the
Boa Vista and other high-level diamond-bearing
deposits. But last, and by no means least, there
remains the indisputable fact that the diamonds
from each individual high-level deposit possess
characteristics so distinct from each other that there
is no difficulty in determining their origin. Those
who favour the fluviatile origin of high-level breccias
will have to explain away the foregoing difficulties.
.\ river that could not only sort out the class of
boulders, provide them with a cementing matter
quite distinct, and at the same time provide each
area with diamonds of a different character, would
indeed be a great curiosity. Though it is not
difficult to bring evidence to controvert the fluviatile
theory, it is quite a different matter to provide one
that does justice to these unique occurrences.
The kimbcrlite pipes of South .\frica can be so
distinctly proved to be of volcanic origin that
no one dispute 5 the point at the present time.
Kimberlite is largely made up of olivine. Though
fresh specimens are unobtainable at any of the
Diamanlina occurrences, an analysis of the freshest
mineral gave a high percentage of magnesia ; some
crystals extracted from a groundmass of the
cement showed all the characteristics of olivine ;
on the other hand, there are no signs of felspar
or its decomposition product, kaolin. Talc, how-
ever, is abundant in the ilecomposed cement. The
present diamond- bearing rivers of this part of Minas
all rise in the great quart/.ite range known as the
Serra do Kspinhaco. The Jequitinhonha and the
Arrasonahy, both rivers of about equal size, join
about 100 kilometres north of Diamantina, yet,
though the former was probably the richest
diamond-bearing river ever discovered, the latter
is not known to contain diamonds. St. Joao do
Cha])ada Mine is over 130 ft. deep, and the
diamond-bearing mineral continues still deeper.
In places Boa Vista has been worked to a depth of
over 70 ft., yet there is absolutely no alteration in
the nature or construction of the breccia. There is
nothing to indicate that there are any talc beds in
the country that could have produced the cementing
matter ; all the kiiown igneous dykes which are
now reduced to a talcose mineral, are of later origin
than the breccia, and consequently they could not
have produced the cement. It is therefore essential
that some other source of origin should be
considered, and after a lengthy study of the subject
the writer has come to the conclusion that certain
areas in the Serra do Espinhaco, notably those in
the vicinity of Diamantina, were subjected to
severe dynamic forces, which resulted in , the
opening of fissures, these forming channels whereby
the diamond-bearing mineral, probably kimberlite
or some allied rock, in a highly decomposed con-
dition, could reach the surface and where a weakness
in the superincumbent strata existed, large masses
were formed in the adjacent rock. These, breaking
naturally into rectangular fragments, became
entangled in the plastic mass, and owing to the
higher specific gravity of the cement the masses
of lighter sandstone remained in suspension, and
were prevented from touching each other, or in
many cases from reaching the bottom. A complete
intersection of one of those occurrences will in all
probability uncover the fissure from where the
diamond-bearing mineral has reached its present
position.
With the e.xception of St. Joao do Chapada,
to which no bottom has been discovered at a depth
of 130 ft., all the other occurrences are only being
operated on along the flanks, where a disturbed
floor occurs. On the south-western slope of Boa
Vista, the Espinhaco quartzite forms a distinct
wall over 60 ft. high, bounding the brecciated bed,
and on the northern side a vertical wall of talcose
rock can be seen to a depth of over 70 ft. ; borings
have shown the depth of the deposit at this spot
to be over 100 ft., where no bottom rock was
encountered.
Though the high level diamond-bearing breccias
of Diamantina cannot actually be called " pipes ",
there is no doubt that they are of local origin, each
one representing a distinct occurrence of diamond-
bearing rock, consisting of a talcose mineral forming
the cementing matter, in which the brecciated
masses of quartzite became entangled, while the
mass was in a plastic condition, and finally as there
is no evidence regarding the cement having been
deposited by the action of surface waters, it must
be assumed for the present that it emanated from
deep-seated regions and was brought to the surface
JUNE, 1921
375
through channels, cither fissures or circular vents.
The Agua Suja diamond mine, situated about
300 miles westward of Diamantina. in many respects
resembles the brecciated deposits of Diamantina.
When this mine was inspected by the writer about
ten years ago he came to the conclusion that the
diamond-bearing bed was of local origin, that is
to say, that it was formed by the breaking up of a
mass of igneous rocks which existed in its immediate
vicinity, and as the large boulders were of local
origin, the smaller minerals, including the diamond,
could not have been brought from distant sources,
but were also of local origin. Since that visit the
writer has explored the head waters of the Rio
Sao Francisco and the Paranahyba, where he
discovered a small kimberlite pipe near the town of
Patos, and last year specimens of kimberlite were
brought from the neighbourhood of Coromandcl.
These discoveries point to the fact that true
kimberlite exists in Brazil, and confirm the author's
contention that the Brazilian diamond-bearing
rivers have derived their diamond contents from the
disintegration of volcanic vents similar in many
respects to the South African occurrences.
THE BRITISH AMERICAN NICKEL CORPORATION
In the Canadian Mining Journal for March 18,
W. A. Carlyle, the managing director, gives an
account of the operations of the British American
Kickel Corporation. It will be remembered that
this company has developed the Murray mine near
Sudbury, Ontario, and has erected a smelter
near by, together with a refinery near Ottawa,
where the Swedish Hybinette process is employed.
The Corporation was financed by the British
Government as a war measure. Owing to the
present fall in the prices and demand for metals,
the mine and works were closed shortly after the
beginning of this year. We give herewith
Mr. Carlyle's description.
The mining lands owned by the company com-
prise 17,590 acres in the nickel district at Sudbury,
of which 12,590 acres are located in the mineral-
bearing zone. Most of the diamond-drilling cam-
paign was confined to the Murray mine, where a
very large body of ore w-as thus disclosed, to which
all recent mining operations are confined. This
ore-body, as determined by vertical drill-holes,
200 ft. apart, outcrops at the surface, and with a
very uniform dip of 3S° from the horizontal has
been shown to extend 3,600 ft. downward on the
(lip with a thickness varying from 40 to 140 ft. of
smelting ore. Within the area drilled lie 16,000.000
tons of ore, averaging 3°'a of nickel and copper,
sufficient to keep the present plants running for
30 years, and the ore-body undoubtedly extends
much farther beyond the holes, the deeper of which
discloses a great tonnage of higher-grade ore,
containing 4°o nickel and copper. The ore typical
of the district occurs in the norite rocks with a
foot-Avall of greenstone, and in places, granite ;
and consists of pyrrhotite with some chalcopyrite.
It also contains a small but valuable amount of the
rare metals of the platinum group, all of which will
be recovered and separated in the refining process.
At the Murray mine a three-compartment
inclined shaft in the foot-wall is now down about
1,200 ft. with eight levels opened up, each half
in the foot-wall and half in the ore. A unique
method of mining the ore has been chosen that will
permit the cheap extraction of at least 90 "j, of
the whole ore mass. On each of the five levels
is a 5 ton Canadian Westinghouse locomotive,
with Edison storage-batteries, running on 24 in.
tracks laid with 36 lb. rails, and hauling four
4 ton ore-cars of the Granby type. On each level
is a motor-generator set for charging the batteries
on the third shift. All of this plant is giving great
satisfaction. The drilling is done with Waugh
No. 21 turbo-hammer drills using 90 to 100 lb.
air and hollow steel for water feed. There is a large
ore-pocket, with finger-gates below every second
level, which loads the 8 ton skips in two com-
partments of the shaft. On the surface all the
buildings are substantial and well built. As
enough electric power for the time being could not
be obtained, it was decided to instal steam plants
at the mine and smelter, but so arranged that every
machine could later on be electrically driven. In
the mine power house are three 1,000 h.p. Babcock
& Wilcox boilers, 160 lb. pressure, equipped with
Weir feed-pumps and large steel coal-hoppers with
endless pan-conveyors, feeding the chain grates
with slack coal. There is a powerful Allis-Chalmers
steam-hoist of the latest design, hoisting at the rate
of 1,500 ft. per minute, and two Belliss-Morcom
air-compressors, each yielding, at 250 r. p. m.,
2,500 cu. ft. of free air per minute at 105 lb. There
are also two other small compressors, one steam,
the other electrically driven, and 6,500 to 7,000 cu. ft.
air is altogether available. In the shaft-house the
ore from the skips, after passing over grizzlies,
goes through a 46 by 48 in. Buchanan-Blake-type
rock-crusher into a flat-bottomed bin, which feeds
the 36 in. belt, 300 ft. long, to the top of the rock-
house, where the rock, after passing over a 2 in.
screen, is distributed by a belt along a storage
bin, which in turn supplies the seven picking-belts.
The mine can easily supply 1,200 to 1,400 tons of
mi.xed ore per day. and 2,400 tons have been hoisted
in two shifts. From 20 to 25 "Jo of the material
hoisted is picked out and sent to the waste dump.
The smelting ore, coarse and fine, is taken in 35 ton
ore cars 1^ miles to the smelter ore-bins.
At the smelter the power-house boiler-room
contains six 1,000 h.p. Babcock & Wilcox boilers,
working at 180 lb. pressure, supplied with super-
heaters" and chain grates, also fed from steel bins
filled by the endless bucket-conveyor. Weir
pumps supply the boiler feed from a Cochrane
preheater. In the blower-room are four turbo-
blowers, 3,600 r. p. m., each direct connected to
a steam turbine, blowers and turbines being the
Rateau-Battu-Smoot design. Two of the blowers
each deliver 30,000 cu. ft. free air each at 36 oz.
for the blast-furnaces and two 36,000 cu. ft. each
at 12 1b. pressure to the converters, the steam
turbine for each of these being 2,200 h.p. Each
turbine has its surface condenser complete in every
detail with centrifugal pumps for returning the hot
condensing-water to a cooling pond. One unit
comprises a 1,100 h.p. turbine, driving one of the
blast-furnace blowers, and a 550 k.w. generator,
used when the Wahnapitae power fails, which can
be used as a motor to direct-drive one or both
blast-furnace blowers. On account of the highly
superheated steam, 590 to 610°, it was found
necessary to fit the steam governors of all the
turbines with monel-metal parts, which has proved
very satisfactory.
37f)
Till. .MlXlNi; MAC.A/IXE
111 the smcltor building arc two blast-furnaces,
50 by '^60 in. at the tuyeres, anil a. third is on the
sround. On a strongly constructed crucible,
24 in. high, stands the single row of steel water-
jackets, 14 ft. long, 30 in. wide, inner plate Jin.,
outer H in., with a water space of 5 in. There are
two 41 in. tuyeres in each jacket, or 24 on each
side of the furn,ice. The furnace is tapped at either
end. using a water-cooled cast-iron spout for
discharging into a settler 20 ft. by 30 ft. by 5 ft.,
lineil with chrome and magnesite bricks, there being
three settlers in all. The four matte tap-holes at
first gave much trouble, but a syphon tap, invented
by J. H. Gillis. solved this difficulty. On the
charging floor standard gauge tracks on each side
of tlie furnaces lead to the supply-bins, and a
specially designed type of charge-car drawn by
electric trolley locomotives gives great satisfaction.
Kach car is divided into four 4 ton compartments,
discharging one side into the four feed openings of
the furnace, while in the centre of the other side is
a multibeam weighing device, with which the proper
weights of coke, ore, and flux can be weighed into
each section through the valve-gates in the bottom
of the supply-bins. In the converter aisle are two
60 ft. span, 40 ton electric travelling cranes serving
the three Peirce-Smith basic-lines converters
13 by 30 ft., each with forty-four I|in. tuyeres
and electrically rotated. Steel ladles holding
20 tons of matte, or 12 tons of converter slag, are
used. The holes soon made in these by the corrosive
matte are now very successfully repaired by fitting
in pieces of steel plate by thermit welding.
The smelting practice has many features different
from that followed by the other smelters in the
Sudbury district. The ore averaging SiO., 24 °o,
Fe 35%, CaO 3-7%, MgO 4-3%, Al.,Os 6%, S 19°a,
is smelted without any preliminary roasting, and
the only flux used is converter slag containing
SiO-i ISOq. Fe 52%, CaO 3-50o. Al-Ai 3-5%, the
charge consisting of 70 to 75% ore, the balance
fiux, with 10-5% coke on the charge. The resulting
slags contain SiC, 35-5°o- Fe SOOq, CaO 5-5°o,
A1.,0, 13°o, and 0-24 to 0-34 "o nickel plus copper
plus cobalt. The low-grade matte from this furnace,
containing 11 to 13% nickel and copper is poured
into the converters, and blown up to the usual
matte containing 80 to 82% copper and nickel
and a trace of iron, which is transferred to an oil-
fired furnace, and in running from thence through
a strong stream of water is very successfully
granulated, then wheeled into box cars and shipped
to the refinery. In the converter method the flux
mainly used is ore fines with some silicious gravel
or sand. One aim is to keep llie silica in the con-
verter slag as low as possible, it often averaging
for days under 13"^, which eventually will become
the regular practice. This slag is poured in part
into large 20 ton cars, poured outside the building
on to shallow bods lined with ore fines, broken up
and lifted by locomotive cranes, using clam-shell
buckets, and sent to the smelter bins. Part of the
slag is poured into the settlers. The capacity
of the blast-furnaces is proving much greater than
anticipated, as for the past three months one furnace
has averaged over 800 tons of ore per day, and
1,015 tons of ore have been smelted in one day,
counting in the ore used as flux in the converters.
In the future greater results will be achieved,
especially if the ore fines under 1 k in. now going
to the furnaces are sintered, a problem now being
studied. The amount of flue-dust is small, being
caught in the dust flues and chamljcrs. The smelter
stack is 300 ft. high and 25 ft. inside diameter.
The refinery is situated at Ucschene, Quebec, near
Ottawa, where cheap electric power was available,
and other advantageous factors existed, such as an
excellent site, water, and sullicent labour. This
plant has a capacity of 15,000,000 II5. of nickel
per annum, and at a comparatively small expense
can be increased to from 20 to 24 million pounds.
This metal is deposited electrolytically by the
Hybinettc process, and a very high-grade product
is being produced, containing practically no
impurities but a little iron and copper and some ,■
liydrogen. The matte from the smelter passes *
through two Wedge roasters, each with eight
hearths, and thence to the leaching department,
where the copper in part is dissolved with H.jSOj
and plated out in the electrolytic tanks, the cathodes
being melted down and cast into 81 lb. ingots ;
about 55 tons of copper is produced per 100 tons
of nickel. The leached matte with flu.xes is then
smelted in especially designed electric furnaces
using 24 in. circular carbon electrodes, and nickel-
copper anodes, weighing 200 lb., are cast in steel
moulds. These furnaces, which are proving a
signal success, were designed by Ivar Hole, a
Norwegian metallurgical engineer. These anodes
then go to the nickel-depositing building, which
covers three acres, and not only is the nickel plated
out, but a large amount of nickel-sulphate and also
nickel-ammonium salt is produced for sale to the
nickel-plating industries. The slimes remaining
after the nickel anodes are dissolved are collected
and concentrated, and will be refined in the precious-
metals department to yield platinum, palladium,
iridium, rhodium, and some gold and silver.
HERB LAKE GOLD DEPOSIT, MANITOBA
The March Bulletin of the Canadian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy contains a paper by F. J.
Alcock, a member of the Ontario Geological Survey,
on the geology and ore deposits at Herb Lake, at
the eastern end of The Pas mineral belt, Manitoba.
Herb Lake is at the opposite end of the belt to
Fhn-Flon Lake, particulars of the geology of which
were given in the April issue. The first real interest
in the Herb Lake region was aroused in the summer
of 1914, when gold-bearing quartz was found on the
east shore of Herb Lake, on what is now known as
the I-Ciski claim. Other finds were soon made close
to the original discover^', and active prospecting has
continued from that time to the present. A con-
siderable amount of development work has been
carried out on a number of claims, and on one
property, the Rex, a mill has been erected and
active mining operations carried on.
The rocks of the Herb Lake district belong to two
geological eras. The greater part of the region is
underlain by rocks of pre-Cambrian age, but a belt
of PaleBozoic rocks e.xtends across the southern
margin of the region. Since, however, the ores were
deposited before the deposition of the Palaeozoic
rocks, the latter are of no consequence in this
connexion. The pre-Cambrian rocks in turn fall
into two main divisions : first, granite and its
differentiates ; and secondly, an older complex
consisting of sediments and igneous rocks highly
folded, and intruded and metamorphosed by the
JUNE, 1921
377
granite stocks and batholiths. The igneous members
of the pre-granite complex are, to a large extent,
of volcanic origin and consist of flows, tuffs, and
breccias ; intrusive rocks, however, of the com-
position of diorites, and dykes of lamprophyre and
porphyry are also found. In composition there is
a wide range from light-coloured, acid rhyolites to
dark-coloured greenstone rocks of the composition
of basalts. In places, some of the acid types appear
to intrude the more basic rocks, but they are all
probably related to the same period of igneous
activity. Many of the rocks have been altered into
schists through regional and contact metamorphism.
From basic types, chlorite schist is a common
product, and from the acid types, sericite schist.
Along the borders of the granite intrusions the
common alteration product of the greenstone rocks
is hornblende schist.
The sedimentary rocks of the pre-granite complex
consist of quartzite and paragneiss with con-
glomeratic bands, garnet-gneisses and staurolitfe-
bearing and cyanite-bearing schists. These rocks
are interbanded with at least part of the volcanic
rocks, and the whole is considered to be a thick
series of interbedded flows and clastic sediments
folded and metamorphosed by granite intrusions.
A great erosional unconformity separates all these
rocks from the flat-lying Ordovician dolomite along
the southern shore of Herb Lake. A mantle of clay,
laid down in post-glacial Lake Agassiz, covers much
of the area and renders prospecting locally difficult.
The areas of muskeg are equally disadvantageous in
this regard.
The gold deposits are in the form of veins which
are found traversing all the pre-Cambrian rocks of
the area. They are considered to be genetically
related to the granite intrusions. The evidence
leading to this conclusion may be briefly cited.
The granite with its ditferentiatesforms the youngest
intrusive of the region ; since quartz veins are
found traversing even the granite, they have either
been derived from it or from some other intrusive
that is not exposed at the surface. Again, many of
the quartz veins contain felspar, and a number of
gradational types between true quartz veins and
pegmatite dykes were found ; since the pegmatites
were clearly derived from granite intrusions, it is
necessary to postulate a similar origin for the quartz
veins. The mineralogy of the veins is also
significant. Tourmaline, which is a common
pneumatolytic mineral associated with granites and
pegmatites, is present in nearly all the veins.
Arsenopyrite is also very common in the quartz and
is locally found disseminated in the granite as an
original constituent. The geographic distribution
of the main veins at Herb Lake is likewise suggestive.
The main veins lie near the border of a granite
stock which is situated between the Grass River
and Little Herb Bay. This stock has produced
extensive contact metamorphism with the develop-
ment of garnetiferous and staurolite-bearing schist
in the zone surrounding it, and has almost certainly
been responsible for the formation of the veins.
This suggests that the most favourable places for
prospecting should be along the borders of similar
stocks.
Most of the deposits are fissure veins with sharply
defined walls. Along some of the veins, however,
the country rock has been extensively altered,
giving rise to a border zone of sulphides and
carbonate rock, a zone that in places carries gold.
The deposits are for the most part lenticular, with
pinches and swells. Many of them follow the rock
structure, either bedding or schistosity, and as a
rule small stringers are parallel. The veins lie in
various types of country rock ; several of the
important veins of the area occur in a rhyolite-
porphyry, a possible reason for this being that its
hard, massive character is more favourable for the
preservation of fissures than the softer, more
schistose rocks.
The quartz of the veins varies to a considerable
extent. Many of the barren veins consist of white
quartz with practically no mineralization. In the
gold-bearing veins, the quartz varies from white to
brownish in colour, and from granular to coarse
vitreous in te.xture. The variety that, as a rule,
carries the best value in gold is a fine, granular type
traversed by dark streaks. These streaks, for the
most part, are short and irregular, and along them
is concentrated most of the mineralization, con-
sisting of black tourmaline, sulphides, and the
greater part of the gold. In places, however,
needles of tourmaline, specks of sulphides, and gold
in visible quantities are found in the quartz away
from any of these dark streaks. Of the sulphides,
arsenopyrite is the most abundant, but pyrite,
chalcopyrite, galena, and blende are also found.
Felspar crystals are sometimes found in the veins,
and on the Moosehorn claim a telluride, probably
petzite, was found associated with some of the gold
particles. The absence of any well-banded structure
in the quartz, and the association of the gold with
the sulphides, and more particularly with the tour-
mahne, is evidence that the ore was deposited under
conditions of high temperature. In a number of
specimens collected, gold in visible quantities was
found completely enclosed in masses of tourmaline,
showing that the same origin must be assigned to
both minerals.
To summarize, therefore, it is believed that the
gold-bearmg veins of the region are high temperature
deposits genetically related to intrusions of granite.
These intrusions were accompanied by deformation
which produced fractures, shear planes, anticlinal
openings, and other lines of weakness. .\s the
intrusive mass cooled and commenced to solidify,
the volatile constituents became progressively more
and more concentrated in the remaining liquid part
of the magma, and during the late stages of the
intrusion, were finally given off forming pegmatite
dykes and quartz veins. The formation of the veins
was a process which proceeded slowly and in places
the primary quartz was crushed, and minerals,
including gold, were deposited in the fractured
areas : but the whole was essentially one process
related to the granite intrusion. Fractures would
naturally be more abundant in the roof of the
batholith, and it would be along these lines that
the ascending solutions would escape ; veins would
therefore be more numerous along the upper parts
of the intrusion. In the long period separating the
time of the intrusion and the deposition of the
Ordovician dolomite, the region suffered extensive
denudation, with the result that the roofs of the
batholiths were nearly everywhere stripped off and
the upper parts of the batholiths themselves
removed. This erosion meant the destruction of
many valuable ore deposits. In other places, how-
ever, where the intrusions did not come so near
the surface, erosion has uncovered only the irregular
upper parts of the batholiths, parts which would
appear on a surface map as small stocks. These
consequently are more favourable places for
:?7s
Tin: MINING MAGAZINE
I'rospccting tliaii where wide areas of granite arc
now fimiKl. It must bo reniomberod, however, that
any area where rooks of the |ire-granite conijilex
are exposed may be underlain at no great depth by
intrusive masses and hence be minerahzed.
Sohitions also may travel considerable distances
from their parent magma. The Rex vein lies at a
ilistance of over a mile from the nearest surface
exposure of granite, and the Kiski veins at a distance
of nearh' 3 miles. The Twin Lakes property shows
that, even in the borders of the granite stocks,
ileposits of ore may be found.
The only property on which active mining and
milling operations have been performed is the Rex.
During 1918, work was carried on from May until
December, when the plant was closed. Work was
resumed in the spring of 1920. The vein lies
approximately 200 ft. from the shore of Wekusko
lake. It strikes 20° east of north and has been
traced for a distance of 1.700 ft. It maintains a
width of from 2 to 5 ft. for most of its length, but
at two places it swells to a width of over 15 ft., and
at others it pinches to less than I ft. The vein
follows closely a contact between a rhyolite-
porphyry and a conglomeratic sediment. As far as
work has progressed, the gold persists in depth ;
an interesting feature in connexion with the ore-
shoot that is being mined at present is the fact that,
so far as its outlines have been determined by
sampling on the surface and underground, it seems
to have vertical boundaries.
The Northern Manitoba group is a property con-
sisting of tw-o claims, the Moosehorn and the Ballast,
on which is exposed a vein approximately 300 ft.
long and varying in width from 6 in. to over 2 ft.
A shaft has been sunk to a depth of 100 ft., and 50 ft.
of driving has been done. One carload of ore
amounting to 57,000 lb. was shipped to Trail,
B.C., the returns on which amounted to $2,323, an
average of $81 '53 in gold per ton.
On the Kiski-Wekusko, the original discovery in
the area, three main veins .are exposed. No. 1 has
been slripjied for over 700 ft. ;ind has an average
width of 3.J ft., at one point swelling to a width of
12 ft. No." 2 has been stripped for 500 ft. and
traced much farther ; it has an average width of
3 ft. and at one place is 12 ft. wide. \ vertical
shaft has been sunk to a depth of 53 ft. on this vein.
No. 3 vein has been traceil for about 100 ft. It
carries gold in visible (pianlities. Other veins and
exposures of quartz have been proved to occur on
the property.
On the IClizabeth-Dauphin claims, the Elizabeth
vein lies IJ miles north-east of the Rex. It has an
exposed length of over 800 ft. and a width of from
2 to 6 ft. A shaft has been sunk to a depth
of 50 ft.
On the Bingo, several small veins ha%'e been
uncovered. The largest varies from 7 in. to over
a foot in width. Gold is present in visible
amounts.
The .McCafferty vein has been traced by stripping
and trenching for over 1,600 ft. Its width varies
to over 8 ft.
The discovery on the .^pex group is a mineralized
zone in red granite. The rock which carries the
ore is much like the regional red granite, but
is lighter in colour and may best be described as a
fine-grained pegmatite. It is more quartzose than
the granite, and grades, by loss of felspar, into
typical quartz-vein material. The contact between
the pegmatite and the granite is locally distinct, but,
in places, it is difficult to distinguish the two types.
In such places the lode is recognized by the presence
of sulphides of which arsenopyrite is the most
abundant. The mineralized zone is irregular ; at
one place it has a width of 40 ft. In places the
granite is shattered and small quartz stringers form
a stockwork. The irregular character of the deposits
makes it difficult to estimate its value.
ANACONDA ELECTROLYTIC ZINC
In the May issue we gave some quotations from
the paper by Frederick Laist and others presented
to the American Institute of Mining and Metal-
lurgical Engineers. We continue this abstract
herewith.
Electrolytic Practice. — The tank house contains
864 cells divided into six units. The cells are
10 ft. 3 in. long, 2 ft. 10 in. wide, by 5 ft. deep.
They are made of wood with a lead lining. Each
cell contains 28 anodes and 27 cathodes. The
anodes are made of chemical lead, and the cathodes
of aluminium.
The authors give particulars relating to the effect
of impurities in the solution.
In minute amounts, 10 mg. per litre of solution
or less, copper does not appear to have much effect
on the zinc deposit. In larger amounts, holes are
eaten through the cathodes, leaving a black deposit
on the aluminium surface ; at times a bright
deposit of copper is obtained. A second deposition
of zinc will not take place until the aluminium sheet
is thoroughly cleaned of the black deposit. If
copper is the only injurious impurity present, the
zinc deposit where not corroded will be firm and
bright. High acids are conducive to active corrosion
of the impure copper-zinc deposit. Copper attacks
the surface of the aluminium sheet, which becomes
so smooth that zinc will not adhere until it has been
resurfaced.
Antimony is the worst impurity. The presence of
any amount that can be determined (one part per
1,000,000) will give a very low current efficiency
and a badly sprouted deposit, which results in low-
melting recovery. The deposit, when held to the
light, shows a network resembling a lace curtain,
and is lifeless, retaining any form into which it is
bent without even partly recovering its original
form. The presence of antimony in the zinc deposit
has not been detected although present in the
electrolyte in appreciable quantities.
The presence of 1 mg. of arsenic per litre in the
electrolyte will make itself known at the end of
30 or 40 hours in a type of cathode corrosion
peculiar to arsenic. The surface of the deposit
becomes rough in appearance and loses its lustre.
As this condition proceeds corrugations develop.
Larger amounts of arsenic give a badly sprouted
deposit similar in appearance to that caused by
antimony. After completely re-dissolving the zinc
deposit from a portion of the aluminium surface,
a second period of deposition will begin, and as many
as four depositions have been noticed for a single
48 hour period.
The presence of iron in the electrolj'te in moderate
amounts does not injure the current efficiency,
although when oxidized it causes the aluminium
cathode sheets to deteriorate rapidly and, therefore,
it should be oxidized and precipitated in the neutral
JUNE, 1021
379
leach and not allowed to overflow the neutral
settlers. During the month of February, 1917.
from 25 to 30 tons of chamber acid were added to
the plant solution. The acid contained approxi-
mately 500 mg. of arsenic per litre ; it was necessary
to add scrap iron to ensure arsenic removal. The
iron in the purified solution at times was over 0-2 gm.
per litre ; it averaged 0-13 gm. per litre for the
month. Sufficient iron was oxidized in passing
through the cells to provide the necessary ferric
iron for arsenic removal. The electrolyte was of
a greenish colour throughout the cell system, and
apiJarently no permanganic acid or manganese
dioxide was formed, as only about one-half of the
iron was oxidized. After a month's trial, it was
decided that, due to the deleterious effect of the
iron on the aluminium cathodes, the continuous use
of the high iron was not justified, although the plant
averaged 89-3% current efficiency and yielded
12-3 lb. per horse-power-day for the month. The
aluminium cathodes showed marked corrosion at the
solution line and along the edges.
Manganese, in the absence of other impurities,
has little, if any, effect on the zinc deposit. In the
higher states of oxidation, as it exists in the cell, it
aids re-solution of the deposit when started by other
impurities. Pure zinc will dissolve more rapidly
in cell solution than in pure dilute sulphuric acid,
owing to the oxidizing effect of the manganese.
Where cobalt is present in solution, it is claimed by
other experimenters that at least a portion of the
cobalt is precipitated by the manganese dioxide in
the cell. It is also claimed that manganese protects
the lead anodes from corrosion and that the deposit
of manganese dioxide is beneficial. The authors
insist that this manganese dioxide deposit must be
removed at least once every six weeks.
The presence of 0-6 gm. per litre of cadmium in
the electrolyte does not injure current efficiency or
the character of the zinc deposit. To make grade
"A" zinc, the cadmium must be under 20 mg. per
litre in the purified solution.
Chlorine, in some forms, attacks the anode very
violently when present in amounts of 50 mg. per
litre or more. The cathode deposit does not appear
to be affected by it.
Nitrates are undesirable as regards anode
corrosion, especially in the presence of chlorine.
The cumulative effect of the two is worse than
either one alone.
Cobalt, nickel, tellurium, and selenium have not
been investigated sufficiently to warrant definite
statements. Sodium and potassium have no
deleterious effect in moderate amounts when present
as sulphates.
The corrosive effect of impurities increases greatly
with the temperature. Since any re-.solution causes
an increase in temperature, and an increased
temperature hastens re-solution, it is sometimes
hard to tell which is the cause and which the effect.
With slightly impure solution, it is possible to main-
tain a fair current eificiency if the temperature can be
kept down ; this suggests the use of more cooling
coils. With pure solution, a moderate rise in
temperature, say from 35° to 70° C, does not
cause a falling off in efficiency or change the
character of the deposit ; more effort should be
spent in purifying the solution instead of providing
e.xtra cooling.
If a solid in suspension is a conductor, such as
manganese dioxide or carbon, it will cause sprouting
of the cathode metal. The electrolyte should be
clarified before going to the cells and all foreign
matter should be kept out of the electrolyte. When
the cells become foul with manganese dioxide, so
that it is in suspension, sprouting is more prevalent
than at other times. The sprouting is always more
intense on the bottom of the cathodes, where there
is a higher concentration of the suspended particles.
It has long been the practice in electrolytic
copper refining to add moderate amounts of glue at
regular intervals. At the suggestion of Willis T.
Burns, glue was tried and found to be beneficial.
Too much glue causes brittle metal, starts re-
solution of the zinc deposit, and may prevent the
deposition of any zinc ; the addition of moderate
amounts will greatly retard sprouting and give
better current cfliciency, especially when small
amounts of ar enic and antimony are present.
After the add t on of glue there is a slight voltage
rise and the gas bubbles from the cathode deposit
Freatly increase in size, probably due to a change in
the character of the surface film of the electrolyte.
Glue appears to make this film tougher so that the
bubbles of gas hang on to the sprouts and raised
spots for a longer period, partly insulating them.
The low places in the deposit appear to build up
faster, giving a much denser deposit with glue than
without it. The effect of the glue on the electrolyte
only lasts for a short period. Evidently the glue
is decomposed, because during periods of re-solution
when an excessive amount of gas is coming off it
must be added more often. With pure electrolyte,
the addition of the glue is not necessary. But the
effort should be made to purify the electrolyte,
instead of doping it. Sugar, wood juice, starch, and
a number of other agents give approximately the
same results, but glue is the most trustworthy and
cheapest.
Casting Practice. — The zinc-casting plant contains
two coal-fired reverberatories with a capacity of
from 100 to 125 tons per furnace and one electric
furnace with a daily rated capacity of 200 tons.
After a six-months' trial the use of the electric
furnace was discontinued for the following reasons :
(1) When melting zinc cathodes, the dross formed
coats over the surface of the metal, preventing the
transfer of heat to the bath. (2) It is impossible to
get nearly the full production without volatilizing
considerable metal ; with a production of 170 tons
per day, over 3A% of the zinc charged is volatilized.
(3) The metal bath cools during charging so that heat
is required in the muffles to keep the metal hot
enough for casting. (4) At 70 tons capacity the
furnace compares very favourably with the coal-
fired furnaces, but when the investment is considered
the furnace is a failure for zinc-cathode melting.
(5) The heat in the resistor troughs is so intense,
when melting 100 tons per day, that the trough
construction will not stand up, causing frequent
long delays for repairs. The work of this furnace
confirmed the laboratory experiments, that when
zinc cathodes are melted they will produce a definite
amount of dross. To get a good melting recovery
the dross must be worked to separate the metal
from the oxide.
Zinc cathode sheets are apt to be porous to
a certain extent and one side is covered with
sprouts or raised spots. There is also a coating of
zinc sulphate. Even when melted in a covered
crucible, from 4 to 5% of dross is formed. This dross
contains metallics and may be reduced 40 or 50%
in weight if worked hot with ammonium chloride.
The best recovery of the metal over a month's
380
Till' MTXTNT, MA(,A7IX1".
operation was 9(iJ",',': ^ 3J"^ of tl\e metal uiiU to
form dross, which assaycil ^31% zinc.
The zinc-niclting rcvorberatories arc made of
common brick below the metal line and of lirebrick
above. To avoid metal leakaije the whole furnace is
set in a sheet-metal pan. which is supported by
1 beams set on concrete piers. This construction
permits air cooling of the bottom. The main
chamber of the revcrberatories is built rather high
so that there is a deep bath of metal and a big
stack of cathodes at all times ; this gives a large
surface of metal exposed to the heat. The melting
zinc running down the surface of the stack carries
away the dross and always presents a new surface of
bright metal to the hot gases from the firebox, which
is large and deep. It is operated as a partial gas
producer so that the resulting gases will be reducing,
to avoid oxidation of the metal. The dross from
the molting cathodes is carried down with the molten
zinc and floats on the top of the bath, gradually
slowing up the furnace. .\t intervals this dross is
rabbled with ammonium chloride, which causes the
particles of molten zinc to combine and sink into
the bath. Once every 24 hours the dry dross is
completely removed from the furnace and further
worked, while hot, in a revolving cement mixer, to
which oil and ammonium chloride are added. The
addition of a small amount of oil and sawdust to
the <lross helps to keep up the temperature.
Appro.ximately 50% of the zinc contained in the
furnace dross is recovered as metal in this way.
This metal collects in the bottom of the cement
mixer and is tapped out through a hole into moulds.
The loaded cathode cars are brought to the
charging stand over which there is a one-ton
electric hoist, which places 4 or 5 tons of the cathodes
upon a roller coaster. This conveys the metal to the
charging doors in the top of the furnace ; when the
charging door is swung open and the brake on the
roller coaster released the bundle of cathodes slides
into the furnace. It is only necessary for the furnace
to be open a few seconds while charging. Every
precaution is taken to exclude the air from the
furnace while melting ; all openings are sealed except
during the dross-skimming period. The furnace is
allowed to cool down about 150" (". before opening
it to skim the dross.
The molten metal is dippcil from metal sealed
dip|iing mullles and jKiured into 50 lb. slab moulils of
which there are 40 in line with each inul'lle. The
dipping ladles hold over '.200 lb. of molten zinc ami
are carried from an overhead crawl. ICach is
operated by one ladleman who has a helper to mark
and stack back the slabs from the moulds. A
sample of metal is taken from every twentieth ladle
and cast in pencils in a split graphite mould ; these
pencils arc broken up and combined to form the
sample representing each day's production.
Zii!C-I)iist Plant. —Approximately 8% of the zinc
produced in the tank room is required to precipitate
copper and cadmium. The zinc atomizing ])lant
is made in two units, and either may be shut down
without interfering with the other. Each unit
consists of an oil-fired Rockwell furnace, two blowing
nozzles, and a settling chamber, with a superimposed
bag house. The Rockwell furnace receives the
molten zinc from the melting furnace by means of an
electric hoist ladle and crawl system. The carbon
crucible of the Rockwell furnace is provided with
two carbon rods in the bottom, tapped with \ in.
holes through which the molten zinc Hows to the
atomizing nozzles. Air from the nozzles strikes the
hot zinc at right angles and blows it into the settling
chamber. This chamber has bags above through
which the air is filtered, leaving the dust to drop
back into the hoppers which are provided in the
bottom of the chamber to draw the dust into cars.
There are three factors to be considered : (1) The
metal must be hot ; (2) the air pressure should be at
least 85 lb. at the nozzle ; (3) the stream of metal
should be small, not over j'',. in. in diameter. If
the air pressure at the nozzle is 300 lb. less attention
must be paid to the other two factors.
The authors also give an account of the treatment
of residues for the extraction of copper and lead,
and they discuss in detail a great many theoretical
and practical points connected with the various
stages of the process and plant.
SHORT NOTICES
Open-cut Mining. — In the Mining and Scientific
Press for April 16, .\. B. Parsons describes open-cut
mining by steam-shovel as practised at the Nevada
Consolidated's copper mines.
Winding Engine at Quincy.- -The Engineer for
May 20 describes a large new winding engine at the
Quincy copper mine, Lake Superior. It is a 4-
cylinder, cross-compound condensing engine, with
a 30 ft. drum, and is capable of raising ten-ton loads
with a rope speed of 3,200 ft. per minute from
depths of 6,600 ft. to 8,600 ft. on the inchne.
Mining at Fresnillo. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for May 7. D. B. McAllister describes
the new mining methods at the Fresnillo silver
mines. Mexico.
Rehabilitation of French Mines. — Engineering
for May 20 commences an article on the rehabilita-
tion of French coal mines destroyed by the Germans
during the war.
Concrete Shafts. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for April 23. J. H. Stovel describes
the concreting of trwo vertical shafts in iron minse
in Alabama.
Concrete Shaft-Lining. — In the Mining and
Scientific Press for April 30, A. B. Parsons describes
the concrete shaft of the Cliief Consolidated Mining
Co., at Eureka, Utah.
Drill-steel. — The American Institute of Mining
and Metallurgical Engineers has published a paper
by B. Tillson on the breakage and heat treatment
of rock-drill steel.
Slope Survey. — In a paper presented at the May
meeting of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy,
F. P. Caddy described the method of stope
measuring at the Passagem mine, Brazil.
Surveying Instruments — The Camborne School
of Mines Magazine for May contains a paper by
W. H. Connell, of T. Cooke & Sons, Ltd., on the
renaissance of British instrument making.
Electrical Prospecting. — The Engineering and
Mining Journal for May 7 and 14 contains an
abbreviated translation of a paper by C.
Schlumberger on underground prospecting by
electric current.
Valuation of Mineral Properties. — The Iron and
Coal Trades Tfeview lor May 13 quotes from a paper
by T. \. O'Donahue on the valuation of mineral
properties, with .special reference to post-war
conditions.
JUNE, 1921
381
Cleaning Blast-Furnace Gas.— A paper was read
by S. H. Fou-les at the May meeting of the Iron and
Steel Institute on the cleaning: of blast-furnace gas,
dealing particularly with the Halberg-Beth plant.
Electrostatic Precipitation. — The Mining and
Scientific Press for April 9 contains a description of
the Cottrell electrostatic fume-precipitation pro-
cess. Attached to it is a useful bibliography on the
subject.
Electrolytic Zinc. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for April 20, H. R. Hanley
writes on the removal of arsenic from zinc electrolyte
by means of sulphuretted hydrogen.
Copper in Molybdenum Ore's. — In Chemical and
Metallurgical Engineering for May 11, J. P. Bonardi
and M. Shapiro describe methods for removing
all copper from molybdenum ores before smelting
for ferro-molybdenum, and also point out precau-
tions necessary in the analysis for copper in the
presence of molybdenum.
Nickel Alloys. — In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for .April 13, P. D. Merica describes
a great number of nickel alloys used where resistance
to acid and high-temperature steam is desired, and
also alloys for electrical purposes.
Aluminium in Engineering. — In the Engineer for
May 6, J. G. A. Rhodin commences a series of
articles on aluminium and its alloys in engineering.
Tin in New Mexico. — In the Mining and Scientific
Press for April 23, F. S. Naething describes the
Black Range tin district. New Mexico.
Quicksilver in Spain. — ^In the Mining and
Scientific Press for .\pril 23. H. W. Gould describes
the quicksilver mining and metallurgy at Almaden,
Spain.
The Earth's Crust. — The Geographical Journal
for May contains the report of a lecture by Colonel
E. A. Tandy, giving some novel views following the
theory of isostasy.
Mackenzie River Oilfields. — The Canadian Mining
Journal for May 6 contains a paper by E. M
Kindle containing general suggestions to oil pro-
spectors in the Mackenzie River oiltields.
Origin of Petroleum. — At the meeting of the
Institution of Petroleum Technologists held on
May 10, P. Carmody read a paper recommending
that a special study as to the origin of petroleum
should be made at Trinidad, where a greater
variety of oils, gas, bitumen, and pitch are found
than anywhere else in the world.
Alsatian Potash. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering, H. Vigneron describes the
Alsatian potash industry.
Californian Potash. — In Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for .\pril 20, L. W. Chapman
describes the refining plants at Owens and Searles
Lakes, used in separating carbonate of soda,
common salt, sodium borate, and potassium
chloride from the natural deposits.
Borate Deposits. — In Economic Geology for
May, N. F. Foshag discusses the origin of colemanite,
the borate of lime, found in California.
Vanadiferous Asphaltiles. — In the Engineering
and Mining Journal for May 7, J. G. Baragwanath
describes the asphaltites occurring in Peru ; these
contain vanadium, but not in sufficient quantities
to make extraction profitable.
Salt Deposits in Nigeria. — The Bulletin of
the Imperial Institute, No. 4, 1920, just published,
contains a report on samples of sodium, potassium,
and magnesium salts found in Nigeria.
Trevithick in Peru. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for April 16, W. B. Paley gives
an account of the steam engines built by Trevithick
at Cerro de Pasco and elsewhere in Peru.
".'Alignment Charts. — In a paper presented at the
May meeting of the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy, J. A. P. Gibb drew attention to the
advantages of alignment charts over intercept and
correlation charts and gave a number of applications
of this system of calculation.
Scottish Water-power. — Engineering for May 20
contains further details of the new hydro-electric
power scheme of the British Aluminium Company.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED
.^1^ ..1 copiy of the specification of any of the patents mentioned in
this column can he obtained by seniing Is. to the Patent Office,
Sontktmt)ton Buildings, Chmccry Lane. London. W.C. 2, with
a note of the number and year of the patent.
9.155 of 1919 (140,039). Societe Belge
d'Outillage Pneumatique (Ateliers Rorive),
Brussels. Improved construction of hand hammer-
drills.
31,791 of 1919 (162,026). F. E. Elmore,
London. In the treatment of argentiferous zinc-lead
sulphides, mixing with an excess of common salt or
other chloride a,nd'heating to a temperature of 450°
to 500° C. At this temperature the silver and lead
are chloridized but not volatilized, while the zinc
sulphide is unaltered.
31,936 of 1919(162,030). S. Field and Metals
Extraction Corporation, London. In removing
impurities from zinc sulphate solutions before
electrolysing the addition of mercuric sulphate and
zinc dust or aluminium or an aluminium-zinc alloy.
32.539 of 1919 (137,288). J. A. Thibault,
Paris. Method of producing litharge and red lead
from m?tallic lead.
821 of 1920 (161,654). P. \. Mackay, London.
For recovering tin from scrap tinjjlate by dipping
the scrap in oleum, that is, sulphuric acid con-
taining free SO3.
822 of 1920 (161,655). P. .\. Mackay, London.
For the purpose of making strontium and barium
sulphates opaque, placing them after fine grinding
in oleum, or strong sulphuric acid.
823 of 1920(161,656). P. A. Mack.\y, London.
Method of obtaining copper sulphate direct from
metallic copper.
1,231 of 1920 (161,310). H. G. Wildman,
Westmount, Quebec. Making alumina from
common clay by boiling it in an alkaline solution,
then treating with sulphurous acid, which makes
aluminium sulphite, the latter being readily
split into alumina and sulphurous acid.
1,240 of 1920 (162,038). C. Ellis, New York.
Method of producing finely divided metals or
suboxides.
2,245 of 1920(162,082). C. M. Conder and G. T.
Vivian, Camborne. .\ stamp-mill in which the
tappet head and shoe are mountel to a beam at
right angles, the other end of which is pivoted,
the raising cam actuating the beani at the end near
the tappet head.
3,640 of 1920 (161,761). G. H. T. Rayner and
P. Rayner, Sheffield. Improvemjncs in the valve
arrangement of the inventors' patent 138,304.
3.692 of 1920 (161,375). E. C. Vigeon and J.
McCoNWAY, Hebburn-on-Tyne. An apparatus for
evenly moistening roasted ore before being sent to
leaching tanks, the object being to avoid dust and
the formation of lumps. • --
382
111: MININC, MAdA/IXK
NEW BOOKS. PAMPHLETS. Etc.
►^^•'Copit'S o( tlu" b«x>ks, etc.. Iiicntioiuil Ih'Iow can he ubiaiiu-d
Ihnmuli 111!' Twliiiu.il IVxikslmp o( Tlif Mining Maga:in,-,
721. S.ih-lMiry Ht.iiw, l-nmlnii Wall. VX'. 2.
The Oil and Petroleum Manual, 1921. By
\VALiiiR K. Skinnhh. Cl'itli, intavo, ;VJ(I pages.
Price 7s. M. net. Londcii : Walter K. Skinnt r.
11 and 12, Cements Lane. E.C. 4. This is the
twelfth yearly issue of a well known publication,
which gives particulars of all the < il and petroUuni
coM'panics known in Knijlaiul.
The Petroleum Year Book, 1921. Hy Sydney
H. North. t'Utli. octavo. '2SU pages. Price
lOs. (vl. net. London: The St. Janus's Press.
Copper Refining. Py Lawrence Addicks.
Cloth, octavo, 220 page^. Price 17<;, net. New
York and London : McGraw-Hill Book Company.
Technical Methods of Analysis, as employed in
the laboratories of Arthur D. Little, Inc. Hy
K. C. C^KiiFi.N'. Cloth, octavo, 67U pages. Price
33s. net. New York and London : McGraw-Hill
Book company.
Metallic Alloys : their Structure and Con-
stitution. By Dr. C. H. Gilliver. Fourth
edition. Cloth, octavo, 440 pages, illustrated.
Price l.Ss. net. London : Charles Griffin & Co.,
Ltd.
Problems in Land and Mine Surveying. By
Daniel Davies. becond edition. Cloth, octavo,
350 pages, illustrated. Pricel2s.6d.net. London:
Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd.
Text-book of Practical Hydraulics. By James
Park. Second edition. Cloth, octavo, 310 pages,
illustrated. Price, 21s. net. London : Charles
Griffin & Co., Ltd.
Compressed-air Plant. By Robert Peele.
Fourth edition. Cloth, octavo, 500 pages,
illustrated. Price 25.s. net. New York : John
Wiley & Sons ; London ; Chapman & Hall, Ltd.
Pumping by Compressed Air. By Edmund M.
IvENS. Second edition. Cloth, octavo, 270 pages
illustrated. Price 22s. net. New York : John
Wiley it Sons ; London : Chapman A Hall, LtiJ.
Salt and Gypsum Resources of South Australia.
By R. LocKHART Jack. Bulletin No. S of the
Geological Survev of South Africa.
COMPANY REPORTS
Waihi Gold. — This company has been operating
a gold mine in New Zealand since 1887. Regular
production began in 1892, and the first dividend
was paid for the year 1893. The output and profits
gradually increased, and were on a large scale from
1901 to 1910. Afterwards the operations contracted
owing to the impoverishment of the ore in depth.
The report for the year 1920 shows that 159,308 tons
of ore was raised, of which 42,066 tons came from
the Martha lode. 34,241 tons from the Royal,
19,839 tons from the Edward, 14,599 tons from the
Empire, and the remainder from sixteen other
places. The average assay of the ore was 6-6 dwt.
gold and 2i^ oz. silver per ton. The yield of bullion,
taking gold at 84s. per oz. and silver at 2s. per oz.,
was estimated to be worth /242,264. The actual
amount received was /34 1,432. The working profit
was £146,811, out of which /99,181 was distributed
as dividend, being at the rate of 20°^ tax paid,
■while £47,629 was paid as income tax and £14,907
was written off for depreciation. The ore reserve
is estimated at 778,565 tons, averaging 33s. 9d.
per ton with golil at ]i,ir and silver at 2s. per oz. ;
of this amount 254,737 tons is not inimediatelv
.iv.ul.ilile for extraction. Development disclosed
116,521 tons of ore during the year. Additional
electric pumping plant has arrived at the mine,
so that it is now jiossible to sink deeper, A
thirteenth level is being opened from No. 4 shad.
Since the beginning of operations the income from
the .sale of gold has been £12.987,603, out of which
/5, 172,808 has been distributed as dividends, tax
paid.
Golden Horse-Shoe Estates. — This company was
formed in 1899 to acipiire property at Kalgoorlie,
West Australia. Very large profits were made from
1900 to 1909, but since tli.-n the output and
diviflends have been much lower. The report for
1920 shows that 125,340 long tons of ore yielded
54,574 oz. of gold, which realized /.t24,460, .if which
£87,223 represented premium. The net profit was
£65,489, while /75,000 was distributed as dividend,
Deing at the rate of 5%. The development was
restricted owing to labour shortage, as was the case
the year before. J. W. Sutherland, the manager,
estimates the reserve at 637,330 tons, averaging
8-75 dwt, per ton, as compared with 678,296 tons
averaging 9 dwt. the year before. The working cost
was 37s. pel ton, as compared with 32s 6d. in 1919
and 22s. in 1914. The total output of ore since the
beginning has been 4,253,635 tons, and the total
yield of gold 2,688,840 oz., while £;v3,517,500 has
been distributed in <lividends.
Balaghat Gold Mines. — This company operates
a gold mine in the Kolar district, Mysore State,
South India, belonging to the John Taylor & Sons
group. It has not been so important a producer
as the other members of the group, Mysore,
Champion Reef, Nundydroog, and Ooregum.
Eighteen months ago it was reconstructed so as to
provide additional funds for a resumption of develop-
ment. The report now issued covers the fourteen
months ended December 31 last. During this
period 45,050 tons of ore was milled, yielding
25,833 oz, of gold, and 76,250 tons of tailing was
cvanided, yielding 6,629 oz., making a total yield
of 32.462 oz., w^hich sold for £'163,715- The working
cost was /123,454, and after the pavment of
royalty the'profit was £'33,296, out of which £23.318
has been distributed as dividend, being 2s. 4Jd.
on the 10°o preference shares, and Is. IJd. on the
ordinary shares, both of 10s. each. During the year
driving on the rich ore-shoot on the 2,600 ft. level
was continued, and its total length was found to be
842 ft., averaging 33J dwt. per ton over a width
of 40 in. At the deeper levels nothing further was
discovered, though the drive on the 4,000 ft. level
is giving promising results. The reserve was
estimated on December 31 at 91,755 tons, an
increase of 16,725 tons during the year. There is
also 177,000 tons of accumulated tailing awaiting
treatment. .\ new sand plant, with a capacity of
4,000 tons per month, is in course of erection. This
will replace the old plant, which is now out of date.
The .slime plant is being duplicated ; on com-
pletion its capacity will be 250 tons per day.
Rhodesia Gold Mining and Investment. — This
company belongs to the Lewis & Marks group
and was formed in 1910 to develop and finance
gold-mining properties in Rhodesia. It has large
holdings in Lon-ily Reef and Cam <!!: Motor, works
the Huntsman mine, and lets the Bernheim on
tribute. It also controlled the Sabi com.pany, but
owing to the failure of the property the company
JUNE, 1921
383
went into liquidation last year. The report for the
year 1920 shows that at the Huntsman mine
7,279 tons of orp. averaging i3-8clwt. per ton, was
treated for a yield of 4,043 oz. of gold, the net profit
realized being ;£ 1,029. The mine continues to
develop well on a small scale. At the Bernheim
mine the tributers treated 4,991 tons for a yield of
2,539 oz., and the royalty accruing to the company
was /,1,784. Owing to an accident to the plant
the tributers have recently been obliged to cease
work, but the company is granting them financial
assistance, and work will be resumed shortly. For
the five months January to May, 1920, during which
the Sabi was in operation 5,70'0 tons of ore yielded
1 .067 oz. The accounts for the year show receipts
/1 9,981 from dividends, chiefly Lonely Reef.
Owing to the failure of the Sabi Company a loss oi
investments of /1 48.709 was incurred, and the
.-id verse balance for the year was £130,529. There
have been other small losses on unsuccessful
properties, so it has been decided to reduce the
capital of the company from £300,000 to £150,000
by cancelling 10s. of each £1 share.
Rezende Mines. — This company operates gold
mines in Rhodesia, and has had a long history of
varying fortunes, as recorded already in these
columns. Sir Abe Bailey secured control a few
years ago, and undertook an active development
campaign. Satisfartorv dividends have been
paid for the years 1918 to 1920. The report for
1920 shows that 66,500 tons of ore was treated for
a yield of 29,506 oz. of gold. The income, in-^luding
premium on gold, was £164.604, and the cost,
including taxes and depreciation, was £122.908.
The profit was /41,696, and the dividends amounted
to £48,000, being at the rate of 40%. The
ore reserve is estimated at 140.268 tons, averaging
10 dwt. per ton. All of this is in the eastern section,
the central section having been exhausted. The
development work on the new seventh level in the
eastern section appe.ars to be giving fairly good
results.
West Rand Consolidated Mines. — This company
belongs to the .Albu group, and was formed in 1903
to acquire a number of gold-mining properties
in the far west Rand. Other adjoining properties
have been acquired since. There are two workings
on the Main Reef, and three on the Battery Reef
farther south. The operations have not been
profitable on the whole, the only dividend having
been one of 3J°o paid for 1909. The share capital
is /2,004,424, and there are /325,000 debentures.
The report for 1920 shows that 396,268 tons of
ore was raised, of which 232,688 tons came from
the Main Reef and 163,580 tons from the Battery
Reef. After sorting, 378,100 tons, averaging
6-27 dwt. per ton, was sent to the mill. The yield
of gold by amalgamation was 64,297 oz., and by
cyanide 40,878 oz., making a total of 105,175 oz.
The revenue from the sale of gold was £572,847, of
which about £125,000 represented premium. The
working cost was £518,170, leaving a working
profit of £54,676, of which £19,749 was paid as
debenture interest. The revenue per ton of ore
milled was 30s. 3d., and the cost per ton 27s. 5d.
The ore reserve is estimated at 1,205.199 tons,
averaging 6-5 dwt. per ton. It will be seen that the
continuance of working depends on the relative
movements of gold premium and costs. A new
central pumping plant is being installed, and it
will be possible soon to recommence shaft-sinking
on the Main Reef.
Roodepoort United Main Reef. — This com-
pany belongs to the Albu group, and was formed in
1887 to work gold-mining property in the middle
west Rand. Roodepoort Deep was absorbed in
1898. and Roodepoort Cxold in 1909. Dividends
were paid from 1894 to 1910, but none since. There
is at present an accumulated loan of £365,782
owing to the parent company, the General Mining
and Finance Corporation. Operations during 1920
could only be continued by adopting a policy of
selective mining, and stopping development and
shaft-sinking. The report for 1920 shows that
275,016 tons of ore was mined, and 274,200 tons,
averagin,g 4'5 dwt. per ton, was sent to the mill.
The yield of gold by amalgamation was 43,030 oz.,
and by cyanide 14,861 oz., making a total of
57,891 oz. The revenue from the sale of gold was
£315,863, of which about £69,000 represented
premium. The working cost was £311,770, leaving
a working profit of £4.092. The revenue per ton
of ore milled was 23s., and the cost per ton 22s. 9d.
The reserve is estimated at 249.108 tons, averaging
5-8 dwt. over a width of 41 in. The present position
at the mine is critical.
Aurora West United. — This company belongs
to the Albu group, and was formed in 1891 to work
gold-mining property in the middle west Rand. The
property of the Aurora company was absorbed in
1897. The mine was never a financial success, and
during the last year or two has only been kept
going by means of a pohcy of selective mining.
The report for 1920 shows that 146,192 tons of ore
was raised, and after the removal of 10% waste,
131,840 tons, averaging 5-63 dwt. per ton. was sent
to the mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation
was 22,819 oz,, and by cyanide 11,120 oz., making
a total of 33-939 oz. The revenue from the sale of
gold was £184,770, of which about £38,000 repre-
sented premium. The working cost was £181,184,
leaving a working profit of £3,586. The revenue
per ton milled was 28s., and the working cost
27s. 6d. The reserve of payable ore was estimated
on December 31 at 32,050 tons, averaging 7-3 dwt.
over 42 in., but if gold rose to 110s. per oz., a
further 80 570 tons could be worked. The outlook
for the mine at the present time is serious.
New Unified Main Reef. — This company
belongs to the Barnato group, and was formed in
1891 to take over the properties of the Eagle and
National gold-mining companies operating i.i the
western part of the Rand. Other properties
adjoining have since been acquired. Dividends
have been paid since 1908. The report for 1920
shows that 128,500 tons of ore, averaging 5-32 dwt.
gold per ton, was raised and sent to the mill. The
yield of gold by amalgamation was 20,720 oz.,
and by cyanide 1 1,960 oz., making a total of
32.680 oz. The revenue from the sale of gold was
£182,766, of which about £43,000 represented
premium. The working cost was £141.729, leaving
a working profit of £41,036. The revenue per ton
milled was 28s 6d., the working cost 22s. Id.,
and the working profit 6s. 5d. The shareholders
received £37,500, the dividends (Nos. 24 and 25)
being at the rate of 5% and 10°o respectively.
The ore reserve at December 31 was calculated at
83,000 tons, averaging 6-2 dwt. over 46 in. There
is also some reclamation ore of uncertain quantity
to be mined. It is difficult to say how much longer
the mine can be operated without loss .
New Goch. — This company belongs to the
Albu group, and was formed, as the George Goch,
38-1
THE MINING MAGAZINE
in 1S87 to work gold-mining property in the central
Hand. Subsequently other adjoinin}- properties
were absorbed. I'roiits ha\'e not been great, and
the dividends have totalled onlv (iS°„, being
distributed for the years 1909 to 1911. and 191,S to
1917. During the past year or two the low assays
of the ore. combined with the increasing costs, have
made the continuance of operations difticult, and
if it had not been for the gold premium the mine
woidd have been closed. The report for 1920 shows
that 191,030 tons of ore was raised, and after the
removal of waste, 184.450 tons, averaging 4-S(S dwt.
per ton was sent to the mill. The yield of gold by
amalgamation was 25,934 oz., and by cyanide
11,116 oz.. making a total of 38,050 oz. In addition
2.704 oz. was recovered from accumulated slime.
The revenue from the sale of gold was /222,626, of
which about /49,000 accrued from premium.
The working cost was £220,208. The revenue
per ton was 24s. 2d., and the cost per ton 23s. lOd.
The ore reserve at December 31 was calculated at
48,717 tons, averaging 6-9 dwt. over 46 in. If
gold sold at 1 10s. per oz., an additional 56,915 tons,
averaging 5 dwt. over 50 in., might be treated.
There exists in the mine also much ore in pillars,
and in Main Reef in the Leader stopes, but the
amount and value of this cannot be estimiated.
New Primrose. — This company belongs to the
Bamato group, and was formed in 1887 to acquire
claims on the outcrop six miles east of Johannesburg.
Excellent dividends were paid until the approaching
exhaustion of the mine three or four years ago.
Since then part of the adjoining May mine was
acquired, and, later, part of Glencairn was acquired,
in both cases the properties being the remnants
left by companies in liquidation. The report for
1920 shows that 225,874 tons of ore was raised,
and 232,100 tons, averaging 4-44 dwt. per ton,
was sent to the mill. The yield of gold by amal-
gamation was 32,101 oz., and by cyanide 15,383 oz.,
making a total of 47,484 oz. The revenue from the
sale of gold was /268,104, of which about £'66,000
represented premium. The working cost was
£236,388, leaving a working profit of £31,715. The
revenue per ton was 23s. Id., the working cost
20s. 4d., and the working profit 2s. 9d. The share-
holders received £16,250, the dividend (Ko. 51)
being at the rate of 5%. The actual proved ore
reserv-e in the Primrose is very small, being
estimated on December 31 at 26,500 tons, averaging
7-6 dwt. over 54 in. Much ore remains, however,
in various parts of the mine, and also in the May and
Glencairn, and it is possible that operations will
continue for another year or two, provided economic
conditions allow.
Dundee Coal. • — This company has operated
coal deposits in the northern part of Katal for
nearlj' thirty years. The report for 1 920 shows that
the output of the Burnside collieries was
212,795 tons, and of the St. George's colliery
104.480 tons, making a total of 317,275 tons, an
increase of 14,599 tons as compared with the
previous year. The receipts from the sale of coal
and coke were £590,885, and the net profit was
£33,835, out of which £33,577 was distributed in
dividends (Nos. 40 and 41). The company has some
excellent export contracts.
Glencoe (Natal) Collieries. — This company
has worked coal deposits in the Dundee district.
Natal, since 1902. Two years ago there was a set-
back owing to floods and influenza epidemic.
The report for 1920 shows that a recovery has been
made in <>nt|iu(. and that profits are once more
being earned. But for the shortage of railway
trucks the output would have increased further.
The amount of coal iirod\iced was 104,031 tons, as
comiiared with 96.514 toTis in 1919. and 186,800 tons
in 1916. The amounts show a net ])rolit of £17,153,
out of which £5,354 was written off for depreciation,
and £9,.375 paid as dividend (No. 19), being at the
rate of 3J "„. The manager remarks that the quality
of native labour now obtainable is very poor.
New Brunswick Gas and Oilfields. — This com-
pany operates gas and oil lands in New Brunswick,
Canada. The report for the year 1920 shows that
the profit from the sale of gas was £26,101, and
from oil £4.886. Other items brought the net
income to /39,540. After allowance for taxes and
depreciation, the net profit was £7,779. The
dividends were at the rate of 6% on the preference
shares, and 10% on the ordinary shares, less
income tax in both ca.ses. During the year a new
oil well. No. 54, w'as drilled in the Stony Creek
field to a depth of 2,745 ft., and it is now the most
productive well. No. 53 was started, but owing to
the hard rock encountered, drilling was suspended
for a time. It is hoped to resume some time during
the current year. Three of the producing ga.s-wells
were deepened, and thereby additional flows of gas
were obtamed. The properties are on ofler to the
D'Arcy Exploration Co., acting on behalf of the
Anglo-Per.sian Oil Co. During 1920 the D'Arcy
Company had three drilling crews at work, and
further drilling is to be done during 1921.
Apex (Trinidad) Oilfields. — This company was
formed in 1919 to acquire oil-rights in the Fyzabad
district, Trinidad. The Anglo-French Exploration
Co. and the British-Borneo Petroleum Syndicate,
are largely interested. G. R. Airth and Walter
Maclachlan are the managing directors. The original
capital was /200.000, and this was increased to
£400,000 in May, 1920. Three heavy rotary drilling
plants have been put to work, and the programme
for the period to September 30 of this year provides
for the drilling of eleven wells. Wells No. 1 and 2
have been producing regularly ; No. 1 is to be
deepened to the lower oil-sands ; production at
No. 2 is impeded by faulty tubing. No. 3 came in on
November 6 last, and gave an initial flow of about
100,000 barrels in a few hours. The flow was then
checked by the well sanding up. This big flow was
far greater than expected, and the dam, which was
constructed for the storage of only 50,000 barrels,
gave way and the oil was lost. The well has .since
been brought in again, and the production to the
end of Apnl other than that lost amounts to 64,769
barrels. Well No. 4 has been capped to control the
heavy gas pressure ; it is to be drilled into the
lower oil-sands. At No. 5 the 10 m. casing has been
set and cemented at 1,050 ft. preparatory to drilling
into the oil-sands. No. 6, adjoining No. 4, has been
drilled into the upper oil-sands ; the production
from May 23 to the end of April was 20 150 barrels.
At No 7 the drilling rig is in course of erection. The
total production to the end of April has been
94,006 barrels, equal approximately to 13,400 tons.
An arrangement has been made for the sale of the
oil production to Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd., and
80,000 barrels had been delivered at the time of
writing the report. May 7. A geological examination
of the companv's property was made during the
latter half of last year by Dr. F. C. P. Mueiler-
Carlson, and the directors state that his report is of
a most satisfactory nature
The Mining Magazine
PUBLISHED AT SALISBURY HOUSE. LONDON.
INDEX TO VOLUME XXV.
FROM JULY TO DECEMBER, 1921.
Kxri,ANATi)KV NOTE.-
-Itenis in italics are names of books reviewed ; illustrated articles are denoted by asteiibk.s C) !
refer to notices of articles under the beading "Mining Digest."
the letters (w.i/.)
PAGE
Aber-Llyn Co.'s New Enterprises 272
Abbontiakoon, Progress at 335
Acidity of Mine Waters Watson and Cooper {m.d.}. . . 389
AiLinew, J. A., on Votes of Thanks 72
Air-CompresEor at New Modderlontein [m.d.) 325
A ir- Com pressor, Reavell {m d.) 125
Air in Mine?, Report on J- P- R^ecs [ni.d.) 60
Akim, Goldfields of liastern 136
Alaska Gastinea-j 138
Alaska Juneau, History of {m.d.) 61
Alberta Railways 39
Allan, Clyde, and Nigerian Gold 270
Almaden Quicksilver Mine {m.d.]. . . . 326
Aluminium, h'stimation of Oxygen in {m.d.). . . . 260
Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) 271
Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) Report. ... 64
Amatlan Oilfields, ^iie in 74
American Institute's Monthly Organ 67
A7ialysis, Technical Methods of R. C. Griffin 295
Anantapur Goldfield Report 262
Anglo-Burma Oil Company 271
Anglo-United Oil&elds 272
Anodes for Copper Deposition {m.d.) .... 256
Anschutz Gyro Compass for Surveyors *22u
Anschutz Gyro Compass, Patent {m.d.) .... *121
Araraayo Mines en Bolivie 204, 272
Arizoija Copper Report. . . . 262
.Arizona Copper Co. and Phelps Dodge 138, IHS
hn.d.}.
,H. B. Manfe (m.d.).
GO
188
72
27
127
302
125
98
30
51
203
31
Arsenic, Determination of
Asbestos in Rhodesia .......
Ashanti Goldfields Corporation
Assaying, Text Book of C. Ik J. J. Beringer.
.Associated (^iold Mines of W.A Report.
.\tlin Gold Mines
.Australia, Galvanized Iron in [m.d.].
A.ustralia, Mine Taxation in
Australia, Mining Conditions in
Australia, Mining in Central li. C. Playford {m.d.).
Australian Gold Premium Realized
Australian Ice Ages
Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy 302
.Australian Zinc Concentrates 271
Ayan Corporation 74
Balaghat, New Discoveries at 204
Bangrin Tin Dredging S
Barium Minerals 261
Bayldon, H. C Real Value of Gold.... 223
Benitez, F History of Mining in Chile 287
Bettington Boiler for Pulverized Coal {m.d.). . . . 192
Bisichi Prospecting Results N, 336
Bisichi Tin Report 392
Bismuth, Estimation of {m.d.) .... 125
Blackwater Mines Report. . . . 328
Blast-Eumace Air, Moisture in {fn.d.) .... 191
Blast-Roasting Patent. Rigg's {m.d.) *254
Books, Catalogue- of British Scientific and Technical 390
Borax Deposits in Nevada [m.d.) .... 326
Bore-hole Survey, Wuensch {m.d.) .... 60
Bremer Bay Oil I(i2, 271
Briseis Tin and General Mining Report . .
Britannia Beach, Storm at \
British America Nickel Corporation
British Association
British Burma Petroleum Company
British Columbia Output
British Guiana, Gold Deposits in. . ..!. N. Justice {m.d.). .
British Guiana, Mining in (m.d.) . .
British Platinum and Gold Corporation
Broken Hill Block 10 Report. .
Broken Hill Block U Report.
Broken Hill
Broken Hill
Broken Hill
Broken Hill
Broken Hi!
. British Report . .
, North Report. .
1 Output increased
1 Proprietary Results
I South Report. .
Broken Hill South Concentration Plant {m.d.\..
Broken Hill, Ventilation at {m.d.)..
Brown, J. Coggin Iron and Steel Industry of India..
Brunton, D. W., Interview with (m.d.). .
Buena Tierra Report. .
Bullfinch Suspends Output
Burma Corporation 9,
Burma Corporation Report. .
Burma, Mining Possibilities in H. D. Griffiths..
Burma, Prospects of Gold Dredging in
Burma Queensland Corporation's Dressing Plant . .{m.d.). .
Burma Ruby Mine? Report..
Burmah Oil Co.'s Shares
i'AGe:
128
, 3U4
102
201
338
103
326
387
10
194
194
127
391
336
137
328
389
389
*11
61
6-1
336
i, 337
391
*339
337
*1S2
128
Cadman, Sir J., on Coal-Mining Conditions 197
Cages, Extra Strong, for Mines 130
Cam and Motor Developments 269
Campbell, J. Morrow. . .Origin of Primary Ore Deposits 154
Carbocoal, Smith's Process {m.d.) 125
Carbonic Oxide, Detection of {m.d.) 260
Carbonic Oxide Poisoning 130
Cariboo, Placer Discoveries in 365
Cass Technical Institute, Sir John 4, 196
Cassiterite, Characteristics of li. H. Davison 218
Celebration Mine, Hampton Plains 162
Champion Reef Reconstruction 73, 203
Chemicals, Prices of 47, 111, 173, 241. 300, 373
Chenderiang Tin Dredging Report 327
Chief ConsoUdated Mine, Shaft-sinking at 197
Chile, History of Mining in P. Benitez 287
China, Geology of J. S. Lee (m.d.) 61
Chinese Engineering and Mining Companv 338
Chloridi^ing-VolatiUzation '. H. R. Layng {m.d.) 389
Chrome Interests, Edmund Davis's 8 ^
Chrome in Rhodesia H.B.Maufe {m.d.) 188'
Chromium, Determination of {m.d.) .... 389
Chromium Ore W. G. Rumbold 95
Chromium Steel, Bibliography of (m.d.) 389
Chuquicamata Copper A. Wallen (m.d.).. . . 60
Churn-Drilling Iv. R. Rice (m.d.) 125
Coal, Flotation applied to '■. B. Jones (m.d.) 260
Coal Mining by Steam Shove! i,. Sheppard (m.d.). . . . 192
Coal-Mining Conditions, British . 197
Coalite (m.d.) 3^o 350
MIX INT, MAC.AZINI':
I'At.U
37, 101,
,....(.».<*.)..
(iii.>(.).
Henry Louis
Collin?! H. v.. on HuclvB Rocks and Ores.
Colloidal 1- iicl
Colomlii.iii i.oKl Bxporls ■■••■;■■.•■
Colombi.m Mining .mil lixplor^ilic.n Plant
Colombi.in IVopnotary Gold Mines
Colorado Sh ilfi. Oils from
Compass Dip
Compass, <"Iyro
ComfiresiCd-a i> I'lf"!
Ciiml>res'if:l .1 1>, I'umpoii vy
Compressed-air Shovel
Concentralion of Minerals
Concentration Problems
Concrete I leadgears ... ... . . . ■ •
Consolidated r.old 1-ields Meeting. n',' " U
Consolidated Cold Kields of New Zealan.l Repor
Consolidated Main Reef H'^PO"
Consolidated Mining and Smeltuis Co^
103, 230, 300, 3U4 I'orces of Nature, I'lic '^
3S0
332
125
74
204
10
390
•U)
K. Pcele..
E. M. Ivens. .
(rn.rf.)..
.S. Nettleton [m.d.). .
.E. S. \Mard {m.it.)..
. .C. Toi:rnay (m.rf.)..
.•121 "220
Conveyors. History of
Copper Deposition, Anodes lor
Copper Deposits at Warreu, Arizona
Cooper Extraction Process, Corbould
Copper from Lead Bullion
Copper Leaching ■■ • r 'I-'! Viif^ lV.'.Tl
Copper Leaching, Principles of F. !■-. Lathe im.d.)
Copper Leaching Process, Pechey ("'•'«•) ■ ■ • • -i^:^
Copper Mines, Labour at Austrainn
Copper Production in United Sti'tes
Cippir RsHning..
. 1". Zimmer(m.ii.).
("Lrf.).
{.m.d.).
{m.d.).
("Lrf.).
.1. Irving {m.d.).
Ifl.'-j
27
228
on
1!)2
260
125
335
32S
262
300
325
2r;(i
192
>H8l
118
328
1
FrilJ Medal to Sir R. Hadlicld
Gnika Company, Control of
Gaika Gold • ■
Calicia, Oil Indmlry of S.
Galvanized Iron in Australia
Garbc, Dr. .1. U., Report on Shetland Copper .
Gas from Wood Refuse
C.eduld No. 7 Shaft
iJtologual Map of the World
Gcologic;il Sections, Standarflizing
Oeologv, linniiietrini;
c;lobe and Ph'unix Negotiations . .
. KeiJort . . .
Jaiucki. . .
..{m.d.)...
Glynn's Lydenburg .
C,old Dredge in Nevac
H. B. Milncr. .
. .H. Uoscoe {m.d.). .
. Ries and Watson..
Report . .
.(m.,i.)..
.H. C. Davldon.
S. J. Speak.
2
335
392
12U
125
207
yOo
7
24
192
120
72
392
125
209
223
93
3
159
07
•75
71
8
.'.[['.[^l.ll^.l^^. 9
. .Lawrence Addicks 23
CoKJnld's Copper Extraction Process {m.d.) 'S-*!
Cornish Chamber of Mines Yearbook 69 ' 130 272
E.' H. Davison (m.'d.) ' 185, 389
Cornish Cond
Cornish Geology
Cornish Labour and Mming
Cornish Miners and the Rand - . ■ • ; ' " " ; ' ' ; ■, ' ' '
Cornish Tin Lodes H- B. Cronshaw (m.d.) . . .
CorHwall, Devon, and Somerset, Lead and ZmcOrc^ of^
Cost-Book System, Origin of . . . . . . ..... .H. Lo"is ('n.i.). . .
Cronshaw, H. B Cornish Tin Lodes (m.i.) . . .
Crosley, The late William
199
2I>9
260
261
122
260
166
'idld Dredge in Nevada
Gold Eields Rhodcsian Development Profits
Gold, Real Value of
c;old. Real Value of
Gold Returns, Method of Making
Gold Stealing in West Australia
Gold. The Value of ,' ' ' ■^' 'A' ' ' ,i
GooilchiW, J. H Land Growth
Goodchilrt, ]. H., Theories of
Goodchild, \V. H., on Kirkland Lake Proprietary ods
Goudreau Gold Deposit, Ontario (»i-'') *180
Gowganda, Ontario 10-
Gowland, W., Metallurgy of the Non-Ferrous Metals 298
Graiiby Consolidated • ■ •.• • ■■;■■■■, ,^1
Graphite Industry, American B. L. Miller (m.d.).... 192
Graphite, Origin of T. H. Clark (.«.<«. . ... 00
Great boulder Report.... 04
Great Boulder Costs ■■■■■ g
Grecian .Magnesite Deposits l"i.«.) aoa
Griffiths, H. D Mining Possibilities m Burma 'ddg
Grimley's Prospector's Balance ■■■■■ :•••.: iiT.
Grinding Problems H- W. Hardinge \>n-d.)-.
GrOndal Flotation Process in Germany i A ' '
Guatemala, Oil Prospects in .(m.a.). .
Gurum River Tin Mines Report. .
Gyro Compass, Patent for ^m.d.) . .
Gyro Compass for Surveyors, Anschiitz s
193
'323
320
128
■1-20
'220
185,
Davidson Consolidated, Porcupine ... •••••■ •.••;.■•
Davison, E. H Characteristics of Cass terite
Davison, E. H Cornish Geology (m.d.)....
Devonshire, Records of Output in
Diamond-bearing Gravels of Somabula I- orest ; ' ' j V
Diamond-drilling, Rapidity of - ['"■":>
Dip Compass Henry Louis
Dolly Varden Mine .•■•• ••••■••• 'l'"' S
Dos Estrellas Gold Mine T. Skejves Saunders. .
Dredging ESciencies C. W. Gardner {m.d) . .
Drill Steel <'"■''■' ' '
Drying of .Materials, Commercial {m.d.) . .
133
218
389
213
327
389
19
•88
320
60
60
East Pool, New Shaft ' inl
East Pool, Prospects of Restart ■ ^^l*
East Pool, Shaft Accident I^s
Eastern Pioneer Company • - ... - • ■ ■- ■■■■■ ■■■•■ ^-''^
Egypt, Oilfields of W. F. Hume (ra.u.) . .
Eiken Alannah • -,■ - • • ■ • ■ ■ • R'-P"''' • •
El Oro, Geolog>- of H. V. Wmchell {m.d.)..
El Oro Gold Mine, .Mexico
El Oro's Subsidiary Company . ... •--.•■.-, ; •■;•,•■
Electric Furnaces for Melting Gold anc Silver (m.a.) . .
Electrolytic Zinc of Australia ■••■•• ~^^' ^f
Emtage, R. H *'f"'jV ' ' ' XS>
Engels Copper Mine, California ("•-»•) ^^J
Engineering Conference in London
Engineers' Club ;■•,■';;-'*-***," 'j '\ * * '
Fnlett W H Malayan Lode-Mining {m.d.). . .
Esperanza R<=P°rt- • •
Esperanza Copper and Sulphur K.epori. . .
Exhibition, Great, of 1923 W "J,' "
Ex-Lands Nigeria Report . . .
Explosives, Liquid-air \m.u,.)...
317
1-27
113
338
10
260
130
125
64
64
264
62
124
Hadtield, Sir R., presented with Fritz Medal ^2
Haig, Eari, Unveils Memorials ..; -Jg"
Haldane, Dr. J. S., on Coal Mining Conditions Wi^
Hampden Cloncurry Copper Mines '-
Hampton Celebration Mill °%L
Hampton Gold Mining Areas Jg.^
Hatfield, H. S Tm Concentration {m.d.) ....
Helium, Occurrence and Origin of .m-^-
Hill Dr. L., Ventilation and Human Efficiency . . .(m.a,
Hixon. H. W. ..Inorganic Origin of Petroleum (m.d.)....
Holland, Sir T. H. and India ""'
Holland, Sir Thomas, on Indian .Mining Laws. • ^a,
Holman B. W., Ventilation and Human Efficiency .. . i(6,
Hoknes. Arthur Petrographic Methods . . .
Homersham, E Flotation for Rand Ores {m.d.)
Huelva Rocks and Ores /" 'Y i
Hyde's Welding Process - l'";*:!
Hydraulics. Text-book of ,■ 'A; ' J''" %,^ i i
Hydro-electric Resources of India. . .J. W. Meares (m.d.).
332,
188
386
■325
324
196
121
■350
95
387
380
259
94
125
125
391
•11
Igneous Diffusion -N. L. Bowen m.rf. .
Income Tax Guide - - H. W. Pahner (m.^.) .
India, Iron and Steel Industry of. . . . .J. Coggin Brown.
Indian Hydro-electric Resources. . . .J. W. Meares {m.d.).. . . 12J
Indian Mining Laws - • ;;\\"U'y"i\"" 19*1
Indian Mining Laws Sir Thomas Holland (.«.J.). ... 121
Indian Mming Laws E, O. Murray. ... 293
Indo-Burma Oilfields '^"*' g?i
Institute of Metals, Meeting of .Sig
Institutions' Memorials ",„,,
Institution's New Building • „.,,,
International Nickel Co.'s Smelter Closes |ou
IpohTin Dredging.
264
191
Falconer, Dr. J. D-, Lectures on Geology
Fans, Mine, in Combination D. Penman {m.d.) .
Farrow, Thomas, Sentence on ,-,• •; ■ ' ;;,' ' ' '; " j V
Felspars, Mineralography of H. L- Ailing {m.d.)
Feuerheerd Mine Pump ^''^'l
Filter-Press Practice, Symposium on .{m.a.l
First Aid and Rescue Work in Mintn;. . . ,L. G. Irvine. ... ^ao
Flin-Flon Copper-Gold Mines / ' ' j i
Florida Phosphates, Mining u- ■,-, • ■, )'"jl
Flotation appUed to Coal F. »■ Jones {m.d)
Flotation by Luckenbach Process ■ • ■ ■ ■■.^"■"■J.
Flotation, Concentration by 1. A. Kicbiara
Flotation for Rand Ores E. Homersham {m.d.)
Flotation Process in Germany, Grondal (m.d.)
Flotation Tests of Idaho Lead-Zinc Ores
Fluor-spar ■
61
325
389
296
125
260
192
358
387
■323
327
194
Iron and its Com boutlds. '.'.'. '.'.'■'.'. . ■ ■}■ Newton Friend. . .
Iron and Steel Industry of India .|. Coggm Brown...
Iron and Steel Institute Meeting '."jV"
Iron Compounds, Solution and Deposition of »«■»■) • • •
Iron Ores of Normandy -•.••,■,; '"' j ' " '
Iron Ores of South-West Africa P. A -Wagner (m.^.). . .
Irvine L. G., First Aid and Rccue Work tn Mining...
Jrving^ J Copper Leaching {m.d.) . . .
Isotopes of Metals
James, Alfred, Biography of {m.d.).... o^jj
Jumbo Company's Progress
,, , Report 128
Kaduna Renort . 128
Kaduna Prospectors ■ . ; • • - • • ■'^fP"" ooo
Kendall, J. D Origin of Primary Ore Deposit,.... —
328
02
•11
148
59
•251
319
290
3-20
201
390
THE MINING MAGAZINE
"1)1
i'AtiK
162, 301
K-irL.i,„H I , T, -- 3i>, 101, loa, 230, au9, 36a
Ivirklanrt Lake Proprietary 73 2U4 338
Kookymc, Niagara, and Tampa, W..i., (ieoloev of.'. ' ' 1Q4
Kramat Palai .' i=^. /Report;;:; 126
... 62
261
127
•75
364
175
165
62
125
lis
249
Kimberlcy, W.A., Oil in.
Kirklaiui Lake, Ontario .
Lahat Mines Report
Lake Dislncl, UaU and Zinc O'cs of T. liistwood'. '. ' '
Lake View and Star Rennrf
J-^rH ?rT'':< ■;■■ ■ ■ ■ J- ' «-■ «°°dd,°S : : : :
Larder Lake, Ont.irio jqj
J"' d"^'- & 'o Principles of Copper Leaching ' '(ni.rf') ... .
Le Roi No. 2 /..
Le Roi No. 2 ;.';;;;;;;;;;;;; '
Lead Arsenate, Maniifacturf.'of
Lead Bullion, Removal of Copper from'
Lead Deposits in VVtst Australi;
Nevada Consolidated, Concentration at
New State Areas Metallurgical Plant
. . (»(.(
PAGE
260
...... „.«i., .11,^03 ..icidiiurgicai riant ooK
Newcomen, Monument to fo^
.Kent and Gill (m.rf.).
Report. .
.{ifi.d.)..
.im.d.)..
Im.d.).
Leech, C. W., Mining .Models designed by ... .-jfi
Leeuwpoort Tin Mines ■Renort ' " ' IQI
Levant Tin iMines Keport.... 194
Libiola Copper ;;;;;;;; Reoori" ' ■ 19^
Lightning Creel;, Ont.ino.... i<eport.... 12b
Limonite in British Columbia Jpi
Lonely Reef Developments ,oi
Lonelv Reef Ore Reserves
Louis, Henry .■;;:.:;;; ;Dip' Compaq: :
Louis, Henry . . .Origin 01 Cost-Book System {m.d.)..
Louisiana. Salt-.Mining in ; _ 'md)
Nickel Metallurgy . .
Nickel Plate Gold Mine
Nigeria, Prospecting for Gold in. . . . ;;;; '•Jm'oVn
Nigeria, Reduction of Costs in -oa, ~ (u,
Nigerian Consolidated Mmes Results
Nigerian Tin .■Accumulations . .
Nissen's, P. N., Memorial . . ,
Nodulizing Flue-Dust and Fine Concentrate' '.'.'.'. Vim d') ' ' '
Nordberg W inding Engine I,,i.d\
Normandy, Iron Ores of . . Imd' >
North Aiiantapur Gold .Mines '.'.'.'. Renort
Northampton Lead District, W.A. imdV ' ' '
Northern Exploration Company .... ' ' ' ' "
Nourse Mines ;;;;;;;;;Report;;; .'
Oil and Coal Fuel, Trent's (,„ j \
o-l '^°m' ? S'^otland ■. h; ii: Cadeli {m.d.). . .
Oil in Mackenzie River District ,
139
388
38
336
330
8
270
'330
192
335
■251
328
249
10
261
192
260
Oi in Mackenzie River District tm d]" " .35
Oil in Saskatchewan )" J 2?
Low -Temperature Carbonization (,„ j \
Luckenhach's F'">->.-" " ' '
Luipaards Vlei
72
19
122
125
3.S9
192
3Q2
Report. .
McIntjTe Developments, Porcupine iqo
Mackenzie River Oil J""
Mackenzie River District, Oil in '(J j \
McLiughlin. R. P., Oil ImuI Dcveloplnm'l'and Vaiualir.'!
M^gSiSi;.';-.-.-;.-.-;.-.-.-'':'"™" '^'^'"°"'' Dnir,.:^:i::
Magmatic Differentiation f h L
Magnesite Deposits of Gree'-e ' '
Malav St.ites Tin Output
Vogt [m.d.)
(m.d.)
Sg»„^°'!°'.*.':°'°.^.-.v;.v.-. "'• "• Ep'ett («:rf.'):
Manjak
Mapping for the Oil Geologist, Field
Mason and Barry . . i . . ,
Mayo Silver-Lead. Yukon'
Mechanical
.Melbourne
.R. H. Emtage. .
. .C. A. Warner..
'hanical Drawing i ' Tr' " t'-V™'
bourne Letter.. '' ^^ J^^Ser.
102
*55
1.56
389
203
125
389
73
125
158
156
227
204
164
228
nv '," ^T^ ;■■■■■ ••'■'■'•'■'•'■'■' ■■■■■';.;;;;.'h.'b; MTtaer:
o, Land Development and Valuation. .R. P. McLaughlin
Oil Prospects in Guatemala I,„d\"
M Wells, Prodnction of BeaVani lewis; !
o! filn Tl?' ^- ^"""y Thompson (m.d.) . . .
n Se 1' °,^^Sypt. . . . W. F. Hume ]m.d.). . .
Uilhelds, Resources of .Mexican („, li \
Oi/yieWs, Vnderimmul Conditions in, A. Vv'.' Ambrose" '
Oil [see also Petroleum). "=<;...
Okotsk, Alluvial Gold at
Ontario's Mineral Production ; .'
Oppau, Explosion at
Ore Deposits, Origin of Primary. '.'.'.)'. 'siirrow'campbelV '. '
Ore Deposits, Origin of Primary J D Kendall
57
204
156
326
327
326
'317
313
327
74
229
196
154
222
n,.., o .- — .."....J J. iy. xveiiuaii. . . . vvv
Ore-Hunting Augustus Locke {m.d.) .... 326
Oroville Dredgmg ' ' , S
Oroya Links.
Otav "'
Ouro Preto Results .
in
127
113
338
337
94
jfemoriais"' t(^ti;e"Dead ■.■::'.:: 3°' ^'''^•,^2^
.Mesopotamia, Geology of ny
^'^^'?^^^?7-:---:;-.v;;;;..'^'?!'i^"-^?^'3°5'^«^
M/'ailiferoT,7MineTAdv'isory CommitUe: : '. ! l^; ."•.^""- ' ' ' ]'it
132
61
97
298
Metallogmphy of Metals and Common Alloys^ S. 'l'.: iiivt ' '
Metallurgy, Handbook of Schnabel an<i T^,,;.' ' ' '
Metallurgy of the .Xon-Ferrous .l>rf« k W GowUnd ' ' "
-Mexican Oil Position ■ . ■ . w . oowland . .
Mexican Oilliclds, Resources of. . . .;'.V.V.V.'.V.V.'.Vm.rf.) . . NsiS
'....'.'.'.'.'. 74
126
188
i .Mines; Output ol.V.::V.:: Report. ... 127
Pretr, RecUc -^
Pachuca Geology of H. V. Winchell (m.i.)
Pahang Corporation '
Papua Oil Exploration
S«''' ■-'^Sm?- • a- ,• : Textbook' 'of ' 'liydrauiies.
Pasquia Hills, Oil in /„, j , h^
Pato Results ,m.d.).. . . 57
Pechey Copper-Leachmg Process '.'.'.'.'.'.'im'.d')'." ' sJg
Pena Copper ' ' ' ' "xf
Penman, D Mine Fans in Combination {m.d] '. '. . .' 191
... n__j..-._.__ , ....[m.d.).... 260
166, 232, 304, 366
33, 08, 100, 361
125
-Mexican Output of Metals and Miner'ais
Mexico, Claims against ...
Mica in Rhodesia. . .
Milner, H. B
Milner, H. B
Mine .Accounting and Cost 'Principles
H.
Trinidad 'ISO
B. Maufe (m.ii.)
Oil in Sussex 204
"" 205
290
Mmerall,uiuslry of the British Empire
ling Law of West Africa
Mining Laws, Indian
194
194
69
Permanganates, Electrolytic Production of
Personals dn 1 04
Perth Letter ;;;. . .' . '
Peru, Gold Deposits in A. G.'piews /mirf ')
Peruvian Oilfields s R Prisk (<>i rf '
Petrographk Methods Arthur Holmes.' '.
Petrol from Natural Gas A. Beeby Thompson hn d )
Petroleum ... H. B. Cronshaw':;
Petroleum at Bremer Bay
Petroleum in Venezuela.' A. 'h. 'Redfiel'd 'im'.d.).. asu
Petroleum. Inorganic Origin of ni.
Petroleum, Inorganic Origin of H. W. Hixon'(',«'rf ')" ' ' ^1
Petroleum Lectures at Cass Institute ?q,.
Petroleum Prospects in Kimberley, W.A \do 5fi?
Petroleum [see also Oil). '"''■ °°^
Phelps Dodge and Arizona Copper Co 1 qe 1 oa
Philippine Islands, Mining m . ".\'m'd.). ..." 60
125
... 95
. . . 385
. . . 327
162, 271
Mmml M^is'S'i^th kensi^^""^^ «°''="^' ''"■''•' ' ' ' ' 121 Phosiia.e Miningm-FlSrid^. ! ! ! ! ! : ; ; ! ! ! ! ! ! ; ' ' ' 'Zdl "" iS^
Mitchell Vibrating Screen ^ 214 Phosphates: Mineral Industry !.. i! '■■''■''•'■•• ' J?S
" Planet-Arcturus, Extraction Methods at '. %ni
Modderfontein East
Modderfontein, New
Modderfontein, New, Costs at
Modderfontein. New, Progress at
-Motors, Commercial .
Mount Bischoff Tin Mine
■Mount Boppy Closes . .
Mount Cuthbert Copper
. Report .
.Report.
203,
41
2f.l
261
269
202
286
271
270
160
Planet-Arcturus Gold Mines. . .
Platinum in Ores, Detection of.
Poderosa Copper
Porcupine, Ontario '.
Premier Gold Mine
Prestea Block .K, Position at .' '.
Progress Mines
202
62
327
128
363
Mounl L^:ll'^:;r^ and tonien^raiion ai' : ! ! ! 1 ! ! : 1 ! ; ; ; ! .^ p„,^,i,ed Coal in B^tttai^^i^i:
Mount Morgan Gold .
Mount Morgan Gold n' ■ ■ ' 1
Mount Morgan Labour Troub'es '"''"''
MurraV F "g"" '^°"'">' ^'^^"^ ,' ,v '■■■■■ '.'.:'.'.'.■.'.
«u.ueFidisTmDeposii:;:;::::;:'j;:'rv^f(!;;':j:5:
Naraguta Company's Gold Ventures
^araguta^ Extended Tin Mines
336
72
262
270
203
293
243
203, 270
......... .Report. . . .
C W. Davis....
Report
36, 101, 163, 229, 299,
38, 164, 231
335
Prospector's Balance, Grim'ley's Report. . . . 328
Pulverized Coal in Bettmgton Boiler i,'„'d '""
Purington, C. W., Biography of .'.'.';.';;::: (ml
192
390
Pyrites, Genesis of Spanish •.;h; 'f.' tollins (m.d.).. . . 380
Radium from Joachimsthal . . 9^,4
Radium Production in America . .' .' imd'\"" mkq
Rand. Cornish Miners and the . . ' ' ' ' ' ' olS
Rand Dividends ... ''"»
Rand Gold Relinerv .2.
Rand Labour Prolilems •.'.■.■;;; " V 72; 'wi: im, 269, 335
k
1\V. MININC, MACA/INK
ilhodcsia Broken Hill ,
Kho«lc<.iA Broken Hill Report .
KIuhUm.i Itrokrn Hill I-'ossils.
KhcKUsn. tii-olofiic.il Investigations in, H. R. Maufe (w.rf.). .
Kh-xKiiaii Political Position
Kick.utl, T. A Concentraiion by Flotation..
Uies and Watson Engiiwering Geology..
Ricg's Blast -Roasting Patent (m.rf.). •
Robinson Peen Report . .
Rock-Drills. Wave-Transmission, R. dc H. St. Stephens. .
Rod Grindini; Mills E. H. Robie (m.rf.)..
Rogers. A. \V South-East Rand (wi.rf.), .
RooiberK Suspends Production
Ropp Tin Report . .
Ropp Tin Results
Russo- Asiatic Consolidated
Russo- Asiatic Negotiations
•MiK
OS
127
saa
1S8
130
12G
•251
02
30
no
128
385
191
130
10
205
St. John del Rcy 5
St. John del Rev Report *e3
St. Stephens, R. dc H.. Wave-Transmission Rock-Drills 39
Salt-Mininp in Louisiana (m.rf.) .... 125
Sampling Disscminalcd Copper Deposits {m.d.) 32(5
Sand Lwige Copper Mine 2, 73, •133, 207
Saskatchewan, Oil in (tfi.d.). . . . r>7
Saunders, T. Skcwes Dos Estrellas Gold Mine W>
Scottatid, Lead, Zinc, Copper, and Nickel Ores of, G. V. Wilson ]!I4
Scotland, Oil-Bores in {m.d.).... \iQ(i
Serb-Croat-Hlcietie State, Mineral Resources o/, D. A. Wray. . . . 391
Shaft, Oclajionally-Timbcrcd Circular {m.d.) .... 260
Shaft-Sinking at Miami {m.d.) GO
Shaft-Sinking Record 197
Shales, Oil from Colorado (tn.d.) .... 390
Shamva, Results at 7
Share Quotations 48. 112, 174, 242, 310, 374
Sharpless, I-*, l-".. Appointment of 67
Sheba Gold Mines 72
Sheep Creek, Revival of Mining ii» 305
Shetland Copper 2, 73, 'ISS, 267
Shipping, Engineering and Machinery Exhibition 19(i, 23-4
Siamese Tin Syndicate Results 8
Sierra Leone Geology K. Dixey (m.d.) .... 124
Silver Ores H. B. Cronshaw 327
Simmer & Jack Report 392
Skead Gold Mines 300
Slocan Silver-Lead District 38
Sotnatula Diamond Deposits, Geology o/ 327
Sons of Gwalia Re-treatnicnt Plant 203
South African Engineers and Electrical Directory 194
South American Copper Syndicate 74
South Kalgiirii Consolidated Report .... 127
South-West Africa, Iron Ores of ... .P. A. Wagner (m.d.). . . . 319
Sozol 41
Sozol, RejTiard and Edser's Patent Gl
Spain, Mine-Holding in 74
Speak, S. J Real Value of Gold 93
Spitsbergen 10
Spitsbergen Coal Interests im.d.) 61
Spitsbergen, GeoIog>' of J. W. Gregory \m.d.).... 12."»
Spitsbergen, Present Day Conditions, J. M. Wordie {m.d.) 192
Springs Mines, New Metallurgy at 7, 202
Standard Silver-Lead Mine 38
Statistics of Production 44. lOS, 170, 238, 308, 370
Sleel, The V/orhing of Colvin and Juthe 261
Stope-Filling, Hydraulic Knox and Paion {m.d.) 260
Stoughton. B.. resigns Secretarj-ship 3
Submersible Motors for Mines .' {>n-d.) .... 12.5
Sullivan Diamond-Drill J. A. MacVicar [tn.d.) 389
Sulphuric Acid. Modem Processes {m.d.) 389
Sungei Besi Mines Report 62
Surveying. Anschiitz Gyro Compass for *220
Surveying Compass, G>to, Patent for (m.d.) .... •120
Surveying Problems in Land and Mint D. Davies. . . . 226
Susses, Oilin H. B. Milner 294
Tole. 194
Taxation of Mines in Austraha 98
Tellurium Alloys (m.d.) 125
Thompson, A. Beeby . . .Petrol from Natural G?s [m.d.) 385
Thompson, A. Beeby Oilfield Losses (m.d.) 326
Timbers, Decay of Mine D. Harrington (m.d.). . . . 325
Tin Concentration H. S. Hatfield (m.d.) *188
Tin Deposits, Transvaal P. A. Wagner (m.d.) 243
Tin in Kangaroo Hills (m.d.) 389
J'AGK
Tin in Kotrhiu, Yunnan (m.d.). .. . S2(V
Tin Sales. lederated .Malay States 137
Tip Top .Mine. Rhixlesia 270
Tomboy Mim s, Color.ido 33R
Toronto I etler 30, 101, 163. 229. 299, 363-
Trade Paragraphs 41, 105, 160, 233. 304, 307
Transfind Gold l-ield. West Australia 137
Transvaal and Rluxlesian Estates Report. . , . 262
Transtvtal f^humh, r of Miners Report for 192U 261
Transvaal IkiUI Mining Estates Report. . . . 12(»
Transvaal Tin Deposits P. A. Wagner (»r.t/.) 243
Tu-nt'sOil and Coal Euel {m.d.) 192
Tre\or, T. G., on Recompense for Science 190
Trinidad H. B. Milner •139, •20&
Trinidad Oil Article, Correction for 264
Tronoh Mines Report 02
Tungsten Eilaments : . . .{m.d.). . . . 125
Tungsten Ores in Bolivia K I-. Hess (m.d.). . . . 326
Uganda, Mineral Resources of (m.d.). . . . •375
Uganda Rift Valley E. J. Wayland {m.d.) 389
United Steel Corporation of India 271
United States Department of Mines 66
United States Mining Law &
Uranium Steel H. S. Foote (m.d.) 389
Urquhart, Leslie, and Russian Conditions 265
Van Roi Mine 301
Vanadium, Estimation of (m.d.) .... 259, 326
Vancouver Letter 37, 102, 164, 230, 30(1, 364
Venezuelan Petroleum A. H. Redfield {m.d.). . . . 389^
Ventilation and Efficiency 266
Ventilation and Human Efficiency. . . .Dr. L. Hill (m.d.). . . . 325
Ventilation and Working l-Tficiency, B. W. Hohnan - '273, ^350
Ventilation at Broken Hill (m.d.) yHi»
Ventilation of Dead Ends in Mines S. Nettleton. . . . •149
Vogt, J. H. L Magmatic Differentiation (m.d.) 125
Volatilization and Cbloridizing H. R. Layng {m.i.) 389
VolatiIi2ation Process, Chloride (m.d.) 192
Wagner, P. A. . . .Iron Ores of South- West Africa (m..d.) .^.lO-
Waihi Grand Junction Report lf)4
Wales, Lead and Zinc Ores in B. Smith. . . . 261
Wanlockhead Lead Mines Reopen 204
W;irrcn, Arizona, Copper Deposits at (m.d.) .... 192
Wartenweiler, F., Distribution of Gold in Rand Ores (m.d.). . . 189
Waugh Drill Shaft-Sinking Record 197
Wave-Transmission Rock-Drills, R. de H. St. Stephens.... 39
Wavland,E.J Uganda Rift Valley {m.d.) 389
Wavlaud and Simmons, Mineral Resources of Uganda (m.d.) . . *37r>
Weardale Lead Report 391
Welding Process, Hyde's (m.d.) 259
W'i-r! Africa, Mininci, Law of 194
West Shining Tree, Ontario 364
W^st Springs, No. 2 Shaft 7, 72
Whim Well Copper Mine '33
Wickett, James 334
Winchell. H. V.. .Geology of Pachuca and El Oro (m.d.) *lVii
Winding Engine, Nordberg (m.d.) 325
Winding Engines, Dynamics of {7n.d.}. . . . 60
Wolfram Ores, Dressing, in Queensland (m.d.) *1S2
Wood Refuse, Gas from {vud.) 390
Wray, D. A., Mineral Resources of Serb-C^oat-Slovene State 301
Yugoslavia, Coal in D. A. Wray {m.d.).
Yuill, H. H., Report on Shetland Copper
Yukon Mining
Yukon Silver Mines
61
2r)7
39
102
270
64
5R
60
Zinc Concentrates, Australian 73, 136, 203,
Zinc Corporation Report
Zinc Determination by Potassium Ferrocyanide method (m.d.)
Zinc Dust and Vapour (m.d.)
Zinc, Electrolytic Deposition and Hydro-metalhtrev of
O. C. Ralston.... 20
Zinc, Electrolytic, Production at Risdon 336
Zinc, Estimation of M. Bodansky (m.d.) 260
Zinc from Lead Slags, Recovery of. . Guy Courtney (m.d.). . . 49
Zinc-Lead Ore Treatment in British Columbia 230
Zinc Output in United States 138
Zinc Residues, Treatment of (m.d.) 388
Zinc Smeltine under Pressure (m.d.). . . . 326
Zirconia "i W. R. Schoeller (m.d.) OO-
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director.
Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
PuBi.isiiEO on the i5tli of each niontii by The Minmng Publication's, LiMiTRn,
AT Salisbury House, Lonoon Wall, London, E.C. 2.
Telephone : London Wall S938. Telegraphic Address : Oligodase. Codes : McNnll, botli Editions,
Branch Offices -' 420, Market Street, San Francisco. Subscriftion ' 16s. per annum (Single Copy Is. 6d.), including
' I 000, Fisher Bdg., Chicago.
postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXV. No. 1.
LONDON, JULY, 1921
Price Is. 6d.
C O N T E N r S
Editorial
Notes
The John Fritz Medal for Sir Robert Hadfield ; The
Engineeruig Conference ; Chalk Fuel and Shetland
Copper ; Farrow's Sentence ; The Secretaryship of
the American Institute.
Statistical Returns 3
Attention is drawn to the want of uniformity in the
method of returning the monthly gold outputs by
mining companies.
The Sir John Cass Technical Institute 4
Particulars are given of the courses of instruction in
metalhirgy at the Sir John Cass Institute in the
City of London
St. John Del Rey .5
This famous old gold mine in Brazil is now developing
ore at a vertical depth of 6,40U ft. below surface.
Review of Mining
Articles
The Iron and Steel Industry of India
Dr. J. Coggin Brown
The Dip Compass. .Prof. Henry Louis
Book Reviews
Milner's " Geological Map of the World ". .
Addicks' " Copper Refining " . .W.H. Merrett
Beringer's " Text Book of Assaying "
B. Drinkwater
Peele's " Compressed Air Plant "
ilex. Richardson
Ralston's " Electrolytic Deposition and
Hydro-Metallurgy of Zinc " CO. Bannister
News Letters
Melbourne 30
Mining Conditions in Australia ; Early Ice Ages.
Perth, W.A 34
■ VVhim Well Copper .Mine.
11
19
24
25
27
27
29
Toronto 36
Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt.
Vancouver, B.C 37
Granby Consolidated ; Standard Mine : Nickel Plate
Mine ; Premier Mine ; Slocan District ; The
Yukon ; Alberta.
Letter to the Editor
Wave-transmission Rock-drill
R. de H. St. Stephens 39
Personal 40
Trade Paragraphs 41
Metal Markets 41
Statistics of Production 44
Prices of Chemicals 47
Share Quotations 48
The Mining Digest
Recovery of Zinc from Lead Slags
Guy Courtney 49
Minine in Central Australia
. . . " E. Copley Playford 51
Oil Prospecting in the Mackenzie River
District E. M. Kindle 55
Oil in Saskatchewan William Mclnnes 57
Zinc Determination E. Olivier 58
Solution and Deposition of Iron
/. Haworth and J. Evans 59
Rod Grinding Mills E. H. Robie 59
Origin of Graphite T. H. Clai-k 60
Short Notices 60
Recent Patents Published 61
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 62
Company Reports 62
Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) : Huena Tierra , Ksperanza (
Esperanza Copper and Sulphur ; Ex-Lands Nigeria ; Great Boulder
Proprietary; Lahat Mines i Le Roi No. 2 1 Planet-Arcturus ;
Robijison Deep ; St. John del Rey ; Sungei Besi ; Troaoh .Mines ;
Zinc Corporation.
EDITORIAL
'"l^lll-" ci'iiiiuinv of prosi'iiMny; Sir KobiiL
1 ll.ullicKl with the Jolm Fritz medal was
OIK' lit iimisual and pleasant significancu. It
was kindly thoiij^lU fulness that prompted
the American societies to instruct their
members attending the Engineering Con
terenee held in London last month to form
a delegation for making a public presentation
i>f this medal. The John Fritz l''oiuuhition
was started in 1902 to commemorate the
great services to iron and steel metallurgy
render(?d by the late John Fritz, head of the
Bethlehem works in Pennsylvania, and the
bestowal of the medal is the highest honour
that can come to an engineer from America.
Sir Robert, in replj', accepted the medal
not entirely as a recognition of his own
personal work, but also as conveying an
expression of the regard felt by the American
engineering profession for the abilities dis-
plavcd bv the British engineers and
metallurgists during the war.
REFERENCE is made in the preceding
paragraph to the Engineering Con-
ference held in London last month. This
was arranged by the Institution of Civil
Engineers, and was the first held since the
outbreak of the great war. One of the
sections was devoted to mining and
metallurgy, and here a number of interesting
discussions took place. Dr. J. W. Evans
dealt with the application of water-power in
the development of mineral resources ;
Mr. R. Nelson described recent improvements
in coal cleaning, instancing the action of
flotation and table concentrators ; Mr. H.
Standish Ball read a communication on the
Francois cementation process ; and Mr.
Thomas Crook, of the Imperial Mineral
Resources Bureau, presented a paper on the
effect of the war on mineral supplies. Wliile
these papers did not contain any new
material, they served to draw public attention
to the present problems in mining and
metallurgy', and to demonstrate that mining
is an important branch of engineering.
.iiiiinpieLl to conduct a bank wilhoul full
experience of the iletails and without a
linancial backing that would bring jiiolitable
business for the fund-; de[)()sitrd with him.
While being sorry for the people who lost
their money, we are equally sorry that
Mr. Farrow did not succeed in his ambition.
No doubt the big banks arc glad that he has
disajipeared. At the time of his arrest they
advertised extensively that they provided
every facility for small depositors, but
experit'uce shows that they do not really care
for this class of business. The Post Ollice still
gives 2.1% per year on deposits, and has
removed the yearly and total limits in order
to attract as much money as possible for
public u.sc. The Savings Certificates offer
a higher rate of interest than the Savings
l^ank, but the Post Office limit holds good
here. A day may arrive when the Govern-
ment and the bankers will treat the meanest
depositor rather more graciously. Until then
there will be a succession of attempts, by
honest or dishonest men, to attract the
savings of comparatively poor people by
offering the advantages enjoyed by their
more fortunate fellow-citizens.
THE collapse of Farrow's Bank and the
sentence of Mr. Farrow to four years'
penal servitude for the issue of falsified
balance-sheets are so much matters of public
notoriety that little need be said here. It is
to be regretted that a man of such long
experience of the iniquities of moneylenders,
both regular and irregular, should have
ONE or two doubtful projects have been
launched publicly or privately during
flic last few weeks. One revives an old
scheme for selling a mixture of chalk and some
unspecified ingredient as a substitute for coal.
This proposal usually makes its appearance
when coal is scarce, whether the scarcity is
due to war, railway trouble, or closing of the
coal-mines. It seems hardly necessary to
refer to this matter here, for no reader of the
Magazine is likely to be deluded by the
advertisement. Another doubtful scheme
deals with a copper deposit in the Shetland
Islands. A news agency circulated a para-
graph in the daily press announcing the
discovery of two copper lodes at Sandwick in
the island of Yell, estimated to contain
100,000 tons and 300,000 tons of ore
respectively. The secretary of the company
wrote to the papers subsequently stating tliat
the deposits are not in Yell but in the Main-
land, and modifying the estimate of ore, the
implication being that the puffers of the
shares ' ' yelled "too soon or too loudl v. Many
letters have been received by us with regard
to this project. Our advice in return has
been that inquiries should be addressed to
Dr. J. S. Fktt, head of the Geological Survey,
JULY, 1921
at the Jermyn Street Museum. He has an
intimate personal acquaintance with the
Shetland Islands and their geology. It
would be a good chance for a Government
Department to enter into financial affairs
and tell prospective investors what to
expect. As for ourselves we are tired of
riuining the risk of hbel actions. It is best
that public bodies should take action, as the
Surrey County Council did in the case where
lemonade " made from Messina lemons " was
proved to consist of sugar and phosphoric
acid. Even here there were plenty of first-
class scientific experts who were prepared to
say that the description was justifiable. The
Magazine cannot afford either lawyers' fees
or the fees of experts practising in the courts.
FATE follows the American Institute of
Mining and Metallurgical Engineers.
Another so-called crisis has arisen through
the resignation of Mr. Bradley Stoughton as
secretary. For many years the Institute
flourished under the autocratic and beneficent
rule of Dr. R. W. Raymond, and under his
auspices it became an unrivaUed expositor of
mining and metallurgical practice. The
papers and transactions, through his influence,
were of the highest order from both the
professional and the literar}^ standpoint, and
membership of the Institute was prized
accordingly. Before he died the control was
wrested from his hands, and subsequently
also many modifications in the policy of the
Institute were introduced. Of recent years
far too many papers have been written and
pubhshed, and the net for membership has
been cast far and wide, without any desire for
increased esprit de corps, but merely prompted
by a desire to increase the revenue of the
Institute. The discontinuance of the dis-
tribution of papers by means of the month!)'
bulletin, and the establishment instead of a
gossipy monthly paper called Mining ami
Metallurgy was another false step intended
for greater publicity and income. We under-
stand that the future of this monthly paper is
under serious discussion by the council of the
Institute, and that proposals are being con-
sidered for its amalgamation with another
organ of the profession. In the meantime
the reason for ^Ir. Stoughton's resignation
remains a mystery. He says that a secretary
should not in any case retain his office for
more than ten years, but the wisdom of this
view we take leave to doubt. Mr. Stoughton
is a capable metallurgist, he is a good
tactician and administrator, and he has
a sense of humour, and as far as politeness and
consideration for others is concerned he is
perhaps too polite to some of those with
whom he has to come in contact. It is really
a pity that he is resigning, and that the
council of the Institute cannot adopt a more
stable and professional policy.
Statistical Returns
In the last issue we referred to the
report by Mr. Hugh F. Marriott on the work
at the mines of the Central Mining and
Investment Corporation, mentioning that his
figures of revenue from the gold output ar^*
based on its par value, and that the credits
due to the premium are given separately.
But for the fact that some other engineers and
companies do not adopt this practice, the
method would seem to be the obviously
and indisputably correct one. The
standardization of statistical returns has been
referred to in these pages on several occasions,
and in many cases improvements in their
presentment have been observable during the
past few years, but there is still a lack of
an agreed system among the mining
companies, with the result that the labours
of the statistician are unnecessarily com-
plicated. The present is a convenient oppor-
tunity for mentioning the matter again, and
for glancing through the returns as supplied
month by month by the chief companies in
various parts of the world.
Taking first the gold mines of the
Transvaal, we find that the Central Mining-
Rand Mines group report the fine oimces, the
estimated value including premium, and the
estimated profit on the same terms. The
Consolidated Mines Selection, Consolidated
Gold Fields, Union Corporation, Anglo-
French, W'itwatersrand Deep, and Luipaard's
Vlei follow the same course. On the other
hand, Johannesburg Consolidated and the
Albu group do not give the ounces, but report
the estimated revenue and profit including
premium. They, however, give the
estimated price of gold per ton, as do the
other groups, so that anyone desirous of
finding the figure for the actual output can
do so. But it would be simpler for everybody
if the figures for the ounces were given,
because these are the first obtained when the
gold is won, and, anj'way, dividing backward
does not necessarily give the identical figures.
Moreover, uncertainty may exist as to
whether the cost of realization has been
deducted from the gross revenue or not. In
the list of Rhodesian producers, most of the
Till MI\l\r, MAriAZIXl'
mines report in ounces ; two rejiort in pounds
at par, one in pounds at an estimated price
of gold, whili' anotlier docs not say whether
the pounils represent par vaUie or inchule
premium. In \Vest Africans, Taquah, Aliosso,
and Asiianti Goldlields rejiort in ouncis,
Abbontiakoon and I'nstea Hloek A in pounds
at par, and Obhuassi in revenue including
premium, but without stating the price of
gold used in making the estimate. The
Indian gold mines give the outputs in fine
ounces. The Australasian mines pursue
every possible variety of practice. Some
give their returns in fine ounces, some in
revenue at par, some include specified
premiums, and others unspecified jiremiums ;
some lump royalties from tributi'rs in one
sum with the output from the companies'
mines, and these outputs may be at par or
may include premium ; finally tlie New
Zealand mines give their returns in four-
weekly periods and not by the calendar
month.
There are a number of other gold mines in
various parts of the world under English
control or of interest to English shareholders,
and most of tliem report in ounces or in
United States dollars. For instance, St. John
del Rey gives the par value in pounds and
Ouro Preto the ounces, nothing being said of
premium in the monthly reports. Plymouth
Consolidated and Tombo\', being in the
United States, have no premium to hel]5
them, so report at par value. Of the
Mexican mines, P^I Oro and Mexico of El Oro
report the realized value in United States
dollars, and Esperanza and Santa Gertrudis
report the profit in United States dollars.
The Pato and Xechi companies, operating in
Colombia, publish returns of dredging runs
of irregular numbers of days in United States
dollars. Here, as with the Mexican mines,
the gold values are at par, for the companies
are not allowed to take advantage of the
free markets.
No doubt some companies, in reporting
output and profits, prefer to give the full
income including premium, so as to make the
returns as big as .possible ; indeed, if the
premium were not included a loss would
sometimes be shown, and an unpleasant jar
would be given to the shareholders. It is
naturally argued that from the shareholders'
point of view the actual income is w-hat
matters. But to the serious student of
mining more precise and complete informa-
tion is necessary, and as its preparation and
publication would entail no further tinn- or
expense to the several companies, there is no
reason why in every casi' the specific figures
for the out]nit should not be given in addition
to the n\i niie derived therefrom.
The Sir John Cass Institute
riu- delis'c ry (i( Iceliuis on N'arious asjiects
of the zinc industry' by Messrs. J. C. Moulden
and v.. A. Smith at the Sir John Cass
Technical Institute, to which reference was
made last month, has served to draw atten-
tion once more to an educational institution
in the City of London that deserves to be
better known in mining circles than it appears
to be. Owing to so many inquiries having
been received as to its scope and functions,
it is a])propriate that something should be
said on the subject in these columns.
Sir John Cass was a merchant and alder-
man of the City of London who flourished
about two hundred years ago. He did much
for education in his lifetime, and after his
death his estate carried on the work. In
liSO") a new scheme was put forward by the
Charity Commissioners, which provided for
the establishment of the present institute.
The foundation stone was laid by Bishop
Creighton in 1899, and the building was
opened by the late Lord Avebury, better
known as Sir John Lubbock, in 1902. The
institute is in Jewry Street, Aldgatc, not far
from Eenchurch Street Station. Instruction
is given in pure and applied, science, and in
the arts and crafts. The department of
science includes courses in mathematics,
physics, chemistry, and metallurgy, and the
curriculum is designed to meet the require-
ments of students who arc engaged in
the chemical, metallurgical, electrical, and
engineering industries. The institute is
intended primarily for the evening student,
who is occupied in earning his living during
the day, but facilities are also afforded for
special research work during the afternoons.
The fact that the classes are held only in the
evenings makes it possible for the institute
to enrol among its teachers a number of
practical men who have won distinction in
their own particular lines, and who, from a
sense of duty, are ready to give of their best
to those desirous of acqxiiring knowledge.
The head of the institute is Dr. Charles A.
Kcane, who is well known for his books on
chemistry and analysis, some of which he
wrote in collaboration with Dr. George
Lunge. In the department of metallurgy,
the first lecturer was Dr. Guy Bengough, who
is known for his researches on corrosion. He
JULY, 1921
was followed by Mr. C. O. Bannister, who was
associated with the firm of Edward Riley &
Harbord, and is now professor of metallurgy
in the University of Liverpool. Mr. George
Patchin, A.R.S'M., M.Inst.M.M., became
head of this department of the institute in
1910. He had previously achieved great
success as a teacher at the Birkbeck College.
.\mong other members of the present staff
the following may be mentioned : Mr.
W. A. C. Newman, assistant chemist at the
Royal Mint ; Dr. O. F. Hudson, metallurgist
at the Admiralty research department ; and
Dr. \V. R. Schoeller, chemist to Daniel C.
Griffith & Co., who takes the class on
mineralogy. In addition to the regular
course, special lectures are given every year.
Last year three lectures were delivered by
Mr. H. Livingstone Sulman, on " Froth
Flotation." This year, as already mentioned,
Mr. J. C. Moulden is lecturing on " Modern
Developments in the Zinc Industry," and
Mr. E. A. Smith is lecturing on " Industrial
Applications of Zinc." These special lectures
are open to outsiders, and many City men
have found them helpful and instructive.
The metallurgical course includes a variety
of subjects, as will be seen from the following
list : General metallurgy, elementary, inter-
mediate, and advanced ; assaying ; iron and
steel ; metallography ; mechanical testing of
metals and alloys ; heat treatment of metals
and alloys ; foundry practice ; mineralogy ;
mechanical drawing for metallurgists ;
materials of construction and design. These
courses include lecture, demonstration, and
laboratory work wherever suitable. Addi-
tional courses are being considered, to deal
with furnace design and construction, and
with electric furnaces and smelting. The
complete curriculum extends over four years,
not including a preliminary year devoted to
elementary physics and chemistry, and at
the end of that period a diploma is granted
to those students who reach the required
standard. Other departments of the institute
are organized on the same scale, and some of
the subjects dealt with are of interest to
metallurgists : for instance. Dr. Owen's
course on colloids.
In addition to lecture rooms and drawing
office, the metallurgical department contains
a main laboratory for general analysis, a
laboratory for dry assaying and furnace work,
a metallography and pyrometry room, a
mechanical testing laboratory, and a
moulding and casting room for foundry work.
The laboratories are well equipped and
1—3
arranged ni the latest manner. The
metallography and pyrometry room con-
tains photomicrographic outfits, polishing
machines, visual microscopes, galvanometers
and millivoltmeters, thermo-couples, resist-
ance pyrometers, differential apparatus and
electric furnaces for ascertaining critical
temperatures, thread recorder, Callendar
recorder, and dark room. The mechanical
testing laboratory, which was endowed by
the Goldsmiths' Company in 1914, is equipped
with a 30 ton Buckton testing machine fitted
with autographic recorder, an Izod impact
testing machine, a Brinell hardness machine
with Ludwick cone attachment, a Sankey
bending machine, a Shore scleroscope, and
a cement testing plant.
The institute achieves success and supplies
instruction which is greatly appreciated by
a great variety of students. The further
expansion of the sphere of usefulness of the
metallurgical department is the ambition of
Mr. Patchin, and we trust the profession
will give him encouragement and back his
efforts in a practical way.
St. John del Rey
As usual, Mr. George Chalmers' yearly
review of operations and conditions at the
Morro Velho gold mine in Brazil, operated by
the St. John del Rey Mining Company, is
replete with interest. Few companies or
managers give such elaborate details of their
work. There is no suppression of the
difficult problems, and the reasons for
deciding on any particular policy are fully
disclosed and candidly discussed. And there
have been, and still are, many difficult
problems. For instance, the ore is arsenical
and not amenable to what may be con.sidered
standard treatment. The ore and walls do
not stand well, so driving and sinking must
be done off the lode, incline shafts are not
desirable, and close filling after sloping is
necessary. The ore-body is in the nature
of a narrow elongated pipe pitching in a
vertical plane, so that prospecting for it at
depth by diamond drill from the surface is
quite out of the question. As for sinking
a deep-level vertical shaft, it happens that at
the period when such a policy might have
been adopted with success, in the light of
subsequent knowledge, the ore was showing
signs of becoming poorer in depth, and any
policy other than following the lode would
have been financially unsound. Thus we
have the series of vertical shafts and con-
necting tunnels characteristic of St. John
6
nil'; MININC, MACAZIN'K
tU'l Kiy, which are so iiuxpHcal)!!' to thosi'
who have not road Mr. Chahncrs' reports
since he took up the manaf^i'ment tliirty
years a^'o.
The problems that have faced ^h. t hahners
during the last few years have arisen from
two causes, first the flattening of the ]iitc!i,
aiid second the unbearable heat at the
bottom workings. As regards the jntcii,
this was approximate!}' -15° at a vertical
tlepth of ;-!,0(H1 ft. As the workings went
down, the pitch has gradually tended to
flatten, and at 5, 5(H) ft. the ore-body is at
about 30" with the horizontal. This altera-
tion, of course, makes the successive tunnels
longer, so that below the 22nd horizon,
6, 126 ft. vertically below the outcrop, there
will be no alternative but to sink incline
shafts to follow the pitch. At the present
time the deepest development work is at this
horizon. At first the ore exposed proved
somewhat disappointing, but it was felt that
it was just possible that the main ore-body
had not been struck, that the flattening had
been greater than calculated, and con-
sequently that parts of the lode unpayable
in the upper levels had been intersected by
the tunnel and winze. This uncertainty
existed when the annual report was circulatecl.
At the meeting of shareholders the Chairman
had the great good fortune to be able to
announce that the true lode had been dis-
covered in a cross-cut and that the gold assays
are as good as ever.
The other present difficulty to which
reference is made arises from the heat at
depth. This question has received the close
attention of J\Ir. Chalmers for the last ten
years, and has formed an important feature
of his yearly reports for some time past. The
whole matter is crucial to the future of the
mining industry in all parts of the world, and
the experience at this mine should be
discussed in conjimction with such cases as
the City Deep. In 1913 Mr. Eric Davis, one
of the staff at St. John del Rey, commenced
a study of temperatures with the dry-bulb
and wet-bulb thermometers. By experience
it was decided that the wet-bulb temperature
in the stopes should not be greater than
S2" F., and it was calculated that to get these
conditions the initial moisture content of the
air entering the mine should be not more than
about 50 grains per pound of dry air. This
content corresponds to a saturated condition
at 45° F. A refrigerating plant was then
ordered, capable of cooling 80,000 cu. ft. of
air per minute to a temperature of 43' F. It
is not Hi ii»,ii y here to go into drtails of this
plant, for ])articulars were given in the
M.\G.\ziNK for October, 1919. This plant
would have been erected long ago if it had
not been for the war. The delays in delivery
were unavoidable under the circumstances,
but they caused great anxiety at the mine.
Kventually the machinery and outfit arrived
last year, and the plant was started at the
beginning of December. In tlu' meantime,
however, the development of the mine in
dejith became almost impossible, and the
stoping operations became difficult. Tiie
workmen could not stand the heat, and many
of them left, with the consequence that the
output was reduced. The most serious
difficulty aro.se in connexion with the driving
of the tunnel on the 22nd horizon, and the
sinking of winze No. 31 from the horizon
above to meet it. The conditions of working
may be gleaned from the fact that the rock
tem])erature in these dead ends was 117° F.
The heat was sufficient to interfere with the
electric motors driving the fans, and alto-
gether there was some doubt whether the
human being could achieve the connexion
of tunnel and winze. Mr. Chalmers rightly
praises Captain Watts and his helpers for
persisting in the driving of the tunnel imder
these adverse circumstances. The connexion
was eventually made on January 2 ; and the
circulating current was then established.
As the cooling plant had been started a short
time before there was no difficulty in con-
tinuing the work and developing the ore-
body at this depth. It is clear, however,
that if the cooling plant had not arrived in
time there would have been no alternative
but to stop development in depth and realize
the ore reserves. As it is, the cooling plant
makes it possible to apply the winding and
other machinery already provided for sinking
and working to a vertical depth of 7,500 ft.
In connexion with this brief notice, it is
desirable to read the precis of the last yearly
report, printed on another page, which is
accompanied by a drawing showing the
bottom workings. Owing to the small size
of our page it is not possible to reproduce
the full plans and elevations accompanying
the report. Those of our readers who are
interested should write to the company for
a copy of the report, or call on the ever-
obliging Mr. Kup, the managing director,
and inspect the model of the ore-body and
the various elaborate working drawings
showing the form of the ore-body and the
method of development and mining.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction.— The settlement of the coal
dispute has come at last, and the mines are
gradually resuming operations. The steel
makers and the engineering works are hoping
that coal will be plentiful and reasonably
cheap. If such hopes are verified, the con-
sumption of metals will once more be revived,
and the producers of copper, lead, tin, and
zinc will benefit.
Transvaal. — The dividends declared on
the Rand for the half-year Januarj^ to June
are given in the accompanying table. The
figures are lower than those for the previous
half-year, but as the last-named figures were
rather greater than might have been expected,
the market was quite prepared for the fall.
Brakpan
City Deep
Consolidated Langlaagte
Consolidated .Alain Reef
Crown Mines (ICs.) . .
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep ....
Govemment Areas . .
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Estate . .
Meyer & Charlton . . .
Modderfontein (lOs.)
i\Iodderfontein B (5s.)
ModderfonteinDeep (os.)
New Primrose
New Unified
Nourse Mines
Robinson Deep "A" (Is.)
Robinson Gold ({5) - . .
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs Mines
Sub-Nigel
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
Witwatersrand Gold . . .
Witwatexsrand Deep. . .
Wolhuter
2nd
1st
2nd
half,
half,
half,
1919.
1920.
1920.
s. d.
5. d.
s. d.
3 0
3 0
G 0
2 9
2 6
4 0
1 6
1 0
1 6
1 3
1 3
1 9
3 6
2 9
5 0
1 0
2 0
2 6
a
1 6
2 0
1 G
6
2 6
4 0
4 0
C 0
—
1 0
9
1 6
1 6
1 0
1 6
14 0
10 0
14 0
30 Ct
4 6
5 9
9 6«»
6 6«*
2 6
3 3
3 0
4 3
1 0
1 0
1 0
1 0
2 0
9
9
1 0
—
2 0
2 6
1 0
2 0
3 6
2 0
3 6
6
6
1 0
3 0
1 0
1 0
1 6
1 6*
1 6*
1 6*
5 9t
5 0
8 0
1 3
6
1 6
1 0
1 0
3 0
6
1 3
1 3
1st
half,
1921.
s. d.
3 0
5 0
1 C
10 0
4 3
2 0
3 3
1 0
1 0
6
1 0
1 G
1 6
9
1 6*
6 0
9
2 0
1 0
9
t On old £4 shares. a Scrip distribution equal to 16%. 'riee
oi tax. {Also Scrip. ••On old £1 shares.
The total dividends of Transvaal gold mining
companies declared during the half-year
were ^3,238,838, of which ^2,260,222 came
from companies operating in the Far East
Rand, and £978,616 from the older parts of
the Rand. The dividends declared by com-
panie.s outside the Rand were £37,563.
Last month we quoted Mr. H. F. Marriott's
report on the conditions at the mines of the
Central Mining-Rand Mines group. One
of his points as regards efficiency related to
the obsolete law that natives must not
start work each day before the white over-
seers give instructions, and that they
must leave in front of the white man. He
pointed out that under this regime the actual
working time of the native averaged only
five out of the statutory eight hours. It is
now announced that the Mines Department
is embodying in the regulations a clause
giving permission for the establishment of
night inspection shifts with the object of
enabling the natives to start work earlier.
Evidentlv Mr. Marriott's protest has borne
fruit.
The sinking of No. 2 shaft at West Springs
is to be suspended for a time and 'the ground
below is to be explored by bore-hole. The
reason for the suspension is not given, but
presumably the water trouble referred to
in the j'early report is the cause. In the
meantime development from No. 1 shaft
is to be intensively pushed and connexion
made with the workings started from Springs
mine, so that an ore reserve may be created at
the earliest possible date.
At Springs mine the ore reserve has been
substantiaUj' augmented recently, and the
directors have decided to purchase additional
plant so as to increase the monthly tonnage
from 40,000 to 50,000.
The No. 7 shaft at Geduld reached the
reef at a depth of 2,450 ft. on June 19. The
assay-value was 0'6 dwt. over 35 in. Though
this figure is low, it does not worry the
company, because it happens that an
extensive area of unusually high-grade ore
has already been developed in the neigh-
bourhood of the shaft. In the yearly report
recently issued it was stated that develop-
ment in this area had proved 4,215 ft. in
ore, of which 66% was payable, averaging
16 dwt. over an estimated stoping width of
66 inches.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during May
was 48,744 oz., as compared with 47,858 oz.
in April and 46,266 oz. in May of last year.
The value is reported at £225,841, as against
£282,396 in April, the divergence being due
to the usual erratic manner in which the
premium is credited in Rhodesia. Other
outputs during May were : Silver, 12,806 oz.;
coal, 44,688 tons ; chrome ore, 5,700 tons ;
copper 266 tons ; asbestos, 2,345 tons ;
arsenic, 8 tons ; mica, 6 tons ; diamonds,
8 carats.
During 1920 the ore milled at Shamva
amounted to 609,509 tons, and the yield of
gold was 96,718 oz. The assay value of the
8
Tin: MIMNC, MAGAZINE
ore \va> ;>■() ilwl. por ton, of which ;{-2() ilw t.
was extractcil. The goKl sold for /,">;{S,.S87,
and the workini; inolit was £'223,.')20, out
of wliich ("180,000 wa,'^ distributed as
dividend, being at the rate of 30"',,. The
reserve is estimated at- 1,081,2')0 tons,
averaging -11 dwt., as compared with
1,982,000 tons averaging 4-31 dwt. the j-ear
before. Eight additional Nisscn stamps and
one tube-mill have been erected during the
year. With regard to the general mining
policy, Mr. Cyril E. Parsons, the consulting
engineer, says that the futm"e of the property
and the prolongation of its life still depend
largely on the possibility of proiilably
removing and treating the large tonnage of
low-grade overburden, so that the better
ground Ij'ing underneath can be successfully
mined ; an}' attempt to mine without
removing the overburden would in his
opinion cause disastrous falls of ground.
In speaking at the meeting of Fanti
Consolidated, as reported in the JM-ACazine
last month, Mr. Edmund Davis announced
the sale of the chrome interests. He stated
that the new discoveries of ore in Rhodesia
and competition from other parts of the
world would lead to diminished profits.
Thus the control of the chrome market, so
long associated with Mr. Davis's name,
comes to an end. The deposits discovered
two years or more ago in Rhodesia are very
extensive. They are being developed by
Rhodesia Base Metals, Ltd.
Nigeria. — The Bisichi Company has
received advice from its engineer to the
effect that prospecting operations on one of
the leases have given excellent results,
four million cubic yards of ground being
proved to contain approximately 5,000 tons
of cassiterite. The whole of the area has
not yet been tested, and it is believed that
further prospecting will continue to increase
the reserve.
The Nigerian Consolidated Mines was
formed early in 1920 to acquire a number of
tin properties in the Rayficld, Jemaa, and
Womba districts from Mr. W. E. Thomas,
who became managing director. As recorded
in our issue of April, yir. Thomas died
suddenly of pneumonia. The report for the
period from the registration of the company
to February 28 shows that the output of
tin concentrate was 233 tons, which was
satisfactory considering that the properties
had not been brought into full working order.
The accounts show credits of £24,308 from
the sale of concentrate, but the year ended
with au advir.se balance of £3,8 13. Owing to
the fall in the price of tin, operations have
been disct)utinui'd for a time, though some
tributiug is l)eing done. The directors write
hopefully of the prospects of increasing the
output when conditions improve.
Australia. — The Australian Court having
eonsented to a suspension of the award of
higher wages and a modification of the
working hours, the Mount Lyell company
finds it possible to continue work. The
Wallaroo and Moonta company announces
the aj^proachiug resumption of o]H-ralions
on a restricted scale. At Mount Morgan the
conferences between the directors and the
leaders of the trades unions have brought
no result so far, and the mine remains closed.
The Great Boulder Proprietary Company
has paid a handsome dividend for 1020,
but the profits were largely due to the gold
, premium. The working cost was 41s. 9d.
per long ton, as compared with 35s. 8d.
in 1919, and 32s. 6d. in 1918. Six years
ago the cost w\as about 24s. per ton. The
new jiroperty at Norseman has given good
results, and substantial profits are expected,
providing labour conditions are satisfactory.
Siam.^The Siamese Tin Syndicate made
a record in connexion with output
during 1920. The three dredges treated
2,200,640 cu. yd., and extracted 937 tons of
tin concentrate, the previous highest figures
having been in 1916. The income from the
sale of concentrate was £198,285, and the
working profit £43,271, out of which £36,000
has been distributed as dividends, being at
the rate of 30%. It will be remembered that
the company floated a subsidiary eighteen
months ago, called the Bangrin Tin Dredging
Company, to deal with alluvial tin ground
about five miles north of the company's
property. Rails have since been laid and
the site for the dredge has been prepared.
The dredge has been designed by Messrs.
F. W. & R. Payne, but its construction has
been delayed by labour troubles in this
country, and by the coal strike.
Burma. — The issue of new preference
shares by the Burmah Oil Company, to which
reference was made last month, proved a
great success. Since then the report for
1920 has been issued. The gross profit was
£4,891,500, out of which £1,153,800 was
written off for depreciation, while the excess
profits duty is estimated at £1,900,000. The
ordinary shares received £1,543,000 as
dividend, being at the rate of 30%. The
present company was formed in 1902 as
JULY, 1921
an expansion of a company of the same name
registered in 1886. The chief property is
in the Yenangj'aung oilfield in the Irravvady
valley, and there is every expectation that
the ground will continue to yield handsomely
for many years yet. A pipe-line 300 miles
long takes the crude oil to Rangoon, where
refining is done. The compan}- formed the
Anglo-Persian Oil Company, and, with the
British Government, still holds nearly all
the ordinary capital of that company. It
purchased the control of the Assam Oil
Company, and it operates the property of the
Budderpore Oil Company, also in Assam.
Among other interests are shareholdings in
the United British Oilfields of Trinidad,
and a participation, in association with the
Anglo-Persian, in exploratory operations in
Hungary. In order to obtain material for
receptacles for its various products, the
company recently joined with the Tata
Iron and Steel Co., Ltd., in promoting the
Tinplate Company of India, and the works
are now in course of erection at Jamshedpur.
Electric power plant has been installed
on the company's properties in the
Yenangyaung oilfield, and power will also
be supplied to its neighbours, the British
Burmah and the Indo-Burmah Petroleum
Company.
In the May issue some particulars were
given of a private and informal meeting
of shareholders in the Burma Corporation, at
which a resolution was passed agreeing to
the company purchasing the control of a
group of lead manufacturers in this country.
Suljsequcntly powerful protests were made
by influential sharehoklers. It has since
been announced that these protests have
carried weight, and that it has been decided
not to proceed with the matter. There is
no inherent reason why the proposal should
not be a sound one commercially, providing
the facts and details are all right ; but the
attempt to rush the matter semi-secretly
raised the opposition. The way in which the
control of Burma Corporation is exercised
leaves much to be desired.
Cornwall. — As reported last month, an
extensive fall of ground has occurred in the
main shaft at East Pool. The cables were
broken, so that the electric pumps were put
out of action. The old Cornish pump at
Agar shaft has not been able to cope with the
water. The position thus became serious,
not only to East Pool, but to the adjoining
mine. South Crofty. The directors and
engineers of the two mines have met several
times, with a view to devising some joint
action. The engineers, Mr. M. T. Taylor
and Mr. Josiah Paul], are now engaged in
considering methods for combating the water.
Canada. — The Chairman of the Mining
Corporation of Canada, at the recent meeting
of shareholders, referred to the acquisition
of a majority interest in the Flin-Flon copper-
gold property in Manitoba. He stated that
16,000,000 tons of ore had been proved,
with an additional probable 9,000,000 tons.
He also claimed that the samphng of recent
workings showed a content 30% higher than
previous figures. Details of these new
estimates are desirable before they are likely
to arouse much interest among mining men.
United States. — A proposed new mining
law is to be submitted to Congress. It has
been drawn up by the aid of the mining
societies and the Bureau of Mines, and the
committee has had the advice of mining
lawyers. A notable feature of the proposal
is the abolition of the " apexr law " as far
as mining claims recorded in the future are
concerned. Another feature is the dis-
carding of the principle of actual discovery
o: a mineral deposit as a prerequisite to the
location of a claim, though it is provided
that discovery must be made before a
claim is patented.
The suspension of copper production in the
United States is well known, but the slack-
ness of the iron and steel trades has not
until recently been indicated by the issue
of tangible figures. It is now announced
that the shipments of iron ore from the Lake
Superior mines to the smelters for the five
months to May 31 last was 2,770,238 tons,
as compared with 7,206,939 tons for the same
period during 1920.
Mexico. — The report recently issued in
the United States to the effect that the
Mexican oilfields would be exhausted in
the course of a year or two was not believed
in this country," where it was held that the
report was v/ritten for some political or
similar purpose. Another report has since
been issued from the same source in which
it is stated that the potential production
of the Mexican oilfields' is almost unlimited.
This is probably rather a better guess than
the first, but it is equally vague and un-
satisfactorv.
The political position with regard to
Mexican oil, as outlined in the foregoing
paragraph, has been publicly exposed by
the action of the Standai'd Oil in threatening
to cease production and exports from its
10
Till. MlXIXc; MAGAZINE
properties in Mexico. The Mexican Govern-
nieiit had aiinoiincod the im])ositioii of a duty
on oil exjiorts, antiei])atinp; a threatened
discriminating import duty into the United
States. Some doubt existed as to whether
the Mexican Government would enforce this
duty. The daily papers allege that the
United States Government will take steps
to protect the American citizens thrown
out of work by the cessation of the Standard
Oil's activities. The other oil companies
operating in Mexico declare that they are
pleased at the Standard Oil's attitude, but
it must be remembered that there is a
political aspect as between the United States
and Mexican Governments, and that the
Standard Oil's tactics go further than a
mere trading ruse.
Ten years ago the directors of the El Oro
^Mining and Railway Co. decided to form a
local subsidiary company for the jnirpose of
testing other properties in Mexico. This
subsidiary has already done much work in
the States of Zacatccas, Mexico, Hidalgo,
and Jalisco. To provide further funds the
El Oro Company has recently subscribed for
50,000 additional shares of 10 pesos each,
and is issuing 49,500 shares among share-
holders as a bonus dividend, being at the
rate of one share for every 25 El Oro shares.
Colombia. — A company has been formed,
called the Colombian Proprietary Gold
Mines, Ltd., to acquire alluvial gold pro-
perties on the Llantin river, a tributary of the
Saija, about 70 miles south of the port of
Buenaventura. Mr. T. J. Ive is chairman,
and Messrs. Inder, Henderson, & Dixon
are the consulting engineers, while the
British Platinum & Gold Corporation has
underwritten the present issue of shares.
The vendor company is the Compania
Minera de Santa Rosa, of which Mr. Henry
J. Eder, of Cali, Colombia, is the largest
shareholder. A report has been made by
Mr. A. G. Davidson, who has been associated
with the consulting engineers for some years.
The developments have warranted the
placing of a contract with Messrs. Lobnitz
& Co., Ltd., of Renfrew, for the construction
of a dredge having a capacity of 60,000 cu. yd.
per month.
The British Platinum & Gold Corporation
has issued a statement showing that since
the dredge on the Opogodo property was
put to work in December last a total of
966 oz. of platinum, together with 280 oz.
of gold, had been recovered up to ]\Iav 21.
A model of this dredge was shown at the
Colombian ("io\-rinnnnl's stand ,il the
Ivubbcr and Troiiieal Products ICxliibilion
at tlie .\grieultural Hall. In this dredge
a balanced reciprocating screen is used
instead of cylindrical screens for removing
coarse stones and boulders.
The report of the Oroville Dredging Com-
pany, whose assets are now entirely in the
form of shares in companies operating in
Colombia, gives a brief account of tin;
performance of the dredges operated by the
Pato and Nechi companies during the year
ended September 30 last. At the Pato
property 1, 137,600 cu. yd. yielded golil
worth $526,267, or 36-6 cents per yard.
The operating cost was 13 71 cents per yard.
At Nechi 2,135,081 cu. yd. gave gold worth
$816,188, or 38-2 cents per yard. The
Oroville received dividends of /|88,1.S6 and
£28,318 respectively from its holdings in
Pato and Nechi, and distributed £91,398
among shareholders, being at the rate of
2s. 9d. per £l share.
Brazil. — The output of gold from the
Ouro Preto mines during 1920 was 27,858 oz.,
obtained from 82,100 tons of ore. The gold
sold for /1 56,490, and the working profit
for the year was £16,229, out of which the
10% dividend on the £29,661 preference
shares has already been paid. A further
dividend on the preference shares of 5%, and
a dividend of 5% on the £39,429 ordinary
shares have since been paid. Developments
have continued to disclose ore.
Russia. — Mr. Leslie Urquhart delivered one
of his characteristic speeches, displaying a
thorough knowledge of Russian conditions
from both the political and mining point of
view, at the meeting of the Russo-Asiatic
Consolidated, held on July 6. This com-
pany was working and developing many
important properties before the revolution,
but these properties have been nominally
confiscated by the Bolsheviks. One of these
days Mr. Urquhart will induce the powers
that be to respect the rights of property,
to the benefit of Russia and of all those
desirous of working and trading within her
boundaries.
Spitsbergen. — In May we mentioned that
the Northern Exploration Company was
offering £150,000 Secured Notes to share-
holders with the object of keeping the
organization alive. It is now announced
that £61,610 of these Notes have been
allotted. This has enabled the company to
pay off its debts, and to dispatch a small
expedition this summer.
THE IRON AND STEEL INDUSTRY OF INDIA
By J. COGGIN BROWN, O.B.E., D.Sc, M.Inst.M.M., F.G.S.,
Officiating Superintendent, Geological Survey of India.
This article is written with the permission of the Director, Geological Survey of India.
(Concluded from page 347, June issue.)
The Bengal Irox Co., Ltd. — This com-
pany was registered in December, 1919, with
an authorized capital of £2,500,000 to acquire
the Bengal Iron & Steel Co., Ltd. The works
are situated at Kulti in Bengal on the East
Indian RaQway; 142 miles from Calcutta.
It has already been shown how the latter
company, founded in 1889, was the lineal
descendant of the Barakar Iron Works Co.,
Ltd., which was started in 1875. In 1889 the
plant consisted of two small open-top
furnaces, only one of which was worked, for
which the blast was heated by coal in pipe
stoves, and one blowing engine with its
complement of boilers which were entirely
fired by coal. The production of pig iron in
1889-90 was about 9,000 tons per annum,
and was disposed of to Government establish-
ments either in that form or in the shape of
castings. The foundries then covered an
area of 12,300 sq. ft., and the production
from them was 3,800 tons per annum. At
that time the company did not own its own
collieries, but purchased its coal and coke
requirements in the open market. The site
of the works was chosen originally on account
of the close proximity of both coal and iron
ore supplies, and for many years the clay
ironstone nodules that formed the ores for the
furnaces were obtained from a geological
horizon in the Gondwanas, known as the
Ironstone Shales. This crops out between the
coal-bearing Barakar and Raniganj stages,
and stretches for some distance east and west
of the works. The iron ore was obtained by
contract with the local proprietors of bullock
carts, and the supply was uncertain in
quantity and variable in quality.
The remodelling of the works was taken
in hand at once. The two original blast-
furnaces were converted into close-top
furnaces to enable the gas to be utilized for
firing the boilers. At a later date, as they
required rebuilding, they were removed and
replaced by two modern furnaces. A new
furnace was also erected, fitted with three
17 ft. diameter Cowper stoves. During the
period up to 1914 steady progress w^s made ;
collieries were purchased and developed,
namely, Noonodih, in the Jherria field, in
1905, and Ramnagar, li miles distant from
the works, and connected with them by a
light railway, in 1907. By 1908 several small
iron ore areas had been acquired, one of which
was at Kalimati (now Jamshedpur), close to
the site of the present Tata iron and steel
works. With the opening up of the com-
pany's mines at Manharpur, in the Kolhan
Estate of Singhbhum, in 1910, a constant
supply of first-class hematite was assured,
for already many millions of tons of high-
grade material have been proved, and the use
of the ore from the Ironstone Shales was
finally discontinued. The outbreak of the
war found three furnaces in operation with
an annual output of approximately 80,000
tons of pig-iron, each furnace with its four
Cowper hot-blast stoves, and the whole plant
operated from a modern power-house con-
taining three turbo-blowing engines of a total
horse-power of over 4,000. The plant in
existence to-day will now be described.
There are four furnaces in operation, a
fifth under construction, and twenty stoves
for heating the blast ; seventeen of the latter
are 65 ft. high by 21 ft. in diameter, and
three are 55 ft. high by 17 ft. in diameter.
On the completion of the fifth furnace the
total capacity of the plant will be 175,000 tons
of pig iron per annum. The blast is supplied
from turbo-blowers of the Parsons type, with
a total capacity of 115,000 cub. ft. of air per
minute. There are twenty-four Lancashire
boilers, fired by waste furnace gas, in two
batteries, supplying steam to the blowing
engines. The iron ore, coke, and limestone
are delivered from railway wagons and
raised to the charging hoppers by two steam
and electric hoists. In the case of No. 5
furnace, a Brown Hoisting Co.'s charging
apparatus has been provided. The slag is
removed in Dewhurst ladles and taken to the
tip in a molten state.
The coking plant consists of three
batteries each of thirty-four Simon Carves
by-product ovens, with an out-turn capacity
of 130,000 tons per annum, complete with
recovery plant for coal tar and ammonia, and
11
12
Tin: MIXING MAGAZINE
also a sulpluiiio acid plant. A fourtli haltt'iy
is under construction whicli will raise the total
output to 200,000 tons per annum. The
present raisinfjs of coal from the company's
collieries (Khendwa and Ramnagar in the
Kaniganj field and Noonodih in jlurria) are
about laO.OOO tons per annum, hut are heini;
increased to 250,000 tons. The requirenuiUs
of the coking plant are drawn from these and
other sources. The coal is discharged from
railway wagons into hoppers, whence it is
elevated to the crushing machines and thence
to the storage bunkers. It is compressed
before entering the ovens.
The waste heat from the ovens passes to
a battery of boilers, w-here it is used in raising
steam for the electric generating jilant,
which has a capacity of 2,.')00 kw. and jmo-
vides power and light throughout the works,
to the Kamnagar colliery, and to the pumping
station at Monberia on the Barakar River.
The area occupied by the foundries has
increased from 12,300 sq. ft. in 1890 to
175,000 sq. ft. to-day. This department
comprises pipe foundries, railway sleeper and
chair foundry, general casting foundry and
brass foundry, together with pattern shops,
etc. Pipes are made in dry sand moulds and
vertically cast. One plant is fitted with
hydraulic and the other with electric power.
Flanged pipes of all sizes for steam or water
mains are made. During the war the com-
pany supplied many miles of pipes for
Mesopotamia and the North-West Frontier,
in addition to 20,000 tons of high-grade ferro-
manganese made from Indian ore and dis-
patched to America, France, and Ital}-.
Large quantities of railway sleepers were also
supplied for extensions in various military
zones. The railway sleeper foundry is fitted
with moulding machines for making both
plate and bowl designs.
In the general foundry all kinds of castings
up to 10 tons in weight are manufactured,
including columns for buildings and mills,
straining posts and sockets for fencing,
mortar mills, road rollers and machinery
castings, ornamental columns, lamp-posts,
railings, etc. The foundries are capable of
turning out 60,000 tons of castings per annum
divided as follows : pipes 15,000 tons,
sleepers and chairs 30,000 tons, general
castings 15,000 tons.
The Bengal Iron Co., Ltd., to-day employs
about 100 Europeans and 15,000 Indians, and
every effort is made to cater for the physical
well-being and comfort of both. A modern
hospital administers free medical treatment.
iHiodslutfs are issued at cost price, while
schools for l)oys and girls have been built and
are principally financed by the company.
Bk.\ni)s of Indian Pig Iron. — The typical
comjiosition of the iron ores and fluxes used
by tlu' two companies (iroducing ])ig iron in
India to-day are given in the talik'S on the
oiijiosite i)age.
Dr. .\. McW'illiam, in the Jvurnal of llw
Iron (iiul Steel Institute, liUS, pp. '151-68,
says of the pig iron produced by the Tata
Iron (S: Steel Company : " The scries of pig
irons produced contain about 0'*1% of phos-
phorus, and can fairly regularly be kept at
less than 0-05" „ of sulphur wHth less than l**;,
silica for making basic open-hearth steel, the
mangani'se being brought up to over 1% by
the addition of small quantities of manganese
ore to the blast-furnace burden. Nos. 1,2,3,
and 1 foundry pig irons are also made as
required."
Indian pig iron in general compares
favourably in quality with the best English
and Scotch foundry irons, and the special
brands which are made by both the producing
concerns are superior to any iron imported
into India, with the exception of hematite
iron. In this connexion it should be
mentioned that there is available in India
a small output of high-grade coke that could
be used if necessary, in conjunction with
special ores, to make hematite pig iron equal
to the best brands.
The Mysore Government's Charcoal
Iron Works. — The Government of the
State of Mysore has a blast-furnace nearing
completion at Benkipur, w'here the iron ores
of the Bababudan Hills in the Kadur district
will be smelted with charcoal. The timber
is to be obtained from the great forests of
the Shimoga and Kadur districts, and to be
treated in a modern wood-distillation plant at
Benkipur. It is proposed to manufacture
calcium acetate, wood alcohol, and possibly
calcium carbide as by-products. The
estimated cost of the works is approxi-
mately /630,000. The plant is being con-
structed by the Tata Iron & Steel Co., Ltd.,
and the company has also been appointed
managing agents for a period of twenty-five
years.
The Indian Iron cS: Steel Co., Ltd. —
This company was registered in March, 191 cS,
with an authorized capital of Rs.3, 00, 00,00(1,
subsequently increased to Rs.3, 01, 50, 000
(/2, 010, 000)". Two blast-furnaces with an
estimated output of 110,000 tons of pig iron,
or 73,000 tons of ferro-manganese, are being
JULY, 1921
13
Tata Iron & Steel Co.
Gurumaisbini Ore. Gangpur Dolomite.
Bengal Iron Companv, Limited.
Fe .
Mn
S...
P ..
Si .
03
0-8
001
0-09
2 to 3
CaO . . . 30
MgO ... 21
FeiOi... 1
AljOa .. 0-7
SiO-2 ... 2 to 3
An average coke contains about O-o^j, S,
0-22% P, and 20° « ash.
Manharpur (Pansira) Ore.
Fe20:t 92-?l
(= G4.9% Fe)
Si02 210
AkO., 1-2.5
MnO n-fl5
CaO 015
PjOj Oil
S trace
Alkalies .,
Loss on ignition 3"50
Sutna Limestone.
0/
CaCO.i 01-80
MgCO.i 1-70
Si02 5-15
FeO 0-25
Fe-20.i 0-32
Al-iO.j O-ol
H-20
0-10
39-86
Analyses of Pig Iron employed by the Bengal Iron Company, Limited.
Brand. C. (graphite). C. (combined). Si. Mn. P. S.
Manharpur 3-00 to 3 "lO 0-20 to 010 2-75to3-2."i 0-20 to 025 015 to 0-25 0-10 to 0-02
Bengal 30O „ 3-2U 030 ,, 010 2-50 ,, 300 OUU ., 120 USO ., I'OO 0-03 „ O'Ofl
put up at Asansol on the Raniganj coalfield.
A large part of the plant has arrived at the .
site and is being erected now. Development
work at the company's mines in the
Singhbhum district has proved very large ore
reserves, and it is stated that over 100,000
tons are already mined. About 5,000 persons
are employed at present.
New Iron and Steel Works. — The
establishment of two new iron and steel
works in India has passed the stage of con-
sideration, and though it is not permissible
at this juncture to give any details about
them, it may be stated that very large iron
ore reserves have been developed on the con-
cessions granted to the promoters, and
supplies of coking coal are assured. Both
these raw materials come from the same
districts as those drawn upon by the existing
companies. The new works may be located
as Chandil on the Bcngal-Nagpur line
between Sini and Adra, and at Manharpur,
respectively.
Subsidiary Industries. — A great deal of
the new plant now under erection at the Tata
Iron & Steel Works is intended to supply
semi-finished steel to subsidiary industries
which are now commencing to grow up at
Jamshedpur and other places in India'
Among these the following may be
mentioned : —
(i) Galvanized Iron. It is anticipated that
the production of sheets for this purpose will
have commenced within the ne.xt twelve
months, and in the meantime the smelter of
the Indian Zinc Co., Ltd., with a capacity
of 10,500 tons of spelter and 25,000 tons of
sulphuric acid per annum, is being built.
The concentrates for the smelter will be
obtained from the Bawdwin mines of the
Burma Corporation, Ltd. The potential
market for galvanized sheets in India may be
judged from the fact that in the fiscal year
ending 1914, the imports of these articles
into the country amounted to 277,595 tons,
valued at £3,584,957.
Production of Pig Iron, Ferro-Manganese, and Steel in
India (in long tons).
Pig Iron. Ferro-Manganese. Steel.
1910 2-U,71U 1,843 131,292
1917 248,132 1.475 162,711
1918 248,018 13,223 182,269
1919 307,374 2,0.50 186,901
1020 317,6:39 1,183 156,240
(ii) Tinplate. The Tinplate Co. of India,
Ltd., has been formed to take up the
manufacture of this article in India, and the
necessary bars or sheets will be purchased
from the Tata Company. The Burma Oil
Co., Ltd., alone is said to require some
50,000 tons of tinplate per annum for the
containers in which some of its products are
marketed.
(iii) Cables. The reduction works of the
Cape Copper Co., Ltd., which arc capable at
present of producing 250 tons of copper per
month, are only 15 miles from Jamshedpur.
It is proposed to establish a cable company
which will make use of steel wire from the
Tata mills and copper from the Rakha Hills
smelter for this purpose.
(iv) Refractories. Reference has already
been made to the Kumardhubi Silica & Fire-
brick Co., Ltd., in which the Tata Iron &
Steel Co., Ltd., holds a large interest. In a
similar manner the Bengal Iron Co., Ltd., is
pursuing a progressive policy in regard to
subsidiary industries in the vicinity of Kulti,
and being a large shareholder in the Bengal
Firebrick Syndicate is thereby certain of a
regular supply of the numerous refractory
materials required in its works, and at the
same time assures the firebrick works of a
steady market for a large proportion of its
total out-turn.
(v) Castings. The Bengal Iron Co., Ltd.,
also owns one-half of the capital of the
Eastern Light Casting Co., Ltd., which is
erecting large foundries for the manufacture
of light castings such as rain-water pipes,
rice bowls, etc.
(vi) ^liscellaneous. Other subsidiary
industries, the establishment of which is
being considered in various parts of India,
include the manufacture of enamelled ware,
1 1
THE MIXING MAGAZINE
whools and railway rolling stock, special
steels, agricultural inipUnunts. ship and
boiler plates, nKuhinery for tea factories,
jute and cotton mills, collieries, etc.
IxoiAN Ikox Okus. — The following data
are taken from the annual and (luinquennial
reviews of mineral production in India,
unless otherwise stated, and the interested
reader is referred to them for fuller details.
They form part of the Records of the
Geological Survey of India.
Indian iron ores of economic importance
may be classified as follows ;
(1) Banded rocks composed of magnetite-
hematitc-quartz schists, associated with
cherts, jaspers, and other rocks of Archtean
age known as the Dharwars, which are now
believed to be the oldest rocks wherever
they occur in India. In these silica-iron ore
rocks the latter constituent is occasionally
concentrated into lenticular bodies of great
size. These deposits are comparable with
those of the Lake Superior region, Brazil, and
other parts of the world, where similar
geological conditions prevail.
(2) Bands and nodules of clay ironstone
found in shales between the coal-bearing
Barakar and Raniganj stages of the
Gondwanas.
(3) Surface and sub-surface ores due to the
segregation of iron o.xide in the superticial
deposits formed by rock weathering in
tropical climates. These are generally found
about the outcrops of the Dharwarian
hematite schists, but they occur also in
rocks of later geological periods.
The deposits of class (1) furnish the ores
which are being smelted to-day. or which it is
proposed to reduce in the near future. Those
of class (2) supplied the ore in the early days
of modern smelting in Bengal, but their use
has been discontinued. The ores of class (3)
were worked by the native smelters to some
e.xtent in the past, but they are only employed
for special purposes on a small scale at
present, for example by the Burma Corpora-
tion, Ltd., as a flux in lead-ore reduction, and
there are no reliable estimates of their total
extent.
The best known examples of class (1) are :
{a) The deposits of Singhbhum and the
feudatory States of Orissa.
[b) The deposits of the Chanda, Drug, and
other districts of the Central Provinces.
(c) The deposits of the Kadur district of
Mysore.
{d) The deposits of Goa and Ratnagiri.
Singhbhum. — This is the name given to
a district wilh ,ui arci of about 3,900 sijuare
miles which lies in the south-east of the
Cluita Xagpur division of the Province of
liih.ir and Orissa. It forms part of the
southern fringe of the Chota Xagpur plateau.
The eastern portions are comparatively open,
but elsewlu're it is very hilly. The ranges
have a general maximum height of about
2,000 ft., which is exceeded by the isolated
peaks. The Government estate of Kolhan,
where very large deposits of iron ore occur,
is in the south-west, while the estate of
Dliallilnnn lies to the east. Singhbhum is
bounded on the west by the Gangpur State,
which contains important manganese and
limestone deposits, and on the south by the
feudatory States of Orissa known as
Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar, and Bonai.
Geologically, its most interesting feature is
a great liatholith of granite which has lifted
up the Dharwar phyllites and schists. (See
map.) A portion of the southern lobe of the
granite is included within the boundaries of
llayurbhanj. The chief iron-ore deposits
of this State lie within the Dharwar rocks to
the east of the batholith and between it and
the main mass of the granite traversing the
States to the south. The Singhbhum iron-ore
deposits and the iron-ore ranges recently
discovered in the Kolhan estate occupy
roughly a similar position to the west of the
batiiolith. Before describing the iron ores in
greater detail it may be mentioned that
Singhbhum is a highly mineralized region.
Close to the northern margin of the batholith.
and extending further to the south-east and
west, is the well-known copper belt, a line of
workings made by the ancients in their
search for copper ores. The Rakha mines of
the Cape Copper Co., Ltd., are close to the
extreme north-eastern lobe of the batholith.
Several miles to the north there is a large
intrusion of dolerite now altered to epidiorite,
known as the Dalma trap. At intervals along
the copper belt there are small lenticular
bodies of magnetite-apatite rock. At
Kalimati, .") miles north of the granite,
wolfram occurs in quartz veins. Nearer the
Dalma trap argentiferous galena has been
found at Dhadka. In addition, various
auriferous quartz lodes are known, while
chromite is associated with peridotites to the
south-west of Chaibasa. The geological
structure and ore deposits of this interesting
region have been described by V. Ball,
J. Malcolm ■Maclaren, L. L. Fermor, C. M.
Weld, and H. C. Jones, to all of whom the
writer is indebted.
JULY, 1921
15
16
Tin: MINING MAGAZINE
The main line of the Benfjal -Nagpur railway
from Calcutta to Hombay crosses Singhbhum
from east to west. At Siiii junction it is
joined b\' a line runnin;,' down from the
Ben!;al coalfields. The new railways under
construction to open up the iron ore deposits
are indicated on the map.
The iron ore deposits that have been
exploited for the longest time are those of
Pansira and Buda Hills, leased by the
Bengal Iron Co., Ltd. The mines arc
situated about 12 miles and 8 miles
respectively south-east of Manharpur station
on the BengaUXagpur railway, with which
they are connected by a narrow-gauge line.
The ore takes the form of veins and bodies
of hematite in banded iron ore-silica rocks.
Many millions of tons have been proved, and
the following is a typical analysis :
Si
2- 10 :
Mn = 005
Fe = 61 00
P = 0-05.
With these deposits as a starting-point,
further prospecting has led to the discovery
of iron ore ranges, which are believed to
continue for forty miles in a south-south-
westerl}^ direction into the Keonjhar State,
only a portion of which has been examined
up to the present time. The most important
range has been surveyed for about 10 miles.
It rises some 1,500 ft. above the sur-
rounding plain and its top is formed
of good iron ore almost without a break.
Another parallel line of hills has been
traced for 7 miles, in which the iron ore
occupies the same position. In the southern
portion it is as good and continuous as in
the adjoining range, but in the north replace-
ment is less complete. In a third range
the ore is confined to patches which are,
however, of considerable importance. To
the west of these ranges there are more
irregular patches of ore occupying the tops
of the hills. These hematites usually
appear to average about 64°(, of iron, with
phosphorus ranging between 003 and 008,
or, in some cases, to as high as O'lo. The
sulphur content is usually below 003.
Titanium is also said to be found occasionally
in the ore, usually either as a trace or in
very small quantities. Samples from the
better parts of the deposits contain as much
as 68 or 69 % of iron. Although com-
paratively little work has been done hitherto
by the concessionaries, enough is known,
according to Sir Henry Hayden, to justify
the belief that the quantities available will
run into hundreds — possibly into thousands
— of millions of tons. A branch of the
Bengal-Nagpur Railway now under con-
struction from Amda to Jamd.i will open
up pari of this region.
.^Ir. H. C. Jones, of the Geological Survey
of India, who is now making a detailed
investigation of these deposits, has shown
that the rocks generally consist of shales or
slates and phyllites, with beds of sandstone,
quartzite, and hematite quartzites. The
latter form the main part of the iron-
bearing series. The ore-bodies are believed
to have been derived from these rocks by
local enrichment, largely by the leaching
of silica and to a less extent by the intro-
duction of iron oxide.
The iron ore deposits of Mayurbhanj, first
noticed bv the Indian geologist Bose, arc
great lenticular leads or bodies of hematite,
with small quantities of magnetite associated
with banded quartzites and quartz-iron ore
rocks. ' They are intimately connected with
granite on the one hand, and granulite rocks
of the- charnockite type on the other. About
a dozen ore-bodies have been located in this
State, which are now estimated to contain
some 39,100,000 tons of non-titaniferous
ores of 60 to 67% of metallic iron. (Sec
C. P. Perin : " The Recent Development in
the Iron and Steel Industry of India " :
American Iron and Steel Institute, October,
1920. p. 5.) The more important ones are
the following :
[a] At Gurumaishini, this hill mass rises
3,000 ft. above sea-level. The ore deposits
occur in three parallel and separate leads,
measuring 7,000, 5,500, and 3,000 ft.
respectively in length and varying from 300
to 700 ft. "in breadth. The total area is
estimated at 19 millions of square feet,
and the total quantity of ore at many
millions of tons. The average composition
of the solid ore is Fe = 6433 ; P =
0075 ; S = 0021 ; SiO. = 1-64. A great
deal of " float " ore of somewhat lower
grade (Fe = 61-5) exists. The iron ore mines
from which the Tata Co. draws its present
supplies are at Gurumaishini.
[h) At Okampad, a single great lens of
iron ore, 12 miles to the south-south-west
of Gurumaishini, covers an area of
300.000 sq. ft., and exhibits at one point a
scarp 300 ft. high. There are also two
smaller outliers and a large area of rich
" float " ores. The average analysis of- four
samples gives the following results : Fe =
6311 ; P = 0-029 ; S = nil.
(c) At Badampahar, 8i miles to the
south-west of Okampad, rises the peak of
JULY, 1921
17
Badampahar, elevation 2,706 ft. Here there
is another single great ore-body,
approximately 3,000 ft. long by 500 ft in
breadth, which with many smaller outhers
occupies the crest of the hill. Outcrops of
massive ore have been measured through a
vertical distance of 600 ft. A broad-gauge
extension of the Gurumaishini Railway is
now under construction from Onlajori Station
on the Tatanagar-Gurumaishini branch, to
open up the Okampad and Badampahar
deposits, and preliminary operations are in
progress to develop the latter.
There are indications that similar geological
conditions may exist in the Pal Lahara State
of Orissa, which is separated from
Mayurbhanj by the Keonjhar State.
Ch.\nda District, Central Pri;vinces. —
The deposits form well-marked bands
associated with the Dharwar rocks. The
ore is usually a very high-grade hematite.
At least ten separate deposits have been
located, and some of them are of large size.
The two best known are at Lohara, where
the ore forms a hill nearly half a mile long,
200 yards wide, and 120 ft. high, and it
has been traced for a further distance of
2J miles ; and Pipalgaon, where there is a
very fine mass of red hematite. The Lohara
deposit i's leased to the Tata Iron & Steel
Co., Ltd., by whom it is held in reserve,
except when small quantities of this quality
of ore are wanted for special purposes. The
grade of the ore may be judged from the
following analyses : —
Lohara : Fe = 69-21 ; S = 0012 ; P =
0-00.3 ; SiO., = 0-82.
Pipalgaon : Fe = 71-05 ; S = trace ; P =
trace ; SiOg = 45.
Drug District. — The iron ores form
conspicuous hillocks rising above the level
of the surrounding country. The most
important of these is a ridge including the
Dhalli and Rajhara Hills, which extends
for 20 miles and attains heights of 400 ft.
above the plain. The ores are associated with
phyllites, and arc often of a banded quartz-
iron ore type, but in places thick lenticular
masses of comparatively fine hematite occur.
Mr. C. M. Weld proved 2J million tons by
diamiond drilling in the Rajhara mass. An
adjoining deposit is assumed to contain
74- million tons, making a total of 10 million
tons, carrying 67 to 68°o of iron with
0-06 to 0-09% of phosphorus.
Similar iron ores are now known to have
a very considerable extension into the
Bastar State to the south, and they are said
by Mr. C. P. Perin to carry a tonnage of
from 20 to 30 times that now reasonably
accurately known.
Mysore. — Smeeth and Iyengar give
particulars of these deposits in Mineral
Resources of Mysore, 1916, p. 65. Iron ores
are widely distributed in Mysore, but are
very variable in character, and in com-
paratively few places are abundant or pure
enough for modern operations. The best
known ores are those of the Bababudan hills
in the Kadur district. The crest of this
horseshoe-shaped chain of hills is formed
nearly entirely of banded quartz-iron ores,
largely hematite with some magnetite. The
various ore fields are separated by intrusive
diorites, often altered into ferruginous clays,
or patches of soil and jungle, or quartzites,
where the overlying series has been denuded
away. A great many million tons of ore
exist in this region, but in widely separated
patches difficult of access. The following
tentative data refer only to one small patch
known as the Kemmangundi field, and are
believed to be conservative. The area is
about 50 acres and the surface conditions
are expected to continue to 50 ft. or more in
depth. Taking an average depth of only
25 ft., the total tonnage is estimated at
4,000,000 tons of an average composition of
Fe = 57 ; SiO., = 2 ; S = 0-05 ; and P
= 0-08. This and a smaller deposit in the
vicinity arc estimated to yield three-quarters
of a million tons with Fe = 61 to 62, and
P = 0-05, and two million tons with Fe = 56
to 57, and P = 009. These are only two
deposits out of a large number at distances
of from 1 to 10 miles from this point.
On an area of 9 or 10 square miles in the
neighbourhood of Kalhattigiri, the orf^ exists
practically at the surface, and Dr. Smeeth
has concluded that 3 square miles are
occupied by good ore. Assuming that the
surface ore extends to at least 10 ft., the
amount available is 83,000,000 tons. The
outer crusts, say to 3 or 4 ft., would yield
25,000,000 tons, carrying 60 to 65% iron,
and the remaining 6 or 7 ft. some
60,000,000 tons containing 55 to 58°; iron
with about 8% of combined water. The
amount of phosphorus is somewhat high,
varying from 0-044 to 0-105%.
GoA AND Ratnagiri. — The iron ores of
these regions are of Dharwarian age, and
crop out in the midst of laterites. At the
surface they are mixtures of limonite and
hematite with minute crystals of magnetite.
At Bicholim in Goa the main ore band has
18
TIIF, MINIXr, MACA/INK
been traced for 7 kilometres, and is said to
vary from 30 to 100 metres in width. Tlie
hard ore is beheved to be a surface hydratcd
form of a friable, schistose, micaceous
hematite found unaltered at about f)!) ft.
bilow the surface. On account of the extent
of the outcrops, however, the hard ore is
jirobably available in large quantities.
.\nalyses show that it is of high grade, very
low in silica, and with a phosphorus content
below the Bessemer limit. The Ratnagiri
ores arc of the same tj-pe.
Other Ore Deposits. — Iron ores occur
throughout peninsular India in association
with the ancient crystalline rocks of which it is
built up, but by far the majority of them arc
so intimately blended with quartz that only
a very siliceous low-grade material can be
obtained without concentration. These
occurrences of quartz-iron ore schist are so
common that newly recorded instances of
them are generallj' passed over as matters
of very little immediate economic irUcrest.
An attempt has been made in the preceding
paragraphs to indicate how, during the past
few years, more detailed survey work has
brought to light distinct ore-bodies of great
size and richness, especially in the Central
Provinces and Singhbhum, Mayurbhanj ,
and Orissa. No useful purpose could be
served by giving the very lengthy lists of
all the iron ore occurrences which are known
in practically every province. These have
already been collected by T. H. D. La Touche
in his annotated index of Indian Minerals
of Economic Importance.
Coal Supplies. — The question of the
supplies of metallurgical coke which are
likely to be required to meet the expansion
of the Indian iron and steel industry is a
most important one, and may now be con-
sidered briefly.
The output of coal in India is steadil}'
increasing, having risen from about 5 million
tons per annum twenty years ago to over
20 million tons to-dav. The total production
in 1919 amounted" to 22,628,000 tons,
w'ithout reckoning the amount taken by the
miners for their own use. Of this total,
the Jherria and Raniganj fields produced
53-68 and 30-12% respectively, and the
smaller Gondwana coalfields of Bihar and
Orissa a further 8-56°o.
In 1918 the Government of India, in view
of the large avoidable waste of coal known
to occur on the Raniganj and Jherria fields,
engaged Mr. Treharne Rees to visit them and
advise on the best methods of securing
greater economy in the jiroduction and con-
sumption of coal. Mr. Rees' report was
submitted in August, 1919, and his principal
reconnnendations include more efiiciiiil
nuthods of coal extraction, the more
economic use of power and more general
employment of electricity, the improvement
of methods of coke-making, the introduction
ol coal mixing, the more extended employ-
ment of screening, the possibilities of
briquette manufacture, etc.
In January, 1920, the Government of
India appointed a committee to consider
Mr. Rees' report. It included representatives
of the royalty owners, mining associations,
firms engaged in mining, the Director of the
Geological Survey of India, the Chief
Inspector of Mines, and the Mining ICngineer
to the Railway Board. This committee
toured the coalfields, examined numerous
witnesses, and published a lengthy report in
June, 1920.
In dealing with the question of coke pro-
duction the committee show that only very
approximate figures are available of the
higher grade of coking coal reserves. The
Raniganj coalfield alone contains over twenty
thousand million tons of coal of all kinds, but
most of this is inferior and only 518 million
tons of first-class coal are estimated to exist.
The addition of the Jherria reserves of the
best coal brings the total up to nearl}' a
thousand million tons. To the west of
Jherria the Bokaro field is said to contain
over si.x hundred million tons of coking coal,
and it is possible that further reserves will be
found in the untouched Karanpura fields still
further to the west. Apart from these the
only other coking coal known to occur in any
quantity in India is that of Assam, the high
sulphur content of which, however, makes it
imfit for metallurgical purposes. The com-
mittee concluded that as far as is known at
present, India will be dependent for
metallurgical coke on the fields of the
Damuda valley, and that although the total
amount of coal they contain is undoubtedly
verj' large, the quantity available for coke
manufacture is strictly limited. Unless the
resources are conserved and the use of the
coal of lower grade substituted, wherever
possible, for that of the better coking
qualities, India may be faced at no very
distant date with the loss of her metallurgical
industries for want of coke. If the present
rate of increase is maintained and an
opportunist policy persisted in, the known
reserves of two thousand million tons of
I
JULY, 1921
19
high-grade coking coals would be extracted
in forty years.
Having come to this conclusion the com-
mittee made a number of recommendations
to the Government of India, which still has
them under consideration. These included
the formation of a new Government Depart-
ment and a Board as controlling authorities
with legal powers designed to ensure con-
servation and econom.ic extraction of coal.
It is necessary to point out that the mining
engineer of the Railway Board submitted a
minority report in which he stated his own
personal belief that in the recently proved
portions of the Jherria and Raniganj fields
and in the Bokaro and Karanpura fields there
are at least 300 years supply of good quality
coal available.
It will be seen that the authorities are well
aware of the position, and in the writer's
opinion there is no need to fear that the
growth of the Indian iron and steel industry
is likely to be checked by the lack of metal-
lurgical coke. Apart from the question of
conservation, there are possibilities of ex-
tensions to known reserves of high-class coal
in the undeveloped fields and to the results
of research in the mixing, washing, and
flotation of the poorer qualities.
The results of recent investigations in the
United Kingdom on froth flotation as applied
to the washing of industrial coal arc of
peculiar interest to India, as they have
demonstrated that metallurgical fuels of
a high degree of purity can be made from
coals possessing a high ash content.
Conclusions. — According to Mr. C. P.
Perin : " Since the beginning of the war
prospecting parties have been continuously
in the field working in a quadrangle 400 miles
east and west by 200 miles north and south,
beginning at Calcutta as the north-east
corner. After investigations by some twenty
prospectors, engineers of experience, and
geologists connected with the different com-
panies, there is now estimated to be about
20,000 million tons of high-grade iron ore
within a maximum distance of the fuel of 500
miles and an average distance of 120 to 130
miles."
It will thus be seen that India possesses
sufficient high-grade iron ores to supply an
iron and steel industry of the first magnitude,
and the rapid developments which are taking
place show that this fact is fully appreciated
by capitalists. The day would not seem to be
far distant when India will be self-supporting
as regards iron and steel and probably
exporting pig iron to outside markets, for
in the opinion of those best able to judge it
can be produced comparatively cheaply,
owing to the low assembly costs consequent
on the close proximity of raw materials and
the cheap rates of freight.
THE DIP COMPASS
By HENRY LOUIS, M.A., D.Sc, A.R.S.M., M.Inst.C.E., etc..
Professor of Mining, Armstrong College, Newcastle-on-Tyne.
Methods of magnetic surveying are
employed for locating such ore deposits as
distinctly affect an ordinary magnetic needle ;
such are mineral deposits that consist, or,
at any rate, contain a large proportion, of
cither magnetite or pyrrhotite ; the former
occur extensively in Scandinavia, Canada,
and the Northern L'nited States, as well as
less abundantly in other places, while the
best-known example of the latter is to be
found in the important copper-nickel deposits
of Sudbur}', where these magnetic methods
have, in fact, rendered excellent service.
Comparatively recently attem.pts have been
made to extend the principles involved to the
location of ore-bodies of relatively low-
magnetic permeability, such as beds of
ordinary ironstone. The 'method was
elaborated by Mr. G. W. Walker under the
auspices of the Iron Ore Committee of the
Conjoint Board of Scientific Societies, of
which I was Chairman, and a full report
will be found in the Philosophical
Transactions of the Royal Society, series
A, vol. ccxix (1919), page 73. This method,
however, requires elaborate and delicate
instruments, and its consideration is beyond
the scope of the present article, which refers
exclusively to the methods as above defined.
Owing to the fact that so many of the Swedish
ore deposits carr\' large proportions of
magnetite, these methods have originated
and have been mainly worked out in Sweden.
The earliest form of instrument appears to
have been the Swedish so-called miner's
compass, the invention of which is ascribed
to Daniel Tilas, who died in 1672. As will
be seen from Fig. 1, it consists of a cylindrical
brass box, usually li to 2 in. in diameter, and
of about the same depth, with a domed
20
THE MIXING MACAZIXE
glass cover. In the centre of the l>ox there
is a long steel pointed pin, on which revolves
a cap, to which a magnetic needle is pivoted,
so that tins needle i; free to move in hotli a
horizontal and a vertical plane. Tliere are
no graduations, but a line is drawn round
the inside of the bo.\, which indicates the
normal level of the north-seeking end of the
needle when subject only to the magnetic
influence of the earth. If this instrument
is taken to any place where there i'^ any
magnetic influence other than that normally
lUie to the earth, the north end of the needle
will come to rest cither above or below the
marked line, and from its position an
experienced man can tell whether magnetic
deposits of any importance arc likely to
exist or not below the spot that is thus
tested. It will be noted that the appliance
is a crude one, but its indications are quite
useful to a skilled observer.
Another form was introduced into the
United States about 186C). which is generally
spoken of as the American dip compass
(see Fig. 2). It consists of a shallow brass
box, '.i to IJ in. in diameter, and 1 to J in.
deep, in which a magnetic needle is suspended
on a horizontal axis so as to be capable of
moving in a vertical plane only. The flat
sides of the box are made of glass, and it
contains a graduated arc so that the amount
of dip can be read off. It is made by Messrs.
W. & L. E. Gurley, of Troy, New York, and
other American makers, and has also been
copied by instrument makers in this country.
In use it is placed horizontally and turned
until the needle points to the zero of the
graduation, and is then turned up into a
vertical position so that the needle swings
in the plane of the local magnetic meridian,
when the amount of dip can be read off from
the graduations. About 1898 I introduced
an improved form in which I attempted to
combine the advantages of the American
and Swedish instruments ; this I described
fully in 1899 (see Journal of the Iron and
Steel Institiiie, 1899, i, p. 80). It con.sists
of a box like the American compass, only
deeper, being Sin. in diameter and liin.
deep, with glass sides. The needle is
suspended as in the Swedish instrument,
and behind it a semicircular arc is pivoted
concentrically with the horizontal axis of
the needle, so that the arc always hangs
with its zero line horizontal. By turning
the box until the needle swings freely about
the vertical suspension it sets itself in the
local magnetic meridian, and the amount of
dip can be read off witli considerable
accuracy. The instrument is made by Mr.
F. Robson, of Newcastle-on-Tyne, and I
was able to do some good work with it. I
have, however, aliandoned it entirely for
the form whicli I propose to describe
presentlv. It h.id two drawbacks : the
delicate suspensions were too ajit to become
deranged with work in the field, but abo\'e
all it shared \\\\.h all the instruments above
described the serious drawback that it
indicated dips in the plane of the local
magnetic meridian, the objections to which
method will be pointed out in the sequel.
Meanwhile, between 1870 and about
1880, two Swedish instruments, the Thalen
magnetometer and the Tiberg inclinator,
had been devised ; thry were subsequently
combined in one instrument, which is
practically the only instrument used at all
extensively in Sweden to-day, and which is
known as' the Thalen-Tiberg magnetometer.
This is used for making complete magnetic
surveys of the area in which there are reasons
for supposing that magnetic minerals occur ;
by this means curves of horizontal and
vertical intensity can be plotted, from which
the position of the ore deposit can be deduced.
For a full description of these methods,
the reader may be referred to a small work
on the subject by Eugene Haanel, " On the
Location and Examination of Magnetic
Ore Deposits by Magneto-metric Measure-
ments," published by the Canadian Depart-
ment of Mines in ioO-l, which is entirely
based upon the well-known work of
Th. Dahlblom published at Falun in 1898.
Without denying that this method may at
times give information of the highest
importance, my own experience has been
that the results from an economic standpoint
are not always reliable. Moreover, it is a
somewhat slow and laborious method, and
I have for some time past come to the
definite conclusion that the results obtainable
bv it are not commensurate with the cost
and labour involved in obtaining them. I
have, therefore, reverted to the simple
reading of dip angles as in the American
dip compass, but have adopted the form
of needle used in the Swedish magneto-
meter, which is intended to be read in a
plane at right angles to the magnetic
meridian. The dip compass thus designed,
which I have used very successfully for
a good many years, is now being put on the
market by Messrs. T. Cooke & Sons, Ltd.,
York.
JULY, 1921
21
IlG. 3.
w
Fig. 4.
ur
Fig. 5.
As shown in Fig. 3, it consists of a brass
box, some -1 in. in diameter by about f in.
deep, the sides being made of glass, or better
still, of transparent celluloid. It is suspended
by a gimbal attachment, so that when held
freely it hangs so that the line adjoining the
zeros of graduation is truly horizontal ;
the base also allows it to be set on any level
surface when more accurate observations
1—4
22
Til
MIXINT. MA(>A;^INE
arc desired. In tlic I'kKI I often use a light
hand-camera trip<xl for this ])ur]iose. The
needle is suspended in carefully eentrrd
jewels, and it is necessary that much care
and close attention should be bestowed
upon the horizontal axis, so that the
suspension mav be highly accurate and work
with the minimum of friction. The needle
has a screw thread cut on one end (usually
the south-seeking end), and on this a counter-
poise, in the form of a small nut, moves
smoothly but stiflly, so that the needle
may be accurately adjusted in a truly
horizontal position. Below the centre of the
needle is a short pin of hard brass, also with
a fine screw thread cut on it, and a little
milled nut travels on this, so that the centre
of gravity' of the sj'stem can be brought to
any desired point below the centre of
suspension. By placing it flat and turning
the box the needle can be brouglit into
coincidence with the 00° mark of the
graduation ; on now turning the instrument
into a vertical position, the needle will be
constrained to move in a vertical plane at
right angles to the local magnetic meridian.
In order to understand the principles
involved, it is necessary to recall brieffy
some of the elementary facts concerning the
magnetism of the earth. If a magnetized
steel needle be suspended quite freely from
its centre of gravity, it will set tangentially
to the lines of force in the magnetic field of
the earth at that point, or, in other words,
the magnetic force of the earth will be acting
along the axis of the needle. It is convenient
to resolve this force into its horizontal and
vertical components ; in order to give
some idea of the forces involved it may
be mentioned that in this country the
horizontal intensity {H) is about 0T85 C.G.S.
units, and the vertical intensity (V) about
0-435 C.G.S. units. It need hardly be said
that these values are continually changing,
though the change is a relatively slow one.
Assuming that a magnetic needle be
suspended from its centre of gravity in the
plane of the magnetic meridian at a spot
where it is subject only to the magnetic
influence of the earth, it will then have a
definite dip or inclination ; let the angle
of inclination measured from the horizontal
be / ; now let the needle be placed in
another plane making an angle a with the
plane of the magnetic meridian, and let its
V
H cos a, hence tan i =
tan I
dip be i. Then tan I
H-
in the second
position the horizontal intensity becomes
H cos a cos a
.Vccordingh', when a is 00°, or the needle
is in a ])lane at right-angles to the
magnetic meridian, )' becomes 00°, and
is then a maximum. Furthermore, it is
evident that in this position H has no
effect upon the inclination of the needle,,
and its action is therefore eliminated. If a
needle be brought to a spot where it is subject
to a magnetic influence other than that of
the earth, as, for instance, if it is brought
near a mass of magnetite, if the needle is in
the plane of the local magnetic meridian,
both the horizontal and vertical components
of the field due to the mass of magnetite as
well as those due to the field of the eartii
will affect the needle. Conceivably the com-
ponents of the former miglit be in the same
ratio as those of the latter, and in this case
the dip of the needle would not be altered,,
and the presence of the deposit would not
be detected ; even if this were to occur,
it would only be in one position, and the
presence of the deposit would be detected
by an alteration in the dip of the needle
as soon as a second observation was made.
Moreover, in the vast majority of cases the
vertical component due to a mineral deposit
below the surface of the earth is much greater
than the horizontal component, and there-
fore the dip of the needle is in most cases,
affected. It is, however, obvious that since
the dip depends upon a number of variable
conditions, the relation between the angle'
of dip and the magnitude of the magnetic
forces involved cannot be stated in general
terms, but must be determined independently
for each set of conditions ; it can only be
said quite generally that the extent to which
the dip is affected will as a rule be greater,
the greater the magnetic forces involved.
In other words, observations with the-
magnetic needle in the magnetic meridian
have a qualitative but not a quantitative
value. It is on tliis account that I now
always work with the magnetic needle
at right angles to the plane of the
meridian when quantitative measurements
can be obtained, as will appear from the
following considerations.
In Fig. 4 !£) is a counterpoise sliding along
the needle to counterbalance the vertical
component of the earth's magnetic force
when the needle is in a plane at right angles
to the magnetic meridian ; it is set at a
distance h from the centre of the needle, and
W is a small weight placed at a distance r-
i
JULY, 1921
23
from the centre of suspension of the needle.
Let the distance between the poles of the
inagnetic needle be 21 and let tn be the
magnet pole strength. Then wh = mV2l.
Now let the needle be brought into a field
whose strength vertically is V-\-dV, where
dV represents the change in the vertical
component of the field, and let the needle
now come to rest in an inclined position
making an angle of inclination b to the
horizontal (Fig. 5) . The equation of moments
is now w h cos b + W r sin b = in V2l. cos b
+ m [dV) 21 cos b, whence /an b = TlMZ13^
Wr
and dV =
Wr tan b
~W2T
Thus the change in the field is propor-
tionate _ to the tangent of the angle of
inclination ; for small angles no serious error
will be committed if the change in the field
is taken as proportional to the angle itself.
Furthermore, it will he seen that the angle
becomes greater as r is diminished, so that
the needle can be made very sensitive, and
will indicate bigger angles of inclination for
the same change in the magnetic field if the
small weight IF is brought closer to the
point of suspension of the needle. By the
construction of the instrument m, I, and W
are constant.
In order to make a series of observations,
the needle must first of all be adiu--ted at
a place near the field to be investigated,
where there is no magnetic attraction other
than that of the earth itself. The compass
is now placed flat and turned until the south
end of the needle coincides with the 90°
graduation ; it should be gently tapped to
make sure that it is in the magnetic meridian.
The compass bo.\ must now be turned into
a vertical position when it will be in a plane
at right angles to the magnetic meridian ;
one of the side cover glasses is now removed,
and the counterpoise k< is screwed to and fro
until the needle is exactly horizontal. The
cover glass is replaced, and the instrument
is taken to the field to be examined. The
same procedure is repeated ; the instrument
is held horizontally until the south end of the
needle, moving freely, coincides with the 90°
graduation mark. It is then turned into a
vertical position and the inclination of the
needle is noted-; inclinations of the north
end are usually given a + sign, and those of
the south end a — sign. If the readings
are too small or too large for convenience,
these can be altered by moving the small
weight W towards or from the point of
support, but its position must not be again
altered while a set of readings are being
taken in a given field.
It will be noted from the above in-
vestigation that if the plane of the needle
does not coincide exactly with the plane
perpendicular to the magnetic meridian, a
small deviation will produce no serious
error. Seeing that cos 8° = 0-99, even if the
plane of the needle is 8° out of the plane
perpendicular to the meridian, the error
in the tangent of the angle of inclination
would only amount to 1%.
If desired, this dip compass can be used
for setting out curves of equal vertical
intensity, exactly as is done with the
elaborate and expensive Swedish instrument,
the method here recommended being at
least as accurate and much more rapid,
although it requires two observers. Instead
of setting out a network of squares over the
ground as is done in the Swedish method,
I recommend that one observer use the dip
compass, in conjunction with another who
will plot the position of the first observer by
surveying, preferably using a plane table.
For this purpose I strongly recommend the
use of the tacheometric plane table (see my
paper on this subject in the Transactions of
the Institution of Civil Engineers, vol. cciii,
1917, page 359). This method will be found
satisfactory and expeditious, and can, of
course, be combined with the survey of the
area under examination.
This form of dip compass also renders
important services underground when
working deposits of magnetite or pyrrhotite.
Assume that an approximately vertical
lenticular mass of such ore has been opened
up by means of an adit which has penetrated
into the ore-body ; obviously if a dip
compass be taken into the adit it will he
affected by the ore both above and below
the adit ; at the surface above the deposit
the needle will probably show a well-marked
dip ; the dip will be less in the adit because
the portion of the deposit above the adit will
be drawing the needle upwards while the
portion below the adit draws it downwards,
and it is thus easy to determine whether the
adit has cut the deposit above or below its
centre, and even to form some idea of the
depth to which the deposit is likely to
extend. If the deposit is opened up at several
different levels and such observations are
made at each level, quite reliable conclusions
as to the permanence in depth of the deposit
can be drawn.
24
THi: MINIKC, M.UiAZIXl':
BOOK RFA'IEWS
A Geological Map of the World.
Hy HuNKY li. Milm;k, .M.A., I'.G.S. On
Moiratoi's Projection ; one slicet 15 in.
by -S in. Price "i.'is. net. London : lulw.mi
Stiinford, Ltd.
The primary object of this publication is
the presentation in an easily accessible form
of an accurate geological map of the world,
compiled from the most recent and authentic
stratigraphical criteria available. L'or a
long time the need has been felt for a general
" inde.x " map of this nature, which, while
omitting detailed definition such as must
necessarily be obtained from a stud}- of
original large scale maps of a particular
region, depicts the broader outlines of the
geology of the country whereof that region
forms a part. Moreover, the co-ordination
and correlation of the results of strati-
graphical work by different geologists
in contiguous countries is desirable in
order that our geological knowledge of the
continents of the world could be summarized
as far as present data permitted. .\ com-
parison of this map with Marcou's well-
known work published some fifty j^ears
ago shows at a glance the enormous amount
of pioneer field-work carried out since that
time, and if only as a tribute to the ability
and perseverance of those engaged in this
research, the map was most certainly
justified.
Geological investigation, whether carried
out by national survey or by private
individuals, must of necessity be limited in
scope ; its very nature demands the careful
observation of comparatively small areas
in great detail if it is to be of ultimate
scientific or economic value ; hence there is
bound to be a natural tendency towards the
accumulation of a vast amount of local
geological data, which, by reason of its
magnitude, may and often does uncon-
sciously mask the larger and fundamentally
more important geological issues. This wider
view of the potentiality of such work can
only be appreciated by the co-ordination of
the more far-reaching elements of knowledge
localh' amassed, and a geological map of
the world would seem to be the best medium
for utilizing such knowledge to the fullest
extent in illustrating the fundamental
geology and tectonics of the earth's crust.
Particularly in the study of such authors
as Suess or de Lapparent is a map of this
description desirable for constant reference,
to ]iiomote cohesjiin <if thounlit and lo
facilitate tlii' grasp of dcietiinis \\lii(h they
seek to estal)lisli.
The map is drawn on Mercator's pro-
jection, and its size is appro.\imalei\- 1.5 in.
l)y "JS in : latitude and longitude ari' clearly
delnied lo enable jirecise localities to be
li\ed, but no place-names whatever are
printed on the maj). Inclusion of such names
would have undoubtedly complicated the
intricate geological detail shown in many
cases, and would have made tiie defining
lines between different gecjlogical systems
dil'licult to follow, especially in such countries
as luuope and North America ; actually
this omission of place-names is of little
consequence to those to whom the map will
make its greatest appeal, since it may be
safely presumed that their geographical
knowledge is comprehensive enough to
embrace such names as might possibly have
been incorporated in a map of this size.
In any case its study in conjunction with
topographical maps of the countries repre-
."^enled is advocated by the author. The
colours used are as far as possible uniform
with the standard international colour-
scheme adopted in publications of this nature,
though certain additional conventions have
been introduced to depict undifferentiated
geological systems such as the Trias-Jurassic,
as in Australia, New Zealand, South Africa,
etc. In the pamphlet issued with the map,
the author explains the reasons for the
blank spaces occurring, and for the omission
of certain geological data resulting from the
survey of some of the better known inland
watercourses of Central South America,
Central Africa, and Siberia ; in the former case
either no authentic stratigraphical records
exist, or if they do, their comparatively
sketchy character inhibits their inclusion ;
in the latter instance the reduction to the
varying scale necessitated by the size and
projection of the map of such results as are
published is thereby rendered impracticable,
and no possible scientific value would accrue
to the mere insertion of a few short sinuous
lines bordered by hazy, narrow bands of
colour, representing the geology of one or
two little known rivers. The author's con-
tention that such blank spaces are better
left until more arcal work is carried out in
those countries (when published results
can easily be added by the intelligent reader)
is certainly sound, and more in keeping with
the character and purpose of this publication
as a whole.
JULY, 1921
25
The specific utility of a map of this
description is twofold ; scientific and
economic. Scientifically its uses are obvious
in all branches of academic instruction ;
for the student it forms a basis for a broad
and intensive study of the geology of the
world ; for the professional geologist it
constitutes a ready means of reference to
regional geology otherwise only accessible
at a great deal of trouble and bibliographical
research. Economically it portrays to the
capable observer those essential geological
factors cognate to any enterprise for the
development of the natural mineral wealth
of the world, since the dominant igneous
or sedimentary nature of a particular region
can be at once ascertained, the more
important coalfields located, and the probable
petroliferous regions suggested from a close
study of structure and disposition of likely
formations such as those of Tertiary age.
Copper Refining. By Lawrence Addicks.
Cloth, octavo, 206 pages, illustrated.
Price 17s. net. New York and London :
The McGraw-Hill Book Co.
The book, to a large extent, contains the
results of ^Mr. Addicks' personal experience in
this branch of metallurgj', and comprises
a series of articles each dealing with one of
the problems of copper refining. These
articles appeared originally in Chemical and
Metallurgical Engineering, and have now been
embodied in a volume, seeing that the
literature dealing with the principles of
operation of electrolytic copper refining is
limited. The work is in a way unique,
inasmuch as it deals largely with possible
losses and errors in the various stages of
copper refining, while the economic side of
the subject is carefully considered through-
out.
It contains 13 chapters under the following
headings : I. JMetal Losses ; II, Metals in
Process ; III, Tank Resistance ; IV, Current
Density ; V, Current Efficiency ; VI,
Impurities ; VII, By-products ; VIII,
Furnace Refining ; IX, The Requirements of
Refined Copper ; X, Copper from Secondary
^laterial ; XI, The Power Problem ; XII,
Elements of Design ; XIII, Application to
Other Fields.
The salient points in connexion with the
sampling of the various refinery materials are
clearly indicated. This is of the first
importance in any investigation of metal
loss, as the values shown by the sample have
to be paid for whether they exist or not.
Some assaying precautions are given,
especially in conne.xion with bullion, and
the author wisely points out that " mis-
management in the laboratory may easily
affect the apparent or financial metal losses ".
Metal losses, such as those in slags, stacks,
and processes, are dealt with ; in the last-
mentioned there are included such losses as :
(1) silver and gold in outgoing copper, (2)
silver in outgoing gold, (3) gold in outgoing
silver, and (4) values such as selenium,
platinum, etc., lost in by-products.
A careful survey is taken of the metals
undergoing electrolytic treatment, and the
means are indicated of checking the position
at each stage of the process. Since this class
of refining takes considerably longer than
fire processes (which are as a rule not so
satisfactory technically), there are large
amounts of valuable metals locked up and
these impose heavy interest charges. It is
shown that an increase of current density
is closely related to plant investment and the
quantities of metals continually under treat-
ment, while the power required increases
nearly as the square of the current density.
A detailed study is made of the possibilities of
improving tank resistance, since, in practice,
a number of resistances and counter electro-
motive forces have to be overcome. It is
also shown that the current density is the
factor of an electrolytic process which is
more important than all others in the design
and operation of a plant, as so many items
depend upon it in order to obtain the best
return for the capital invested.
The question of current efficiency is
discussed, and the author shows that,
although nine sources of loss are always
present, 3'et they can all be kept low. In
a badly running plant the current efficiency
may be as low as 60% ; he regards 85°o as
poor ; good balanced operations will give
92°o ; while with efficiency regardless of
expense 99°o may be obtained.
About 20 pages are devoted to impurities,
which are placed under six main headings :
(1) Sources; (2) Exits; (3) Distribution;
(4) Chemical requirements of refined copper ;
(5) Recovery of soluble impurities from the
electrolyte ; and (6) Recovery of insoluble
impurities from anode slimes. Very useful
information is given in connexion with the
purification of the electrolyte, while the
various elements, usually associated with
copper, are discussed. The means by which
the anode slimes are worked up into market-
able materials are given, and the by-products
26
THE MINING MAGAZINE
are divided into three main classes : (1)
Those which are readily marketable in any
quantity (gold, silver, platinnni, palladium,
lead, nickel, and antimony) ; (2) Those
which have a limited and therefore a widely
fluctuating market (bismuth, arsenic, cobalt,
selenium) ; and (3) Materials which have no
market at the present time (tellurium).
The requirements for a slime process are
stated, and it is pointed out that, as the
material usually runs 35 or 10% silver and
i^o of gold, every b3'-product must be re-
treated for values contained. As the slime is
a valuable material, it is essential that the
bulk of the gold and silver should be
recovered as rapidly as possible. This
involves three main steps : (1) The pro-
duction of a nearly copper-free slime ; (2)
Smelting the slime from No. 1 to dore
bullion ; and (3) Parting the metal obtained.
A considerable amount of attention is given
to these stages, and the author shows, by
means of flow-sheets, the advance which
has been made in the treatment of copper-
anode slimes during the past 20 j-ears. This
difficult branch of the metallurgy of a
copper refinery is treated in a very lucid
manner.
About 18 pages are devoted to Furnace
Refining, and the various stages of the process
are described : Charging, melting, flapping,
skimming, coking, poling, and pouring. The
section on pouring is of special interest, as
development is traced from the Welsh
practice of using a ladle holding some 15 or
20 lb. of copper to the special twin ladle with
which casting can be conducted at the rate of
over 100,000 lb. an hour. Some attention
is given to the preparation of moulds, the
formation and retreatment of slags, and the
thermal efficiency of the refining furnace. As
regards future developments, it is pointed
out that, during 20 years, the furnaces have
changed from 20 to 250 tons per 24 hours
capacit}^ and larger furnaces could easily be
built were there any justification for it.
The hearth is now constructed of magnesite
brick for corrosive charges, while the walls,
verb, and sometimes the entire roof are now
built of chrome or magnesite brick.
Although the bulk of the world's copper
is refined clectrolytically, yet two
reverberatory treatments are retained : the
anode and the refining furnaces. The first
operation is satisfactory, but the latter,
instead of being a simple melting, really
becomes a complete refining ; the author
mentions the possibilities of the electric
furnace and of continuous melting, l)ul he
considers the latter more attractive.
The reciuirements of refined copper are con-
sidered under the headings of conductivity,
pitch, ductility, castings, and dimensions,
over about 17 pages. Much useful in-
formation is given which is illustrated by
means of graphs and references to original
pajxrs in the Transactions of the .\merican
Institute of Mining Engineers. The pro-
duction of cofiper and incidental metals
from secondary materials is often a paying
proposition, and this book contains con-
siderable guidance respecting the treatment
of this class of material, which may consist
of junk, mill products, metallurgical pro-
ducts, and refinery by-products.
The power problem of an electrolytic
copper refinery is considered merely from the
general requirements and limitations of the
problem as a whole. There is, of course,
available heat from the reverberatories for
the generation of .steam, and, if the running
is sufficiently uniform, it may not be
necessary to use power generated in other
ways, such as by a hydro-electric or gas
plant. The author places the current
density at 18 amperes per sq. ft. in average
practice and the temperature of the
electrolyte at 130° F. ; under these circum-
stances the power consumption will
approximate 350 kilowatt-hours per ton of
copper deposited. With a refinery having
a capacity of 100,000 tons a year, a power
capacity of 4,000 kw. should be available.
Under the heading " Elements of Design "
some space is given to the location of plants.
The author states that the nations of
Europe, since the war, have developed a
desire to control key industries complete
within their borders, and this may bring
about the building of new refineries.
Important points in connexion with the
design of the power-house, tank-house, and
the furnaces are reviewed, while a certain
amount of attention is given to silver-
refining and to purification. Two main
principles should be kept in mind in operating
the plant : (1) All the impurities should be
removed as far as possible at the anode
furnace ; (2) Operating conditions should be
brought to the highest limits of uniformity.
The book is concluded with a chapter on
the application of electrolytic refining to
other fields, and the cases of the precious
metals, zinc, and lead are specially con-
sidered. The electrolytic process for lead
is particularly interesting, as it has to com-
JULY, 1921
27
pete with the efficient Parkcs process, and
apparently the only economic advantage it
possesses is that the bismuth present can
be saved.
Dr. Percy stated that metallurgy is the
art of extracting metals from their ores and
adapting them to various purposes of
manufacture with profit. It has evidently
been the object of the author to indicate
those points, often small ones, where savings
and improvements can be effected, so that
the refinery may be worked under the best
conditions for economical efficiency and a
suitable return obtained for the capital
expended.
The work contains a number of flow-
sheets, diagrams of processes, and other
useful data ; there are many suggestions for
future developments and consequently much
food for reflection. We strongly recommend
this volume to all who are interested in the
metallurgy of copper.
W. H. Merrett.
A Text Book of Assaying. By C. and
J. J. Beringer. Fifteenth edition, revised
by H. R. Beringer. Cloth, octavo,
480 pages. Price 12s. 6d. net. London :
Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd.
Those whose business it is to watch the
development and progress of assaying in
its various branches cannot have failed to
notice the comparative scarcity of good
books on the subject by English authors.
America, with its huge mineral resources and
constantly varying metallurgical problems,
affords ample scope for new methods and
modifications of existing methods to meet
local conditions. Consequently it is not
surprising to find that the majority of
present-day books on assaying or metal-
lurgical analysis are American in their
origin or inspiration. It is all the more a
matter for congratulation, therefore, that
the work under consideration, weU-known to
mining men the world over, should reach
a fifteenth edition.
The edition under review preserves the
familiar form and arrangement of previous
editions, and contains new matter relative
to the assays of tin, tungsten, copper, arsenic,
zinc, and manganese. The section on tin
contains the assay method associated with
the name of the late J. J. Beringer, and, with
the account of Hutchin's lime method and of
the Pearce-Low assay, constitutes an
excellent survey of the present position of
tin ' assaying. A valuable addition to this
section is an appendix, containing the assay
methods of the Eastern Smelting Company,
Penang. The section on tungsten includes
the latest work of Hutchin on the use of
cinchonine. Other additional features are
the well - known aluminium and hypo
separations for copper, the Volhard assay for
manganese, and Low's method for zinc.
It would perhaps be idle to criticize a
book which has so firmly established itself
as a standard book of reference. We confess
to some surprise, however, that no reference
is made either to any bismuthate method
for manganese, or to the glyoxime method for
nickel. It may be put forward that the cost
of these reagents (a first cost only in the case
of glyoxime, since it is readily recoverable)
is a bar to their use on mines or works in
remote districts. Nevertheless, in a book
used so largely by students, we think they
deserve at least a brief mention. It is
presumably chiefly as an exercise for students
that the dry assay of nickel and cobalt is
given prominence.
Under the heading of chromium a gravi-
metric method is described for the
determination of this element in steel.
Standing alone as this method does, it is
apt to create the impression that no other
method exists for this purpose, whereas
there are obviously several good and much
used volumetric methods.
Some of these matters are inconsistencies
rather than defects, and, containing as it
does few methods that are not chemically
sound, the book should continue to hold its
own as a reference book for those connected
with mines and for technical chemists in
general.
B. Drinkwater.
Compressed Air Plant. By Robert
Peele. Fourth edition, cloth, octavo,
506 pages, illustrated. Price 25s. net.
New York : John Wiley & Sons ; London :
Chapman & Hall.
The extension of the use of compressed
air during the last decade or two and the
certainty of a still greater recognition of its
advantages in the near future make the
subject one of considerable importance to
engineers, whether civil, mechanical, or
mining. How wide the field of application of
this medium of power transmission has
become may be judged by an enumeration
of some of its employments : elevating,
transferring, and stirring liquids in chemical
works, atomizing liquids, spraying paint
28
TllL MINING MAGAZINE
and cement, blast-furnaces, g'.ass-Mowin;;,
caisson and other subaqueous work, railwaj'
switcliin^ and sitinalling, air brakes, riveting
and other pneumatic tools, sand-blast,
refrigerating, haulage locomotives, hoists,
flotation machines, coal-cutters, and rock-
drills. In view of the difficult}' of dealing
with the subject in all its ramifications within
a reasonable compass, the author, who is the
professor of mining in the School of Mines of
Columbia University, and the iditor of the
weli-known and valuable Mining Eiii^iiurrs'
Handbook, decided to confine liimself mainly
to the consideration of the production, trans-
mission, and use of compressed air in mining.
The scope of the work is well indicated by
the titles of the twenty-seven chapters into
which it is divided . Introduction, structure
and operation of compressors, the com-
pression of air, wet compressors, dry com-
pressors, compound or stage compressors, air-
inlet valves, discharge or delivery valves,
mechanically controlled valves and valve
motions, performance of air compressors,
air receivers, speed and pressure regulators,
air compression at altitudes above sea-level,
explosions in compressors and receivers, air
compression by direct action of falling water,
convej-ance of compressed air in pipes,
compressed-air engines, freezing of moisture
deposited from compressed air, re-heating
compressed air, compressed-air rock-drills,
hammer drills, coal-cutting machinery,
channelling machines, operation of mine
pumps by compressed air, pumping by the
direct action of compressed air, compressed-
air haulage, measurement of air consumption.
The space allotted to the turbo-compressor
will be considered by some hardly com-
mensurate with the increasing attention
which is being devoted to its development. It
is true that below a capacity of 5,000 cu. ft.
of free air compressed per minute, it is not the
most economical type, but above that level
of output it successfully challenges the
highest grade reciprocating compressors.
Entire absence of valves and reciprocating
parts, compactness, freedom from vibration,
suitability for direct high-speed electric or
turbine drive, ower initial and maintenance
cost, high capacity in proportion to weight
and floor space occupied, and elimination of
danger of explosions in air receivers and pipe
lines due to the comparative absence of oil,
make it an ideal machine where a large output
is required. Turbo-compressors are now
made in standard sizes with a capacity of
from 5,000 to 50,000 cu. ft. of free air per
minute tn a pressure of \?>0 lb. or more per
&(]. in. The numbir of impellers in series
may be as many as 30, the speed 3,000 to
5,0(10 revs, per min., and the horse-power as
much as 13,000. The increment of tlu:
]iressure per impeller varies from 2 to S lb.
jier sq. in., 4 or 5 lb. being common practice.
-About 20 impellers in scries are required to
produce a final pre.s.sure of 100 lb. per sq. in.
at -1,000 revs, per min.
An interesting description is given of
some installations of the hydraulic system
of air compression developed by C. H.
Taylor. Air is introduced into a column of
water, and is compressed as it and the water
fall together to the bottom of a shaft, where
the air is separated and collected. The first
cost is not disproportionately heavy for
large outputs, while the efficiency is good,
and maintenance and running costs very low.
A peculiar feature attending this method of
compression is the lowering of the percentage
volume of oxygen in the air from 21% to
18°o, with a corresponding increase in the
nitrogen content. In some mines this has
prevented the use of candles for lighting.
Much useful information is given con-
cerning the air-lift. .Since 1888, when
Dr. Julius Pohle drew attention to the
possibilities of this device, its progress has
been steady, if slow. It is spcciall}' applicable
to the drainage of shallow mines and as an
aid in unwatering old and flooded mines.
It possesses the great advantage that, once
installed, it can be operated entirely from the
surface ; no pumpmen arc needed in the
mine, and if the power fails and the water
rises no pumps are lost. The efficiency is
from 20 to 40%. Until recently it was
thought that a submergence of 50% was
necessary to obtain reasonable results, but
an installation in a Mexican mine has shown
that an efficiency of 30°o is obtainable with
a lift of over 1,000 ft. and a submergence of
only 20<';^. The principles of the air-lift
are as yet imperfectly understood, and its
design is consequently faulty ; but even
in its present immature stage the work it is
doing holds out considerable promise of its
becoming a valuable auxiliary in mine
drainage.
It is to the chapters on rock-drills that the
mining engineer, remembering young and
strenuous days with them in the mine and
maturer days in the office wondering which
sort to buy, will instinctively turn. J. J.
Couch in 18-19 began, and Sommeiller in
1861, Burleigh in 1866, Simon Ingersoll
JULY, 1921
39
in 1871, and J. George Leyner in 1897,
continued the rock-drill's slow, irresistible
development. The old, two-man, recipro-
cating drill, a wonder in its day, is almost a
thing of the past. One-man reciprocating
and hammer drills are the machines of the
present. Jackhammers for sinking, recipro-
cating, cradle hammer, and telescopic air
feed hammer for driving and stoping ; and
telescopic air feed hammer for rising, are
popular for the duties indicated. The two
main types are used to the extent of about
30% reciprocating and 70% hammer, the
latter steadily gaining. The design of the
newest hammer drills aims at : light weight
and small size, automatic rotation, automatic
feed, automatic lubrication, drilling speed,
water feed, air economy, strength and
simplicity, ease of adjustment and repair,
and ability to stand rough usage. The perfect
drill of the future is likely to approximate
to neither of the main types, but to assume
the form of a non-vibratory, comparatively
noiseless, rotarj' borer. With the ever-
growing command over materials and
increasing knowledge of their uses, it is not
stretching imagination too far to suppose
that some means commercially applicable to
the drilling of hard rock more quietly,
efficiently, and cheaply than present methods
seem ever likely to allow will before long be
discovered.
Two verj' interesting designs of hammer
drills embodying automatic rotation now
on the market are the Waugh Turbo and the
Holman Auto. The former is a cradle
machine equipped at the chuck end with an
air turbine, which enables the drill steel to
be revolved quite independently of the
piston hammer. The latter is a telescopic
air-feed machine, fitted at the rear end of
the extension with an independent recipro-
cating air motor, which b}' means of a
splined rod oscillates the drill steel. Both of
these machines mark a distinct advance in
drill manufacture.
The first edition of this book appeared in
1908, and met with gratifying success. The
issue of three later editions, each one showing
careful revision and embodying useful
additions, in the succeeding twelve years
has shown that the author is alive to the
need of keeping its contents abreast of the
times, and that a large circle of appreciative
readers are at one with him. Although the
general excellence of the treatise precludes
much in the way of criticism, a few comments
may be offered, in the hope of benefiting
future editions. The types of American
rock-drills illustrated and described repre-
sent the best American practice, but a
similar verdict hardly applies to the En,glish
machines depicted. Xo reference is made to
the now fairly common adjunct to the large
modern mine plant — the air operated drill
sharpener. Liquid air would seem to
deserve mention in view of its manufacture
through the compression and expansion of
air, its use in mine rescue apparatus, and its
employment as a blasting agent. An
amplification of the cost data of plant and
operation would be helpful to those who have
to inspect the business aspect of the subject;
and a bibliography would also be a useful
addition.
The attractiveness of the work is enhanced
by good quality paper and printing and
258 excellent illustrations, while interest
is secured by a scholarly presentation and
a blending of theory and empiricism in
agreeable proportions.
Alex. Rich.\rdson.
Electrolytic Deposition and Hydro-
metallurgy of Zinc. By Oliver C.
R.ALSTOx. Cloth, octavo, 201 pages,
illustrated. Price 18s. net. New York
and London : McGraw-Hill Book Com-
pany.
The publication of this book on a
specialized subject such as the electrolytic
deposition and hydrometallurgy of zinc,
so sliortly after the proved commercial
success of the processes to a study of which
it is largely devoted, is an indication of the
enormous demand existing at the present
time for spcciahzed technical books. The
author has undoubtedly done a service to
metallurgists in putting on record so
promptly many details of the operations
involved, and has run the risk of omitting
much matter which might have been included
had publication been delayed a little longer.
Although published only this year, two
important papers have already "been read
since its publication, one describing the
electrolytic zinc plant of the Anaconda
Company at Great Falls, by F. Laist and his
associates, read before the American
Institute of Mining and Metallurgical
Engineers in February, and the second, read
before the Faraday Society by S. Field,
describing work done in this country. Both
these papers contain a considerable amount
of information which might with advan'age
hav^e been incorporated in the book, and a
30
Till': MINING MAGAZINE
knowledge of the matter in these papers
makes the reading of the book a Httle dis-
appointing.
The book contains an excellent history of
zinc hydrometallurgy, from which it appears
that ever since 1880 serious attempts have
been made to place these processes on a com-
mercial basis, but real success was not met
with until 191"), when processes were worked
out by the Consolidatetl Mining and Smelting
Co. at Trail and by the Anaconda Copper
Co. Each developed a simple process of
roasting the ores, followed by leaching with
dilute sulpliuric acid, purification of the
solution obtained, and electrolysis to obtain
zinc cathodes and regenerate sulphuric acid
at the anodes. The purification of the
solution was the most imjiorlant matter
worked out, and after the realization of the
necessity for this, and by the developnunt
of suitable methods and plant for its accom-
plishment, the electrolytic production of
zinc became a commercial success. The
roasting, leaching, and purification of zinc
sulphate solutions receive attention, and the
effect of the presence of the various impurities
generally present is dealt with in detail.
Cobalt has proved to be one of the most
baffling impurities in zinc sulphate solutions,
for minute quantities have powerful effects
on the re-solution of the cathodes, 10 parts
per million seriously impairing the deposition
and 15 parts per million being fatal to the
process. The work of Hansen, Laist, Elton,
Caples, Frick, Hanlej', Gepp, Stevens, Snow,
Clevenger, and Field in connexion with the
purification of solutions is described. The
electrolysis of zinc sulphate solutions
receives full attention and details of practice
on various plants are given.
Although practically all the electrolytic
zinc at present on the market is deposited
from zinc sulphate solutions, the chloride
solution is in use in a few places, and the
processes which have been suggested from
time to time for the production of the chloride
from ores are described, including roasting
%vith salt and chlorination with chlorine
gas, chlorination with solutions of metal
chlorides, and by-products such as calcium
chloride and hydrochloric acid. The chloride
of zinc solutions obtained by these processes
have many applications in chemical
industry, so that, apart from electrolytic
treatment, the methods of purification are
important and do not differ greatly from the
methods used for sulphate solutions. For
the electrolytic production of zinc, the
chloride solution may be electrolysed as
sucli, or evaporatiil to dryness and the
resulting zinc chloride fused and electrolysed
in the fused state. Only aijueous electrolysis
is in commercial operation, although fused
zinc chloride cells have been tested on a large
scale by several different companies, and
details as far as available are given of both
methods.
To the electrolytic refining of impure zinc,
gah'anizer's hard dross, and zinc crusts
from desilverizing works, one short chapter
is devoted, in which most of the important
experimental work on these lines is described.
A chapter is also devoted to hydro-
metallurgical methods used for the pre-
paration of zinc compounds from ores,
including ammoniacal leaching, bisulphite
leaching, etc., and the manufacture of
lithopone, zinc sulphate, and zinc chloride.
In the final chapter the economics of zinc
hydrometallurgy are dealt with, and the
author is correct in stating that a single
chapter (of six pages only) will not suffice
to adequately discuss the economics involved
in choosing a wet method of zinc extraction
in place of the standard fuel smelting process
or the electric smelting process. The author
concludes that the present state of advance-
ment in the art makes it economical to use
electrolytic recovery of zinc only on the
more complex sulphide ores, although its
application to the treatment of pure ores
might have been attractive were it not for
the great surplus of smelter capacity in
close proximity to such deposits as those of
the Joplin district.
C. 0. Bannister.
tr^r Copies of the books, etc., mentioned under the heading
" Book Reviews " can be obtained through the Technical Book-
shop of The Mining Magazine, 724, Salisbury House, London
Wall, London, E.C.2.
NEWS LETTERS
MELBOURNE
March 25.
Mining Conditions in Austr.-\lia. — Mr.
M. A. Davidson, M.L..A., chairman of the
Select Committee appointed by the New
South Wales Government to inquire into the
decline of metalliferous mining in the State,
has issued an interim report based on the
committee's inquiries in Armidale, Emma-
ville, and Tingah districts. The report refers
to the fact that, unlike other industries,
increase in the cost of production in the
metalliferous mining industry cannot be
passed on. For this reason it is urged that
special support should be given the industry
I
JULY, 1921
31
by the State Government, which should fix
the price of base metals commensurate with
the cost of production, and hold the metals in
reserve until the market value has revived.
As an alternative, it is suggested that an
advance on the amount of base metals pro-
duced should be made to companies which
had not previously made large profits. The
e.xport embargo, imposed during the war, is
deemed to be now unnecessary, and its
immediate removal urged, while it is recom-
mended that the State Government should
take into immediate consideration the advisa-
bility of a modern plant established in a
central position for the treatment of ores in
Australia, instead of shipping them abroad.
Greater encouragement of prospecting
is advocated, by increasing the amount
of financial aid and assisting in the
establishment of treatment plants. A
geological survey of the metalliferous
areas of the State, it is urged, should be
undertaken, as early as possible, and the
geological survey staff increased to ensure its
rapid completion. Light railways linking up
with main lines and improved roads are
stated to be an urgent necessity, while it is
stated that the continually increasing freights,
railways and otherwise — which increases
cannot be passed on — have been a great
factor in the closing dQwn of some of the
smaller and low-grade mines, and a general
flat rate, greatly reduced, for ores, is recom-
mended. The report concludes by stating
that a proper system of organization is
required, and asks : is it preferable to allow
mines to close down and the employees to
drift to the city and cause a big increase in the
already huge amount that is being spent by
the Government in relieving distress, or to
place the amount of money into the industry,
thereby reviving the production and
eventually obtaining a refund of the money
now being spent.
Last week-end the Select Committee took
evidence in Broken Hill. The first witness
was the mining warden, Mr. A. R. Perry, who
has had experience in several parts of the
State. He had, he said, noticed a great falling
off in the number of prospectors, which he
considered to be due to the unremunerative
nature of the occupation. Broken Hill was
a rich man's field, and the poor man had little
chance. The prospector should be protected
and encouraged to the uttermost. A small
treatment plant would help prospectors
considerably. Mr. W. Riechers, who had
prospected in the district for six years, said
that he worked for lead, zinc, and silver at the
Allandale mine, where he erected a con-
centrating plant, capable of treating ten tons
a shift. It had given good results, and the
costs were very moderate. He would like to
see a small concentration plant put by the
Government near the railway for the benefit
of prospectors. Its cost need be only about
;^3,000 or /^3,500. It did not pay prospectors
to send crude ore away, because of th;
heavy freight charges. Witn?ss was in-
terested in a mine at Thackaringa. He pro-
duced a general sample of zinc ore, which
would assay about 61%. There was no
market for the zinc, because of the Federal
Government's ten years' contract with the
British Government. The small men had no
market. The Federal or State Government
should find a market for the small producers.
Thomas Ham, underground manager at the
Junction North mine, gave some interesting
particulars about the tinficld at Euriowie. If
there was a portable battery there, he said,
much more work could be done, and the place
could now carry, at the present price of
metals, 150 to 200 men instead of being idle.
He had worked at one mine at Euriowie
32 years ago, and he did not think that any-
one had worked there since. There was good
tin there. He had seen a lode from 10 ft. to
30 ft. wide. Witness did think that the
Broken Hill mines could work at a profit at
the present price of metals. From a show at
White Cliffs, witness sent some ore to the
Wallaroo smelters that showed 32% copper,
but the smelting charges were 8s. a unit.
There was also gold in the ore. The show was
now lying idle ; he could not touch it, because
of the low price of copper. He considered it
absolutely essential, for the good of the
industry, that prospectors should be nelped.
The Prospectors' Association favoured the
creation of local prospecting boards, said this
witness, and the increasing of the powers of
the local wardens, to obviate the long delays
caused through everything having to be done
through Sydney. Witness did not believe that
anything payable had been found outside the
known line of lode for 25 years.
E.\RLY Ice Ages. — Discoveries of evidence
of glaciation on igneous rocks of Carboniferous
a^e have recently been made in the Mait-
land district, New South Wales, by Mr. W. R.
Browne, a lecturer in the geological depart-
ment of the Sydney University. Pro-
fessor Sir Edgeworth David has discussed
these discoveries at some length in popular
language, and the substance of his remarks
32
Til
MIXTXC; MACA/'IXI"
is given herewith, witlioiit omission of the
tfxplanatory portions intended for the
layman.
Prior to this discovery, surfaces of granite
rock, grooved and striated by the movenunt
of a glacier ice, have been described as
occurring on the Kosciusko Plateau. These
ancient glaciated jxivements at Kosciusko
were worn down and grooved by tlie ice at a
period probably some 10,000 to 50,000 years
ago. The special interest attaching to this
new discover}' is that it is evidence of a far
older glaciation, dating back to some 250
millions of years ago. This period, known as
the Carboniferous, somewhat antedates the
epoch of the oldest coal measures in Australia,
namely, the Greta coal measures of tiie Lower
Hunter region. There is evidence that glacial
conditions were prolonged at intervals for
some time after the formation of the Greta
coal measures had been completed, but just
previous to the deposition of the Newcastle-
Bulli-Lithgow coal measures with the under-
lying Tomago coal measures. Thus the
Greta coal measures of New South \\'alrs, in
which the most productive collieries of the
northern coalfields are at present situated,
belong to an interglacial epoch of this
extremely ancient ice age. Glaciated rock
pavements somewhat similar to that just dis-
covered, have been recorded from Bacchus
Marsh and Derrinal, near Hcathcote, in
Victoria, Hallett's Cove, and the Inman
Valley to the south of Adelaide. In West
Australia, although no glaciated pavements
have yet been found, there is abundant
evidence of the existence there of glacier
ice at this Carboniferous period. The
evidence of the Irwin coalfield in West
Australia is in the form of huge boulders
of rock, foreign to the district, up to as much
as 60 tons in v>-eight, many of these blocks
being scratched and grooved by the old
ice-sheets which have used them as " holy-
stones " in the process of grinding down and
polishing the rocky floor beneath the ice-
sheets over which the thick ice was slowly
creeping and e.xerting enormous vertical and
lateral pressure.
Both in West Austraha and South
Australia there is evidence that the ice-sheets
and icebergs ranged northwards to about the
parallel of 25"" S., that is, within a few degrees
of the Tropic of Capricorn. In fact, during
this Carboniferous period the whole of
Tasmania and the greater part of the
southern half of Australia must have been
verv much in the condition of the South
Polar lands to-day. Probably Iht- whole
surface of the country within the area
specified was covered by glittering sheets of
tiiick ice, with the exception of a few of the
higher peaks, such as the great volcanoes
of tlu; period, developed on a grand scale in
the Lower Hunter region. These erupted
glowing masses of lava and grey to gre.;n
layers of volcanic ash amid the snow and
ice of the period, just as Mount Erebus and
other active Antarctic volcanoes do to-day.
The same exquisite tints of sapphire blue
were doubtless to be seen in the crevasses
of these very ancient ice-sheets, and the
same lovely tints of emerald green around the
margin of their floating bergs were doubtless
to be observed then as in Polar regions to-day ;
and in the seasons of sunniier thaw great
rivers sprang into being in a few days and
rolled the rock debris of the great volcanoes
down into the moraine lakes, and to the
margins of the ice-sheets, while the roar
of intermittent volcanic eruptions mingled
with the thunder of the great avalanches,
like those one so often heard and saw rushing
down the steep slopes of the Antarctic Andes
into Ross Sea.
Previous to this recent discovery near
Maitland, the existence of these glaciations
before and after the formation of the Greta
coal was well kn«wn, and an excellent
summary of the evidence has been given by
Mr. C. A. Snssmilch in a paper published by
the Royal Society of New South Wales last
year. In the case of evidences of the passage
of these ancient ice-.sheets over Victoria and
South Australia it is possible to determine
the direction of movement of the ice by
means of the trend of the grooves on the
rock floor over which the ice moved, and it
may be said that the grooves run generally
in a northerly and southerly direction. It
remained to decide the " sense " of the move-
ment, that is, whether it had been from south
to north or from north to south. In the case
of ruts made by wheeled vehicles, one can
tell the general direction in which the
vehicles have been travelling by the trend
of the ruts ; but in order to determine
the sense in which any particular vehicle
has been moving one would have to study
the ruts in conjunction with the impression
of the horses' hoofs. The latter would at
once give the sense of the movement.
In the case of the movement of glacier ice,
the place of the hoof-marks, as in the above
illustration, is taken by small pieces of rock
which have been dragged loose or plucked
JULY, 1921
33
by the moving sheet of ice. Thus, small
recesses are left where these fragments of rock
have been forced off, with little vertical cliffs
facing the direction towards which the ice
has moved. No such small cliffs with sharp
edges could possibly e.xist if they were
opposed to the direction of movement of the
glacier ice, as in that case they would rapidly
be ground down and obliterated. Another
proof as to the direction of movement of
ancient ice-sheets is to be found in the
character of the large blocks of rock, foreign
to a neighbourhood, and known as
" erratics ". Such blocks have been trans-
ported from a distance on top of the ice-
sheet or floated by icebergs. It is often
possible to discover the e.xact locality from
which such " erratics " have been derived by
this method. In the case of the glaciation
which followed on after the development of
the Greta coal measures, a study of the
large erratics found near Branxton shows
that they were probably derived from moun-
tains in the neighbourhood of Mount Lambie
and the Jenolan Caves.
In regard to the earlier phases of this very
ancient Carboniferous glaciation — the phase
which preceded the Greta coal measures — the
test of the direction of movement of the ice
by means of a study of the erratics is incon-
clusive. The discovery just made by
Messrs. Osborne and Browne shows con-
clusively the exact direction from which the
ice came, for not only are there thousands
of more or less parallel grooves and scratches
on the galciated rock surface at Rockdale,
but there are structures, corresponding to
hoof-marks, as referred to above, which show
the sense in which the ice moved. It came
from a little east of south and moved towards
a direction north by west.
It would thus appear that the margin of
the great continental ice-sheets of Australia
in Carboniferous time was situated in New
South Wales, near to, or possibly in, what is
now the Hunter Valley, extending thence to
Currabubula, near Tamworth, and beyond.
There is a great development, near the
recently discovered glaciated pavement, of
the fine-grained flour of rock representing
extremely finely pulverized material carried
out from under ice-sheets by their sub-
glacial streams, and deposited as fine mud
in glacial lakes dammed back by mounds of
moraine rubbish along the margin of the
ice-sheets. These rocks occur usually in
delicate paired layers, in some cases as many as
from 50 to 100 of these paired layers being
counted in a thickness of 1 ft. of rock. The
two layers in each pair are of unequal thick-
ness. The thicker layer was deposited by the
floods resulting from the summer thaws, and
frequently contains .small fragments of plant
stems and fronds of ferns. The thin member
of each set of pairs was deposited during the
winter, when the ground was frozen and
covered with snow and ice. No remains of
plants are found in these thin laj'ers. By
counting these paired laj'crs in a given thick-
ness of rock it is possible to tell exactly how
many years have been occupied in the
deposition of these particular strata. It is
estimated that the thickness of about 300 ft.
of shales found near West Maitland have
taken about 5,000 years to form.
The distribution of the great Carboniferous
continental ice-sheets of Australia and
Tasmania largely e.xplains why the
productive coal measures of the great coal
basin of New South V/ales appear to be
entirely wanting from South Australia, the
greater part of Victoria, and Tasmania, as
well as from the southern part of West
Australia. These southern regions continued
to be glaciated long after the edges of the
continental ice-sheet had withdrawn from
the region of the northern, western, and
eastern coalfields of New South Wales, as
well as from the region of the Irwin River
in West Australia. In areas on the equator-
ward side of the retreating continental ice-
sheet, extensiv^e coalfields of vast value
became developed.
PERTH, W.A.
April 21.
Whim Well. — The gold and copper mines
of what is generally referred to as the
Nor-West were discovered by prospectors
returning from the Kimberley rush before
the dawn of the eastern goldfields.
Metallurgical difficulties in the treatment of
the ores, and the scarcity of fuel and timber,
have hitherto been against the successful
working of the mines on the Pilbara field.
However, the rapid decline in the gold-
mining areas further south (Murchison and
Kalgoorlie) has caused attention to be
drawn to the possibilities of the Nor-West.
Miners and prospectors are wending their
way up, and if the Government will only
reduce the heavy taxation and custom dues,
many mines will be worked to a profit.
The introduction of suction gas plants has
made a great difference in the cost of power,
especially, as in the case of Whim Well
31
Till- MIXING MAGAZINE
mine, wlure fuel has to hv imported by boat
from a soutlurn port.
On the treatment side two processes
have been introduced reccntl}* tliat will help
to overcome the difficulties that have
militated against the success of this lield.
The first is the introduction of leaching of
the low-grade oxidized ores of cojiper, while
the second, as j'ct in its trial stages, is the
economic extraction of gold in the presence
of small quantities of copper, which latter
have prevented a good extraction from being
obtained b\' amalgamation and cj-anidation.
I do not propose to discuss this in the present
paper, because sufficient information is
not available to the pul)lic at present. The
question of leaching has been proved to be
successful on the Whim Well copper mine,
and it opens up big possibilities not onlv for
this mine, but also other similar ore-bodies
in the Nor-\\'est.
The Whim Well is the largest copper-ore
deposit in the I'ilbara field, and a description
of it may be of interest. It is .situated
56 miles b}- road to the east of the port of
Roebourne, the administrative centre, and
12 miles south from Balla Balla on the coast.
There is a tram-line connecting these two
points and extending another mile to a
safe harbour for lighters. The picked ore
and copper are thus railed from the mine,
loaded on to the latter, which take tlum
out 7 miles to a well-protected anchoiagc,
there transferred on to boats doing the coastal
trading from Fremantle to Singapore. The
ore is sent to smelting works in the eastern
states or England.
The Whim Well mine was worked inter-
mittently by prospectors for several years,
who broke out about 10,000 tons of 15%
copper ore, of Tihich they shipped about
4,000 tons averaging 26%. In 1906 the
Whim Well Copper Mines, Ltd., took up
the property, but had very little capital
available. During the following eight years
i;^2,000 tons of 8^% copper ore were broken,
of which 57,000 odd tons of 14°';, average
were shipped, while 75,000 tons of rejects of
about 4% average were put aside until a
suitable treatment became available. During
this period a Murex concentration plant was
erected for the treating of low-grade oxidized
ore. Owing to a number of circumstances
it was not an economic success, although an
extraction of 80% on 4^% copper ore was
obtained. From 1914 shipping space became
verj- difficult to secure, and not much was
done until 1917, when attention was drawn
to the successful work being carried out in
the leaching of 2J";, copper ore at Mount
Hope (New South Wales). Ex])eriments
were carried out, and in 1920 a start was
make to leach a heap of 10,000 to 50,000 tons
4% ore by means of a leaching i)rocess
known as the Peechy, wliich will be described
later.
The geology has been describe d in bulletins
of the Geological Dejiartment, and also in
a paper read before the Institution of Mining
and Metallurgy on December 21, 1911, by
Mr. H. li. Sleeman. I need not describe
the geology otherwise than by saying that
the ore deposit occurs in grey slaty
country which is replaced to the north
by schists (altered sediments), which in
turn are replaced by earthy travertine
limestones, extending to the coast - line.
The latter are flanked east and west by
extensive granite areas. The ore-body strikes
roughly east and west for 3,000 ft. along the
crest of a ridge, eventually dipping under
the alluvium. The dip is flat (20') to the
north, while there are a number of cleavages
running N.W. and S.E. of apparently the
same period as the ore-body, as it has not
been faulted by them. Along the lims of
cleavage, even outside of the main ore-body,
copper has been carried in solution and
deposited. Typical ironstone gossan over-
lies the ore deposit, which was no doubt
originally pyritic to the surface. The
oxidation of the chalcopyrite has left the
iron as a capping, while the acid solutions
have kaolinized the slate beneath, in which
the copper has been depo.sited as carbonates,
oxide, and silicate, with some secondary
chalcocite. Owing to the flatness of the
ore-body, this action has apparently been
local, and there are no lines of ore deposition
as shoots. Rich ore has been mined riglit
from the outcrop to the lowest points worki d,
about 120 ft. below the lowest adit level.
At these lowest pju-fs the rich ore is going
down as of equal grade as the best parts
mined above it.
The development work in the past has
been done essential!}' for the winning of
high-grade ore for shipment, and only certain
areas have been exploited at all. The result
is that it does not lend itself to the estimation
or ore reserves in the- accepted use of the
term.
Mr. H. R. Slecman has been in charge of
the operations for some years, and by his
experience of the law of the average value
of the faces and level bottoms, together
JULY, 1921
35
with the assays from diamond-drill bore
holes, he feels justified in estimating the
amount of possible ore as a million tons,
containing 4% copper. From the outcrop
along the line of dip to the vertical depth
of 130 ft. below the lowest adit level is
1,000 tt. The main workings extend over
a length of at least 600 ft., while the ore-
bodv varies in width from 10 to ,>0 ft. The
total mining to date amounts to 200,000 tons
of S"^o ore (including pillars left), so that the
estimate of the possible amount of pay ore
(4°o) left in the mine to the bottom level
gallons per day of 24 hours, 10,000 gallons
were needed for make-up in new parts of the
dump at first. The loss was reduced to
4,000 gallons after the circulation was
started, and when more complete draining
of the dump had been effected, A circulation
of twice the above is necessary to make the
dump leaching payable. It has been found
that 70,000 gallons in circulation will return
10 tons of copper precipitate per month,
but with the improvements now effected it is
expected that 20 tons per month \\-ill be
secured by heap leaching, utilizing a
Ciffi^
Whim Well Coiikk Mine.
\"als for experimental work in leacliing in the foreground.
is more than twice the amount already
taken out.
Hitherto this grade of ore has been un-
payable, so that the richer portions have been
taken out, while the low-grade ore has been
dumped or left in the mine. The experiments
carried out for heap leacliing were made
by Mr. Audlcy Smith and the mine staff,
on the lines of the treatment at Mount Hope,
New South Wales. A start was made in
1020 on a 50,000 ton dump of ore, containing
4*^0 copper. A fairly satisfactory result was
obtained, but the loss of water was greater
than the supply in the mine. It was found
that to maintain a circulation of 70,000
circulation of 150,000 gallons of water per
dav with a loss of 7^o- Thus the question of
water is a very important one, and an
engineer of the Mines Department has recom-
mended that the mine warrants the erection
of a five-inch pipe line from Balla Balla to
the mine to provide the water necessary for
heap leaching, concentration, and leaching
of the current ore. The present plant on the
mine will be adapted and where necessary
expanded to carry out the following treat-
ment scheme, which is based on experiments
made.
The ore from the mine is conve\-ed on a
belt to the breaker, from which any high-
36
Tin: MINING MAGAZINK
grade ore is picked by boys. I'nmi there
it passes on to rolls ciiisliiiig to J in. nicsh.
It is then hydraulicaliy classified, the sands
going on to a Jlay jig for concentration, and
from thence through an S ft. Haidinge
liebble-niill, the product going to the agitators
witii the overflow from the classifier. The
tine product is then agitated and leached in
Hrown agitators with sulphurous acid gas
and air from an air-lift, and decanted on the
counter-current system used on the gold-
fields. As the copper in the solution increases
to a suitable percentage, it is sent to the
jirecipitation tanks, which are filled with
scrap iron. The excess wash solutions can
be used on the heap leaching plant whenever
required. The concentrate will be kept up to
20"^, copper, while the precipitate assays
70",, copper, which will be shipped to the
most suitable smelters. At the present
time the SO., is generated from sulphur, but
it is intended that before long it will be
obtained direct from the p^Tites, which has
been proved to be of considerable extent
below the present workirigs. The pyrites
may also be used on the top of the ore dump,
as is done at Bisbee in America, for the
rejuvenation of the solutions, thereby in-
creasing their leaching value.
Should this joint scheme of treatment
prove up to expectations, it will pave the
way for similar work on other copper mines
in West Australia, which have hitherto
been unable to get a sufficient ratio of
shipping ore to that of the low-grade material
now shown to be amendable to treatment
b\' leaching.
C. M. Harris.
TORONTO
June 1.3.
Porcupine. — The gold-mining industry is
showing increased activity. The producing
mines are increasing their output, much
capital is seeking investment, and new
properties are being opened up. Attention
is being directed to the outlying territory
beyond the known gold-producing area,
■where considerable exploration is being
carried on. The Hollinger Consolidated is
producing gold at the rate of approximately
8200,000 per week, the extraction averaging
about $9 per ton. The company has
decided to develop its owTi electric power,
and is proceeding with a preliminary survey
of the Kettle Falls on the Abitibi River,
where it is estimated that 25,000 h.p. may be
generated, in addition to 10,000 h.p. reserved
by till' Ontario Ciovernment. The f.dls lie
about ()0 miles north of the mine, and the
intervening territory presents no serious
obstacles to ]iower transmission. The annual
report of the Dome Mines for the year ended
March 31 shows a considerable reduction in
profits due to the unfavourable conditions
during tln' early part of the twelvemonth.
l^ullion was produced to the value of
SI, 0 10, 195, the average yield per ton treated
being S"'!!. The net profits were §302,179,
as compared with $951,984 in thi' preceding
year. Operating costs for the first quarter
of 1921 went up to S5-05 per ton owing to
power shortage, dropping to $3-75 when
power again became available in April.
General manager Depencier in his report
stated that while he regarded it as futile to
estimate the value of the ore reserves the
developments on the 10th level were con-
sidered of extreme importance, as proving
the occurrence of highly paj'able ore at the
lowest level opened up. The stamp equip-
ment of the mill, which has not been used
for some years, has been put in order for
operation, bringing the capacity of the mill up
to 1,400 tons daily. The Mclntyre has
placed an order for an Hardinge ball-mill
and other equipment, which will be installed
in the fall, bringing the capacit}' of the mill
up from 550 to 900 tons dail}'. The
Hollinger Reserve, lying west of the Hollinger
Consolidated, where a high-grade vein system
has been opened up at the 300-ft. level, has
been purchased by a syndicate headed by
E. -A. Osier & Co., of Toronto, and develop-
ment will shortly be commenced. The
Goldale Mining Co., which has taken over
the Bewick-^Moreing holdings, is arranging
to carry on an extensive exploration
campaign. The North Crown Mine has
closed down indefinitely, and it is under-
stood that further financing will be necessary
before resuming operations. The Tommy
Burns property, about 10 miles south-east
from the producing area of the camp, has
been taken over by the Triplex Gold ilines.
The workings are being unwatered and a new
shaft is being put down. Operations have
been resumed at the Premier Paymaster,
where diamond-drilling has proved the east-
ward extension of the main vein.
KiRKi.AXD Lake. — The Lake Shore during
April recovered bullion to the value of
§22,213 from the treatment of 1,860 tons of
ore, being an average of Sll'94 per ton. The
mill is kept running on development ore,
the policy of the management being to store
JULY, 1921
37
up large ore reserves in anticipation of the
enlargement of the plant. The Tough-Oakes
has resumed underground work with the
expectation of commencing milling about
August. An important discover}' has been
made at the 900 ft. level of the Kirkland
Lake mine, where horizontal drilling has
encountered about 12 ft. of highly mineralized
material, 9 ft. of which carries high gold
content. A large new ore-body is being
opened up at the 700 ft. level. At the
Ontario-Kirkland the construction of the
mill is making good progress, and it is hoped
to have it completed in September. About
3, .500 ft. of lateral work has been done on
the 300 and 150 ft. levels, indicating a supply
of ore sufficient to keep the mill running for
three years. The vein at the 100 ft. level of
the King Kirkland has been opened up for
172 ft., a considerable proportion of the ore
assaying $]0 to the ton. Surface explora-
tion is being carried on to determine the most
favourable place for sinking a central shaft.
The shaft of the Bidgood is being unwatcred,
and will be put down from its present depth
of 300 ft. to deeper levels. A shaft is down
60 ft. on the Lebel Oro on a vein stated to
show ore averaging 318 per ton over a width
of about 40 inches. A 10 ft. vein carrying
good gold content has been found on the
Moffatt Hall property, 5 miles from the
Tough Oakes. A large syndicate, mainly
representing English interests, is bidding for
numerous properties lying along the line of
the north-easterly strike of the proved gold-
bearing zone. Individual claim-holders have
been approached with attractive offers for
options, and some of the new companies
have been offered good prices for their
holdings.
Cobalt. — Though silver-mining is still
depressed by reason of the low price of the
metal, conditions are showing some improve-
ment. Towards the close of May the Mining
Corporation of Canada resumed operations
at full capacity, giving employment to about
250 men. Since closing down the company
has increased the capacity of its mill by about
50%, enabling it to treat a higher tonnage
and reduce operating costs. The annual
report shows profits of §579,569, as compared
with $908,7-18 in 1919. Silver was produced
to the amount of 1,664,018 oz., as against
1,230,652, and the ore reserves showed a
satisfactory increase, being estimated at
2,181,000 oz., as compared with 1,307,220 in
1919. The amount to the credit of the
profit and loss account was $3,268,628. The
1—5
company covered a wide field in its search
for desirable properties, and during the year
had about 300 under its consideration.
Permanent records embracing 165 of these
were prepared, of which 132 were in Canada,
56 of the number being in Ontario, indicating
that the Dominion will continue to be the
principal scene of its activity. The Peterson
Lake, which sustained a considerable loss on
last year's operations, and is confronted
with heavy obligations, is endeavouring to
reconstruct its finances. Its ore reserves are
estimated at 126,000 oz. of silver, and the
directors believe that if funds for further
development can be secured there are good
prospects for additional ore discoveries. An
important discovery has been made on the
Oxford Cobalt, where a number of stringers,
one of them carrying 600 oz. of silver per ton,
have been encountered 6 ft. below the
surface. The O'Brien produced 312,000 oz.
of silver during May from the treatment of
6,066 tons of ore, .showing an average
recovery of over 51 oz. per ton. Lateral
work on the Chambers-Ferland property of
the Kirkland Lake Proprietary (1919) has
encountered an important ore-body averaging
50 oz. of silver to the ton.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
June 9.
Gr.\nby Consolidated. — • The Granby
Consolidated Mining, Smelting, and Power
Company has just issued its annual report
for 1920. As with the great majority of the
other copper companies on the continent,
the year has been an unprofitable one, the
report showing a deficit of $687,011, which
compares with a deficit of $984,409 in 1919.
There is this unfavourable difference, however,
that in 1919 the company disbursed dividends
amounting to $1,312,537, while last year no
dividends were declared. The assets of the
company were reduced from $25,081,361 to
$24,906,360, and the surplus from $1,184,309
to $497,298. The ore-reserve, too, suffered
a depletion of 200,000 tons. The last is
explained by the fact that in the early part
of the year, when the price of copper was
good, effort was concentrated on production,
at the expense of development. As soon as
the 150 ft. level has been enlarged to allow
of development to be carried on without
hindering production, the boundaries of the
ore-body will be extended.
During the year the company produced
25,744,327 1b. of copper, 1,054,206 oz. of
silver, and 9,481 oz. of gold. The great
38
THE .MINING MAGAZINE
bulk of the silver, probably over OO'',,, came
from ore purchased froui the Dolh' Vardcu
mine. This ore, which is highly siliceous,
acts as a flux for the company's Hidden
Creek ores'. The average cost of the produc-
tion of the copper was 15-94 ccnts.per pound,
and the average selling price for the
]0,-lf>-l,706 lb. of copper sold was 17S,") cents.
Considerable economies were introduced
during the latter half of the year, after the
change in the management, the cost of
production for the tirst half of the year being
18-38 cents, and for the last half l-Voi cents.
Since last fall two cuts have been made in the
wage scale, totalling §1-25 per man per shift,
and a further reduction in the cost of produc-
tion has been made this year, the cost for
the month of March being 12--14 cents. This
reduction is due to increased efficiency on
the part of the men, and to improved
metallurgical practice, resulting in the use
of less coke and flux and in improved
extraction,
A. J. Bancroft, professor of geology at
McGill University, has taken up his new
duties as assistant general manager for the
company, and among his first duties will be
the extending of the ore-reserve, which now
totals 10,986,430 tons of smelting .ore. The
Governors of McGill University have given
Professor Bancroft a year's leave of absence,
in which he will decide whether he will take
up technical work as a profession or return
to pure science at the university.
The company's Cassidy colliery produced
154,000 tons of coal during the year, of which
30% was sold and the remainder converted
into coke at the by-product coke-ovens at
Anyox, resulting in the production of
75,000 tons of coke. Improvements have
been made in the coal-washing plant, and
a better grade of coke is being produced.
Standard Mine. — The directors of the
Standard Silver-Lead Mining Companj' have
announced that, subject to ratification by
the shareholders at a meeting to be held on
June 20, thev have sold the company's
Standard mine for S75,000, of which S25,d00
is to be paid in cash and the balance in two
equal instalments at one and two years,
respective!}'. A royalty of 20°r; is to be paid
on all ore shipped from the property, such
moneys to go towards the purchase of the
propert}'. The directors consider that for
big-scale operations the mine is worked out,
and for the past year it has been in the hands
of lessees. The Standard has been an
excellent mine, and has payed its shareholders
more than $2,700,000 in dividends. The
cumiKiny is in a strong jiosition. If the
present sale is cou'iunimated it will have
a surplus of more than half a million dollars ;
this is being held for investment in the mining
indu-^try in the j)rovince, provided a property
satisfactory to the directors can be founcl.
It is understood that several jiroperlies are
under consideration at the jiresent time.
XiCKicr. Pi..\TE Mink. — The Medley Gold
Mining Company, owners of the Nickel Plate
Mine, at lledley, has issued its annual report,
which shows a deficit of Si, 941 on the
operations last year. The company realized
that the mine was running behind, and, as no
satisfactory terms could be made with the
em])loyecs with regard to a reduction in
wages, the mine was closed early last autumn.
During the war effort was concentrated on
production, and the development, which up
to then always had been kept well ahead, was
allowed to run behind. Diamond-driUing
has indicated that there are extensive ore-
bodies awaiting development, and the
directors have decided to spend $35,000 in
opening up the property for production. The
wage scale has been reduced $1-25 per day,
so that this work can now be done at a reason-
able price.
Premier Mine. — Though the price of
labour has been reduced in practically all
the mining districts of the Province, the
employees at the Premier mine refused to
accept a reduction, and on the company
attempting to enforce it went on strike. The
strike extends to all departments, and
includes the work on the concentrator and
on the aerial tramway. The company
attempted to make a reduction of only
75 cents per day in the wage .scale, while
$1-25 has been the amount of the reduction
in nearly all other parts of the Pro-vince.
Even if the reduction had gone into force,
this would have been the highest priced
mining camp in the Province : miners would
have received $5-50, shovellers $5-00, and
surface labourers $4-/5 to $5-00. This is
a dollar per shift more than the present rate
in the Slocan camp. After being on strike
for two weeks the men took a ballot, the
result of which was for continuing the strike
by a majority of four to one.
Slogan District. — With a view to
bringing about renewed activity in the
Slocan, the principal silver-lead mining
district in the Province, the local branch of
the International Mine, ]\Iill, and Smelter
Workers met the principal operators and
JULY, 1921
39
agreed on a new wage scale, which is a
reduction of $r25 per day on all classc? of
lahour. Miners and skilled mechanics are
now getting 55-00 per day, mechanics' helpers
Sl-5d. and labourers and shovellers S400.
The result has been that a number of the
mines either have restarted operations or
are about to restart. The Silversmith
Mines, Ltd., owning the principal mine in the
district, has made arrangements with the
owners of the Ivanhoe mill, by which the
Silversmith has acquired the mill, mill-site,
and water-rights on the south fork of
Carpenter creek. The mill is being over-
hauled and its capacity brought up to
between two and three hundred tons per day,
according to the nature of the ore milled.
An aerial tramway is to be built to connect
the Silversmith with the mill. The mine
was closed down on April 1, sufficient ore
having been developed to assure a supply
for some time. Effort now will be con-
centrated on the remodelling of the mill and
on the building of the tramway, and when
this has been completed it is probable that
the mine will be reopened.
The Yukon. — Several hundreds of tons of
supplies, mining machinery, and building
material are accumulating at Whitehorse for
shipment to the new silver-lead camp at
Mayo. It is expected that the river will be
in condition for moving this towards Mayo
Landing by the end of the second week in
June. The Yukon Gold Mining Co. and
the White Pass Railway Co. are building
wharves at Mayo Landing.
Alberta.- — A bill has passed the Dominion
House providing for the incorporation of the
Mackenzie River Railway Company, Ltd.,
with a capital of 810,000,000. It is under-
stood that the Imperial Oil Company is
substantially behind the project. The rail-
wav will extend the Alberta and Great Water-
ways system from Fort McMurray, where the
rails now end, to Great Slave Lake.
Considerable excitement has been caused
bv the discovery of alluvial gold in the banks
of the creek running into the Cadotte river,
which flows into the Peace river about 40
miles below Peace River town. The new
discovery is 75 miles from Peace River town.
The original discovery was made by an
Indian trapper, who brought nuggets into the
town. Dr. Gauthier and a party set out for
the location, and after doing a little
excavating and panning were convinced with
the value of the discovery, staked claims, and
filed them in the land office at Peace River.
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
Wave-transmission Rock-drills
The Editor :
Sir— I note that Mr. Chas. R. Love
objects to the loss in the transmission cables
which I had assumed in my comparison
between the boring capacities of the wave-
motion rock-drill and the pneumatically
operated tool per i.h.p. installed at the
surface.
This matter has very little bearing on the
point at issue, and the loss in transmission
can be reduced to any reasonable extent
by increasing the sectional area of the con-
ductor employed, the cost of the cable being
the only factor of commercial interest.
Similarly, Mr. Love may certainly generate
the current at the voltage he prefers, and
thus do away with the necessity for the use
of underground transformers, but I hold
that it is not good commercial practice to
use low voltages in transmission hnes, owing
to the great cost of the extra copper required
in the conductors. The voltage might easily
be reduced to one -half, one-quarter, or
one-tenth of that which I should propose to
use (3,000 volts), but in that case the cost
of the cables will have to be multipUed by
two, by four, or by ten, as the case may be,
and even in the very limited area of a mining
concession, the extra expense will be a
formidable item.
With regard to Mr. Love's statement that
I have been comparing a wave-power plant
of 12 h.p. with a compressed-air plant of
1,000 h.p., I must protest altogether, and
I think that Mr. Love has overlooked a
certain very important difference between
the two systems.
If the pneumatic system is to be installed
on a mine, the whole compressing plant
may be set up at any convenient place and
the' compressed air led to any workings
within the limits of the property without
regard being paid to the lateral extent
of the workings or to the differences in
altitude between the compressor and the
rock-drills which have to be operated by it.
It is quite otherwise with the wave-po\yer
plant, as the generators and the drills which
they are to operate must be installed within
reasonable lateral distance of each other, and
it is essential that the difference in vertical
height between the wave-motion generators
and the rock-drills must be strictly limited.
40
Tin; Mixixr, magazine
Tliis means that any ordinary niiiu' wcniKl
require many separate installations at \'arit>us
(lejitlis in eaeli shaft in whieh the thills are
required. The wave-motion generators must
therefore be constantly moved from place
to place and this calls for small units which
must be easily transportable.
Certainly bigger units than 12 h.p. each
might be used if thcj' can be built sufficiently
compact, and not too heavy for easy trans-
portation i)i the shafts, but I am not aware
that anything larger than the 12 h.p. unit
has, so far, been built, nor do I sec outside
the somewhat better efficiency of the larger
electric motor which would be required,
any real advantage to be gained, as there is
no reason to expect the efficiency of the
wave generator to be increased to any serious
extent by doubling or trebling its capacity.
Since the compressed-air installation does
not call for subdivision into small units,
the case of the 12 h.p. air-compressor does
not arise, and I can only repeat that, in
my opinion, the wave-power rock-drill is
not a serious competitor to the compressed-
air drl'l for mining purposes from any point
of view.
In conclusion I must deny that I have
treated the wave-motion system at all
unfairly in my previous letter ; in fact, I
consider that I have been more than generous
to it by crediting it with a boring speed very
much in excess of that which I believe it to
be capable of, nor have I touched upon
certain other disadvantages which I believe
to be inherent to the system, and wliich
would surely cause trouble and inconvenience
in ordinary mining use.
R. DE H. St. Stephens.
Camborne, Jtme 25.
PERSONAL
Reginald F. Allen is now engaged at the
Kingsdown (Hewas Water) tin mine, St. Austell.
E. C. -Andrews, Government Geologist for New
South Wales, has been elected president of the
Royal Society of New South Wales.
Ernest Bottoms is home from Nigeria.
Sir John Cadman has been elected president of
the Institution of Mining Engineers.
J. .Morgan Clements has returned to New
York from China.
F. G. Cottrell is in Europe investigating helium
and oxygen production on behalf of the United
States Bureau of Mines.
N. F. Dare has been appointed manager for the
Chenderiang Tin Dredging Co., Ltd., in Perak,
Federated Malay States.
Allan Davidson has returned from Nigeria.
.\RTHUR Dickinson is back from Brazil.
R. W. Ffennell has returned to South .\frica.
I'. \i. Hamber is homo from Nigeria.
K. W. Uannam is home again from Nigeria.
Dr. J .\. I.. Henderson has moved his office to
College Hill Chambers, College Hill, Cannon Street,
London, E.C. 2.
James Hocking has returned from Spain.
.\rtiu;r W. Hooke has gone to the United States
on a short visit. .Xs representative of Inder,
Henderson, & Dixon, he will in.spcct some alluvial
gold deposits in the Seward Peninsula, Alaska.
.•\lfred James has resigned from the Council of
the Institution of .Mining and Metallurgy.
Fred Johnson has been elected president of the
Birmingham Metallurgical Society.
Richard I,. Llovd, of the Dwight ct Lloyd
Metallurgical Company, has been awarded the
degree of Master of Science by the Washington
University, St. Louis, U.S.A.
Ross Macartney is expected from Rhodesia.
S. M. Marshall has returned to New York from
India.
John Mathieson and the other members of the
Scottish Spitsbergen Syndicate's expedition
arrived at Spitsbergen on June 16.
Walter G. Perkins has returned to his old
address at 62, London Wall, London, K.C. 2.
.\le.\ander Richardson is leaving for Canada
and the United States, where he will visit mines
and mining schools.
Sir Marcus Samuel, head of the Shell Group,
has been made a peer, and is now known as Lord
Bearsted.
Eugene Schneider, the iron-master of Creusot,
France, is to be the John Fritz medallist for 1922.
W. E. Thorne has left for Nigeria.
W. D. Thornton has moved his office to the new
Cunard Building, 25, Broadway, New York.
J. R. Thurlow is here from the Rand.
K. P. Tod. who has been for many years in charge
nf the British Aluminium Co. 's works at Kinloch-
Icven, has joined the staff of Sir W. G. Armstrong,
Whitworth A Co., Ltd., where he will be occupied
with the firm's hydro-electric work.
Louis .A. Wright is on a short visit to Spain.
The summer meeting of the Mining and Metal-
lurgical Golfing Society was held at the links of the
Highgate Golf Club on June 28. The first prize
was won by Edward Hooper (90—11 = 79 net)
and the second by W. H. Stentiford (100 — 16 =
84 net).
Arthur L. Pearse died at New York on May 14.
Sir Bernard Oppenheimer died on June 12,
after having been in indifferent health for over a
year. He was head of the South -African Diamond
Corporation, It will be remembered that he
estabUshed several diamond cutting works in this
country, where he employed disabled soldiers.
Sir Thomas Wrightson, Bart., chairman of
Head, Wrightson & Co., Ltd., Stockton-on-Tees,
died on June 18, aged 82. He was born in 1839
near Darlington, and received his education at
King's College, London. He served an apprentice-
ship at the Elswick Works, Tyneside, of which his
cousin. Sir William G. Armstrong was then the head.
He also spent some time in civil engineering at
Westminster with Sir John Fowler and Sir Benjamin
Baker. In 1864, he went to the ironworks of Head,
Ashby & Co., Stockton, which shortly after became
known as Head, Wrightson & Co., Limited. He
contributed many papers to the proceedings of the
JULY, 1921
41
Iron and Steel Institute. He was interested in
many other departments of science than engineering
and steel manufacture. His work in connexion
with the physiological theory of hearing and the
structure of the ear was of high order and was well
received among physicists and in medical circles.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
Salterns, Ltd., of Parkstone, Dorset, send us
a pamphlet on the development of water power,
describing their water turbines and accessories.
The General Electric Co., Ltd., of Magnet
House, Kingsway, London, W.C. 2, send us a
pamphlet describing the " Kingsway II " miners'
electric hand-lamp
The Cressall Manufacturing Co., of 40 and
41, Staniforth Street, Birmingham, have issned a
leaflet describing their controller resistances for
cranes, lifts, hoists, etc.
The Consolidated Pneumatic Tool, Co., Ltd.,
of 170, Piccadilly, London, W. 1, send us leaflets
describing electric grinders, air and electrically
operated coal drills, and the Boyer hammer-pick.
John Mills 6i Co., of the Railway Foundry,
Llanidloes, Montgomery, send us a catalogue
relating te their steam-driven self-contained hauling
engines. The catalogue contains full illustrations
and descriptions of the standardized spare parts.
Bruce Peebles & Co., Ltd., manufacturers of
electrical machinery', Edinburgh, announce the
appointment of .\rthur T. Smith as their repre-
sentative in the Midland Counties of England, and
of Harold E. Webb as their London office manager.
The Mitchell Vibrating Screen, invented by
B. A. Mitchell, chief engineer to the Utah Copper
Company, is being placed on the market by the
Stimpson Equipment Company, of Salt Lake City,
which is represented in the country by Stephen M.
Holden, 42, Bannerdale Road, Abbeydale, Sheffield.
The Westinghouse Electric Intern.\tional
Co., of 165, Broadway, New York, and 2, Norfolk
Street, Strand, London, W.C, send us their monthly
house organ for June and July, and also pamphlets
relating to the electrification of excavating shovels,
electric arc welding, electrical apparatus for the
metallurgical and chemical industries, the electrical
precipitation and recovery of dust, smoke, and fume
from gases, automatic railway substations, and the
electrification of steam railways.
Sir W. G. Armstrong, \\ hitw orth & Co., Ltd.,
announce that they have secured the services of
K. P. Tod, M.I.Mech.E., M.I. Met., in connexion
with their hydro-electric work. Many of cur
readers will have met Mr Tod on visits which they
have paid to the British Aluminium Co.'s works at
Kinlochleven, where he has been since 1907, and
where originally he was in charge of the erection
of the pipe-lines and turbines of 30,000 h.p. Mr. Tod
has, until recently, been nianager-in-chief over the
whole of the British Aluminium Co.'s undertaking
at Kinlochleven.
SozoL, Limited, of 20, Copthall Avenue, London,
E.C. 2, send us samples of their anti-rust and anti-
corrosion preparations. These liquids form a film on
the metal surface in the nature of an adsorption or
molecular effect, and the film is not easily removed
mechanically, though it is amenable to soap and
boiling water. Sozol ought to be of great value
to the engineer in charge of mine plants and stores.
Elsewhere in this issue we quote the covering patent,
granted to Professor Edwin Edser and Otto
Reynard. The proprietary company is controlled
by Minerals Separation, Ltd., and the sale agents
for the United Kingdom are F. Simmonds & Co.,
1 to 3, Regent Street, London, S.W. 1.
Hill & Co., Engineers, Ltd., of 7, Hobart
Place, London, S.W. 1, showed the Sauerman cable-
way excavator at the recent Building Trades Exhibi-
tion at Olympia. This excavator consists primarily
of a scraper bucket attached by flexible chain con-
nexions to a patented type of carrier running on an
inclined track cable, this cable being supported at
the upper end by tension blocks to a well-guyed mast
and anchored at the lower end to a movable A-frame
or bridle anchorage. A load cable is attached to the
front of the bucket and carrier. This cable
performs the operation of loading the bucket and
conveying it along the track cable to the dumping
point. A tension cable is provided for operating the
tension or fall blocks at the top of the mast or tower.
This cable and the blocks tighten and slacken the
track cable. Both the load and tension cables lead
from guide blocks at the top of a mast or tower
down to a double drum friction hoist, usually located
at ground level. The machine is designed fcr
excavating and conveying sand, iron ore, or gravel,
and will dig, elevate, convey, and dump the material
in a continuous operation under the control of one
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The standard copper market in London
exhibited a fairly steady tendency during the
first half of last month, but during the latter half
weakness set in and values receded. The settlement
of the coal dispute, however, caused a better feehng
at the end of the month. The easier tone was in 9
sympathy with weaker American advices, holders
in the United States showing greater wilhngness
to cut prices than had been the case for some time.
A simultaneous fall in the value of the pound sterling
in New York failed to give London quotations any
support. Sentiment during the month was inclined
to be somewhat variable, according to whether the
coal news was favourable or unfavourable in regard
to a speedy termination of the stoppage. The
demand from British consumers has been poor,
and is certainly unlikely to revive until coal supplies
are again plentiful. Inquiry from the Continent at
the beginning of the month was moderate, but had
a slackening tendency later, although Germany
continued to feature as a buyer on a fair scale.
It is interesting to note that Germany was the
largest single importer of copper from America
during April, taking 7,000 tons, while France
took 4,500 tons and the United Kingdom 3,600 tons.
Italy appears to have purchased more rough
copper for sulphate-making than she actually
needed, and it is quite possible that she may find
herself compelled to make resales. Advices from
the United States indicate that production there
wac only 46,000,000 lb. in May against 90,000,000 lb.
in .'\prii, and it is estimated that bv July the figure
should not be more than 35,000,0001b. On this
basis it is expected that the .second half of the
current year should witness a. considerable reduction
in the existing large stocks of electrolytic copper in
the United States, as consumijtion should then far
exceed the restricted production.
-Average orice of casli standard copper : June,
1921, /71 ISs. 2d. ; May. 1921, (73 5s. lOd. ; June,
1920, i'SS; May, 1920', /96 18s. Id.
42
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Daily London Mhtal Prices : Official Closing
Copper, Lead, Zinc, ami 'I'iii i>i'r Long Ton ;
COPPIR
Standard Cash Stiniini i) raos.)
Electrolytic
Wire Bars
Best Selected
Tunc
C s.
d. i s. d. £ s. d.
C s. d.
£ ». d.
77 0 0
f.
s.
d.
-: s.
d.
c
s.
d.
i s.
d.
( ». d.
%
73 10
0 to 73 12 6
73 12 G
to 73 15 0
to 79
0
0
77 0
0
to 79
0
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
10
73 0
0 to 73 3 6
73 5 0
t) 73 7 0 1 77 0 0
to 79
0
0
77 0
0
to 79
0
0
73 5
0
to
75 5 0
13
73 2
0 to 73 5 0
73 7 0
to 73 10 0
77 0 0
to 79
0
0
77 0
0
to 79
0
0
73 5
0
to
75 5 0
14
73 7
G to 73 10 0
73 7 6
to 73 10 0
77 0 0
to 70
0
0
77 0
0
to 79
0
0
73 10
0
to
75 10 0
15
73 0
0 to 73 2 6
73 2 6
to 73 5 0
77 0 0
to 79
0
0
77 0
0
to 79
0
0
73 10
0
to
75 10 0
IG
72 12
6 to 72 13 0
72 17 0
to 73 0 0
77 0 0
to 79
0
0
77 0
0
to 79
0
0
73 10
0
to
75 10 0
17
71 17
6 to 72 C 0
72 2 0
to 72 5 0
77 0 0
to 7S
0
0
77 0
0
to 7S
0
0
72 0
0
to
74 0 0
20
71 0
0 to 71 2 fi
71 2 6
to 71 5 0
76 0 0
to 78
0
0
76 0
0
to 78
0
0
72 0
0
to
74 0 0
21
70 7
6 to 70 10 0
71) 10 0
to 70 12 G
75 0 0
to 77
0
0
75 0
0
to 77
0
0
70 10
0
to
72 in 0
22
70 5
0 to 70 7 0
70 5 0
to 70 7 6
74 0 0
to 76
0
0
74 0
0
to 76
0
0
70 10
0
to
72 10 0
23
69 12
6 to 69 15 0
69 17 G
to 70 0 0
74 0 0
to 7G
0
0
74 0
n
to 70
0
0
70 10
0
to
72 10 0
24
69 7
G to 69 10 0
69 12 G
to 69 15 0
73 10 0
to 75
0
0
73 10
0
to 75
0
0
69 15
0
to
71 15 0
27
70 12
G to 70 15 0
70 17 0
to 71 0 0
74 0 0
to 70
0
0
74 0
0
to 76
0
0
69 15
n
to
71 15 Q
72 10 0
2S
70 5
0 to 70 7 6
70 12 G
to 70 15 0
74 0 0
to 70
0
0
74 0
0
to 7G
0
0
70 10
0
to
29
70 5
0 to 70 7 6
70 10 0
to 70 15 0
74 0 0
to 76
0
0
74 0
0
to 76
0
0
70 10
0
to
72 10 0
30
July
71 2
6 to 71 7 0
71 10 0
to 71 12 6
75 0 0
to 77
0
0
75 0
0
to 77
0
0
70 10
0
to
72 10 0
71 17
C to 72 0 0
72 2 6
to 72 5 0
75 10 0
to 77 10
0
75 10
0
to 77 10
0
72 10
0
to
74 10 0
4
71 17
6 to 72 0 0
72 2 6
to 72 5 0
75 10 0
to 77
10
0
75 10
0
to 77
10
0
72 10
0
to
74 10 0
5
72 0
0 to 72 7 6
72 5 0
to 72 7 6
75 10 0
to 77
10
0
75 10
0
to 77
10
0
72 10
0
to
74 10 0
0
72 0
0 to 72 5 0
72 2 6
to 72 5 0
75 10 0
to 77 10
0
75 10
0
to 77
10
0
72 10
0
to
74 10 0
7
72 7
6 to 72 10 0
72 7 6
to 72 10 0
75 10 0
to 77 10
0
75 10
0
to 77 10
0
72 10
0
to
74 10 0
8
72 7
6 to 72 10 0
72 7 G
to 72 10 0
75 10 0
to 77
10
0
75 10
0
to 77
10
0
73 0
0
to
75 0 0
Tin. — Despite temporary rallies, the standar.l
tin market during June was characterized by a
weak tendency, and values closed the month con-
siderablv below the opening quotations. The
prolongation of the coal stoppage, combined with
genera! industrial depression and unfavourable
reports from the American market, made this
downward movement almost inevitable. Pro-
fessional dealings on 'Change constituted the bulk
of the business transacted, in the absence of any
appreciable consuming demand. The tinplate
works have been taking practically nothing, but
it is believed that their stocks are low, and that they
will find it necessary to make fair purchases when
operations are resumed on a larger scale. In the
meantime, the outlook is obscure and it is difficult
to take a really favourable view of the market. In
America business is dull, and although dealers there
have been making purchases both in the Straits
and China, the motive appears to have been the
acquisition of stocks rather than the satisfaction
of demand. The rise in the dollar might have been
expected to bring in some .\merican buying on the
London market, but this did not materialize. In
the East holders have been more willing to sell,
and there is a suspicion that producers are finding
it difficult to dispose of their current production,
with the result that the large stocks held there by
the various interests are still being added to.
While the tin market is a notoriously erratic one,
it seems rather nnlikel)' that it will assume a very
firm appe.arance while genera! conditions are so
unfavourable, although, of course, the cessation of
the coal stoppage may cause fresh optimism in
the near future.
.-Vverage price of cash standard tin : June, 1921,
/167 123. lOd. ; May, 1921, /177 10s. 8d. ; June,
1920, /250 18s 6d. ; May, 1920, /•295 3s. 7d.
Lead. — The London lead market Icept very
steady during June, although business at times was
quiet. Spain continued to be practically the only
source of supplies for the London market, and in this
connexion it is interesting to note that some
Spanish mines at least are able to sell at a profit
at current prices. The other producing countries.
however, have been sending very little. Nothing
can be expected from .\ustralia at the present time,
and there is little chance that Burma will have
any metal to spare. Germany may, of course,
find it possible to ship some metal in the near
future, but at the present time — whatever the
reason — is adopting a waiting policy. In Mexico
the Government .seems to anticipate a revival of
activity as soon as conditions are more favourable,
and large quantities of ore are being dispatched to
the smelter of the .\merican Smelting and Refining
Co at Chihuahua in readiness for the resumption
of operations, whenever that may be. The price
in the United States has been easy of late, having
fallen from S cents to 4-50 cents per lb., which
increases the possibility of offerings in London from
that quarter, although the recent rise in the dollar
militates against such sales. In the meantime,
arrivals from the chief exporting country, Spain,
continue somewhat irregular owing to bunkering
difficulties. Consumers here have generally bought
for prompt delivery in furtherance of their policy
of only taking metal for their immediate require-
ments, and their doing so has probably, helped
to keep the market firm by creating a premium for
prompt metal. In the United States there appears
to be some reluctance on the part of producers to
curtail mining operations because of the good price
obtainable for the silver recovered.
.\verage price of soft pig lead : June, 1921,
/22 9s. Id. ; May, 1921, /23 7.s. 3d. ; June, 1920.
^35 Is. 4d. ; .M.ay, 1920, 'V.39 3s. 2d.
Spelter. — The London spelter market fluctuated
during the past month, but values on the whole
were fairly steadv. Despite the poor industrial
outlook, there was an absence of selling pressure.
Consuming demand, of course, was restricted,
owing to the poor state of the galvanizing trade
and the coal stoppage, but, nevertheless, there was
a steady though small inquiry. The attitude of
the Continental producers appeared to be quite
firm. Germany offered very little, being hampered
by the reparations legislation and by the troubles
in the zinc-producing province of Silesia, while
Belgium and Norway were not disposed to make sales
JULY, 1921
43
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tin
Silver
Zinc
Spelter)
Goto
Soft Foreign |
F.ngll5
h
(
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
23 ^7
d. C
s.
d. £ s.
1.
/ ?•
i. i s.
d.
£ s.d. £ s.
d.
£ s.
i. i s.
d.
d.
d.
s. d.
June
6 to 23
0
n 24 10
0
26 15
0 to 27 15
0
168 15
0 to 169 0
0
170 15
0 to 171 0
0
35
341
110
4
9
23 2
6 to 22
12
C 24 5
0
27 0
0 to 27 17
0
165 15
0 to 166 0
0
167 5
0 to 167 10
0
35i
W
111
0
10
22 10
0 to 22
0
0
23 15
0
27 5
0 to 28 0
0
137 0
0 to 167 5
0
169 5
0 to 109 10
0
35J
35i
110
5
13
22 2
6 to 21
17
G
23 5
0
2fi 15
0 to 27 10
0
167 10
0 to 167 15
0 1 189 10
0 to 169 15
0
351
85i
110
0
14
22 6
0 to 22
0
0
23 5
0 ! 23 15
0 to 27 12
6
163 15
0 to 169 0
0 ] 171 10
0 to 171 15
0
35
35
109
2
15
22 5
0 to22
0
0
23 5
0 1 26 15
0 to 27 10
0
170 5
0 to 170 10
0 172 15
0 to 173 0
0
348
lil
108
7
16
22 2
6 to 22
0
0
23 5
0 ! 26 15
0 to 27 7
6
167 10
0 to 107 15
0 ' 170 0
0 to 170 .5
0
34J
34J
lOS
2
17
22 2
6 to 22
0
0
23 5
0 20 10
Oto27 5
0
106 10
0 to 167 0
0 I 169 0
0 to 169 10
0
35|
35t
353
108
1
20
21 15
0 to 21
12
6
23 0
0 ' 26 10
0 to 27 0
0
164 10
0 to 164 15
0 167 5
0 to 167 10
0
353
109
1
21
21 17
C to 21
15
0
23 0
0 1 26 10
0 to 27 0
0
164 0
0 to 101 5
0 : 160 15
0 to 167 0
0
353
35}
109
7
22
22 5
0 to 22
9
6
23 10
0 26 10
0 to 27 2
6
165 10
0 to 165 15
0
167 15
0 to 168 0
0
35i
3oi
109
9
23
22 10
0 to 22
7
6
24 0
0
26 12
6 to 27 5
0
165 15
0 to 166 0
n
167 15
0 to 168 0
0
35
35
110
5
21
23 2
6 to 23
0
0
24 10
0
27 15
0 to 27 15
0
166 12
6 to 166 17
6
168 17
6 to 169 0
0
35i
35
109
6
27
23 10
0 to 23
5
0
24 15
0
26 15
0to27 2
6
168 10
0 to 166 15
0
169 0
0 to 169 5
0
35i
35
109
5
28
23 7
0 to 23
0
0
24 10
0
26 15
Oto27 5
0
166 0
0 to 166 5
0
168 5
0 to 168 10
0
355
351
35i
109
3
29
23 7
6 to 23
2
6
24 10
0
27 5
0 to 27 12
6
167 0
0 to 167 5
0
169 5
0 to 169 10
0
35i
110
0
30
July
1
23 5
0 to 23
2
6
24 10
0
27 2
6 to 27 12
6
169 0
0 to 169 5
0
171 0
0 to 171 5
0
351
351
110
1
23 0
0 to 23
0
0
24 10
0
20 10
Oto27 5
0
170 15
0 to 171 0
n 172 15
0 to 173 0
0
353
35}
lie
3
4
22 5
n to23
5
0
24 10
0
26 7
6 to 27 2
6
172 5
0 to 172 10
0 1 171 5
0 to 174 10
0
?f^
1*
110
1
5
23 5
0 to 23
.5
0
24 10
0
26 17
6 to 27 7
6
169 10
0 to 169 15
0 171 10
0 to 171 15
0
36i
36
110
4
6
23 7
6 to 23
5
0
24 10
0
26 17
6 to 27 7
6
103 10
0 to 168 15
0 j 179 10
0 to 170 15
0
36i
36
110
9
7
23 2
Sto23
0
0
21 10
0
26 17
6 to 27 7
6
148 7
6tol6S 12
6 : 170 7
6 to 170 10
0
36i
36J
110 10
8
at the expense of prices. Production in Belgium
during May was 4,360 tons, or 40 tons more than
in April. In America the market has been quiet
and easy, with consuming demand poor, although
both India and Japan have made purchases there.
The United States output in May has been estimated
at 1S,000 tons, or about 1,500 tons more than in
.\pril, and 2.300 more than in March. Dehveries
during May amounted to 14,000 tons, so stocks were
increased during the month by some 4,000 tons.
It would appear that the current yearly pro-
duction of America is the lowest since 1904.
Average price of spelter : June, 1921. £27 2s. 2d.
May, 1921, /27 6s. 7d. : June, 1920, /40 2s. lid. ;
:\Iay, 1920, £46 Os. 9d.
Z'lNX Dust. — The market is quiet and moderately
steady. Australian high-grade zinc dust is quoted
at about £55, and Enghsh 92 to 94°(, is priced at
/53, but other makes are obtainable around £.52.
Antimony. — Ordinary brands of English regulus
are slill quoted at £37 to £40, special brands at
£38 5s. to £42, and 98 to 99% at £29 to £32. Foreign
is quoted at about £24.
Arsenic. — Business is dull, and the quotation
nominal at £46 to £48 per ton, delivered London
or Liverpool.
Bismuth. — The price has kept verj' steady at
7s. 6d. per !b.
Cadmium. — Sellers have made no alteration in the
quotation, which continues at 6s. to 6s. 3d. per lb.
Aluminium. — British producers continue to quote
/1 50 per ton for both home and export business,
but foreign metal is obtainable at considerably
below this figure.
Nickel. — The price was advanced £5 during the
month to £190 for both home and export.
Cobalt Metal. — The quotation remains at
15s. to 16s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — There has been no recent change
in prices, black oxide being quoted at 12s. and
grey at 13s. 6d. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — Prices have kept
steady, raw platinum being obtainable at about
£17 and raw palladium at £15, while manufactured
metal is quoted at £20 per oz in both cases.
Quicksilver. — Values have had an easier
tendency, and the present quotation is about
£11 per bottle.
Selenium. — -The quotation is unchanged at
10s. 6d. to 13s. per lb.
Tellurium. — The price continues at 90s. to
95s. per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — £30 per ton is quoted for
both home and export business.
Manganese Ore. — The market has had a shghtly
easier tone, and Indian grades are quoted at Is. 2Jd.
per unit c.i.f. U.K
Tungsten Ore. — This market has continued dull
and variable. We call the price of 65% WO3
about lOs. 6d. to 12s. per unit c.i.f.
Molybdenite. — The price is somewhat easier
at 423. 6d. to 50s. per unit c.i.f. nominal.
Chrome Ores. — Values have tended to weaken,
and Indian and African grades are now quoted at
£4 10s. to £5 per ton c.i.f.
Silver. — The tendency was upwards during the
month. Spot bars opened at 33id. on the !st, rose
to 35|d. on the Uth, weakened to 34ld. on the 16th,
recovered to 35 Jd. on the 20th, and closed on the
30th at 35|d.
Graphite. — Sellers continue to quote Madagas-
car ,80°o to 90°o at £20 to £25 per ton c.i.f.
Iron and Steel. — The prolongation of the coal
stiike continued adversely to affect the iron and
steel trades. Stocks of pig iron have diminished,
and premiums have been asked for July delivery
where obtainable. With the strike over, pig iron
producers will only restart their furnaces again
if the settlement includes terms which will allow
of cheaper fuel. In the meantime, Continental
material has been coming over at cheap prices,
Belgian foundry iron being offered at £5 c.i.f.
U.K., against the official minimum home trade
price for No. 3 Cleveland of £6. The depression in
the finished iron and steel trades has continued,
and though makers will now be able to resume
operations j)rovided fuel and raw material are
cheaper, few have sufficient orders for one week's
rolling. In the meantime, orders have been lost
to Germanv, Belgium, and the United States.
44
THE MINING MAGAZINE
STATISTICS
PXODV
:iiON OF Gold in riiR
Transvaai
•
Else-
l;.iiul ' where 1 Tot.ll
Price ot
1 Oz. i Oi.
Oi.
Gold per OT..
M«y, 1020
681,551
699,199
718,521
683,60.1
17,490
16,758
17,578
lRd79
699,041
715,957
736,099
702,083
682,173
662.472
633.737
632.215
s. d.
105 0
102 6
iuiv
105 0
112 6
September
October
November
December
665.486 1 16.687
645.819 16.653
618,525 15,212
617,549 14,666
lis 0
117 6
117 0
115 0
Total. 1920 .
January. 1921
February
March .'
April
May
•.940,038 204,587 8,153,625
637.425
543,767
656,572
665,309
671,750
14.16S
14.370
14.551
16.073
16.026
651.593
588,137
671.123
681,882
687,776
105 0
103 9
103 9
103
103 9
Natives Ehployed in the Transvaal Mines.
Gold
mines
Coal
mines
I Diamond
mines
Total
May 31, 1920 184,722 12,897
June 30 179,827 13,030
July 31 174,187 13,005
August 31 169,263 I 13,535
September 30 163,132 1 13,716
October 31 159,420 I 13,858
November 30 158,773 14,245
December 31 150,671 14,263
4,703
4.590
4.521
4.244
4,323
4.214
3.504
3.340
202.412
197.459
191.713
187.042
181,171
177,498
176,522
177,274
January 31, 1921 ..
Februar\- 28
March 31
.; 165,287
.' 171,518
. 174,364
. 172.826
. 170..595
14,541
14,097
14,906
14,908
14,510
3,319
1,612
1,364
1,310
1,302
i 1K!,147
187.827
100.634
April 30
189,050
May3l
180.407
Cost and Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines.
Tons
milled
j Work'g I Work'g
Yield I cost j profit
per ton ^ per ton < per ton
Mav. 1920 ... 2,117.725
JuiJe ' 2,146,890
July 2,194,050
August 2,057,560
September... 1,9.50,410
October 1,871,140
November ...' 1.799.710
December . . . 1,797,970
January, 1921 1,895,235 35 0
February 1,575,320 35 6
March 1,958,730 I 34 5
April : 1,9G1,S15 ' 34 5
s. d.
31 9
31 10
33 6 1
36 11
38 11
39 9
40 2
39 11
s. d.
25 11
25 2
24 6
25 0
25 6
26 1
20 S
26 8
26 3
28 6
26 1
25 10
s. d.
5 19
6 8
9 0
11 11
13 5
13 8
13 1
13 3
Total
working
profit
£
618,147
692,510
985,056
1,226,906
1,276,369
1.278.385
1,255,749
1,193,672
8 9
7 0
8 4
8 7
829,436
550,974
813,636
854,533
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
January . . .
February . .
March . . . .
April
May
June
July
August . . . .
September .
October . . .
November .
December .
1919
1920
1921
£
oz.
211,917
43,42?
220,835
44,237
225,808
4.5,779
213,160
47.000
218.057
46.206
214.215
45,054
214.919
46,208
207,339
48.740
223,719
46.471
204.184
47.343
186.462
40.782
158,835
46.190
oz.
40.956
40,810
31,995
47.858
48,744
Transvaal Com OiiTrrrs.
April I
May
Treated
1 Tons
Total
2.499,498
.5.52.498
222.369
Aurora West
Brakpan
City Deep
Cons. Langlangte
Cons. Main Reef
Crown Mines
D*rb'n Roode poortDeep
East K.Tud P.M
Ferreira Deep
GcduM
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburg . . .
Goch
Government G.M. Areas'
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Langlaagte Kstate ....
Luipa.Trd's Vlei
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontcin
Modderfontein H
Modderfontein Deep . .
Modderfontein East. . . .
New llniiied
Nourse
Primrose
Randfontein Central . .
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodepoort United . . .
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates.
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Rand Consolidated
Witw'tersr'nd (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep . .
Wolhuter
10.800
55,000
80.000
43.000
48,000
192.000
26.550
135.000
31.300
44.000
49.765
3.533
17.n;xi
136.000
47.100
28.800
88,400
20,380
14,000
06,000
58,000
42,600
25,700
1I,3(X)
46,000
21.500
128,500
39,000
61,300
23,800
54,500
60,600
42,000
9,900
15,030
31,520
50,400
48,600
32,220
30,000
35,000
31,700
Yield
Oz.
£14,596t
22,476
£182,518*
£65,1231
£85,563"
£280,545*
£45,663*
£1S3,518»
£55,717*
1.5,150
£67,418*
£6,686:
£19.937+
£287.860+
13,114
£37,150*
£02,270+
£21,940+
£41,407+
£224,885*
£1 58,368*
22,916
£51,285*
£14,002+
£73,9.59*
£23,759+
£183,3rB+
£40,440*
13,114
£23,189+
£68,043*
14,469
18,631
6,043
£23,583t
£49,063+
£140,608+
£76,730'
/47,947t
£49,820+
14,491
£41,704*
Treated
Yield
Tons
Oz.
10,8.50
£15.378+
54,500
22.795
86,000
37.251
39,000
£05.209+
48,n00
17.084
188,000
63,149
27.500
9,038
130.000
35,858
33.100
10,f«7
46.000
15,670
48.637
13,2.10
3.370
£6,629§
10,300
£20,102+
134,000
£280,030+
47,700
13.345
27,500
7,107
38,500
£63,448+
£24,112+
20,770
13,700
£42,166+
88,000
43,689
58,000
32.938
41,300
23.233
24,000
10.353
11,000
£13.202+
42,200
13.939
20,900
£23.307+
, 121,000
£183.779+
33,500
8.035
59,000
18,147
22,400
£23,0(10+
52,000
13.705
60,000
14.617
43,900
]9,.596
9,000
5.914
15,620
£24.312§
[ 32,500
£48.437+
49,000
£136.240*
46,000
15.141
3.% 100
.£48.41)1
35,300
£48.442+
35,200
9.568
31,400
7.970
• Gold at £5 3s. 3d. per oz. + £5 8s. 9d. per oz.
§ £5 Is. 3d. per oz.
J £5 2s. 9d. per oz.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
Jumbo
London 6: Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planet-.\rcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G.M. & 1. . .
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian
April
Ton?
Oz.
11,100
15,293
3,503
6,083
1,399
5,320
5,4.50
5,700
2.59
52,350
1,700
£11,500+
3,08611
1,254
4,744
464
£2,592
5,299
2,592
2,001
234
£39,825t
£5,184+
May
Tons
Oz.
11,200
15,637
3,324
6,364
1,350
5.440
5.820
5,800
245
55,500
1,600
£12,978+
3,144*
1,281
5,969
470
£3,422
5,396
2,942
2,630
210
£42,.5S2{
£5,307+
* Also 270 tons copper. + At par. t Gold at £5 5s. per oz.
II Also 272 tons copper.
West
AtKicAN Gold Out
puts.
April
May
Treated Value
Treated | Value
Abbontiakoon
Tons 1 Oz.
0.604 , £10.663*
5.012 1.952
5.759 1 5,325
760 1 £2,838+
5,4';5 £0,993*
2,200 1.303
Tons Oz.
6.864 > £10.807*
6,825 2,252
Akoko
Ashanti Goldf.elds
6,727 7,839
1,018 1 £3,265+
Prestea Block A
Taquah
7,312 , £12,437*
2,600 ' 1,664
■ At par. t Including premium.
JULY, 1921
45
West Australian Gold Statistics. — Par Values.
Reported
Delivered
for Export
to Mint
Total
Total
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
Value I
September, 1920 . .
141
,14,940
55,081
233,963
October
174
128
,13,801
54,729
53,975
54,857
229,275
November
233,017
December
321
53,595
53,916
229,057
Tanuary, 1921
523
50,934
51,457
218,574
February
684
26,872
27,556
117,050
March
10
607
47,875
46,602
47,885
47,209
203,'M)1
April
200,635
May
474
47,638
51,503
217,495
June
153
2S,194
28,347
120,410
AUSTRALUS Goi.D OUTPUTS.
West
Australia
Victoria
Queensland
New South
Wales
1921
oz.
oz.
oz.
i
January .
51,438
4.587
4,582
20,403
February.
27,557
10.940
9.046
21,575
March . . .
47,880
12,383
6.090
24,344
April
47,273
—
—
34,101
May
—
—
15,356
June
—
—
—
July
^-
—
—
August. . .
—
—
—
September
■
—
—
—
October .
—
—
—
November
—
—
—
December
—
—
—
—
Total . .
174,174
1 27.910
20,318
1 15,929
Indian Gold Outputs.
Australasian Gold Outputs.
April
May
Tons
Value i
Tons
Value I
Associated G.M. (W.A.)
5,977
6,890!l
6,023
7,28511
Blackwater (N.Z.)
2,SSS
5,110'
2,744
5,455*
Bullfinrb (W.A.)
—
—
—
—
(iold'n Horseshoe (W.A)
9,024
4,747t
4,032
2,454
C.rt Boulder Pro. (W.A.)
9,033
27,0991!
4,156
12,88311
Ivanhoe (W.A.)
12,217
5,773{
4,483
1,631!
Kalgurli (W.A.)
4,958
Il,2o0;i
Lake Views Star (W.A.)
6,656
14,717tli
4,012
10,274t||
Menzies Con. (W.A.) . .
1,700
2,928*
—
—
Mount Boppy (N.S.W.)
3,696
1,045±
4,874
835}
Oroya Links (W.A.) . . .
1,442
9,235t
1,548
7,418tll
Progress (N.Z.)
—
—
—
—
Sons of Gwalia (W.A.) .
—
—
—
—
South Kalgurli (W.A.) .
7,081
12,40211
—
—
Waihi(N.Z.)
10,907 [
2,997t
31,134§
11,959 ■[
3,511t
25,738§
,, Grand Junc'n (N.Z.)
5,260 1
1,7371
5,9471
G,020 1
l,79nt
6,089§
Yuanmi(W.A.)
1,.512
5,407»
1,632
5,511*
• Inclutiing premium ; t Including royalties ; % Oz. gold ;
§ Oz. silver ; || At par.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs.
-April
May
Tons
jValue £
Tons
Value £
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia)
! 326§
2S2§
EI Oro (Mexico)
31,500
1 206,000t
34,500
207,000t
Esperanza (Mexico)
-
2,318tt
— .
2,188tJ
Frcntino & Bolivia (C'lbia]
2,270
7,997
2,340
8,777
Mexico El Oro (Mexico) . .
11,200
182,780t
11,500
184,780t
Mining Corp. of Canada .
—
— -
—
—
Oriental Cons. (Korea) ...
16,365
97,95St
-
94,000t
Ouro Preto (Brazil)
7,100
2,22211
6,7C0
2.41011
Plym'th Cons. {Calif'rnia
9,000
' 10,663
8.600
8.9C0
St. John del Rey (Brazil).
— -
40,000
—
38,000
Santa Gertrudis (Mexico
35.053
' 13,42U
37,258
10,742t
Tolima (Colombia)
90"
53»»
Tomboy (Colorado)
! 16,000
\ 48,500t
19,000
65,000t
* Oz. silver, t U.S. Dollars. + Profit, gold and silver. H Oz. gold.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. ** Production of silver ore.
Pato (Colombia) : 28 days to June 7, S8,271 from 14,266 cu. vd.j
7 days to June 14, 57,530 from 17,338 cu. yd. ; 8 days to
June 23, $12,470 from 46,057 cu. yd.
Nccbi (Colombia) : 29 days to June 1, {27,315 from 172.972
cu. yd. ; 12 days to June 13, $18,935 from 91.620 cu. yd.
April.
May.
Tons
Treated
Fine
Ounces
Tons
Treated
Fine ■
Ounces
3,200
11,010
15,690
700
8,456
12,500
2,328
4,492
11,027
901
5,189
8.426
3,300
12,215
16,818
700
8,639
12,900
2,009
Champion Reef
4,.561
10,776
North Anantapur
913
5,315
Ooregum
8,482
Production of Gold in India.
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
January ....
44,718
41,420
.38,184
39,073
34,028
February . . .
42,566
40,787
36,384
38,872
32,529
March
44,617
41,719
38,317
38,760
32,.576
April
43,726
41,504
38,248
37,307
32,363
May
42,901
40,889
38,608
38,191
32,656
June
42,024
41,264
38,359
37,864
—
July
42,273
'10,229
38,549
37,129
—
August
42,591
40,496
37,850
37,375
—
September . .
43,207
40,088
36,813
35,497
—
October
43,041
39,472
37,138
35,023
■ —
November . .
42,913
36,984
39.628
.34,522
- —
December . .
44,883
40,149
42,643
34,919
—
Total ..
.'S20.362
485,236
461,171
444,532
164,162
Base Metal Outputs.
.\rizcna Copper Short ton? copper . .
I Tons lead cone. . . ,
British Broken Hill . . . • Tons zinc cone
( Tons carbonate ore
^ , Tt 11 r> ' Tons lead cone. . . ,
Broken H'll Prop . ^^^^ ^^„^ ^„„^
Broken Hill South Tons lead cone
T, ^ ( Tons re&ned lead .
Burma Corp , q,^ ^^f^^^^ 5;,^^^ _
-- , ^, ' Tons copper
Hampden Cloncurry • ■ j qz oold
( Tons copper
Mount Lyell - Oz. silver
I Oz. gold
Mount Morgan I JHoSr". ! ! ! ! ! !
North Broken H,l! i 5°° siwir ! ! ! 1 ! ! ! !
Rhodesia BroUen Hill Tons lead .
„ , ,-j ^ .- ' Tons lead cone.
Sulphide Corporation . . - ^^^^ ^,^^ ^^^^ _
Tanganyika Tons copper
™. ^ ,. I Tons zinc cone
Zmc Corporation -j .j.^^^ ,^^j ^^„^
April
1,000
2.673
2,369
231,934
439
11,073
292
May
2,897
2,781
353,003
433
10,432
277
1,812
1.7R0
1,806
1,906
2,72s
3,093
2,189
2,8-46
8,520
9,745
617
811
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc., into United Kingdom.
Iron Ore Tons .
Manganese Ore Tons .
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons .
Copper Ore, Matte, and Prec Tons .
Copper Metal Tons .
Tin Concentrate Tons .
Tin Metal, Tons .
Lead, Pig and Sheet Tons .
Zinc (Spelter) Tens .
Quicksilver Lb.
Zinc Oxide Tons .
White Lead Cwt. .
Eary tes, ground Cwt. . j
Phosphate Tons . ;
Sulphur Tons .
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. .
Petroleum j
Crude Gallonsj
Lamp Oil Gallons,
Motor Spirit Gallons;
Lubricating Oil Gallons!
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil Gallons
April
May
123,583
15,690
7,694
21,518
14,662
5,170
7,744
291
11,840
7,609
1,9E3
1,051
317
1,205
7,951
10,709
11,401
2,206
411,316
7,865
328
309
4,770
2,885
21,133
6,987
28,210
14,704
5
.
114,249
18,994
7,520,101
9,299,586
9,992,778
9,034,974
26,191„5a5
28,364,422
3,374,996
3,750,784
3,067,510
1,494,292
46,588,689
47,952,217
16
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Outputs op Tin Mining Coupanhs.
Ill Ton; of Concentrate.
March
April
C
10
11
May.
Tons
2S
22t
4
n
8J
Kisfri.'i ; Tons
Associ.ilcd Nigerian —
BUichi 22
Bong\\*clU —
Champion (Xigeria) —
Dua ; i
Ex-Lands 20
Filani —
Gold Co.lst Consolidated ... 3
Gurum River , 13
Jantar —
.los 16
Kaduna —
Kaduna Prospectors 14
Kano 3
Lower Bisicbi GJ
Luckv Chance —
Minna 3
Mongu 5:>
Naraputa 70
Naragiita Extended 3
Nigerian Consolidated ' 20
N.\. li.iuchi ] 45
Oftin River —
Raylield | 23
Ropp 97
Rukuba i 4}
South Bukeru 12
Svbu I 5
Tin Fields fi
Yarde Kerri 13
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang ' 81*
Gopeng 72
Idris Hydraulic ' 21
Ipoh 17i
Kamunting 122*
Kinta .SO
Lahat 57
Malayan Tin P5i
Pahang 213
Rambntan 15
Sungei Besi 42
Tekka 30
Tekka-Taiping 13i
Tronoh 20
Cornwall :
East Pool —
Geevor ' —
South Crofty ' . — 1
Other Countries ; ]
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia) . ! 200
Berengiicla (Bolivia) ' 31 ' !
Briseis (Tasmania) S
Decbook Ronpibon (Siam) . . 30i !
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal) ' 99*
.Macready (Swaziland) i 19» |
Renong (Siam) . . .- : 21 i 1
RooiberyMineralstTransvaal) 50 E
Siamese Tin (Siam) 57 '
Tongkah Harbour (Siara) ... 37 <
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal) — -
' Three months. f Tributers.
Nigeria^ Tin Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unspecilaed content.
Note. — These figures are taken from the monthly returns made by
individual companies rei^orting in London, and probably represent
So"., of the actual outputs.
23
G
33
107
50
120
.54
13
1916 I 1917
Tons
Januar\' 531
February .528
.March .547
April 486
May 536
June 510
July 606
August I 498
September .... 535
October 684
November .... 679
December , 654
Total 6,594
Tons
657
646
655
555
509
473
479
551
538
578
621
655
6,927
1918
1919 ,
Tons
Tons
67S
613
CCS
623
707
606
5S4
546
525
483
492
484
545
481
571
616
520
561
491
625
472
536
518
511
6,771
6,685
1920 I 1921
Tons
438
370
445
394
337
Tons
547
477
505
467
383
435
484
447
528
62S
544
577
6,022 I 1,984
36
32i
45
40
8
S
8
6}
41i
42
30
95
97
5
3
20
10
13
1}
4
13
11
77}
m
21
19
—
20
36
35i
51
50J
77
83
!30
248
15}
16
34
36
31
36
U
10}
22
21
rRODUcnoN OP Tin in rppERATEn Malay States.
Estimated at 70"o of Concentrate shipped to Smelters
l.onR Tons.
1017
Tons
January 3,553
Febniarv 2,755
March ; 3,280
April 3,251
May ( 3,413
June j 3,489
July I 3,253
August I 3,413
September 3,154
October ' 3,4.30
November 3,300
December j 3,525
1 39,833 37,370
1918
Tons
3,030
8,197
2,609
3,308
3,332
3,070
3,373
3,259
3,157
2,870
3,132
3,022
1919
1920
Tons
3,765
2,734
2,819
2,858
3,407
2,877
3,756
2,956
3,161
3,221
2,972
2,4C9
36,935
Tons
4,265
8,014
2,770
2,606
2,741
2,940
2,824
2,736
2,734
2,837
2,573
2,838
1921
84,928
Tons
8,298
3,111
2,190
2,6i)2
2,S?4
14,175
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long Tons.
i April 30
Straits and Australian Spot ' 1,357
Ditto, Landing and in Transit . . . ' 185
Other Stan iard, Spot and Landing 5,081
Straits, .Afloat 775
Australian, Afloat 150
Banca, in Holland 2,867
Ditto, Afloat 200
Billiton, Spot 534
Billiton, Afloat j —
Straits, Spot in Holland andj
Hamburg i —
Ditto, Alloat to Continent I 100
Total Afloat for United States ... 1,441
Stock in America 2,4-11
Total I 15,131
May 31 1 June 30
1,430
535
4,457
1,505
150
3,405
445
644
30
475
2,595
2,046
1,931
135
4,279
1,210
90
3,780
485
523
159
585
1,225
2,546
17.767 I 10,953
Shipments, Imports, Supply, and Consumption op Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
April
May
June
Shipments from :
Straits to U.K
775
925
100
825
295
811
1,425
1,735
507
200
490
353
320
600
505
Straits to other places
Austraha to U.K
350
25
200
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
724
Supply :
Straits.
1,800
70
865
3,667
150
1,130
394
1,425
25
Billiton
Banca
Standard
273
1,170
263
Total
2,735
5,391
3,156
Consumption :
U.K. Deliveries
1,531
152
1,590
95
1,000
398
1,225
132
1,361
3S8
American ,
1,590
Straits, Banca & BiU^ton, Con-
631
TMal
3,368
2,755
3,970
JULY, 1921
47
OuTPuis Reforied by Oil-producing Companies,
Tons..
April
May
Aoglo-Egyptian
12,478
10,101
39,241
68,200
99,200
288
95,0!:0
H,160
1,849
1,400
20,095
15,000
2,813
14,173
10,700
Bands
21,000
British Burm^h
Barrels
Barrels
70,212
102,720
Dacia Romana
Tons. .
Barrels
294
9-1,250
Lobitos
Roumanian Consol
Tons. .
Tons. .
8,686
1,849
9,fc00
Steaua Romana
Tiinidad Leaseholds
United of Trinidad
Tons..
Tons..
Tons..
19,150
13,.550
3,768
Quotations of Oil Companies' Shares.
Denomination of Shares £1 unless otherwise noted.
Anglo-American j 4 15
Anglo- Egyptian E 1 17
Anglo- Persian 1st Pref 1 2
Anglo-United, Wyoming I 8
Apex Trinidad | 2 5
British Borneo (10s.) ,: 16
British Bannah (Ss.) I J 0
Burmah Oil 6 15
Caltex ($1) 6
Dacia Romano 1 0
Kern River, Cal. (10s.) 1 1
Lobitos, Peru 4 0
Mexican Eagle, Ord. ($.5) 6 10
Pref. (S5) 6 5
North Caucasian (10s.) 18
Phxnix, Roiimania I 10
Roumanian Consolidated i 13
Royal Dutch (100 gulden) I 47 0
Scottish American 10
Shell Transport, Ord 5 11
„ Pref. (£10) 8 10
Trinidad Central 4 5
Trinidad Leaseholds 212
United British of Trinidad ' 1 2
Ural Caspian I 1 0
Uroz Oilfields (10s.) I 9
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
d.
£ s.
d.
0
4 10
0
6
1 8
9
•>!
1 2
(i
9
5
0
<>l
2 0
0
s!
13
9
0|
1 0
0
0
6 7
H
'A
4
3
d
1 0
0
<'i
19
6
o!
4 5
0
"i
5 7
6
ol
5 2
6
"(
17
H
6
11
9
6
12
6
C
42 10
11
0
7
0
3l
5 11
3
0
s 10
M
0
3 15
0
ri
2 10
0
f
18
9
0
17
6
0
8
P
Date
Company
June 21 .
June 23 .
June 10 .
Jviue 24 .
June 22 .
June 26 .
June 15 .
June 26 .
June 22 .
June IS .
June 16 .
June 26 .
June 10 .
June 22 . .
June 18 . .
July 5 ..
June 21 . .
June 22 . .
June 23 . .
June 11 ..
June 10 . .
June 16 . .
June 10 . .
July 2 ..
June 21 . .
June 20 . .
June .^ . .
June 10 . .
Anglo-American of S..\. . .
Apex Mines
British Burmah Petroleum .
Burmah Oil
California Petroleum
Clydesdale Collieries
De Beers Consolidated . . . .
Dundee Coal
Exploring Land & Minerals.
Frontino & Bolivia
Gopeng Consolidated
Great Boulder Perseverance
Idris Hydraulic Tin
Ivanhoe Gold
Kramat Pulai
Lobitos Oilfields
Mexican Eagle
Mexico of El Oro
Natal Navigation Collieries .
Nechi (Colombia)
Oroville Dredging
Ouro Preto
Pato (Colombia)
Poderosa
Rand Selection
Rczende
Rhodesia Copper
Shamva Mines
Par
Value of
Shares
£1
lOs.
8s.
Or. n
Pr. $100
a
Pr.£2 10s
a
5s.
Pr.£l
a
a
a
£r>
a
ii
Or. $500
£1
Or. 10s
Or. ri
£1
£1
£1
£1
3s.
£1
Amount of
Dividend
5% less tax.
6d.
131% less tax.
4s. tax paid.
11%
10%
10s. less tax.
710/
5% less tax.
5% less tax.
9d. less tax.
5d.*
6d. less tax.
Is. 6d. less tax.
Is. less tax.
15^*0 less tax.
6%, less tax.
2s. 6d. tax paid
2s.
5s. less tax.
9d. less tax.
5% less tax.
7s. less tax,
2s. 6d. less tax,
15°'o less tax.
20''i less tax.
12i°i less tax.
7iS% less tax.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. July 8.
These quotations are not absolute ; they vaiy according
quantities required and contracts running.
Acetic .^rid, 40% per cwt.
S0%
„ Glacial per ton
Ahmi ,,
Alumina, Sulphate ,,
Ammonia, Anhydrous per lb.
,, 0'880 solution per ton
,, Carbonate per lb.
,, Chloride, grey per ton
I. „ pure pe"- cwt.
,, Nitrate per ton
,, Phosphate ,.
,, Sulphate „
Antimony, Tartar Emetic per lb.
Sulphide, Golden ,,
Arsenic, White per ton
Barium Carbonate ,,
,, Chlorate per lb.
, , Chloride per ton
,, Sulphate ,,
Benzol, 90% per gal.
B'^sulphate of Carbon per ton
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI
,, Liquor, 7% ,,
Borax , ,
Boric Acid Crystals „
Calcium Chloride
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% per gal.
,, „ crystallized, 40' per lb.
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton
Citric Acid per lb.
Copper, Sulphate . . per ton
Cyanide of Sodium, 100% per lb.
Hydrofluoric Acid
Iodine per oz.
Iron, Nitrate per ton
,, Sulphate ,,
Lead, Acetate, white ,
,, Nitrate ,,
,, Oxide, Litharge
„ White ,
Lime, Acetate, brown ,,
„ gre\'SO%
Ma^esite, Calcined ,,
Magnesium, Chloride
,, Sulphate ,,
Methylated Spirit G4' Industrial per ?al.
Nitric Acid, 80° Tw per ton
Oxalic Acid per lb.
Phosphoric Acid per ton
Potassium Bichromate per lb.
,, Carbonate per ton
,, Chlorate per lb.
Chloride 80% per ton
Hydrate (Caustic) OO-^o ,
,, Nitrate ,,
,, Permanganate per lb.
,, Prussiate, Yellow ,
Red
Sulphate, 90% per ton
Sodium Metal per lb.
,, Acetate per ton
,, Arsenate -15%
,, Bicarbonate ,,
,, Bichromate per lb.
,, Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton
(Crystals)
,, Chlorate per lb.
„ Hydrate, 76% per ton
.. Hypo:uIphite „
Nitrate, 96%
,, Phosphate ,.
,, Prussiate per lb.
. SiUcate per ton
Sulphate (Salt-cake) ,,
(Glauber's Salts)
,, Sulphide ,,
,, Sulphite ,,
Sulphur, Roll
,. Flowers ,,
Sulphuric A.cid, Fuming, 65^ ,,
M ,, free from Arsenic, 144^ ... ,,
Superphosphate of Lime, 20%
Tartaric Acid per lb.
Turpentine per cwt.
Tin Crystals per lb.
Titanous Chloride „
Zinc Chloride per ton
Zinc Sulphate „
f
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IS
Tiiic mininh; .ma».\zini
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b U »
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!.■) 6
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119
2 0 3
9 i
3
6 1
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7 (i
1 18 0
3
0
12 0
16 3
7 n
2 13 3
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13 9
8 0
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IG 3
3 D
1 12 (i
14
7
13 9
17 G
3 0 0
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3 0
12 0
17 0
2
le
4 15 0
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3 I
17 0
10 3
2 6
9 6
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1 U
10 0
20 5 0
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10 15 0
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17 6
July 6.
1921
£ s. d.
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e 0 0
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18 9
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9 6
13 0
1 15 0
3 ti
3 U
4 3
2 8
4
15
13
4 7
3 7
1 7
2
1
7
2 1
2 12
10 0
9 G
12 3
2 9
1 IS 9
12 6
15 0
12 3
3 12 6
7
10 0
13 9
0 3
3 (i
G G
1 9
7 6
10 5 0
2 5 0
4 0 0
9 9
15 fi
2 0 0
3 10 0
1 10 0
4 6
2 3
8 3
14 3
1 6
5 G
3 0
o
G
3 0
o
G
3 6
1
0
17 6
10
0
7 6
5
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1
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• New E
hares.
t
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10
6 5
9
1 3
1 2
7
7
2
14
4
II
July 6,
1921
£ 6-
2
2
1
1
18 9
17 9
0 0
10 0
2 8 9
12 6
5 0
13 9
1 10 0
5 6
2 0 0
13 9
17 C
1 12 G
37 10 0
10 6
10 0
10 0
1 16 3
d.
0
6
6
3
8 0
10 0
2 G
4 0
9 9
fi 0
7 G
2 G
, 5 0
7 0
5 0
12 6
15 3
5 6
5 0
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5 0
1
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(i
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1 3 9
15 0
G 3
5 0
1 15 0
4 0
7 6
13 9
12 G
15 0
31 0 0
11 0
7 6
11 3
1 0 0
1 7
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17
6
2 0
0
1 1
3
3 2
0
2 2
6
1 5
0
12
G
2 10
0
1 10
0
2 10
0
1 8
9
IG
H
12
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19
0
8
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9 15
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10
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7
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10 6
3 10
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7
6
1 1
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17
6
1 (!
3
1 1
3
2 0
0
1 5
U
lC;-rupee shares of Indian Co.
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
RECOVERY OF ZINC FROM LEAD SLAGS
The Proceedings of the Australasian Institute of
-Mining and Metallurgy, No. 38, 1920, contains
a paper by Guy Courtney on the recovery of zinc
from lead blast-furnace slags, giving a description
of some of the work carried out by the Sulphide
Corporation at Cockle Creek. Early in the life of
the works it was realized by the metallurgical staff
that a very wide field for investigation lay before
them. At the head of these was the late F. H
Evans, and it was due to his work and suggestions
that the question has grown from a mere hypothesis
to a commercial undertaking, in so far as these
works are concerned. In 1908 a patent was tiled
by Mr. Evans in conjunction with P. A. M'Kay,
which had for its object the expulsion of zinc from
lead blast-furnace slags, the operation being carried
out either in a blast-furnace or reverberatory furnace
supplied with tuyeres. .\ converter was also pro-
posed, the reduction of the zinc being accomplished
by blowing in carbonaceous material in a finely
divided condition, or carburetted gas through
the molten slag. One of the earliest attempts made
at Cockle Creek to drive the zinc from the slag was
some fourteen years ago. Compressed air was
blown in under the surface of some molten slag.
The resultant ebullition drove off large volumes of
fume, but, owing to the chilling effect of the cold
air, the test could only be maintained for a few
minutes. A little later this method was again
tried, with certain modifications. An iron pipe was
lined with firebrick, leaving an opening 15 in. in
diameter and 4 ft. deep. Four inches from the
bottom three tuyeres were fitted, equally spaced
round the circumference. Attached to the tuyeres
were three reservoirs for powdered coal. In
starting, the air and coal dust were turned on and
hot slag poured in to a depth of about 12 in. above
the tuyeres. The agitation, brought about through
the blast of air and the combustion of the coal,
drove off dense volumes of fume. This continued
without abatement for about 45 minutes, which was
as long as the supply of fuel lasted. Without
proper means of handling the powdered coal, it
became a difficult matter to ensure a constant
stream being blown in with the air, as at this period
little was known of the methods and appliances now
in use for the handling of powdered fuel. The
zinc driven off was only about 19o, but a marked
increase in the temperature of the slag was observed.
This would no doubt have reached 1,600° C,
which was afterwards found to be so important
a figure in all the tests. When this experiment was
repeated the same results were observed. These
tests anticipated the patent subsequently taken out,
and in a great measure the new methods now being
employed in one or two American and Japanese
works, whereby powdered fuel is fed to the copper
blast-furnaces through the tuyeres.
At a later period information was obtained from
Europe, which led to the belief that the problem
had been successfully solved there. Two processes
were in operation : one using briquettes in a blast-
furnace, the other utilizing the hot slag as it was
tapped from a lead blast-furnace into a
reverberatory furnace. In the latter operations
two reverberatory furnaces were used, one of 20
tons and the other of 5 tons capacity. Into the
former the slag was tapped from the blast-furnace
and given a good strong firing. At intervals of
2J hours the tap-hole was opened and enough slag
allowed to run to fill the smaller or 5 ton
reverberatory. At this stage a certain amount of
limestone and coke was added, and the charge
strongly fired for another 2 J- hours. At the end
of this period the zinc should have been expelled
from the slag.
An e.xpermient at Cockle Creek on the
reverberatory method differed from the European
tests in that only one furnace was used and the
slag was introduced cold instead of hot. Charges
of 10 tons were treated in this way, and a fair
quantity of fume was e.xpelled. One of the con-
ditions necessary for the success of the operation
was that the temperature should be not less than
1,600° C. A fair amount of fume came away
while the slag was melting. A period of quiescence
then intervened, when the fume came off again in
large volumes, on the temperature rising to
1.600' C. Agitation of the charge helped con-
siderably, but this agitation had to be continuous
to be effectual. From assays taken it was found
that from 35''o to 40% of the zinc was expelled.
The cost of working this method was, however,
found prohibitive. A large amount of labour was
necessary, and the quantity of fuel consumed in
maintaining so high a temperature placed it beyond
the possiblity of being a commercial success.
Attention was next turned to the advantages offered
by the electric furnace. A 350 k.w. motor-
generator set, capable of giving 7,000 amperes at
50 volts, had been installed for treating zinc ores
electrothermically. A small furnace was built
of circular section, lined with 9 in. of English fire-
brick and holding about 500 lb. of slag. The top
was left open so that the progress of fusio.'. could
be followed from beginning to end. Early during
the test it was noticed that the action of the slag
on the lining was very drastic, and at the end of
six hours nothing remained of the furnace but the
outer iron shell. As this was more of a preliminary
experiment than an actual test.no figures were taken
of power consumption or zinc extraction, though
it was observed that dense volumes of fume were
evolved. Numerous other linings were tried,
including chrome and magnesite, but the experience
gained was identical in each case ; no refractory
material could stand the intense heat and the action
of the slag Finally recourse was had to a water-
jacketed furnace. A tank was therefore con-
structed, of trough form, 14 ft. long and 2 ft. wide,
having a two-course brick lining, the idea being
to have a furnace in which the molten slag would
be kept in a state of flow, thereby endeavouring to
establish a continuous operation. Four electrodes
were introduced at equal intervals through the roof,
the carbon tamping in the hearth making the
49
50
TH
MINING MAGAZINE
negative side. Cold slag was fed at one end, and,
on fusing, travelled to the other end of the trouRh,
h.iving to jiass three intensely hot zones on its way
to the tap-holo. Continuous charging and tapping
were maintained with excellent results, a large
tonnage being treated with an extraction of 60%
of the zinc in the slag. When the furnace was
dismantled it was found that in the space formed,
due to expansion, between the inner and outer
lining of bricks, about half-a-pound of metallic zinc
had condensed. This led to the conclusion that,
under suitable conditions, it should be possible to
condense the fume by the same operation, and thus
save the additional cost of retorting. In order to
collect the fume a new furnace was built, con-
sisting of two concentric rings of boiler plate having
a 3 in. water space between. A set of flues, con-
necting to a fan and bag-house, was erected and
10 tons of oxide collected. In appearance the oxide
was somewhat grey, though occasionally there
would be periods when the product from the bags
would be nearly white. The carbon content
explains tlie difference in the colour, but no reason
can be assigned as to why it should be more
prevalent at some periods than at others. The
oxide produced by this method, it was observed,
w-as of greater density than that recovered by the
blast-furnace process of extraction mentioned
later ; it would be reasonable, however, to expect
a good deal more occluded air in blast-furnace
oxide than in that produced electrothermically.
The following is a percentage analysis of the
electric-furnace oxide : PbSOj, 15-12 ; PbCO,,
5-00 ; ZnO, 62'8 ; Fe.,0,, 0-7 ; AlsO,,, 2-21 ; SiOj,
4-07 ; C, 0-93 ; CaO, trace : As, trace. In all
cases a resistance type of furnace was used, this
^ giving the highest efficiency. Besides using cold
dump slag several tests were made on hot slag direct
from the blast-furnace, as it was considered that
by utilizing the heat already in the slag a great
saving in power could be effected. The contrary
was, however, found to be the case, as shorter time
is required to remove the zinc from cold slag than
when using it hot. Reducing agents and fluxes
were discarded, as no advantage could be found to
result from their use. There is no doubt that,
given cheap power and a moderate price for
graphite electrodes, the extraction of zinc from lead
blast-furnace slags of low zinc contents could be
looked upon as a commercial possibility, those
usually run and experimented upon at the works
containing about 9°^ Zn.
After a lapse of three years the question was
again brought to the fore, and after careful con-
sideration a small blast-furnace was constructed.
Two rows of tuyeres were allowed for. 15 in. apart,
with the bottom row 9 in. above the bottom of the
furnace, the area at this point bemg 4 ft. 6 in. by
2 ft. 3 in. The depth of shaft from tap-hole to
feed floor was 9 ft. 3 in., while above the feed
floor a large chamber was built for the cooling of
the gases before passing to the flues leading to the
bag-house. The original tuyeres, 3 in. diameter,
were found to be too large, therefore cast-iron
thimbles were used to reduce the size to liin.
diameter. Soon after starting it was found that
the two rows of tuyeres were rather a disadvantage,
a careful balance in the blast pressure having to
be maintained, othersvise a back draught was pro-
duced in the top row, which quickly destroyed
the sleeves on the bustle pipe. At the same time
an element of risk was run by the men attending
the furnace when they opened the tuyeres, and as
a ciiuse<punce the top row was discarded. A
5 ft. cluirijc colinnn was found to give the best
results when working with a blast of 8 to 10 oz.
By these means it was possible to run the furnace
with a hot top, while at the same time a minimum
amount of dust was blown into the flues. From
the cooling chamber the fume was carried along
30 ft. of brick flue and 180 ft. of 40 in. diameter iron
pipe to a Fichler fume-coUecting plant, and from
thence to the bag-house. The Fichtcr plant,
owing to the (loor condition of some of the elements,
on account of their having been idle for some years,
did not collect much fume, but it answered the
purpose of a cooler, the gases being so hot that the
original arrangement, whereby the fume went
straight to the bag-house, did not allow sufficient
length of I'ipe and in consequence many of the bags
were destroyed. The bag-house consisted of five
rows of 12 bags, each 18 in. diameter and 17 ft.
long. Two qualities were used, unbleached calico
and grey flannel, the latter having the longer life.
A by-pass was introduced between the furnace and
the bag-house, by which means it was po.ssible to
divert the fume to the smelter stack, in the event
of the bags requiring repairs or renewals. At the
same time, as the capacity of the fan in use was not
large enough to take all the fume, it was possible
to run the furnace at full capacity, likewise pre-
venting any fume from blowing through the
charging doors, and interfering with the feeding.
In order to thoroughly test the method three
distinct charges were used : slag briquettes, slag
nodules, and ordinary dump slag. The first to
be used were the briquettes having the following
composition : Crushed slag, 100 parts ; limestone,
15 parts; coke, 15 parts; cement, 1'5 parts.
From the outset a great deal of trouble was
experienced, through the friable nature of the
briquettes, which broke up in the furnace and filled
the crucible and tuyeres with fines. It was also
found necessary' to add an additional 26% of
coke, part of which went to make up for the amount
of fine coke blown out of the furnace. Quite
apart from these mechanical troubles, however,
the cost of making briquettes was found to be too
high to ensure a profitable undertaking. In
dealing with the slag nodules, all the above-
mentioned objections also applied, but in spite of
the many difficulties encountered, some valuable
data were collected. The assay of the charge gave :
lead, 3-6% ; zinc, 7-8%. The zinc is on the low
side, which is, of course, due to the dilution of the
slag by the fluxes. The slag tapped ran on an
average 0-5% lead and 3-2% zinc, the recovery
calculated on these figures being 70% lead and
60% zinc. The high lead content of the slag is
accounted for by the fact that it was taken from
an old section of the dump. During all the
operations a great deal of trouble was experienced
through the formation of sows, but by building
the crucible with a slope in the direction of the
tap-hole, this trouble was overcome. The treat-
ment of the nodules was a replica of the briquette
campaign, only of shorter duration, giving
practically the same results. Following the
briquettes and nodules, a trial was carried out
with slag direct from the dump. A certain pro-
portion of limestone was added in order to run a
slag going about 25% CaO. The following is the
composition of the average charge : Slag, 100 parts ;
limestone, 17 parts ; coke, 34 parts ; with 2'3% Pb
JULY, 1921
51
and 9-S°o Zn. The tapped slag went l^o Pb and
5-4°o Zn. The recover}' on these figures gives 60°o
Pb and 41% Zn. These results are low, but from
data obtained while using a small quantity of slag
rich in zinc, it was found possible to maintain a
recovery of about 75%, and it was also found to be
a comparatively simple matter to reduce the zinc
to about 5%, regardless as to whether the original
contents were 9% or 15%, so that, in running on
a slag going 15% or 20% Zn, a fair margin of profit
would be shown. About 40 tons of oxide of a blue-
grey colour were collected which, on ignition,
appeared creamy-white and gave the following
percentage analysis : PbO, 25-42 ; ZnO, 63 ;
CaO, trace ; Insoluble, 0-70 ; SO.,, 8 ; Sb-As, 0-13 ;
As,0„, 0-85 ; Fe-iOs, 0-28 ; CuO, trace ; and CI,
0-014.
From this series of tests certain definite data were
established, showing that, in order to successfully
recover zinc from lead blast-furnace slags, the
zinc in the original slag should not be much below
15%. In addition it was found that a large pro-
portion of the zinc is evolved during the process of
melting ; hence cold slag is preferable to slag
in the molten state to commence with. The slag
having reached the molten stage no more fume
comes off until the temperature attains the region of
1,600^ C or over. \ lower temperature can be
used, say 1,200° C, provided the bath is kept in
a state of constant agitation during the whole
period of treatment. These points concerning
critical temperature were established through the
medium of the electric furnace, which proved
particularly suitable for this class of work, where
a condition was required at all times that would
permit of a close and constant watch being kept
on the operations as a whole, but more particularly
on the bath of slag itself. In order to carry the
experiments through to a finality a small electro-
lytic zinc plant was erected for the treatment of
the oxide. The plant was capable of producing
about one ton of zinc per day and the whole of the
oxide was converted to metal, which presented no
difficulties in operating beyond those usually
encountered in converting oxide to metal electro-
lytically, a high-grade zinc being produced.
MINING IN CENTRAL AUSTRALIA
In the Chemical Engineering and Mining Ifeview
(Melbourne) for March and April, F. Copley
Playford, Chief Warden at Darwin, Northern
Territory, gives an account of his journey from
Adelaide to Darwin across the continent of
Australia.
With the exception of a small and unprospected
belt 80 miles south of ."Mice Springs, no
metalliferous rocks are met with between
Oodnadatta and the Macdonnell Ranges. Near
Charlotte Waters, close to the Territory boundary,
there exist deposits of kaolin, one apparently of
great length and width, and of a very pure nature,
from which aborigines obtain material to make
smoking pipes and carved ornaments for the
purpose of barter. An analysis of samples of clay
taken by the writer from this deposit show the
quality to be good and its behaviour, when burnt,
fits it for use in high-grade ceramic ware. Arrange-
ments have now been made to have a bulk parcel
sent to the school of mines. Ballarat, where the
Institute of Science and Industry is assisting in
carrying out research work on clays of various
types.
The Macdonnell Ranges consist of a series of
jagged, precipitous, and, comparatively speaking,
parallel lines of peaks, low jumbly hills and
ridges rising from a plateau ranging from 2,000
to 2,500 ft. above sea-level, the mountainous
and hilly country partly enclosing some
extensive cotton and saltbush and grassy
plains. These ranges trend in an easterly and
westerly direction for about 250 miles with an
average width of 45 miles, the overland telegraph
line crossing them at their central and narrowest
part. Apart from such crossing, the only sections
passed over by the author were from .\lice Springs
via Undoolya station to the Arltunga goldfields,
and from the latter locality via Winnecke goldfield,
back to Alice Springs. The rocks, metamorphic
and igneous, along the whole of the latter route,
are favourable for the occurrence of gold, but
except the auriferous areas mentioned and the
Hart's Rr^nge mica field, very little prospecting
work has been carried out throughout the
Macdonnell Ranges.
The White Range, Arltunga goldfield, lies in the
Macdonnell Ranges, about 60 miles E.N.E. from
Alice Springs telegraph station, and 280 miles
north from Oodnadatta railway station. The
properties that have been worked comprise 16
gold-mining leaseholds with an aggregate area of
640 acres. With the exception of some of no
great extent or depth on a claim known as the
Joker, all mining operations that have been
carried out on the White Range are within the
boundaries of the leaseholds taken up by White,
and nearly all are on its eastern slope, the
majority being within an area of 80 acres. The
principal ones, ranging from north to south, are
locally known as the Great Western, Associated,
White's East, and Lucy, with its continuation
westerly known as the Pipeclay, White Range
Consolidated. Excelsior, and Extended Nos. 1 and
2. There are also other mine workings on the
higher slopes of the range and some near Corby's
Bluff. Of these the most extensively worked are
the Excelsior and Lucy, but in these two, as well
as all the others, the ore has been simply rooted
out at depths up to 70 ft. from different places in
ore-channels, most of the workings resembling
huge rabbit warrens with an occasional cave and
burrows leading from them. The widest make of ore
worked has a width of 15 ft., with no walls showing
on either side, but in most cases the ore-bodies
worked were from 4 to 6 ft. in width. According to
the official records at the Arltunga government
battery, the first parcel dealt with from the White
Range was in 1898, and the last in August, 1913.
Those from White's Blocks totalled 7,863 tons, the
value of the gold recovered by amalgamation and
cyaniding the sandy tailing was £44,780, an
average result of ;^5 18s. 6d. per ton, equal to a
return of H oz. of fine gold. Only the sand and
not the slime was cyanided, the recoverable value
from such source being about one-fifth of the
total. The value of the battery gold ranged from
£3 8s. 3d. to £3 16s. 3d. per oz., the average being
£3 12s. In the year 1914-15, 110 tons of this
slime at this mill was treated by the government
for a return from cyaniding of gold to the value of
/402. The best parcel from the White Range was.
52
TH1-: .MINING MAGAZINE
one of 17li tens ovit of the Excelsior workings,
whicli roturnod sold to the value of /3.54S 12s. (id.
The values of rrushiiiijs wt're very consistent, the
last series totnllins 627 tons for a return in value of
/3.549. .\ccordinK to earlier e.\pert reports, the
proportion of material treated to that mined was
from one-fourth to one-third, so that the gold
recovere<l from the workings wouUl average from
7 to 9\ dwt. per ton of material raised.
In close vicinity to the Blocks are two irovern-
ment wells, one 70 ft. in depth, with a fresh water
supply of 150 gallons per day. and the other
1,S0 ft. deep with a supply of 250 gallons. The other
wells, all of which are government, within a radius
of 5 miles of the prop"rties are Police Camp well
with a supplv of 3.000 gallons ; Paddy's Hole
well, 1,000 gallons ; Cross Road well, 250 gallons ;
Battery well, 5,000 ; and Whipe-Out w^ell, 50 gallons
of fresh water per day. The supply from these
wells would be insutVicient for an undertaking of
any magnitude, and the only way of obtaining an
ample supply, so far as can be foreseen, is by
e.xcavating a reservoir of large capacity in a clay
flat near the Habe River, about five miles distant.
There is only little gum and mulga in the creeks,
the nearest mine timber of any importance being on
the Habe River, and the quantity there is limited.
Transport is by camel and horse team from
Oodnadatta, the most direct route being from Deep
Well, past Williams' Well (a stage of 70 miles,
excepting shortly after rains), where the Alice
Springs -Arltunga Road is met with. The climate
is very healthy, with cold days and nights in the
winter and hot days with cool nights in the summer.
The rainfall averages about ten inches annually,
faUing mostly in the summer months, although
good winter rains up to four inches are often
experienced. There is very little, if any, suitable
mine labour in the district, practically all the
labour required for any mining operations having
to be brought from south.
The gold-bearing formations cannot be termed
lodes or reefs, and the only expression that conveys
any idea of their character is ore-channels. Only
the known richer places in them have been worked,
but even so, should they go down, as they give
every promise of doing, and retain their gold
contents, the properties, when opened up in a
systematic manner, may be of great value. Some
of the formations can be easily and cheaply tested
by means of tunnels from the eastern base of the
range, one of the best sites for an adit being
below the main workings of the Excelsior, where
that formation could be driven into at a depth
of 250 ft. below the workings and cross-cut by
tunnelling a distance of 8.S0 ft. Only in one of the
workings was there any mineral detrimental to
cyaniding, this being a small seam of copper ore
containing arsenic in an underlie shaft on the
Excelsior.
Twelve miles north from Alice Springs telegraph
station the overland track passes through the
ranges to an e.xtensive, well-grassed plateau called
Burt's Plain, having a gradual inland fall from
2.600 to 2,200 ft. above sea-level. For a distance
of 40 miles the ranges are in close proximity to
the east, but recede rapidly to the westward.
Of this eastern branch of the ranges, known as the
Strangways Range, Mr. Brown, the geologist,
reports that the rocks consist of granite, syenite,
diorite, and schistose granitic rocks with quartz
reefs, and are favourable to the occurrence of gold.
This definition also accurately describes and is
ap])lical)le to the country passed over between
Winnecke's goldlield and Alice Springs. From this
range until the Buxton Ranges are reached only
recent forniatit)n at a mean elevation of 2,200 ft. is
met with, except at the low Hann Range, where
primary rocks outcrop. In the Buxton Ranges are
fair-sized areas of granitic country with slate
carrying quartz, and ironstone reefs well worthy
of being prospected for tin and gold. Galena was
found at their western extremity. Thence along the
track, passing Central Mount Stuart, the south-
easterly end of the John Range, to the country near
Barrow Creek, any rock formation that may exist
is covered with recent deposits. The only informa-
tion procurable of this high belt of country to the
west is that contained in a government prospecting
report of the party's rushing, in the year 1906,
over then drought-stricken country in a futile
attempt to reach Tanami. According to this record
the mineral possibilities of the John Range, where
the party saw a little copper ore and raised ,1 colour
of reef gold, appear to be fairly good, especially
for gold, tin, and copper.
The few low ranges about and up to 30 miles
north of Barrow Creek trend in an easterly and
westerly direction. Nearly all are capped with
quartzite, sandstone, and conglomerate overlying
raetamorphic granite and sandstone with slaty
rocks and quartz reefs, which outcrop on their
lower slopes. In the year 1919 an aboriginal '
discovered v/olfram at the foot of the most
southern one, called Foster's Range, and a ton
or so of that ore was obtained and sent away.
All the country then on to the outliers of the
Davenport Range is recent and Tertiary, and of
an average height of 1,500 ft. above sea-level.
The Davenport Range is one of the two most
extensive geological features between Oodnadatta
and Darwin. With the north-westerly extension,
called the Murchison, their length is 150 miles with
a breadth of 30 miles. The overland telegraph line
and track crosses the extreme westerly end, where
the ranges are low and narrow, and continues
northerly for 40 miles at a few miles distance
from the western margin of the Murchison Range.
The prevailing rocks are sandstone, quartzite,
conglomerate, and grit, which have formed flat-
topped ranges of uniform heights to an altitude of
400 ft. above the surrounding country. Through
denudation of this formation the older metalliferous
rocks are exposed over large areas, the same
agency having produced the numerous long, wide
valleys that now exist between the ranges. During
the years 1898-9 a party under the leadership of
Mr. Allan Davidson prospected these ranges for
gold. They discovered several auriferous areas,
some fairly extensive, and put down shallow shafts
on a few of the most promising gold-bearing reefs
located, which were found to be too low a grade to
be profitably worked under then existing con-
ditions. As their main object was the discovery
of rich gold reefs, only a little alluvial gold was
sought for and obtained. The party also located
some copper-bearing deposits, galena, common
opal, and a mineral that was subsequently proved
to be wolfram, when one of the party, subsidized by
the ■ government, revisited in 1914 the place of
discovery. This field is now called Hatches Creek
wolfram field, although it was about a year later
before any mining work was done there.
Hatches Creek field is situated about 700 miles
JULY, 1921
53
from each of the termini of railway Hnes at
Oodnadatta and Katharine respectively and 350 miles
from the Duchess-Sullivan Creek railway, near
Cloncurry, Queensland. The latter route is through
waterless desert country for most of the waj', but
on account of the great disparity of distances it
has, during the past three years, been used in
preference to the Oodnadatta track. The wolfram
belt runs in a northerly and southerly direction for
a distance of 5 miles, its maximum width of 2 miles
being at its southern end. Within this area are
numerous wolfram-bearing quartz reefs, veins, and
01
H
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in
H
D
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r
Creek ; ^ ^ , ^^
Af' Donnt:i/ta
«S^^5?c^__ Alice Spri
CE NTRAL AUSTRALIA
Scale of Miles
short, irregular shoots from 1 in. to 4J ft. in width
with varying lengths up to 300 ft. The strike of the
reefs is mainly in conformity with the country, and
has a steep westerly dip. The enclosing rocks are
metamorphic sandstone, quartzite, conglomerate,
slate, and schistose granitic rocks, the two latter
being principally at the northern end, where
scheelite is the predominant mineral found, and
where, in close proximity, there is a small auriferous
area discovered by Mr. Davidson's party. The
tungsten ores are very irregularly distributed
throughout the matrix, being chiefly found in
patches and shoots with stretches of barren material
1—6
intervening ; still in some of the reefs a run of
fair grade ore is met with. Oxide of iron, a little
copper, and bismuth, are associated with the
wolfram at the southern end of the field. Mining
operations, more or less of a perfunctory nature,
were profitably carried out on this field from the
year 1915 up to when the price of wolfram slumped
early last year. By that time the deepest working
was 117 ft. from the surface. Only a few men,
and those at a high rate of wages, or if preferred
by the employee, on a good term of tribute, could
be induced to go there. At no time were there
more than fifty Europeans on the field, and at the
time of the writer's visit in September last they
numbered only sixteen, the majority of whom
were about to leave. The output of the field to
date is about 250 tons of 66% wolfram ore and
25 tons of scheelite at a little higher percentage,
all, with the exception of some alluvial, obtained
by burning and dollying the material mined.
Another important wolfram field, known as
Wauchope Creek, is also situated in the Davenport
Range, about 60 miles N.N.W. from Hatches Creek,
6 miles easterly from the overland telegraph line
and track and nearly midway between Oodnadatta
and Katherine. In the year 1917 an aboriginal
engaged in horse hunting discovered wolfram there,
and shortly afterwards the whole of the wolfram-
bearing area comprising a small parcel of land
50 by 20 chains was pegged out in small holdings.
These latter are in a small metamorphic sandstone
and slate belt about 3 miles in length and from
a chain to 20 chains in width, trending N.X.W. and
S.S.E., bounded on the east by a table-topped
range of desert sandstone, and w-est by a line of low
hills and ridges of quartzite bordering on scrubby
plain country lying immediately to the south-west.
Within this belt at its central and widest part
are a series of wolfram-bearing quartz reefs and
leaders from 1 in. to 2 ft. in width outcropping
for distances up to 800 ft. Their uniformity is
remarkable, and the majority of them trend with
the country and have a flatfish dip to the north-
east, gradually becoming steeper so far as worked
down. Wolfram ore of good grade was obtained in
places along quite a dozen of the principal reefs
and for long distances in some of them. Mining
operations carried out are of the nature of irregular
open-cuts, very little of a systematic nature having
been done. The deepest of the few shafts sunk is
onK- 40 ft. from the surface. Where rich stone was
showing on the surface it was simply rooted out,
and when such a patch became poorer, another
was found and dug into. The richness of some of
these was phenomenal, men on tribute obtaining as
much as 8 tons of clean wolfram for three or four
weeks' work. As at Hatches Creek, operations
were handicapped through want of labour. At no
time were there more than 26 Europeans on the
field, all but five or six of them being wage and
tribute men. Want of water was also a drawback,
the nearest permanent water supply being 16 miles
awa\' ; moreover, all transport w-as by camel team
to and from Oodnadatta, 600 miles distant. Not-
withstanding these disadvantages and the
occurrence of a four months' strike of wage and
tribute men, the claim-holders made net profits
of many thousands of pounds out of wolfram
obtained from their mines during the short period
of work. At the time of the author's re-visiting
the locality in September last, the holdings were
under exemption from labour conditions, and only
54
Till-: .MINING MAGAZINE
two Kuropcans wore there. Some nice wolfram
was then showing on the face at different workings.
So far the lieKl has proved to be exceptionally
rich in wolfram, antl there is every promise of
continnance ami the reefs living to great depths.
The output to date is approximately 237 tons of
BS^o wolfram ore, all perfectly free from any
detrimental substance, and obtained, except when
mined in solid lumps and alluvial, by burning and
dollying wolfram-bearing quartz. Very recently
the majority of these mine holdings, including the
principal leases, have been acquired by an .\delaide
company with /1 2,000 working capital.
Prior to Mr. Davidson's party, no prospecting
work was carried out in these ranges, and the
little that was done subseijucntly was solely for
wolfram, a small quantity of that mineral being
found a mile south from \\'oodineera waterliole in
the Frew River, 40 miles to the north of Hatches
Creek, at the head of Lennie Creek, mid-way
between the two fields, and in some quartz veins
and alluvial at the Marbles, 8 miles northerly from
Wauchope. Although areas of granite country
have the appearance of being stanniferous, the only
discoverj- reported was of a few ounces of black tin
ore from gully wash near Wauchope Creek.
Since the author's course was along the ranges
from Hatches Creek to Wauchope Creek, mostly
through trackless countrv', the Kurrundie gold reels
were not visited. These are close to the Hatches
Creek-Tennant's Creek track, and, according to
Mr. Davidson's report, are large, low-grade pro-
positions payable to work under favourable con-
ditions. Since his party left nothing further has
been done there, although from time to time the
areas have been taken up solely for speculative
purposes.
Along the overland track, after leaving the
Davenport Ranges, past Kelly's well (1,100 ft.
above sea-level) to the McDouall Ranges near
Tennant's Creek, undulating sandy country is
passed over for most of the way, the older forma-
tions of metamorphic sandstone, quartzite, and
granitic rocks with quartz veins being only met with
at the westerly outliers of the Murchison Range.
The McDouall Ranges are actually a continuation
of and a westerly branch of the Murchison Range.
Ko eruptive rock was seen by the -writer in passing
through them, but in every other respect they
appear to be of similar formation ; their maximum
height does not exceed 1.600 ft. above sea-level.
After leaving Tennant's Creek there is no
metalliferous country until the Marranboy tin
belts are reached. Patches of broken tableland,
continuations of similar higher formations to the
westward, are between Attack and Woodforde
Creeks on the Tennant's-Powell stage, and also
between Powell's Creek and Newcastle Plains ; the
rocks are desert sandstone, quartzite, and con-
glomerate, lying very fiat. At Banka Banka
station, 20 miles from the western edge of the
Barkly Tablelands, there is some coarse, acid, grey
granite. A little opalized quartz was observed
between Banka Banka station and Helena Springs,
where opal was discovered. Outcrops of acid, grey
granite, and coarse conglomerate occur between
Sturt's Plain and Daly Waters. From then on to
the stanniferous country mentioned, recent and
Tertiary formations overlie limestone, as in the
Barkly Tableland, but nowhere in this long stretch
of country — some 400 miles — is there any likeUhood
of a mineral find being made.
From Marranboy the author travelled via
Maude Creek old gold and copper diggings, 40 miles
to Katherine, thence by train to Darwin. As these
two mining fields are well within the coastal
district, and, with others similarly situated, have
been described by geologists and other ollicials,
and as the conditions pertaining to such are totally
dissimilar to those inland, it is not necessary to
refer to them here.
The metalUferous areas described and com-
mented on in this article are, with the exception
of Tanami and the Petermann Range — where a
few colours of gold were found — all those known
outside the territorial coastal belt. They are on
these uplands extending from the 19" 30' to the
24° parallel of south latitude, and from 200 to 300'
miles from the border line between the Northern
Territory and Queensland. Only small portions of
this huge area of country have been prospected,
and that mostly in a haphazard manner. Past
and existing conditions and circumstances offer
little, if any, inducement to the prospector, and
the great distances from rail and centres of
population, combined with the costly, slow, and
unreliable transport facilities, practically prohibit
the development of any of the known mines, even
by companies with a large working capital.
The climate over the whole area is very healthy,
with hot dry heat in summer, cool days and cold
and often frosty nights in the winter. The average
annual rainfall, which is somewhat irregular, is
about 10 in., faUing in heavy showers in the
.summer, the winter rains being of a drizzly nature,
accompanied by cold easterly (winds. There is
nothing in the nature of the climate to retard
European labour efficiency to any appreciable
extent. In no sense is the country tropical or
semi-tropical, and malarial and other enervating
disorders prevalent on the coastal mining fields are
unknown. Timber for mining purposes is scarce
over all the metalliferous areas, the trees on the
ranges and hills being hollow, stunted, and scattered,
and only fit for firewood. Good mine timbers of
mulga, bloodwood, and gum are obtainable in
limited quantities in the valleys of creeks and
so-called rivers, and from the surrounding country.
Water is scarce throughout the Macdonnell Ranges.
There are a few large waterholes and springs, and
a limited supply is obtainable by sinking in some of
the creeks to depths up to 100 ft. For any big
mining undertaking, however, water would probably
have to be stored in dams or reservoirs. In the
Davenport Ranges there are numerous waterholes,.
some verj^ long and deep and practically permanent.
Along the telegraph line north from Alice Springs
(which is a misnomer, as there are no springs there)
fair supplies of water have been struck at shallow
depths in some of the government wells. It
would therefore appear that any water difficulty
would not be of a serious nature, and could be
easily overcome by conservation.
As regards a route for the proposed north-south
continental railway, the direct route to connect the-
present termini — Oodnadatta and Katherine — is
via Arltunga through the Hart's Range mica
field, not anywhere near Alice Springs, as most
people seem to think, then on past Wauchope
Creek wolfram field. For engineering and other
reasons, however, a deviation from Arltunga in
the direction of Hatches Creek, and then through
the north-western portion of the Barkly Table-
lands may be preferable.
JULY, 1921
55
OIL PROSPECTING IN THE MACKENZIE RIVER DISTRICT
The Canaiian Mining Journal for May 6 prints
an article by E. M. Kindle, of the Canadian
Geological Survey, containing a number of sugges-
tions to oil prospectors in the Mackenzie River
Valley. The opening of navigation in the Mackenzie
River basin this season will probably witness a
northern migration of oil prospectors, unprecedented
in western Canada. A large proportion of those who
are likely to make the long journey to the new oil-
field below Norman on the Lower Mackenzie will
probably have little or no knowledge of the con-
ditions under which they must live in this region.
A few suggestions and some bits of geographical
information from one who has spent two seasons in
the Mackenzie Valley will be helpful to many who
go into the great Northland for the first time, and
also to many others who do not.
^\^lile prospectors will find a genial summer
climate, they will need to provide with some care for
the sub-Arctic winter conditions which follow the
summers. One of the most important of these
provisions for winter is a cabin. It should be clearly
understood that there are no road houses or other
establishments furnishing public accommodation
anywhere in the Mackenzie Valley. The environ-
ment of the North exercises a selective influence on
the human as it does on the other kinds of animals
found within its bounds. The man who lives in the
North as a trapper must in vrinter be able to visit
his traps and sleep in the open at a temperature
of 60° below zero. Losing a trail in the spruce
forests is hkely to mean freezing in winter and
starvation in summer. He must have a keen sense of
direction and the ability to estimate accurately the
limitations of his canoe. An error in estimating the
hazard of a rapid or the strength of a gale results in
his elimination from the field of adjustment to
northern conditions. So the white men whom one
meets on the northern rivers and lakes represent as
a rule a selected group of men who have proved
themselves fit to cope with conditions which quickly
weed out the human weaklings.
Map givim; an Outline of the PHVsiOGKArHV oi the Mackenzie Kivek Easin
56
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Kdmonton is the logical place for outfitting if one
wishes the advantages of large and well-stocked
stores, but most of the provisions required for an
expedition into the North-West Territories can be
obtained either at Pence River Crossing or
McMurray. At one or the other of these points the
north-bound traveller takes final leave of railways
anti hotels and must be prepared to depend entirely
on his own resources. After provisions the next
most important items for the outfit are one or two
heavy woollen blankets or some form of sleeping-
bag and a mosquito-proof tent. No experienced
man will neglect the latter, and the nearly equally
important items of light-canvas gloves and head
nets in outfitting for any part of the northern
wilderness. He who neglects these precautions
against the universal mosquito pest of the North-
west will have good cause to regret his negligence
and probably decide that he would have enjoyed
just as much a sojourn in the super-heated climate
of tradition.
One of the things which should be included in the
outfit of the prospector going into the Mackenzie
basin in a geological map of the region. This may be
obtained by writing the Director of the Canadian
Geological Survey at Ottawa for a copy of Memoir
108. Another small but important item of the
outfit is a pocket compass. The north-bound
traveller may be reminded here that his compass
readings require correction as he journeys north in
somewhat the same way as does his watch on a
transcontinental trip. At Fort Smith the needle
points not even approximately north, but 33° 23'
east of north. At Fort Norman the declination cast
is between 41 and 42 degrees.
Any approach by rail to the Peace or .Athabasca
rivers, which are the great waterways leading toward
Great Slave and the Mackenzie, must be through the
city of Edmonton. This thriving modern city was a
very few j-ears ago onl)- an obscure trading-post of
the Hudson Bay Co. on the Saskatchewan River. A
railroad was completed a few years ago from
Edmonton to Peace River Crossing on the Peace
River, which is about 312 miles north-west of
Edmonton. Another railroad extends north from
Edmonton via Lac La Biche to the head of naviga-
tion on the Clearwater River. This railway ends
near McMurray ; from that point to the Arctic coast
steamer na\'igation on the Mackenzie is interrupted
at but one point, the rapids at Fort Smith, where
there is a portage of 16 miles. It should be noted-
however, that while the latter route is the most
direct the service beyond Lac La Biche is frequently
discontinued for considerable periods because of
the condition of the road bed. The Peace River
route is longer and involves a four-mile portage
at the Vermillion chutes which the McIMurray route
avoids, but the railway transportation is more
dependable. The distance from the end of the
railroad at Peace River Crossing to the oil well is
about 1,500 miles, and from McMurraj- about 1,200
miles. Telegraph service extends to Peace River
Cro.ssing and to McMurray, but not beyond.
Two lines of steamers have for a number of years
been engaged every summer in bringing out the
winter catch of fur and taking in the yearly con-
signment of supplies to the trading posts which are
located from 100 to 200 miles apart throughout the
Mackenzie River system. A third line began
operations in 1919. These steamers make only a
single round-trip to the most northerly posts. Two
or more trips are ordinarily made to points on the
Upper Mackenzie. The companies operating
steamers on the Mackenzie in 1920 were the
Hudson's Bay Co. and the Northern Trading Co.
Both of these companies have offices in lulmont<in.
Tlie roun<l-trip steamjr rate quoted by one of the
transport companies this season from McMurray
to the oil w-ell, including meals and berth, is $300.
A freight rate which has been qiioted between these
points (north) is S 10-25 per 1001b. nuring the
winter season the only communication between the
Mackenzie Valley and the outside world is main-
tained by dog sledges or carioles which carry the
mails in and out of the Mackenzie Valley once a
month. Only first-class mail, however, is carried
on these. It may well be understood that to the
inhabitants of the Mackenzie Valley the great
seasonal events of the year are the opening and
clo.sing of navigation on the waterways of the basin.
The ice of Great Slave Lake lilocks the navigation
of the Mackenzie River for nearly a month after the
great river is free of ice. Owing to this fact naviga-
tion on the Mackenzie is limited to about 3J months.
The record of the ice break-up at Rae on Great
Slave Lake entered in the Hudson's Bay Company
journals and published by Russell shows the break-
up during 6 years (1857-9 and 1883-5) to have
ranged from May 30 to June 23. The general
direction of the wind in spring, however, drives the
ice toward the southern shore so that steamers
seldom venture into the lake before the first of July.
The Mackenzie at Simpson, which is near latitude
62°, opens between May 4 to May 20, averaging from
the 10th to the 15th, according to Captain Mills, who
has spent several years at Simpson and has run
steam.ers on all of the navigable waters of the
Mackenzie basin. Because of nearly dead water in
the Mackenzie for a long distance, the head of the
river opens 2A or 3 weeks later than at Simpson.
The opening of Great Slave Lake generally occurs,
according to Captain Mills, between June 16 and
July 2. "or six weeks later than the Mackenzie
below Simpson.
Fur constitutes the sole commercial product of the
country, and prospective travellers in the Mackenzie
Valley may be reminded that the transport com-
panies were established solely for the purpose of
getting the fur out of the country, and a limited
amount of provisions in each season to the trading
posts, not for the accommodation of the travelling
pubUc.
The approximate distances between the trading
posts on the Mackenzie River system north of the
end of the railroad at McMurray are indicated in
the following table : —
From McMurray to Miles.
Fort Chipewyan 190
Fort Fitzgerald 280
Fort Smith 296
Fort Resolution 490
Fort Hay River 570
Fort Providence 660
Fort Simpson 835
Fort Wrigley 995
Fort Norman 1,155
Oil Well 1.201
Fort Good Hope 1.330
Fort Arctic Red River. ... 1 ,570
Fort McPherson 1 ,635
Fort Scenic 1 ,735
A company has been organized which proposes to
build a railway around the Slave River rapids
between Fort Smith and Fitzgerald. At present.
JULY, 1921
57
however, all freight must be transported across the
16 miles between these two points by wagon or
tractor. Steamers will leave Fort Smith for the
first trip down the ^Mackenzie about June 24.
Departure from the same point on the second trip
will be about July 26.
The Mounted Police have the authority to turn
back any individual whom they consider for
physical or other reason unfit for the trip. The
inspector at Fort Fitzgerald, which must be passed
by all persons entering the Mackenzie Valley, is
required to take certain personal information
regarding each individual going beyond that point.
This interview may include a request for evidence
that arrangements have been made with some
power-boat for return transport or that a contract
for a year's supply of provisions has been secured.
. It is necessary to begin the return trip from Norman
not later than September 28 if a winter sojo\!rn is
not planned.
It is reported that aeroplane service to the new oil
district will be available for those who do not mind
paying $1,000 for the round-trip. The Imperial Oil
Company is preparing to use planes for the purpose
of taking in its own employees.
It is probable that many persons wishing to go
north this season will find it impossible to secure
accommodation on the steamers. Such persons will,
however, find it possible to make the trip north by
canoe, and to make very good time with the aid of
the river current. The return trip, of course, cannot
profitably be made in this way, since the journey
is up stream. A man skilful with tools can build
his own boat on the river bank at Peace River
Crossing.
In the noi"thern latitude where daylight lasts
about 24 hours in June it is feasible for large canoes
to travel day and night if the party wishes to speed
up. The mosquitoes are less active during the cool
nights, which is often another incentive to night
travel. The writer has covered the 200 miles stretch
between Fort Smith and Resolution by day and
night travel in 2\ days. This method for short
periods involves no hardship, if the night is divided
into two or more watches with only one man at the
paddle, while the others sleep or study astronomy
from the bottom of the canoe. There are only two
points on the entire Mackenzie River where the
canoeman needs any special advice in regard to
avoiding rapids. One of these is opposite the site
of Old Fort Wrigley. Here the river splits on
a rocky island. Loaded canoes and scows should
take the west channel. The narrow eastern channel
is rather swift w-ater. The other locality is the
Sans Sault rapids. Here also the canoeman should
take the west side of the river keeping near the
shore. The Vermillion chutes and the Smith
rapids on the Slave are always portaged.
The Mackenzie basin embraces a vast area repre-
senting some 680,000 square miles of territory in
North West Canada. Extending over nearly 17°
of latitude it necessarily includes a considerable
variety of physiography. A great central plain
bordered on the east by the Laurentian plateau and
on the west by the Rocky mountains' and their
northern extension, the Mackenzie Mountains, repre-
sent the major physiographic features of the
region. The mileage of the new oil well is equivalent
to the distance from Ottawa to South Florida. Since
there are no roads and very few trails, travel in the
Mackenzie Valley is strictly limited to the water-
ways. Everywhere dense forests of spruce and
poplar, muskeg, or small lakes cover the lowlands
near the rivers. These generally render travel
across country nearly impossible or extremely slow.
In all the 1,200 mile stretch of lake and river
between the end of steel at JIcMurray and the oil
well, the traveller will see only eight or ten Indian
villages, with two or three fur-trading stores at
each to intcrupt the virgin forest. The total
population of the entire Mackenzie district will
probably not exceed 5,000. Probably less than 150
of these are whites, the remainder being Indians,
except 200 or 300 Esquimaux.
Oil in Saskatchewan. — The throwing open of the
Pasquia Hills Forest Reserve for oil prospecting
under the recent amendments to the Dominion Oil
Regulations, has drawn attention once more to this
potential oil region. To readers of the Magazine
its position is best indicated by recording that it is
about 40 miles from The Pas over the Saskatchewan-
Manitoba border. The presence of large bodies of
oil shales in these hills has long been known. In
the course of his report to the Geological Survey
cm the basins of the Nelson and Churchill Rivers,
William Mclnnes made several references to these
shales. His report, which was written in 1911, was
pubhshed two years later as Jleraoir No. 30. The
Canadian Mining Journal for April 8 gives extracts
from this report.
According to Mr. Mclnnes the overlap of the
Cretaceous sediments is marked for a hundred miles
west of Lake Winnipegosis by the bold escarpment
of the Porcupine and Pasquia Hills, and farther west
by the equally high but gently sloping Wapawekka
Hills. A partial section of Cretaceous rocks
making up the Pasquia Hills was seen where the
rocks are exposed in gullies worn by streams
descending these northerly facing slopes. An esti-
mated section along these guUie?, compiled mainly
from exposures observed in the trench worn by
Nabi River, is as follows, in ascending order : —
35 ft. to 40 ft. ; thick bedded, soft grey
arenaceous oil-shale or thin bedded sandstone,
holding the remains of fishes.
6 in. ; compact impure limestone.
120 ft. or more ; soft, fissile, light grey (almost
black when wet) oil-shales, holding the comminuted
remains of fishes and many foraminifera.
15 ft. ; clay iron-stone in beds 6 in. to 1 ft. in
thic!;ness, divided by thin partings of shale.
10 ft. ; soft fissile, grey shale that seems to be
similar to the oil-shales below.
The whole is overlain, to the surface, by 10 ft. or
more of boulder clay containing many boulders of
limestone and a few of Pre-Cambrian gneiss and
granite.
The fossils from the section given above were
probably of Niobrara age. The thickness of the
Niobrara in Manitoba has been computed to be
from 130 to 200 ft., comprising calcareous shales,
which pass downwards into the shale of the Benton.
The base of the section given above lies at a height
of 400 ft. or more above the bed of the Carrot River,
where, at the rapid above the Red Earth Indian
reserve, ledges are exposed that are thought to repre-
sent the Dakota division of the upper Cretaceous.
They consist of 5 ft. of very soft quartzose sandstone
deeply stained with iron o.xide, lying in undisturbed
heavy beds that show false-bedding, and hold
nodules and irregular masses of iron pyrites. In
places the sandstone becomes a fine conglomerate.
58
Till': .MIX IXC, MAGAZINE
in cert.iin layers with pebbles of gneiss and oilier
rocks, and in places it contains carbonaccons
material resembling the comminuted remains of
plants. The soft sandstone is overlain by hard,
white quartz sandstone with distinctly red-pnrplc
tinge, which is strongly ripple-marked on some
surfaces.
I'ifty miles farther up the Carrot River from the
rapid at which the sandstones are exposed, and at an
elevation of about 400 ft. above that point, grey oil-
shales similar to those of the Pasquia Hills section
form the low scarped banks of the river. There
is thus an interval of 400 ft. or more between the
observed beds of Dakota sandstone and those of
Niobrara shale. A great part of this interval, which
on the side of the Pasquia Hills and in the valley of
the Carrot river is covered by deposits of boulder
clay and by later stratified sands and clays, is with-
out doubt occupied by the shales of the Jienton.
Shales considered to be of Benton age which, from
their relative elevation, would fall into this gap,
were observed by Mr. J. B. Tyrrell in the bed of the
Saskatchewan below Birch islands.
The Carrot river, which joins the Saskatchewan
two miles above The Pas flows past the Ked Earth
Indian reserve. From the crossing of the second
base line w-esterly, the steeply sloping front oJ the
Pasquia Hills rises from the flat land to the south
of the river all along. The hills rise to a height of
about 1,600 ft. above the valley or 2,500 ft. above
the sea. The hills are made up for the most part of
Cretaceous sediments, though the base is probably
formed of Palasozoic beds and the summit is covered
by varying thickness of boulder clay.
The only exposures of rock in place seen in the
Pasquia Hills by Mr. Mclnnes were found in the
gulches eroded by streams flowing down the hill-
slopes. Thej' consist for the most part of soft,
grey, fissile shales that contain a considerable
amount of bituminous matter, enough to cause them
to burn freely, with the emission of a strong odour of
petroleum when heated in the camp fire. The best
exposures were found in the valley of the Nabi river,
where !40 ft. or more of thick-bedded sandstone,
holding the remains of fishes, bivalves, and
foraminifera, are exposed in cliffs along the river ;
the species are characteristic of the Niobrara division
of the Cretaceous.
Altogether more than 40 square miles of territory
in the Pasquia Hills have been .staked since
December last, when the new oil regulations came
into force. Syndicates have been formed and it is
understood that several drills will be on the spot at
an early date. A miniature boom is, in fact, being
staged, and local hopes of a future producing oil-
field are high. Expeditions have been .sent out by
business men from The Pas, while interests in cities
in western Canada have put up money for explora-
tion work. Many samples of shale have been
brought into The Pas, which when lighted will burn
freely. Samples of paraffin wax and fossilized
remains of fish are also on view. The break-up of
frost has interfered with traffic between The Pas and
the Pasquia Hills for a time, and it is unlikely that
any further parties will venture out until open water,
when it is anticipated there will be a big rush to
take up sections. The Pasquia Hills are reached in
the %vinter time by horse team and dog sleigh, and
in the summer there is a water route running into
the foothills, from whence the best method of
travelling will be by pack horses. Since the above
was written, many parties have gone into the region.
Zinc Determination.— In the Journal of the
Society of Chemical Inilustry for May 31, IC. Olivier,
writing from the Central Laboratory of the Vieille
Mimtagne Company, discusses the determination
of zinc by the potassium ferrocyanide method. The
determination of the zinc content of Australian
concentrates is usually carried out volumetrically,
cither by the so-called American method (the
potassium ferrocyanide method) or by the
Schnaftner method (titration of the ammoniacal
solution with sodium sulphide) ; this last method is
also sometimes termed the Vieille Montague
method (see Eic^vet, Bi<tl. Soc. Cliiiii. Bclg., 1919,
28, 351). In the American method, as usually carried
out, the ore or concentrate is decomposed by means
of nitric acid and potassium chlorate, the mixture
evaporated to dryness, the residue boiled with
ammonia and ammonium chloride solution, and the
filtrate acidified ; the copper is removed by means
of lead foil, the liquid is neutralized with ammonia,
a solution of potassium hydrogen tartate and ferric
chloride is added, the solution heated to about
75° C, and titrated with standard potassium
ferrocyanide solution in presence of ammonia
until a spot test with acetic acid shows a blue
coloration. The method used for preparing the
solution for analysis results in the extraction of the
zinc, together with the copper, cadmium, calcium,
and magnesium, and part of the lead, iron, and
manganese. Of these elements only the zinc,
copper, cadmium, and manganese are precipitated
by the ferrocyanide, and only the copper is removed
prior to the titration, so that the cadmium and
manganese present are returned as zinc. While
the amount of cadmium present in the concen-
trates is usually so small as to be negligible (it
averages about 0-1%), this is not so in the case of
manganese, which may be present to the extent of
considerably more than 1%, and so result in a high
figure being returned for zinc. In one case, for
example, the author found P16% of manganese (as
MnjOj) in the zinc solution before titration. That
amounts of manganese such as are found in con-
centrates vitiate the titration is shown by
experiments in which manganese corresponding
to 2° 'a and 4% respectively of MujOj was added to
solutions of known zinc content ; on titration of
these solutions, 0-8% and 2-3% of zinc in excess
of the quantity present was indicated. To separate
the manganese completely from the solution, a
few cubic centimetres of hydrogen peroxide are
added to the mixture of ammonium chloride solution
and ammonia used to treat the residue resulting
from the decomposition of the ore ; this renders
the manganese insoluble, and the results obtained
agree closely with those found by the Schaffner
method. When the percentage of manganese present
is small (for instance 0'25%) the results obtained by
the two methods (without the use of hydrogen
peroxide) agree within about 0'1%, but in most
cases manganese will be present in amounts
sufficiently great to necessitate the use of hydrogen
pero.xide. The American method has another
disadvantage, especially where a large number of
titrations have to be made daily, namely, the
titration is carried out in hot solutions ; this is
necessary in order to obtain complete precipitation
of the zinc ferrocyanide in a dense, gelatinous
form. Further, the blue coloration produced in
the spot test is not entirely satisfactory, since
although the reaction is sensitive the colour is
not always very distinct in presence of coloured
JULY, 1921
59
ferrocyanides and the intensity of the colour is
not appreciably increased ivith increasing amounts
of potassium ferrocyanide. In the author's opinion
the SchafJner method is preferable to the American
method, in view of the above facts, and also having
in mind the fact that the zinc is precipitated as
colourless sulphide, which affords a ready indication
of its freedom from other metalhc sulphides. The
only other colourless insoluble sulphide known is
the double sulphide of zinc and cadmium, discovered
by the author m 1886, but the error arising from this
source is negligible since, as already pointed out,
zinc ores contain very little cadmium, and, moreover,
the greater part of the cadmium is separated as
sulphide together with the lead and copper.
Solution and Deposition of Iron. — The Journal of
the Society of Chemical Industry for May 16
contains a paper bj' J. Haworth and J. Evans
entitled " The Ochre Streams of the \'alleys of the
Don and Loxley, South Yorkshire ". The paper
dealt primarily with questions of water supply, but
it is of interest to geologists also, as it refers to
bacterial action in depositing iron.
The authors define ochre waters as natural waters
in which salts of iron occur in solution. In most
cases such waters deposit iron oxide or ochre on the
banks and bed of the stream. They may be con-
veniently sub-divided as: (1) Chalybeate waters,
which occur either as waters containing carbon
dioxide and iron bicarbonate, together with other
salts, or as saline acidulous chalybeates containing
chiefly sodium sulphate and iron bicarbonate ; and
(2) waters containing chiefly sulphates of iron.
The chalybeate waters seldom contain large
quantities of iron (8 to 15 parts per 100,000). They
emanate from strata containing iron in the form of
carbonate, which in the presence of carbon dioxide
forms the soluble bicarbonate. Waters containing
sulphates of iron are frequently found in all districts
where coal workings exist or where outcrops of the
coal measures occur. The streams in valleys
draining areas in which coal measures are exposed
frequentl)' bear marked indications of the presence
of iron salts by the brown and red deposits of ochre
on the beds of the streams and by the brown colour
of the water.
The River Loxley is a tributary of the Don, and the
watersheds arc divided by a precipitous ridge in
which outcrops of the lower coal measures occur at
numerous points and are exposed. Beneath the
lower coal measures beds of ganister and fireclay
occur. These are worked at niimerous points on
both sides of the ridge, the products being largely
used in the Sheffield industries. The mining opera-
tions consist usually of driving levels or adits into
sides of the valleys at different levels where the
outcrops occur, and water drains from these
forming streams which flow down to the river.
There are also other streams flowing from the slopes
of the valley, but a casual observation shows that
the streams from the mines or ganister pits all
contain salts of iron and deposited ochre, whereas
the remaining streams contain no iron. The
physical appearance of the ochre streams is striking.
In some cases the water is clear but coloured, the
colour varying from pale yellow to a deep reddish-
brown ; in other cases the water is turbid through
the presence of iron hydroxide, but in all cases heavy
deposits of iron hydroxide or basic iron sulphate
arc present. The source of iron salts is without
doubt iron pyrites between the layers of the coal
strata. Specimens of the shale and coal when
first exposed .show distinct layers of pyrites in
the course of oxidation ; in splitting the layers
perfect crystals of transparent calcium sulphate in
the form of selenite, CaSO.,, 2H.2O, may be observed.
This substance also finds its way into the water.
The waters issuing from the mines contain ferrous
and ferric sulphates, and free sulphuric acid, the
primary oxidation products of pyrites. In the
streams further reactions occur producing the
heavy red deposits which consist of ferric oxide and
basic ferric sulphates. In some cases the banks
consist of this deposited ochre for several inches in
depth.
The ochre deposits have their origin in several
ways : (1) Direct oxidation and the production of
ferric hydroxide ; (2) alkaline surface waters
joining the stream ; (3) the action of iron bacteria
which grow profusely in such waters. The first two
methods of deposition are purely chemical ; the
third is of considerable interest. Water containing
iron salts, even in very minute quantities, forms a
very suitable medium for the growth of the
organisms commonly referred to as " iron bacteria " ;
two common varieties of these are Crenothrix
polyspera and Lepiothrix ochracece. As little as one
part of iron in 2 to 3 millions of water is rufficient
to permit the development of these organisms. The
organisms decompose the salts of iron, depositing
the iron in the form of ferric oxide, and liberating
acid. In the case of ochre streams such as those
under consideration the organisms deposit the ferric
o.xide and the streams become acid. The organisms
have very high chemical energy and are able to
oxidize ferrous salts many times the weight of
their own cells. The}' are remarkable by reason
of the fact that their existence is maintained largely
by inorganic salts and the presence of only minute
quantities of organic matter is necessary. In the
case of the two rivers mentioned the usual flora and
fauna are entirely absent.
Rod Grinding Mills. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for ilay 28, E. H. Robie discusses
the development of the rod-mill, that is to say, the
form of re-grinding mill in w-hich rods are used
instead of balls or pebbles. He gives particulars
of the Marathon, Marcy, Allis-Chalmers, Cole-
Bergman, and Forrester-Hendy types, and also
accounts of experimental work done with them.
We quote herewith some of his views founded on
his investigations and experience.
Rod or roller mills are being actively developed
by several companies and have every possibility of
being .successful competitors of ball and tube mills
in certain fields of work. They are adapted only to
grinding through a comparatively narrow size
range in individual mills, and work done up to this
time indicates that they cannot take feed as large as
is often given to a ball-mill, nor is it yet proved that
they are superior or equal to tube-mills where
material finer than 100 mesh is desired.
Theoretically, however, there is no reason why they
should not be efficient grinders for the finest sizes.
They do not seem as adaptable to small as to large
units, for a small mill could not carry sufficient
weight of rods to break up large or tough ore
particles, for the rods act along a line contact.
They have been successfully used for dry crushing,
although this is not generally desired. There seems
to be no reason why rods could not be substituted
for balls in mills of the Krupp type which discharge
through perforated plates forming the cylindrical
surface of the mills. The author has never heard of
60
THK .MINING MAGAZINE
their use in thi<! wny, however; removal of the worn
rotis woiiUl be an inconvenience.
In roil-mills, a waved type of hner is probably
superinr to a smooth snrface. The indications are
that liner consumption will be possibly i lb. per ton
less than for ball-mills. Also, the forms are simpler
and can be made more cheaply. There are no prates
or manholes to provide for. The consumption of
steel rods appears to be slifjhtly less in the rod-niill
than of balls in the ball-mill. In this connexion it
is important to remember that steel in the form of
rods or rounds is a standard article, cheaply made,
and obtainable from many rolling-mill plants.
Competition is active, and there are no trade-name
handicaps. Statistics covering several years indicate
that balls sell for about double as much as rods.
Freight, however, will be perhaps half of the
delivered cost and is about the same for rods as
for balls. Power consumption would seem to be
somewhat less as a general rule for rod-mills than
for ball-mills of equal capacity, the exact figures
depending upon the grinding problem and the type
of mill selected.
Indications are that flotation concentrates are
more easily filtered when the ore has been ground in
rod-mills than when balls have been used as the
grindin'_' medium. If this be true, it would seem to
be a logical result of the lessened amount of slime
produced in rod-mill grinding, inasmuch as it is
this which clogs the canvas and results in a thin and
wet fdter cake.
Most of the rod-mills described by the author have
not been in use long enough to prove the extent of
their applicability or to afford fair comparisons
with ball-mills or tube-mills. The information
given indicates possibly more of their advantages
than disadvantages.
Origin of Graphite. — In Economic Geology for
May, Thomas H. Clark, of Harvard University,
discusses the origin of graphite at the contact of
igneous and metamorphic rocks. He quotes a
paper bv K. L. Ailing appearing in the New York
State Museum Bulletin for 1918. Ailing showed that
the oxides of carbon in the presence of gaseous
water may react to form graphite. Much of this
water mav be magmatic, or the heat of the intrusive
igneous rocks may release water from sedimentary
rocks ; while one' of the sources of carbon dioxide
may be calcium carbonate. The author also quotes
H. P. H. Brumell's paper in the Journal of the
Canadian Mining Institute, 1908, who suggested
that intrusives, in conjunction with siliceous or
other waters, acted upon the original rocks, and
formed sulphates and silicates, at the same time
depositing the carbon as graphite. The author
proceeds to discuss opinions on the subject of A. N.
Winchell, H. Dixon, and E. G. Acheson. He
concludes thus : , " Granting that the chemical
processes upon which Dixon, Winchell, and others
base their formulas are correct, the geological
materials required are water and carbon monoxide
or carbon dioxide. There is evidence that these
latter substances might come from the calcite of
the limestones. Among the contact metamorphic
minerals developed between igneous rocks and
limestone the most abundant are lime-bearing
minerals, two of which, scapolite and diopside, are
almost exclusively confined to meta-limestones.
Therefore, it seems probable that, if the limestone
furnished the lime (CaO) for the silicates, the
remaining carbon dioxide (COj) furnished the
material for the graphite Of the two derivatives
of the calcite, the carbon dioxide would be the more
volatile, and therefore the less likely to be caught
and crystallized. On account of this, it may be,
the graphite is frequently not found actually at the
contact, but separated from the igneous rock by
lime silicates, which were less volatile. Just what
the conditions are that result in the crystallization
of the graphite remain to be established."
SHORT NOTICES
Winding Engines. In the Colliery Guardian for
June 17, C. D. Mottram commences an article on
the graphical dynamics of a winding engine.
Shaft-sinking. -In the Engineering and Alining
Jotinuil for May 21, V.. K. Rice describes the sinking
of \an Dyke No. 1 shaft, Miami, Arizona. This
was the locale of the champion shaft-sinking
exploit referred to in the Journal a year ago.
Compressed-air Shovel. — The Colliery Guardian
for Mav 27 i|uoles a jxipcr by M. Clapicr read before
the Societe de I'lndustrie .Minerale describing an
underground shovel operated by compressed air
intended for filling coal into cars and filling worked-
out slopes.
Air in Mines. — The Institution of Mining
Engineers has publi.shed the third report of the
committee on the control of atmospheric conditions
in deep and hot mines, with which is embodied
a paper on the subject, written by J. P. Kces.
Bore-hole Survey. — The Engineering and Mining
Journal jor June 4 describes the Wuench " gravi-
scope ", an instrument for continuously recording
the direction of bore-holes.
Drill Steel. — In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for June 1, P. A. E. Armstrong describes
experimental work in producing hollow drill steel
with a decarburized interior surface.
Drill Steel. — The American Institute of Mining
and Metallurgical Engineers has published the
following papers on drill steel : Analysis of Some
Dnll-Steel Tests, by F. B. Foley ; Application of
Magnetic Analysis to Rock-Drills, by C. W.
Burrows ; Heat Treatment of Rock-Drill Steel, by
G. H. Oilman ; What is the Ideal Drill-Steel ?
by F. H. Kingdon : Rock-Drill Steels too Short
for Use Reclaimed by Welding, by W. T. Ober.
Zinc Dust and Vapour. — Chemical and Metal-
lurgical Engineering for May 25 contains a transla-
tion of an article in a Norwegian paper on the
nature of zinc dust ; and for May 18 of an article
on the condensation of zinc vapour.
Zirconia, — The Journal of the Society of Chemical
Industry for June 15 contains a brief paper by
Dr. W. R. Schoeller on the production and testing
of zirconia.
Estimation of Arsenic. — The Chemical Trades
Journal for June 25 reprints a paper read by
R. Leitch Morris before the British Pharmaceutical
Conference on the volumetric determination of
arsenic acid.
Philippine Mining.— In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for June 4, C. M. Eye writes on
mining progress in the Philippine Islands.
Chuquicamata Copper.— In the Mining and
Scientific Press for June 4, A. W. Allen commences
an article on the Chuquicamata copper enterprise
in Chile.
Drying Problems. — The Journal of Industrial
and Engineering Chemistry for May contains a
number of papers deahng with various problems
connected with the commercial drying of materials.
JULY, 1921
61
Alaska Juneau. — In the Mining and Scientific
Press for May 7, \'. C. Clauson gives the history of
the Alaska Juneau gold-mining enterprise, and an
account of the concentration and metallurgical
plant.
Spitsbergen. — The Iron and Coal Trades Review
for May 27 quotes a description from the Dutch
Official Economic Intelligence, of the coal con-
cessions acquired by a Dutch company from the
Isefjord Kulkompani of Christiania. The property
is on Ice Fiord, to the east of Green Harbour.
Coal in Yugoslavia. — The Iron and Coal Trades
Review for June 17 contains an article by D. A.
Wray on the coal resources of Jugoslavia, the new
kingdom of the Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes.
Geology of China. — The Geological Magazine for
June commences the publication of a paper entitled
'■ An Outline of Chinese Geology ", by J. S. Lee,
lecturer on Paleontology in the University of
Peking.
Felspars. — The Journal of Geology for May is
devoted entirely to Part I of " The Mineralo?raphy
of the Felspars ", by H. L. Ailing.
D. W. Brunton. — The i\Iining and Scientific
Press for May 2S publishes an interview with D. W.
Brunton by T. A. Rickard.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED
^l^~ A copy of the specification of any of tlie patents mentioned in
this coltintn can tie obtained tty sending \s. to the Patent Office^
Sotititanipton Buildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C. 2. ^'ith
a note of the number and year of the patent.
19,015 of 1919 (163,3481. \V. J. Kuranen,
Helsingfors, and .\. Hibbert, Bexhill. Jlethod of
separating metals, such as copper and iron in
sulphide ores, by roasting to, oxide and exposing
the mixture to the preferential treatment of a
gaseous acid radicle.
19,028 of 1919 (162,682). W. J. Browning,
Kio Tinto. \n industrial process for the extraction
of metals from solutions or for the separation of
metals, consisting m precipitating in the form of
a sulphide or sulphides one or more metals present
in solution by reaction with elemental sulphur and
sulphuretted hydrogen produced by burning or
calcining or distilling a sulphur-bearing mineral or
minerals, such as pyrites or cupriferous pyrites,
in the presence of steam additional to that which
may arise from the moisture in the material or
atmospheric air used, and then passing the residual
gas through an incandescent carbonaceous zone
while regulating the supply of oxygen and main-
taining the optimum temperature of the
carbonaceous matter.
19,581 of 1919(162,307). W. H. Dorman & Co.,
M. L. Bramson, J. Hanson, and R. G. Hanson,
Stafford. Improvements in the construction of
wave-transmission rock-drills.
773 and 26,939 of 1 920 ( 1 63,080) and 6,429 of
1921 (163,659). J. M. Holman and \. T. Holman,
Camborne. In air-feed rock-drills, automatic means
whereby the drill is rotated without impeding the
forward feed.
2,580 of 1920 (138,348). Rare Metals Reduc-
tion Co., Baltimore. Method of producing ferro-
zirconium.
3,181 of 1920(131,622). T. A. Eklund, Stock-
holm. Method of recovering tin from tin ashes and
waste tinplate.
3,256, 7,470, and 22,687 of 1920 (162,775).
C. J. Williams, London. Improved methods of
adjustment for table concentrators.
4,067 of 1920 (163,423). .\. J. Dubois, Sarre-
bruck. Means for loading and unloading mine
cages having several decks.
4,983 of 1 920 ( 1 63,474). O. Reynard, Bradford,
and E. Edser, London. Rust-prevention composi-
tion for protecting metallic surfaces. The following
are claims 1 and 3 : (1) A method of preparing
a composition for the protection of surfaces, in
which anhydrous wool-fat, substantially free from
free fatty acid is mixed with a solvent free from
water, which will have no injurious effect on the
surface and which consists of a non-imflammable
volatile liquid, such as trichlorethylene or carbon
tetrachloride (or contains sufficient thereof to render
the solvent non-imflammable). (3) A process
according to Claim 1 of preparing a protective
composition in which any crude substance which
contains wool-fat and also contains fatty acids, is
treated with an oxide, hydroxide, or a suitable
salt of a metal which will combine with the free
fatty acid to form a metallic soap, preferably a
soap insoluble in water, and the product, after
evaporating off any water present, is treated with
a non-imflammable volatile solvent such as
trichlorethylene or carbon tetrachloride or a solvent
containing sufficient thereof to render the liquid
non-imflammable.
5,228 of 1920 (139,220). J. E. Kennedy, New
York. Improvements in jaw-type rock-breakers.
7,027 of 1920(163,170). Travlor Engineering
A-ND Manufacturing Co., .\llentown, Pennsylvania.
Improvements in gvratory crushers.
7.645 of 1920 (162,486). T. G. Nyborg,
Hexham, and -M. F. Higgixs, Sheffield. Improve-
ments m hand hammer-drills.
8,468 of 1920 (140,775). G. Grondal, Djurs-
holm. Sweden. Slime separating machine.
1 1,934 of 1920 (155,792). Electrolytic Zinc
Co., OF .\usTRALiA, LTD., Melbourne. In the
recovery of zinc by electrolysis, in which lead
anodes and aluminium cathodes are used, the
removal of chlorine from a zinc-bearing solution
prior to electrolysis by adding a soluble silver
salt, thereby preventing the corrosion of the
electrodes.
13,579 of 1920 (163,210). R. H. McKee, New
York. Method of producing zinc oxide and
hydrogen by bringing zinc vapour into contact
with steam.
17.392 of 1920 (145,710). Fried. Krupp,
Essen, Germany. Improvement in the inventor's
method of producing low-carbon ferro-chrome.
18,346 of 1920 (146,372). Anschutz & Co.,
Kiel. Gyroscopic compasses suitable for surveying
purposes.
18,964 of 1920 (147,020). Manufactures de
Produits Chimiques du Nord, Paris. Deposition
of dust from the gases of ore-roasting furnaces by
means of hanging chains.
18.967 of 1920 (161,103). Ore Roasting
Development Co., Philadelphia. Multiple hearth
ore roasting furnace.
19,668of 1920(147,686). V.Antoine, Belgium.
Improvement in disc crushers and grinders.
20,131 of 1920 (148,210). R. voN Zelewski,
Hennef, Germany. Improvements in vertical
retorts used in the distillation of zinc.
24,280 of 1920(150,997). H. W. Hardinge, New
York. In conical mills fitting a conical hood to the
discharge end and revolving with it, the duty of
the hood being to arrest the particles that are too
big and to return them to the body of the mill.
Till. MINING MAGAZINE
NEW BOOKS, i\-\MPHLI::TS, Lie
l^s'Copii-s of llu' books, etc, mentioned below can be obtained
thronsh the Ttx-hnical Hookshop of Thf Miniiii; MugaziHf,
7'*i, S.ilislinry House. London W.tM. \-.X. L'.
Salt ; Asbestos ; Mica : Molybdenite ; Platinum ;
Nickel : Graphite : Manganese. By H. Ol-nstan,
Chief Ciovorninont Geologist for Qneonsland. These
eight pamjihlcts are reprints, revised, of articles
that have appeared in the Qiievnslaiid Govcrnmciit
Milling Journal during the last year or two.
Attention has been drawn to these articles on several
occasions in our pages, and some have been quoted
in connexion with the information given relating
to the Australian deposits.
Text-book of Inorganic Chemistry, Vol. IX,
Part 2. Iron and its Compounds. By Hr. J.
Newton 1-"riexi). Cloth, octavo, 270 pages,
illustrated. Price 18s. London : Charles Griffin &
Co.. Ltd.
Metallography. Part II. The Metals and
Common Alloys. By S.\MUEL L. IlovT. Cloth,
octavo, 470 pages, illustrated. Price 28s. net.
New York and London : McGraw-Hill Publishing
Co., Ltd.
COMPANY REPORTS
Robinson Deep. — This company belongs to the
Consolidated Gold Fields group, and works a deep-
level property in the Central Rand. The Booysens
property on the dip was acquired more recently, and
a new vertical shaft, the " Chris ", was sunk.
The operations have not been profitable, and the
company is saddled with special " .\ " shares,
entitling the holders to large cumulative preferential
dividends, which are in arrears, and there is also
a loan of /300,000 advanced by the Gold Fields
and Central Mining. The report for 1920 shows
that 625,150 tons of ore was raised and s;nt to the
mill, where 196,474 oz. of gold was extracted, being
6-29 dwt. per ton. The receipts from the sale of
gold were £1,100,693, of which £277,139 represented
premium. The working cost w-as £'912,013, and
the working profit £188,652. Interest, taxes, etc.,
absorbed £60,634, and £76,471 was allocated to
capital account for shaft-sinking. The holders
of " -A. " shares received £50,000. The revenue per
ton was 35s. 3d., and the working cost 293. 2d.
It will be seen that but for the premium a
considerable loss would have been made. The ore
reserve is estimated at 1,597,000 tons, averaging
6-97 dwt. per ton, the total being much the same
as the year before, while the content is 0-33 dwt.
higher. In order to develop the deepest ground, it
is proposed to sink an au.xiliary vertical shaft, at
the cost of a quarter of a million pounds.
Planet-Arcturus Gold Mines. — This company
belongs to the Gold Fields Rhodesian Development
group, and owns the Planet, Arcturus, Slate, and
other properties. Early operations were not
successful. In 1918 the Slate and Arcturus were
leased to the parent company, which advanced
working capital on loan. Milling was recommenced
in June, 1920. The report for 1920 shows that from
that date to the end of the year 30,603 tons of ore
was treated for a yield of 12,968 oz., which sold for
£73,400, including premium. The working cost was
^48,843, leaving a working profit of £24,557, which
was applied in reducing the debt to the lessees.
The balance of expenditure incurred by the lessees,
with accrued interest, amounted on December 31
to £159,657. The main shaft was sunk to water-
level at 335 fl. The small amount of development
work dour h.is given generally satisfactory results.
Tronoh Mines. — This company has been working
alluvial tin properties in Perak, Federatetl Malay
Slates, since 1901, and has been a large and
important producer. The best parts of the
properties have been worked out, and recent policy
has been to build dredges for the treatment of the
poorer ground and tailings, and to let ground on
tribute. The report for the year 1920 shows that
there has been a further fall in the value of the
ground treated. Two dredges were at work and
another is in course of erection on the spot. No. 3
mine was worked by pump-dredge. IBy far the
largest proportion of the output was done by
tribute. The exact returns were : 51 tons of tin
concentrate from No. 3 mine, 43 tons from
239,491 cu. )-d. No. 1 dredge, 272 tons from
819,091 cu. yd. No. 2 dredge, and 759 tons from
tributers, total 1,125 tons. The accounts show an
income of £218,372, and a net profit of £;21,463,
out of which £[20,000 has been distributed as
dividend, being at the rate of lO";,.
Lahat Mines. — This company belongs to the
Tronoh group, and has operated alluvial tin
properties in Porak, Federated .Malay States, since
1906. The report for 1920 shows that the output
of tin concentrate has been increased by the
adoption of a drifting system at one of the
properties, by means of which a rich lead is fol-
lowed cheaply. The total output was 533 tons, as
compared with 465 tons in 1919. At the under-
ground workings 27,670 cu. yd. was raised and
333 tons of tin concentrate extracted from it,
the yield being 23 lb. per cu. yd. The accounts
sliDw an income of £101,144, and a net profit of
£15.173. out of whith £12,000 has been paid as
dividends, being at the rate of 10%.
Sungei Besi Mines- — This company belongs to the
Tronjli group, and was formed in 1909 to work
alluvial tin properties in the State of Selangor,
Federated Milay States. The report for 1920 shows
that 197,703 cu. j-d. yielded 383 tons of tin con-
centrate, selling for £65,653. Additional land is
being acquired to the north, where boring is now
in hand. The company has during the past year
worked the Kepong property, where 121 tons of
tin concentrate was extracted from 230,000 cu. yd.
of ground sluicel ; at the present price of tin,
however, the operations are not profitable. The
accounts show receipts £83,815, and a net profit
of £17,615, oat of which /16,71 1 has been distributed
as dividends, being at the rate of 15°^.
Ex-Lands Nigeria. — This company was formed in
1912 to work alluvial tin properties in the southern
part of the Bauchi Plateau, Nigeria. The report
for the year 1920 shows that 382 tons of tin con-
centrate was produced, as compareil with 360 tons
in 1919, and 340 tons in I9I8. A pumping plant
was recently supplied in order that the rate of
extraction might be increased, but owing to general
conditions and to the high cost of wood fuel, its
use is postponed for a time. At the end of 1919
it was estimated that the company's ground would
vield 2,009 tons of tin concentrate. The accounts
show a profit of £14.130, of which £8,343 was placed
to reserve for income tax, while £6,745 was dis-
tributed as dividend, being at the rate of 5%.
Le Roi No. 2. — This company was formed in
1900 b\- the late Whitaker Wright to work a group
of gold-copper mines at Rossland, British Columbia.
For the last eighteen years operations have been
JULY, 1921
63
conducted under the direction of Alexander Hill
and Stewart. The report for 1920 shows that
16,422 tons of ore was shipped to the smelters,
averaging 0'87S% copper, 12-4 dwt. gold, and
0-71 oz. silver, the gross value of which was
$271,742, or $16-55 per ton. The total smelting
charges were $122,126, or S7-43 per ton. The loss
for the year was /12,181. The work was conducted
under exceptional difficulties, owing to the high
costs of material, labour, and to the inability of the
smelters to handle and pay for the ore promptly.
It has been necessary, therefore, to suspend mining
worth ;f418,210 at par, and the sale of silver brought
an income of /4,888. The premium received on the
sale of gold was /126,811, so that the total revenue
was ;£549,914, or 57s. 8d. per ton. The working
cost in Brazil was ;£352,097, or 47s. lid. per ton.
The net profit v/as £167,749, of which three-
quarters represented the premium on gold. The
sum of £85,000 was transferred to capital works
account. The usual 10% was paid on tha £100,000
preference shares, and 10% was paid on the
£546,265 ordinary shares. The chief development
work during the year has been the driving of the
-' - n ^
= :=>•- ^t^'
Horizon XXI
stot I
Horizon XXII
sua' btiB* t**
Jut ttt iMl
Pi..\N AND Section ov' Lowest Workinc.s at St. John del Rey.
for the present. No ore has been sent to the con-
centration plant recently, but as there has been a
considerable increase in fine ore that cannot be
hand-sorted, it has been decided to introduce a
Minerals Separation plant.
St. John del Rey. — The nintieth annual report
of this company, which works the Morro \'elho
gold mine in Brazil, shows that the output was
restricted chiefly owing to scarcity of labour,
caused by the unpleasantly hot conditions in the
deepest levels. Toward the end of the year the
cooling plant came into operation, and the cause
of dissatisfaction being removed, more men have
been available since. The ore raised and treated was
146,800 long tons, as compared with a normal
180,000 tons. The yield of gold was 98,311 oz..
tunnel at horizon 22, and the sinking of winze 31
from horizon 21 to horizon 22. This was extremely
difficult work, owing to the rock temperature being
117' F. When once the connexion was made
conditions improved, and as already stated the
cooling apparatus further relieved the situation.
Under these circumstances it was not possible to
maintain the reserve fully nor to keep the normal
number of working faces going. The reserve is
estimated at 1,228,000 tons, or about 6i years'
supply ; though as part of the lode between
horizons 21 and 22 has not been fully explored,
Mr. Chalmers considers it prudent to reckon the
actually proved ore at 827,000 tons, equal to
4i years' supply. Further reference to this report
is made in the Editorial columns.
61
nil: MiNiNt; .maca/im:
Burns Ticrra. This company belongs to the
Kxploration Co. ijroup. and operates a silver-lead
property in Cliihuahua, Mexico. Last year
additional capital was raised in order to extend the
scale of development. The report for 1920
shows that 6.9'J7 tons of oxidized ore was shipped,
averaginc; 949''(, lead and S(i oz. silver per ton,
for which the smelters paid $63,048. or $9- 10 per
ton. The accounts show a loss of /34,6I9 for the
year. Owing to the low prices of lead and silver,
the high cost of development work, and the
excessive railway rates and smelter charges, it was
decided to suspend operations on June 30 of this
year.
Esperanza.- — This company has worked the
F.spcranza gold mine at F.l Oro, Mexico, since
1903. Large profits were made for .some years,
but operations are now confined chielly to the
treatment of low-grade ore, old fillings, and tailings.
The report for 1920 shows that 273,120 tons of ore
was sent to the mill, where gold and silver realizing
$1,370,555 was extracted. The loss at the mine was
S406.491, after allowing for depreciation of plant
and depletion of the mine. The reserve of ore and
filling is estimated at 117,684 tons, together with
750.000 tons of low-cr-grade material that might
show a profit in normal times. As has been recorded
from time to time recently, development is being
actively continued and has occasionally disclosed
high-grade ore. The company has an option on the
Union en Cuale property, where active develop-
ment has been done. Owing, however, to the un-
satisfactory' state of the metal market, it has been
deemed best to suspend this w-ork, though the option
is being continued.
Esperanza Copper and Sulphur. — This company
was formed in 1906 to work a group of pyrites
mines in the south of Spain, Shipments have
been maintained fairly steadily, and operations
were not disturbed by the war to the .same extent
as those at other mines in the district. The only
year when there was serious restriction was 1919,
during which the shipments were only one-third
of the normal. The report for 1920 shows that the
output of pyrites was 71,176 tons, and that
85 tons of copper precipitate was produced. The
dispatches of pyrites from the mine to the port of
Huelva were 61,719 tons, and the shipments thence
82,970 tons. If it had not been for a railway strike,
which occupied ten weeks, the normal shipments of
100,000 tons a year would have been reached. The
reserve of developed ore is estimated at 835,000 tons.
The accounts show a profit of £14,598. and /17,500,
less income tax, has been distributed, the rate being
5%. The company also has a controlling interest
in the Cyprus Sulphur & Copper Co., which owns
low-grade deposits, the treatment of which is still
under consideration.
Great Boulder Proprietary. — This company was
formed in London in 1894 to acquire gold mining
claims at KalgooHic, West Australia, and for
twenty-five years handsome dividends have been
paid. During the last year or two the output and
profits have been smaller, owing to shortness and
indifference of labour, high costs, and the arrival
of the workings at the tottcm hmits of the ore-
bodies. The report for 1920 shows that 100,756 long
tons of ore, averaging 14-26 dwt. per ton, was raised
and treated, yielding gold worth /305,212 at par,
to which must be added /1 23,500 received as
premium. The total revenue was £428,713 ; the
working cost was £215,712 ; allowance for
depreciation /25,000 ; and taxes /47,46S. The
sharelioMers received £131,2,50, the dividends
amounting to 75°^. Kichard Hamilton, the
manager, estimates the reserve at 245,187 tons,
averaging 1475 dwt. per ton, as compared with
325,314 tons averaging 14'56 dwt. the year before,
and 345,719 tons averaging 14'49 dwt. at the end
of 1918. .Vs regarils new properties, the option on
the -Maher at Comet \'ale has been abandoned, but
the O.K. at Norseman is giving good results. The
continual rise of costs at Great iSoulder is shown by
the fact that the cost per ton in 1920 was 41s. 9d.,
as compared with 35s.8d.in 1919, and 32s. 6d. in 1918.
Zinc Corporation. — This company was formed in
1905 to treat zinc tailing at Uroken Hill by the
flotation process. In 1911 the South Blocks
mine at Broken Hill was acquired, and the company
then became a lead producer as well. The present
report covers the year 1920. During this time the
mine and plant were largely idle owing to the
strike, and it was not until November that mining
was resumed, while concentration was not started
until the next month. Until the end of the year
the lead concentrator treated 6,908 tons of ore,
averaging 17°(, lead, 10-4"o zinc, and 2-8 oz. silver
per ton, and produced 1,620 tons of lead con-
centrate, averaging 63 8°o lead, 7-l"o zinc, and
9-2 oz. silver; together with 2,212 tons of zinc
tailing, averaging 18-5% zinc, 4-2°o '"^ad, and
1-6 oz. silver. .A.t the zinc concentrator 28,110 tons
of tailing and slime was treated, of which 24,920 tons
came from the old dump, averaging 16'4°„ zinc,
4-I''r, lead, and 5-1 oz. silver, and produced
7,670 tons of zinc concentrate, averaging 48'2%
zinc, 6-90o lead, and 8-7 oz. silver, together with
542 tons of lead concentrate, averaging 54-3%
lead, 17-9% zinc, and 24-5 oz. silver. Since the
end of the year it has been found impossible, with
the high wages and the low price of lead, to continue
the production of lead concentrates ; moreover,
there was a fire at Port Pirie smelting works,
as already recorded. The only operation conducted
at present is that at the zinc concentrator, and the
zinc concentrate produced is sold to the Govern-
ment under the contract made shortly after the
outbreak of war. The ore reserve in the mine is
estimated at 2,115,700 tons, averaging 14'6% lead,
9 4'Jo zinc, and 2-6 02. silver. There is also
664.633 tons of dump material to treat, and
31,472 tons of zinc slime. The accounts show an
income of £109,132 from the sale of concentrates,
and a profTt of £31,910, out of which £24,569 was
distributed as preferential dividend for the first
half of 1920.
Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's). — This com-
pany treats zinc tailing at Broken Hill, and until
recently vvas mainly occupied with the treatment of
this material coming from the North and South
mines. At present old dump material occupies
chief place. The company has a large holding in
Electrolytic Zinc of Australasia, and also conducts
e.xperimental work in other directions. The report
for the half-year to December 31 last show-s that
work was resumed in the middle of November on the
termination of the strike, and during the six weeks
to the end of the year 14,852 tons of material was
treated for a yield of 3,403 tons of zinc concentrate,
averaging 47-7% zinc, 6-7% lead, and 13-4 oz.
silver per ton, together with 32 tons of lead slime
concentrate, averaging 48-6 % lead, 15'7% zinc, and
76'6 oz. silver. The accounts show a loss of ;^16,651
on the half year.
V'^
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director.
Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
Plbhshei) on tlie i5tli of each nioiitli by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House, London Wall, London, E.C. 2.
Telephone : London Wall 3938. Telegraphic Address : Oligodnse. Codes : McNeill, both Editions,
n r, ^,, ' 420, Market Street, San Francisco. S.iR^rRiPTiov ' ^^- P^ annum (Single Copy ls.6d.), including
Branch Offices ^ ^^-^ p^^^_,^ ^^^_ Chicago. Subscription ^ postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXV. No. 2.
LONDON, AUGUST, 1921.
Price U. 6d.
c o N r !■: i\' r s
Editorial
Notes 66
The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy's New
Home ; El Oro and Pachuca Mining and Geology i
A Department of Mines for the United States ;
Gyrostatic Compass for Surveying ; Cornish
Chamber of Mines Year-book ; Fixing a Gold
Premium : The American Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers.
Rhodesia Broken Hill
Particulars are given of recent development and
output at this lead-zinc mme in Northern
Rhodesia.
Cornish Conditions
An appeal is made for help for the many miners in
Cornwall who are now out of work.
The Framing of Mining Laws
An exposition of Indian mining laws, and their
objects, written by Sir Thomas Holland, is
discussed, and the publication of papers of this
character commended.
PAGE
" Geology of Mesopotamia and its Border-
lands " T. G. Madgwick 97
Schnabel and Louis' " Handbook of
Metallurgy " George Patchin 97
News Letters
Perth 98
The Taxation of Mines.
Toronto 101
Porcupine; Kirkland Lake; Cobalt; Sudbury;
Gowganda.
Vancouver 1 (12
Mackenzie Rivi^r Oil ; Yukon Silver -Mines ; British
Columbia Output.
Personal 104
69 Trade Par.\graphs 10.5
Metal Markets 105
68
69
Statistics of Production
108
The Forces of Nature 71 Prices of Chemicals Ill
Share Quotations 112
The Editor writes an introduction to an article by
Mr. J. H. Goodchild appearing in the issue.
Review of Mining 72
Articles
Land Growth /. H. Goodchild 75
The author outlines a method of approaching the
main problems of geophysics and geochemistry.
Las Dos Estrellas Gold Mine
T. Skewes Saunders
The author describes a mine at El Oro, Mexico, of
which he was manager for the last seven years.
The control of this mine has been in France and
Mexico, and details of the operations have not
hitherto been available to English readers.
The Real Value of Gold
78
S. J. Speak 93
Book Reviews
Park's " Textbook of Practical Hydraulics "
Henry Louis 94
Holmes's " Petrographic Methods and
Calculations " E. H. Davison 9.S
Rumbold's "Chromium Ore"..//. K .Scott 95
The Mining Digest
Geology of Pachuca and El Oro
H. V. Winchell 113
Removal of Copper from Base Lead Bullion
D. C. M'Gruer 1 18
Gyroscopic Surveying Compass 120
Indian Mining Laws Sir T. H. Hotland 121
Origin of the Cost-book System'. ...//. Louis 122
The South-East Rand A. W. Rogers 123
Liquid-air E.xplosives 124
Sierra Leone Geology F. Dixey 124
Short Notices 125
Recent Patents Published 126
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 126
Company Reports 126
Associated Gold Mines of Western .\ustralia ; Briseis Tin and
General Mining; British Broken Hill; Burma Ruby Mines;
Eileen Alannah ; Gurum River (Nigeria) Tin Mine? ; Kaduna ;
Kaduna Prospectors ; Kramat Pulai ; Lake View and Star ;
Libiola Copper ; Naraguta Extended (Nigeria) Tin Mines i Oroya
Links ; Poderosa ; Rhodesia Broken Hill ; South Kalgurli Con-
solidated ; Transvaal Gold Mining Estates.
EDITORIAL
ON July 25 tlic Institution of Mining and
Miialluif^y moved to its new prcinisis
in Cit}" Koad. Tlu' house is commodious and
well arranged, and tliough its surroundings are
not just what the council would have chosen
if office accommodation in London had not
been so restricted, it can at least be said
that the continuous omnibus and tram
services to the City nullify the feared isolation
of the new home. The Institution of Jlining
Engineers has also moved to City Road, and
Jlr. C. McDermid has assumed tlie secretary-
ship of both societies. Wc give herewith
a photographic view of the building, and in
a later issue we hope to publish a detailed
description.
on the geology of Pachuca and J'^1 Oro.
His advice as regards Kl Oro is timely, and
should be ai)])reciated by those who are in
fa\our of furtiur exploration.
A HILL before United States Congress
relates to the establishment of a Depart-
ment of Mines, assimilating old offices and
creating new ones. It is proposed that the
present Bureau of Mines should be con-
verted into a " Bureau " of Mineral
Technology, and the Geological Survey into
a " Bureau " of Mining and Applied Geology.
There would also be a " Bureau " of Mineral
IMarkets, and a " Bureau " of Public Mineral
Domain. In addition tlieri- would be a
The Institution of Mininc and Metallurgy's New Ho.me.
ELSEWHERE in this issue Mr. T.
Skewcs Saunders describes the mines
of the Dos Estrellas Company at El Oro,
Mexico. This mine has given big profits
to Me.xican and French owners from
extremely rich ores, and of late years profits
have been made by the scientific treatment of
the remaining ores of lower grade. Details
of the mine have never been published, so
that the complete history of the El Oro
district has never been available. The
present article may serve to fill in 'some of
the gaps. In another part of this issue we
reprint a paper by Mr. Horace V. Winchell
" Division " of Mineral Statistics, a " Division "
of Publications, and a " Division " of
Accounting and Disbursing. By those in
this country who are beginning to hate the
words "Bureau," "Departments," and
" Divisions," this announcement is not
received with enthusiasm.
^TOT long ago a note was published in
^ these columns relating to the
gyrostatic compass, and to the possibility
of its application to mine surveying as a
substitute for the magnetic compass in
indicating the true north. Surveyors in
66
AUGUST, 1921
67
this country were aware at the time that
an instrument embodying this idea had been
developed in Germany, but no one could
give details. Attention may therefore be
drawn to the abstract of the patent issued
to Anschutz & Co., appearing elsewhere
in this issue. The specitication and drawing
give an idea of the principle of the instrument,
but we hope in a future issue to publish
further information supplied by the makers.
THE Cornish Chamber of Klines Year-book
for 1921, edited by Mr. Harold E. Fern,
is a reflex of the contracted state of local
mining, but in the comparatively few pages
a great deal of valuable history and statistical
information is given. These records are
valuable both currently and for permanent
reference. The contents of the volume
include the report of the Council for the
year 1920, details of the various metal-
mining companies operating in Cornwall, and
statistical tables of production. A valuable
feature of the volume is a table giving analyses
of the working costs during 1920 at five of
the leading tin mines ; namely, East Pool,
Dolcoath, South Crofty, Tincrof t, and Geevor.
These figures explain why costs have been
advancing so seriously during the last few
years.
WHETHER gold is to go back to its
original value, or whether we are
to continue to send the metal to the United
States and live on paper in this country,
is the chief financial problem of the day.
The only orthodox way of bringing gold
back to its par value is to cut wages and
public expenditure in this country. In this
issue we publish an article by Mr. S. J. Speak,
who demonstrates the inabihty of the
Government and the financial authorities
in the City to effect this desirable reinstate-
ment of the basic principle. Mr. Speak's
opinion is that the appreciation of gold
should be regularized, and that its price
should be put to six guineas per ounce.
In this way the relation of prices to values
would be more easily revised without the
working-classes being provided with a reason
for strikes. The relation of gold to official
currency is one of those difficult problems
that a layman, even a professor of political
economy, cannot always grasp, but there
are cases, alhed to mathematical " limits,"
which are easily comprehensible. For
instance, the great discoveries of gold in
Australia and California had both a sudden
and an ultimate influence on currency and
wages, and gold as such suffered a
depreciation ; while, on the other hand, the
uncontrolled issue of paper money by the
Confederates and by various Governments
in South America caused nominal prices to
go up indefinitely. In the depreciation of
money by the State gold is not in the hands
of the public, so they reap no benefit against
the fall in its purchasing value, the matter
being entirely in the control of the exchange
bankers. The fact is that the public have
no control of the price of gold, or even of
diamonds, and the disposal of either is in
the hands of the rings. Mr. Speak's article
gives, under the circumstances, an intelligible
solution of a much-debated question.
LAST month we recorded that Mr. Bradley
Stoughton had resigned the secretary-
ship of the American Institute of Mining
and Metallurgical Engineers. Since then
it has been announced that he is succeeded
by Mr. F. F. Sharpless. Mr. Sharpless will
be known to many people in London, for he
was at one time an adviser to the Consoli-
dated Mines Selection Company, and in this
capacity he visited West Africa. He has
been professionally associated with Mr.
Horace Vaughan Winchell, and with other
influential men who devote much time and
thought to the interests of the Institute, and
he has been secretary of the Mining and
Metallurgical Society of America. So he is
well known to mining engineers and
experienced in society administration. But
while thus prognostigating success for his
tenure of office, we still cannot help
expressing our inability to understand why
Mr. Stoughton should have felt it incumbent
on him to resign. The secretaryship of the
Institute has not provided the only worry to
the council recently, for the publication
of the monthly paper Mining and Metallurgy
is also the cause of grave concern, and the
multiplicity of unwieldy committees is once
more being adversely criticized in various
quarters. As regards the monthly paper,
we notice that the Engineering and Mining
Journal expresses its disapproval of it, both
from the point of view of policy and in
relation to its intrinsic merits. With sly
subtle humour the writer shows how little
original matter is found in its pages, and how
it fails to serve the requirements of the mining
engineer and metallurgist. The humour is
so subtle that we are unable to say whether
the fact of Mining and Metallurgy having
68
Till': MININC. MAC, A/INIC
" somewhat of the flavour of Tni: Mining
Magazine but not so compact " is intcndril
as a compliment to both, either, or neitlier
of the monthlies mentioned ; jirobably neitlier.
But seriously, the Joiinuil is to be eouf^ratu-
lated on the stand it has taken, for its adviee
and conunent will go a long way. It is to he
hoped that the Institute will revert to its
Biilhtin, and at the same time go back to its
old policy of quality rather than quantity in
the matter of papers published. We note
in the American papers some reference to
a proposal to amalgamate Miuim; and
Mftalliir^y with the organ of the American
Mining Congress. Surely such a step would
put the Institute still further off the mark,
and would be regarded with dismay by
mining engineers outside the United States.
Rhodesia Broken Hill
In thise tiajs of depression in the metal
markets it is remarkable that a lead
mine in the centre of Africa should be making
profits and paying dividends. But this is
what, in spite of so many disadvantageous
circumstances, the Rhodesia Broken
Hill Development Company has been able
to do. During 1920 the yield of lead was
14,602 tons, obtained by smelting 12.800 tons
of ore ; the net profit, after allowance for
depreciation, was /89,949, out of which
£35,000 was paid as dividend, at the rate
of lO^o, the remainder being kept in hand
until income tax and excess profits duty
arc settled. The deposit belonging to this
companv, situated in Northern Rhodesia,
is one of the most interesting of all those
controlled in London, and we were glad to
be able to publish a detailed account of it
in October, 1919. In glancing briefly at the
report of current progress, it is not necessary
to review past history or to give a general
description of the property, for the article
in question contains all this information.
During the last year or two further geological
investigations have been made, and it is
now considered certain that the various
outcrops are parts of two lodes about
1,000 yards apart. One of these lodes out-
crops at kopjes Nos. 1, 3, and 4, and con-
tains more lead than zinc ; while the other
passes through kopje No. 2 and consists
essentially of zinc ore. There are a number
of other outcrops, of minor importance at
present, which have not yet been explored
in depth. The further development of
the ore, and also the theory of the geology
and the origin and continuan(r of llir dit
dejiosils, dejK'nd largely on the water
iiuestion. As recorded two years ago the
surface-workings are drowned with water,
and it was an open (juestion whether ])uinping
\\i)ulil be effective at anything like a com-
nureial cost, and conse(]uently whether it
would be ])0ssible to sink shafts. The
directors decided to provide powerful pumps,
which were eventually delivered after great
delay, and at enhanced prices. They also
called to their service the Francois
cementation process, by means of which
shaft-sinking became possible immediately,
and should continue to be independent
of the water. The No. 1 shaft has been
sunk to 173 ft., and a level is being oi)ened
at l.")0 ft. By means of these workings, it
will be piossible to follow the indications
jnovided by the bore-holes. In connexion
with the water, which has given so much
trouble, and has also worried the geologists,
it has been shown recently that the water-
level is now much higher than it used to be,
and that a drainage channel 300 ft. deeper
than the present water-level was in action
at no distant date. Thus the existence of
oxidized ores below the present water-
level is explained, coupled with a certainty
of the permanence of sulphide ores below the
portions already proved by bore-hole. A
hope is also provided for an eventual
clearance of the water from an apparently
waterlogged area. Another interesting
geological point relates to the occurrence of
vanadium minerals. During 1920 a sub-
stantial income was derived from the sale
of these ores, and arrangements are being
made for their further exploitation. At the
present time the proved vanadium reserves
consist of 3,750 tons, averaging 7 to 13%,
and 6,000 tons averaging 'Si%. Experi-
mental work is in hand for the concentration
of these lower-grade ores, and eventually
it is believed that vanadium will be an
important factor in the success of the
property. As regards the zinc contents of
the ores, it is only necessary here to say that
electrolytic plant is on the spot, and that
results will be available later. In con-
cluding this brief notice, it is right that
personal credit should be given. Mr. Edmund
Davis, as chairman and managing director,
provides the business ability, Messrs. Hooper,
Speak & Co. are the consulting engineers,
Mr. Ross Macartney is the manager at the
mine, and Mr. F. 1'. Mennell has been engaged
in geological studies.
AUGUST, 1921
69
Cornish Conditions!
During the last few months we have
published no Camborne letter in our news
columns, for our local correspondent bluntly
says there is nothing to write about : Cornish
mining is dead, hopes of resuscitation are
remote, and to write of the terrible position
and the distress would be unkind to the
sufferers. It is to his credit that he fought
for the cause of Cornwall during the threat-
ening days, canvassed the practical sympathy
of those in power, and foretold the results
of the Government's policy of neglect and
drift. It is no wonder that he is disgusted
with journalism which has proved so
ineffective, and has laid aside his pen for the
time. But something must be said about
Cornish matters, even if it is only with the
object of arousing some sympathy for the
victims of adverse circumstances. Of the
men who are perforce idle, it has to be said
that they were never overpaid and that they
never upset normal arrangements by making
impossible demands. In fact there have
been cases where they have suggested a
curtailment of pay in order that operations
should not cease. Their attitude has been
entirely different from that of the coal-
miners, who induced the Government to
pledge public funds for the maintenance of
high wages in a prosperous industry that can
pass the e.xtra cost to the consumer. The
tin-miner was faced with the higher cost of
coal, steel, timber, and explosives, and he
was quite unable to pass the extra costs
to the buyer of his products, for the metal
markets are entirely beyond his control ;
while, as for assistance from the public
purse, this was not granted until wages
were not forthcoming. It was always the
contention of the Magazine that the mines
should be kept working by aid of the public
money now distributed as charity and
without profit to the giver or the community,
though it was fairly clear that the proposition
would stand no chance of acceptance. It is
too late now to revive an argument in favour
of such a course. All that can be done is
to help the miner in some practical way and
to break the appalling darkness and silence
that broods over Cornwall. The out-of-work
pay is little enough, and is quite insufficient
ior keeping life together with decency and
respect ; but now even this resource is
threatened, and the men never know when
they will be entirely without means of
subsistence. The funds at the disposal of the
poor law guardians are already strained to
.2—3
the limit. Voluntary contributions have
been liberal, and the Central Relief Com-
mittee at Camborne has been able to be of
great assistance, but as the days drag by
it becomes increasinglj^ difficult to obtain
the necessary funds locally. Early this year
Mr. Joseph H. Cock, a member of the staff
of the ^Mining School, who was at the time
chairman of the Relief Committee, issued an
eloquent appeal to Cornishmen abroad to
contribute to the funds for the help of
distressed folks at the old home. It is
gratifying to know that the response was
excellent, and that much good was thereby
done. Time has since passed and the
position in Cornwall is still tense, so we
re-echo Mr. Cock's invitation, and trust
every Cornishman who reads this article
will lose no time in getting into contact with
the secretary of the Camborne Relief
Committee, the Reverend W. A. Bryant.
Before concluding we would mention that
many people not conversant with mining
conditions recommend the present distressed
Cornishmen to emigrate as their fathers and
grandfathers did at former periods of mining
depression in the old county. Unfortunately
it is difficult to follow this advice, for the
countries where additional mining labour
is wanted are few and far between. Never-
theless if any influential Cornishman abroad
can guarantee positions for stranded miners
at present in Cornwall his assistance in this
direction will be as welcome as a subscription
to the funds.
This is the position of things in Cornwall
at present. Oh, the pity of it that the sons
of an ancient and honourable industry should
have to plead for help through no fault of
their own !
The Framing of Mining Laws
Reference has been made in these pages on
orre or two occasions to the excellent work
done by the Indian Government in the con-
trol of industrial operations. At a time when
Indian affairs looked gloomy, and even ugly,
a number of sound and experienced servants
of the State rallied to its support, and by the
exercise of firmness and patience have
guided the community to commercial and
political safety. Unfortunately the Enghsh
Press tells us little or nothing of what goes
on in the Overseas Dominions, so that the
transcendent abilities of Sir Thomas Holland
as an administrator are comparatively un-
known in this country. The Indian Govern-
ment has, however, recognized the uses of
70
THE MIXIXC. MACAZIXIC
publicity, and has made a mmilur of
innovations tending to bring its motives and
aspirations to the notice of the pohtical
and business connnunities, both locally and
in this country. I'or instance, an Indian
Trade Commission has been established al
Winchester House, in the City, and many of
our readers will have had the ailvantai;e of
the help and advice of Dr. J. Coggin Brown.
who has been found at that office for the last
year or so, in connexion with the mineral
industries of India and neighbouring
countries. More recently the Government
has founded thv Journal of Indian liiduslrits
and Labour, with the object of providing a
means of contact between the various
industrial communities throughout India.
and of explaining the underlying principles on
which the Government acts. It may be said
at once that the Government of India aims
at idealism tempered with business acumen.
The benetit of the State is the watchword ;
but, on the one hand, the benefits are not
to be entirely controlled by the business
man, and. on the other, the State is not to
be represented by the blatant agitator or
the fluent ignoramus. In fact, it is a com-
bination of the high-mindcdness of President
Wilson and General Smuts with the mundane
philosophy of CecO Rhodes.
An excellent example of the straight-
forwardness of the Indian Government is to
be found in the May issue of the before-
mentioned Journal, where Sir Thomas
Holland writes on the principles governing
the grant of mineral concessions in India.
Sir Thomas, being alarmed at the apparent
simplicity of his exposition of the principles,
declares, with his characteristic vein of
irony, that " these general considerations
are mostly platitudes " ; but as all knowledge
and mental exercises when clearly expounded
may be mistaken by some people for
platitudes, we can easily imagine the smile
on his face when he wrote or dictated that
word. Briefly, the mining laws of India
are so framed as to offer sufficient speculative
attraction to the capitalist, and at the same
time ensure a fair return to the State
without undue waste of the natural resources.
It is the business of a mining company to
make as much profit as possible out of a
mineral deposit in the shortest time ; this is
extravagance from the point of view of the
community. On the other hand, the State
must see that its mineral resources are
utilized for, following their judicious employ-
ment, there comes great commercial
advantagi' and jirosix-rity. Yet, seeing
that these resources are limited, care must
be taken that they are not carelessly or waste-
fully mined ; in other wonls, complete and
gradual ixtraction is hetli'r for the com-
numitv tiian ra])id profit-making by the
mining companies. Sir Thomas puts the case
of Ihe miners quite candidly. He points out
tiiat, as most mining enterprises are highly
speculative, the investor wants the
tiicouragement of generous terms before
he will risk capital in an unproved country ;
that most of the capital is sunk in an
irrecoverable form, for the miner cannot sell
his shafts and levels in the open market,
and he must therefore hope to recover
his initial outlay from his profits in a
M-lalivtly short period ; and that unless
a miner can now and then reap the benefit
of an occasional windfall, he will not be
able to write off the losses due to the large
number of unlucky ventures inevitable in
this class of work. To weigh all these con-
siderations without prejudice or bias is the
aspiration of the Indian Government, and,
as Sir Thomas says, the expression of these
])rinciples looks like a platitude. But how
many other countries can point to so clear
an exposition of their motives ? In other
States we see indifference to public or private
interests, or an inclination to opportunism,
or a participation on the part of the State
or its minions in the clash of the markets,
in the manoeuvres for position, and in the
crushing of opponents or rivals, or even a
policy which puts business in the way of
lawyers and experts.
Sir Thomas Holland, in his article, proceeds
to details on one or two debatable points.
He gives reasons why the law should be
uniform throughout all the Indian States,
and he shows why it is necessary to revise
the law periodically. He discusses the
relation of prospecting licences to mining
leases. Here he shows how it is necessary
to give liberal terms to the genuine prospector
and the obviously earnest investor, and he
indicates the necessity for differentiating
between the various fields of enterprise.
In some cases the surface indications are
such as to make it imperative for definite
results to be available in a comparatively
short time ; whereas, in other cases, such
as drilling for oil, much longer periods of
prospecting should be allowed.
We may be permitted to express the hope
that directors will read Sir Thomas Holland's
article, for it incidentally gives an excellent.
AUGUST, 1921
71
idea of the actual importance of mining
relative to other local industries. Most
of the companies and their directors are
fully aware of their duty to the laws and
customs of the various countries, as well as
to their own shareholders, but occasionally
companies, or groups of companies, come
into undesirable and unnecessary conflict
with communities and their governors by
exaggerating their claims to recognition and
by want of capacity to regard affairs in
their true perspective. A perusal of this
article may act as a corrective.
The Forces of Nature
In this issue we print an article by Mr. J. H.
Goodchild, entitled, " Land Growth," which,
we readily admit, is not easy to comprehend
at the first perusal. The casual reader and
even the expert geologist and petrologist
may possibly be mystified, as they were with
the articles by the author's brother, Mr. W. H.
Goodchild, on the origin of igneous ore
deposits, which appeared in these pages
three years ago. Nevertheless, the author's
views will find response in the minds of many
students of geology who feel that there is
something missing in the theories taught
in the textbooks. At the present time the
mineral arrangement and the constitution
of the earth's surface is ascribed to either
igneous action or sedimentation, that is to
say, some rocks are held to be the cooling
products of a molten magma, while others
are the result of meteoric action on existing
land surfaces. Mr. Goodchild would add
to these influences the chemical reactive
energies of the minerals and mineral masses.
These chemical forces are, of course, well
enough known to geologists, but hitherto
argument involving them has been confined
to discussions as to the origin of under-
ground ore deposits. Under the latter
conditions the potency of solutions to attack,
convey, and precipitate are fully recognized,
and deductions are facilitated by the fact
that material exists concurrently in both the
original form and as middle and final pro-
ducts. Few geologists have attempted to
apply the same principles to the wider fickL
and this application is rendered the more
difflcult because only the current product
is visible. This difficulty may be exemplified
by reference to the permanence or other-
wise of old buildings. The remains of
Roman and Egyptian edifices lead people to
suppose that the ancients knew better how
to build than we do nowadays, they entirely
forgetting that the evidence of bad building
in the olden days has long since disappeared.
Another difliculty in applying this principle
in its wide sense is that different substances
act at different rates, the least plentiful
usually acting the most rapidly. Carbon,
phosphorus, and potassium go through
cycles of adventures, while silica and most
of the silicates are slow of change and
reaction. The only constituents of the
earth's surface that are plentiful, and at the
same time show visible and calculable
changes, are carbonate of lime and the iron
compounds. Thus Mr. Goodchild would
recommend a close comparative study of the
iron ores of the world from his standpoint,
including those in Cumberland, Nortli and
South Spain, India, Brazil, and Lake
Superior. That such a study would meet
prodigious obstacles cannot lie denied, for
direct evidence would be scarce, and often
almost unrecognizable, and until some
evidence of this growth of land is obtainable
many scientists and practical men may as
likely as not refuse to believe in its
importance. For ourselves we keep a
receptive mind ready to consider any pro-
posal put forward by a serious and com-
petent student of nature. These chemical
forces acting on a large scale as outlined by
Mr. Goodchild would provide explanations
for many phenomena which are at present
obscure, and they would afford alternative
explanations for others. For instance,
banded ironstones and doubtful gneisses
would be explained ; the apparently igneous
rocks which look like sedimentaries, or vice
versa, would be relegated to their proper
division ; an explanation would be provided
of the absence of metamorphism at the
contact of certain supposed igneous
intrusions ; it would no longer be necessary
to attribute schistosity or slatey cleavage to
enormous pressures, nor contortions of rocks
to the folding or crumpling of plane deposits.
Sulphur would cease to be essentially a
hypabyssal element, and pyrites would be
usually formed by the action of iron com-
pounds on organic substances. The current
principles of petrology may appear to stand
in the way of some of the foregoing
applications, particularly where a doubt is
implied of the igneous origin of certain
rocks ; but that remains to be seen. How-
ever, we are travelling a little too far in
advance. These prospective explanations
are merely given as an indication of incentives
to investigation on Mr. Goodchild's lines.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introductory. — Though coal milling;
lias been resumed for over a iiionth in this
country general trading is still stagnant mid
the prices of industrial metals continue at
a low ebb. As for gold, the Ignited States
Exchange has dropped again, and the
premium has correspondingly risen.
Transvaal. — The labour (juestion has been
to the fore this month, and definite proposals
were made by tlie Chamber of Mines for a
cut in wages. The men have agreed to
a standard of wages based on the cost of
living, and this involves a reduction of
Is. 6d. per shift immediately. It is felt,
however, that more than a cut is wanted,
and that a weeding out of disaffected
incompetents would do much more good.
Further particulars arc to hand from South
Africa with regard to the stoppage of sinking
at No. 2 .shaft, West Springs. It is now
stated that this shaft had reached a depth
of 3,000 ft. without liaving encountered
the Kimberley .slates, which were expected
at a depth of 2,300 ft. to 2,100 ft. A big
transverse fault-plane is knowTi to traverse
the Springs property, and No. 1 shaft is near
this line of disturbance. No doubt this dyke
has had a disturbing influence on the countr}'
round No. 2 shaft.
About eighteen months ago additional
capital was subscribed for the reopening of
the Sheba Gold Mining Compan3''s pro-
perties at Barberton. Since then much
prospecting work has been done. The mine
that has responded best is the Zwarzkopje,
where 14,603 tons averaging 10-4 dwt. gold
per ton has been proved. At the Intombi
section the reserve is 20,000 tons, averaging
10 dwt. Further development is to be done
before milling is recommenced, and when
that happens it is intended to add tube-
mills for the purpose of grinding the ore
finer.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold in
Southern Rhodesia during June was 49,466oz.,
as compared with 48,744 oz. in May, and
45,054 oz. in June, 1920. Other returns of
output for June were as follows : Silver,
13,243 oz. ; coal, 49,425 tons ; chrome ore,
5,831 tons ; copper, 264 tons ; asbestos,
1,993 tons ; arsenic, 48 tons ; mica, 7 tons.
The Lonely Reef Gold Mining Company
reports the ore reserves at June 30 at
197,704 tons, averaging 19'11 dwt. gold per
ton, as compared witli 202,845 tons averaging
20'8 dwt. at the end of December last.
There appears to be some chance of a deal
being effected between the Globe iS: Pliunix
and the Rhodesia I'.xploration Company
(formerly Amalgamated I'ropt-rties) witii
regard to the John I'ull and other claims round
which the celebrated lawsuit centred. The
chairman of the latter company has
announced that he is in negotiation with a
director of tlie Globe & Phceni.x, but whether
officially or not is imcertain. The (dobe &
Phani.x reserves at June :iO were calculated
at 89,491 tons averaging 30-39 dwt. gold
per ton, as compared with 93,852 tons of
similar tenor six months previously.
West Africa.— -The Ashanti Goldfields
Corporation announces the intersection of
the Obuasi lode at the 19th level. Here the
lode is 26 ft. wide and averages 19-9 dwt.
of gold per ton.
Australia. — The reports of several com-
panies operating at Kalgoorlie arc quoted
elsewhere in this issue. These companies
are now securing full benefit of the gold
premium, and are thus able to earn increased
profits. But gold premium does not account
for all, and in this connexion we may express
our pleasure that Mr. J. .\. Agnew drew
attention to the excellent management of
the mines which is also a substantial factor
in the present position. Too often most
of the directors and all the shareholders
omit to give any real credit to the mine
managers for the satisfactory results ; they
even begrudge the few minutes occupied
at the end of a meeting when a perfunctory
motion of thanks to the staff is introduced,
for this item of the agenda unnecessarily
cuts into their lunch.
The cabled report of the Hampden
Cloncurry Copper Mines for the half-year
ended February 28 shows a yield of
1,882 tons of copper, 1,149 oz. gold, and
7,256 oz. silver obtained from the smelting
of 36,698 tons of ore, of which 4,065 tons was
custom ore and 9,391 tons metalliferous flux.
The operations resulted in a loss of £6,694.
As already recorded the properties and the
smelter are now idle, awaiting a reduction in
wages and in the costs of stores.
During the year ended May 29, the ore
raised at Mount Morgan totalled 260,062 tons,
of which 89,405 tons was sent direct to the
smelter. At the concentrator 167,802 tons
of ore jdelded 60,033 tons of various classes
of concentrates. The smelter treated the
ore sent direct, together with 19,129 tons of
72
AUGUST, 1921
73
jis; concentrates and 32,667 tons of table
and flotation concentrates. The j'icld of
copper was 5,149 tons, and of gold 76,463 oz.
It has not been possible to declare a dividend.
At present the labour position is uppermost,
and the directors are endeavouring to induce
the men to adopt some scale of wages that
will make it possible to operate without loss.
The company is actively developing and
equipping a coal mine at Baralaba for a
capacity of 500 tons per day. Experiments
are in hand for chlorinating the tailings from
the concentrators with a view of saving
further quantities of gold.
The Governments of Great Britain and
.Australia continue to refuse information as
to the price paid by the former for Australian
zinc concentrates. The Board of Trade
states that the total sums disbursed for
the years ended March 31, 1919, March 31,
1920", and JIarch 31, 1921, were ^1,221,859,
/490,137, and /151,951 respectively. It is
also announced that concentrates totalling
4,972 tons have been sold at an average
price of £1 17s. per ton. Presumably this
is the sum of the sales all these years. Their
deal has not been good business for anybody
except some of the producers at Broken Hill,
and even these will eventually suffer owing
to the large Government stocks standing in
the way of a revival in mining.
India. — Champion Reef will be the next
Indian mining companj^ to reconstruct with
the object of providing funds for further
development in depth. Mysore and Nundy-
droog have already reconstructed, but
Ooregum has been able to provide funds for
the same purpose out of its rich ore reserves.
The directors believe that the ore disclosed
in the lowest workings justify deeper develop-
ment, so a scheme for raising the necessary
capital will be submitted to shareholders
next month. It may be mentioned that the
shaft in Carmichael's section of this mine is
over 6,000 ft. deep on the dip.
Burma. — The Burma Corporation
announces a reconstitution of the London
Committee, which now consists of Sir Henry
Strakosch, Sir John Mann, and Messrs. J. A.
Agnew, A. Chester Beatty, F. A. Govett,
Herbert Guedalla, and J. C. Prinsep.
ilr. E. P. Mathewson is to visit the mine and
advise on the metallurgical position.
Malaya. — The report of the Federated
Malay States Mining Department for 1920
shows that 34,938 tons of tin concentrate
was exported ; of this amount 22,134 tons
came from Perak, 8,851 tons from Selangor,
3,252 tons from Pahang, and 697 tons from
Negri Sembilan. It is stated that 64%
of the mines were under Chinese manage-
ment, as compared with 68% in 1919, and
74% in 1913 ; it would be much more
interesting if the relative percentages of
output by Chinese-managed companies were
given.
Cornwall. — The respective boards of East
Pool and South Crofty have not yet been
able to find a basis of joint action in
connexion with the unwatering of the mines.
After the pumps at East Pool main shaft
were put out of action by the collapse of
ground, pumping was continued at Agar
shaft for a time. This pump has since
been stopped, but owing to the dry season
the water is not rising rapidly. The board of
East Pool have now in consideration a
scheme for sinking a new shaft, at a point
situated to the north-east in the Tolgus
section.
Shetland Isles. — For the benefit of
numerous readers who have sent inquiries
relative to a paragraph in the last issue
we record herewith the formation of a com-
pany called the Sand Lodge Mine, Ltd., with
a capital of £100,000, to acquire property
from the Shetland Exploration Syndicate,
in Sand wick and Cunningsburgh, on the
Mainland of Shetland. The new company is
housed with Murrietta & Co., Ltd., 19, Great
Winchester Street, E.C., and Dr. J. R.
Garbe is the consulting engineer. We await
the publication of a report on the property
by a mining engineer of recognized position.
Canada.-— The Kirkland Lake Proprietary
Company is taking steps to increase the scale
of development on its properties, the Tough-
Oakes, Burnside, and Sylvanite. Mi, S. C.
Thomson, of New York, who was at one time
consulting engineer to Messrs. S. Neumann &
Co., in South Africa, has been appointed
consulting engineer to the Kirkland Lake
Proprietary, and it is also understood that
Mr. W. H. GoodchUd is to be sent out to
make a geological study of the properties.
In this connexion it is of interest to read
what Mr. Reginald E. Hore has to say in
the Canadian Mining Journal with regard
to the prospects of the Kirkland Lake
district. He strongly recommends the
resumption of surface prospecting on a
systematic scale bj' stripping the overburden.
He is of opinion that continuity of the
deposits in depth may be expected and that
liberal expenditure on development and
underground prospecting is warranted. He
74
THi; MIXINi; MAt.A/lM'.
specifically nuiitions the Tou.cjli-Oakcs, wluro
ho roconinunds a search for the contimi ition
of the ore-body, which was cut off by laulls
both lati'ially and in depth.
United States. — The proposal to place an
import duty of ;{5 cents per barrel on crude
and one of 2.") cents on fuel oil has not been
received with ap])roval by the Governiiicnt.
The House of Re]iresentativcs struck the
clause out of the Tariff Hill, whih- President
Harding has issued a message declaring that
such an action would be entirely opposed
to the present policy, which seeks an open
door for the United States in all the oil-
fields of the world.
Mexico.— The politics of the oil position
is intimately interwo\'en with United States
interests and the battle is between the
American oil controllers and the Mexican
Government. The American producers who
recently suspended operations as a protest
against the increased export tax have decided
to resume operations.
Alarming reports were spread last month
with regard to a fire in the Amatlan oilfield.
Fortunately these reports proved to be
greatly exaggerated, and it appears that only
four wells were involved. The properties
of the Mexican Eagle company were not
damaged in any way. In fact, the engineers
of that company did much to bring the fire
under control and prevent it spreading.
The following figures for the output of
base metals and minerals in Mexico during
1920 are given by the Financial Agent in
New York of the Mexican Government : —
Metric Tons.
Lead . . . 82..") 17
Copper . 49,192
Zinc . . . 15,650
Mercury . . 75
Manganese . 1,137
Antimony . . 622
Tungsten . . 40
Molybdenum . 4
Arsenic . . 2,091
Graphite . . 3,222
There is nothing to indicate whether these
figures relate to metal extracted, metallic
contents, or ores.
Venezuela. — The reports now issued
as to prospects at the South American
Copper Syndicate's mine at Aroa are
distinctly encouraging. The diamond-drill
campaign has proved the existence of a new
ore-body of obvious importance, and tliis
method of exploration has been fully
demonstrated to be the right one for ores
of liiis sort, that is to say, coj^pcr sul|)hid(:
deposits in limestone. The new smelting
]ilant is ready to start whenever the power
plant is eom]iIeted.
Colombia. — At the meetings of the Nechi
ant! ()ro\-ille Dredging companies, Mr. J. A.
.\gnew gave some ]xnticulars of the method
of realizing the gold produced. This in-
formation supjilements the remarks on
statistical returns ])ublished in the July issue
of the IM.XG.vziNE. The gold ])roduced by
the Nechi and Pato companies is shipjied to
New York for realization, and tlie mining
profits transmitted from New York to London
receive the benefit of the gold premium.
For some time the companies were not
allowed to export their gold from Colombia,
and even now it is not possil)le to ship it as
coin or bars. The companies, however, found
that it was possible to ship it as sponge, and
they go to the inconvenience of putting it
in this form. It will be seen from this
explanation that the periodical outputs are
given in L^nited States currency and that the
benefit of the premium comes in the
remittance of profits from New York to
London.
Spain. — Some perturbation has been
caused among the English and other foreign
mining companies operating in Spain by the
issue of a royal decree preventing the holding
of mining property by anj' companies other
than those of local domicile, which must
have both chairman and managing director
of Spanish birth. Apparently this decree
affects only new ventures or expansions
of operations by present companies, but
this point is not clear. In any case there is
some doubt whether such an important
change could be made by royal decree.
The Pena Copper Company raised 82,751
tons of ore during the year 1920, of which
43,161 tons went to the leaching floors. The
precipitate obtained contained 516 tons of
fine copper. The shipments of ore were
6,181 tons of cupreous ore, 24,271 tons of
sulphur ore, and 93,582 tons of washed ore.
The net profit was £34,645, whicfi was carried
forward.
Siberia. — The Ayan Corporation, Ltd.,
has been registered, with a capital of
/300,000, to acquire alluvial gold properties
on the Okotsk Sea, north of Nicolaievsk,
and certain trading interests. Mr. C. W.
Purington is the pioneer who has introduced
this business, and he is supported by many
companies identified with the Lena Gold-
fields.
LAND GROWTH
By J. H. GOODCHILD
The Author outlines a method o[ approaching the main problems cf geophysics and geochemistry.
In the April issue of the Magazine a
letter of mine was published, contributing
to the discussion on iron ore in Cumberland.
An editoiial article in the same issue referred
to views and arguments, leaving readers to
discover that the main point of that letter
was an appeal. The suggestion was made
that argument should be suspended while
a comparative study of iron ore regions is
undertaken. The aim would not be the
origin of the ore so much as a critical study
of the surroundings, taking all that the iron
suggests as an aid to imagination and
expression. That letter and the editorial
note may serve as an introduction to the
following sketch. In such an irregular piece
I beg that I may be excused the giving of
references or making acknowledgments.
It is all acknowledgment. The world is
full of ideas of the kind. At the same time,
for the better understanding of some allusions
I must mention Professor D'Arcy Thomp-
son's Growth and Form. It is no use for me
to try to imitate his treatment, but it could
undoubtedly be followed in the places con-
sidered. Further, those who can should
refer to the following : —
(1) "A Brief Summary of the Theory of
Isostasy," by Colonel Bun-ard. Geographical
Journal, July, 1920, noting particularly
the remarks of Mr. R. D. Oldham.
(2) " The Interior of the Earth," By
Mr. R. D. Oldham. Geological Magazine,
January, 1919.
(3) The first chapter of the second volume
of The Face of the Earth. Ed. Suess,
Oxford edition.
The exhaustive study of The Manganese
Ores of India, by Dr. L. L. Fermor, nominally
an official production of the Indian Geological
Survey, and the writings of Dr. Morrow
Campbell on Laterite, have been the most
instructive, not to say inspiring, literature
on tropical geology \\hich has come my wa}-.
^ ^ ^ ^
The elevation and depression of the land,
or as Suess prefers to name the problem, the
displacement of the strand line, is discussed
in his second volume. The first chapter
gives a history of ideas regarding it. He
records that in a.d. 1320 Dante delivered a
discourse " De Aqua et Terra." At the time
it was generally held that there were two
centres, about which the elements ranged
themselves in symmetry, one for the waters
of the ocean and another for the land, and
these were so placed that the sea was higher.
Did not the land sink below the horizon as
a ship put out to sea, and was last seen by
the man on the mast ? The greater height
of the sea accounted for the occurrence of
springs near the summits of mountains.
Dante showed that all this was untenable.
Water condensed on the mountains from the
atmosphere and would thus produce springs.
He gave his reasons for rejecting the two
centres, saying that it is evident that the
land rises from the ocean owing to particular
elevations of its mass, and not as a result of
a general eccentricity, since in the latter
case the dry land would be bounded by a
circular outline, and this we know is not so.
He goes on to say that the earth cannot
raise itself, nor can the cause be water, air,
or fire ; the elevating force must therefore
be sought in the heavens.
Dante thus adopts the system which had
already been expounded in greater detail
by Ristoro d'Arezzo in 1282 ; according
to this, not only must the irregularities of
the earth's surface be ascribed to the fixed
stars, but mountains and valleys present,
as it were, a mirror of the various distances
of these stars from the earth, in an inverted
sense, like the impression of a seal m wax.
In addition, Ristoro is aware of the erosive
power of water, and of the existence of
fossilized remains of marine animals.
Let us suppose, then, a man of that time
contemplating the mountains of Italy. He
sees them as particular elevations. Tradition
and habit favour the view of each mountain
as a separate entity with its name, but there
is also probably a word like " monte " in
use for high, barren land in general.
He has seen the tops of these mountains
snow-capped in winter, the snow disappearing
in the spring. The water sinks into the
ground or runs away over the surface. In
the first case, a source for springs, in the latter
a force tending to develop form by cutting
out ravines.
76
THE MlNlNc, M.\(',\7I\E
But. besides the evanescent snow, there
lies on some mountains something more
stable, yet often curiously like patches of
snow. It is, when you come near it , a whitish
soft stone. It contains shells like those
found in the sea. \\'hat can this mean ?
The
sea .''
Wonderful thought !
Could
the mountain have been below the sea ?
Could these creatures have been buried
as travellers sometimes arc in a snowstorm ?
Could this greyish-white stone fall, settle
on the mountain, harden and set like mortar ?
Some patches are much higher than others.
And if some power did lift the mountain
with this load to the upper air, how should
it not bend, break, be drawn out into streaks
and veins as we so often see. The outer form
the crust, the additional inllumce of
palxontology.
Our feet inform us that the ground is
solid. Twenty miles of solid is solid. Then,
comjiared with the fossil, the " rock " was
a tombstone, a tablet in a record. Building-
up wint by rock-forming. There were
iiLii-nls which formed and destroyed. Rock
by comparison was patient, not agent.
* * * *
Yet there is, of course, plenty of activity
in the hills. Consider the elementary case
of a chalk-pipe, one of those iron-stained
shafts or pockets which so easily catch the
ive in the south-east of England, where
, ^mm-''
Fig. 1.— TvpicAL Chalk-pipes.
is all jagged and scarred, and more than this,
the entrails are as though one should draw
out dough or clay of different colours as the
potters do. And the w-ater in the caves
drops crystal ! Here is no sign of water
at a higher level in the sea rising through the
earth. The high power we must invoke
seems above. It lifts, it hfts the mountain !
No, not the mountain. There is lifting, there
is a drawing out, and the mountain grows
to its present form as all comes up through
the salt water towards the rain and cloud.
Even as the snow melts, so this lime with the
shells melts. Part goes through the moun-
tains and part hes in hummocks on their
sides.
* * * *
This was before the day of " crust,"
before it was easy to speak of a globe with
an interior, before there had been added to
all the other influences present in observation
and description tending towards the choice
of words like "rock" for a fraction of
Fin. A.
Fig B£.
gravel and sand lie on the Chalk (Fig. 1).
These pipes were considered formerly to be
perhaps filled pot-holes. The flints and sand
are in a " hole " in the chalk. How did they
get into it ? By being swirled in with water.
The pipes, however, are often highly
svmmetrical, and Prestwich, in 1855, dis-
cussed at once their symmetry and chemical
origin. He said that probably solution of the
chalk took place at favourable spots, sand
and flints flowed downwards, a cylindrical
AUGUST, 1921
77
shaft being formed and filled continuously.
As regards the form, he thought that a pipe
begins as a basin-shaped depression with
depth ac less than radius ah (Fig. A). As the
growth proceeds these proportions are not
maintained, solution being more rapid at the
bottom than at the sides, that is ac becomes
greater than ah.
The pipe, therefore, does not enlarge
with time, as in Fig. Bl, but as in Fig. B2.
It is probable that the internal processes of
this cell-like growth arc complicated. Very
likely the iron counts for something more
/ - '
Sand
\
m
Fi
ig.C
C= Chalk
than an adventitious stain. Simplifying
the processes, we may suppo.se that iron and
organic matter come from the overlying
sand, and so
Organic matter + iron as catalyst -f oxygen
+ water give CO^ -f water -f ferric compounds.
Ferric compounds have an affinity for
silica, and tend to be retained by it as well
as by the alkaline reaction of the chalk.
The rhythm of the seasons may enter into
the processes, leaching and diffusion being
more rapid in wet weather, dry weather
favouring some other necessary phase.
In any case, you have a symmetrical
external form growing by balanced com-
plicated processes within. A new thing
has been born, which has a behaviour as an
individual, caUing for a name by reason of
its symmetry and definite character. Many
are shapeless, however, and of all degrees of
definiteness, due, no doubt, to lack of just
the right balance in the factors. The shape-
less ones are but as part of ♦^he overlying
sand, and have no name.
Taking a symmetrical case, we can think
of a " growing " or " d3mamic " pipe, and
represent momentary states as in the
diagram (Fig. C). To these alone does the
notion of " rock " or " deposit " seem to
apply.
The reality over the interval /; to t,
is a changing thing, or, at any rate, when
we say that " it grows," we are using an
ordinary and well understood notion.
If enough iron, organic matter, sand,
etc., enter the growing cavity, action on the
chalk and growth of some kind might be
continued even if communication with the
surface were cut off by the closing of the
orifice from any collapse or thrusting move-
ment. If water continued to penetrate, the
enclosed materials would be as so much
food to be digested, and the resulting
equilibrium form at the moment t„ would
depend on the rates of the various happenings
internal and external during the interval.
The growing pipe is a kind of cell.
The following points are briefly noted : —
(1) The colony of the iron first attracts
our attention, then helps us to visualize
possible changes, and on the large or small
scale would assist in foHowing them by
comparison of different cases.
(2) Catalytic action of the iron probable
and therefore a highly suggestive example
lies before us under comparatively easy
conditions.
(3) These pipes occur below such a
formation as, say, the Thanet Sand. They
are examples of internal change or interaction
between two so-called rocks, which in strati-
graphy are said to be of different " age."
The law of superposition is thus called in
question.
(4) When equihbrium is reached the cell
appears as a low order of concretion, but
during growth it might be said to function
as a low order of agent.
* * * *
Having visualized the pipe, or cell con-
taining sand and iron, growing into the
7S
Till-: M1MN(. M.\(,\/IN1
\U.. ■_*. — "CiREKSSAND " UeDS IS A Cxi.CAREOrS ShALE.
Chalk, \vc remember that the water and
products of reaction pass away into the
latter. The Chalk also with its innumerable
surfaces of interaction is a scene of internal
change. That impurities should be able
to segix'gate or come to equilibrium in this
region of action and freedom is not more
surprising than that water should collect
in streams on the free surface of the hills.
The Chalk formation which covers so
large an area of Western Europe is still a
kind of sea, where freedom for growth and
segregation obtains, although wc walk on
it as solid land and are therefore liable to
forget or ignore these internal potentialities
when larger questions are to be considered.
■'■ ?*«*•,
'^
*
I^^y
^- ,
■
^
Fig. :i, — Tilis-HEDUEU Callareous Shai.k .sear ihe Hh.e shown
O.S THE RIGHT IN KiG. 5.
.\s the flints and sand adjusted themselves
by falling to form a symmetrical cell, so
the Chalk will adjust itself in " jointing "
and " bedding," while solution and pre-
cipitation and other processes are taking
place internally. Turning our thoughts back
to the vastly greater accumulation which
slowly covered the floor of the Cretaceous
sea, we easily recognize that all subsequent
happenings are to be related to a " dynamic
cb.alk," something changing internally at
j-K,. 4. — .\iA^-i\E Limestone .wiont, Cah akeoi-> .Skaies, ISasiiue C'iuntkv.
AUGUST, 1921
79
I'li;. 5. — .Mining IJisTRrrx of Bilbao.
Large masses of iron ore are quarried on the hilltop to the left where the limestone visible in the centre is faulted down. To the right,
the valley is in less resistant shale. The conical hill has a backbone of limestone. Dykes and indefinite masses of greenstone are
found in all directions but are of small dimensions.
appreciable rates. The flint veins or
marcasite nodules could grow in such a
medium as freely as on the open floor of the
sea. No open fissure is needed for the flint
vein, but at the same time " replacement "
may be an expression liable to mislead.
It is a reversion to the idea of a fixed place
or thing to be replaced.
If so large a quantity of matter pass from
solution to the solid state, from sea-water
through the organisms to the great " beds "
on the floor, when we recognize that these
are anything but constant or enduring, are,
moreover, chemically active, we are led on
to grasp an idea of " growing land," some-
thing not merely piled up, consolidated, and
afterwards eroded. By way of the sea, in
this case, the land assimilates a vast quantity
of material, which will continue to function.
The land is by so much the less " dead as
a stone ", the more a living body.
If Chalk lying between Greensand and
Thanet Sand is a field for the growth of
pipes, so the Carboniferous Limestone in
Cumberland is a field for the growth of
hematite. The pockets of hematite are often
found below the limestone, so before for-
getting the Chalk and the sand cells on its
In.. 6. — Tvi-R.AI. LlMl>10NE KbEI" in B.\SciUE Coi'NTKV.
so
Tin: MINING MAGAZINE
upper surface, \vc may imagine similar
tinckncics on a lower or on any surface.
If Ihore ho reaction there, instead of flints and
sand falling down, insoluble matter or
compounds being precipitated might be
squeezed up or in any direction. The
percolating water might take any course,
but the growth of the resulting cell would
not necessarily be in the same direction
The squeezing of creamy clay following on
solution of limestone at a contact with an
aluminous rock would probably be accom-
panied by osmosis, diffusion, etc., and these
factors would determine according to their
values the precise nature of the resulting
growth. Particularly a sharp separation of
crystalloid from earthy substances is likely.
Some of the resulting growths might be
vein-like, or, in dyke form, the cn,'stalloid
compounds moving at different rates from
the earthy. In other cases the segregation
would be widespread and fairly uniform,
partly governed by lines of bedding detcr-
mmed during mechanical deposition in
water.
* * * *
In photo No. 2, from the neighbourhood
of Bilbao, in the north of Spain, are seen
" beds " of " greensand " in a calcareous
shale, somewhat like our Gault, but harder,
and belonging to a complex of about the
same age.
Photos Nos. 3, -1, 5, and fl give an idea of
the country. As one walks these valleys one
passes through the depths of an ocean bed.
Since the day when the coral reefs rose and
sank, were silted up and buried, a vast field
for internal action has passed from salt-
water conditions to freshwater conditions.
The great masses of limestone and all the
disseminated carbonates in the shales and
marlstoncs, now dissolving and creating cells
or tissues for complicated changes, arc repre-
sentatives of potential action and instability.
Such a complex could conceivably imbibe
salts from sea-water and deal with them after
the manner of a plant. I cannot say whether
glauconite occurs, but many of the beds, such
as shown in the photograph (Fig. 2), are like
our greensand.
Photo No. 7 shows a dyke which is one of
many related to the ophitic dolerite masses
common throughout the region. Such dykes
are commonly called " intrusions," yet
along with these two types oi greenish
silicate rock, one describable as a bed, and
the other suggesting the injection of
molten silicate rock, there are numbers of
indefinite bodies consisting sometimes
entirely, sometimes only partially, of alkaline
silicates. Some lie along the contact of
limestone and .shale, some are mixed with
siliceous sinter or flint in lenses.
Taking the district by itself all the
suggestions are in favour of growth within
land accunuilated in the Cretaceous ocean,
resulting in the segregation of dolerite,
trachyte, and ferrous carbonate. If some
of the " greensands " are like the
" greenalito " of the Lake Superior region,
tliere seems no need to suppose volcanic
exhalations accompanj'ing sedimentation to
account for their silicate composition and
bedded form, as Van Hise suggests. The
open space or freedom sought in such
speculations is potential here through the
solubility of a large part of the system.
In looking at the great masses of limestone
either pure or marly, we can conceive of
equal quantities slowly vanishing ; the
\anishing mass in its surrounding clayey
envelope would be as it were a vast cell for
processes of growth within. We may suppose
that something of the kind is going on now
in the Pacific round about coral reefs. At
the same time we cannot expect that the
more unstable substances would remain.
Chlorides would be washed out. The
evidence of the iron mines suggests that
carbonaceous matter has been an important
factor.
It is not surprising that in the early
nineteenth century', while the notion of
" rock " was strong, and there was no
immediately apparent agent for the pro-
duction of these internal greenstones, the
volcano and the interior of the globe should
be invoked.
It was a service to stratigraphy, tectonics,
and paleontology to clear chemistry out of
the way by a plausible theory. Externally
formed beds invaded by " igneous " dykes,
from inside, left the road open for rock-
logic and mapping. We reap the reward of
the statistics recorded in all parts of the
world in a language which had two plain,
easily understandable species as basis, the
inside " igneous," and the e.xtemally
accumulated in a free .space, the " sedi-
mentary." Intermediate varieties, difficult
chemical complications had to be made to
fit in or be ignored. Volcanoes could be
observed, sedimentation could be observed,
but chemical changes in " rock ", though
often suggested were too recondite, too
difficult to observe for any compelling or
AUGUST, 1921
81
consistent body of evidence to be obtained
concerning them. To-day so much has been
done in other fields of inquirv that the
attempt to treat such a region as this of
Bilbao as " growing land " would not meet
with so many obstacles, and it would be
worth while to concentrate on this vast
concretion, of which these two or three little
photos give some idea. It is just the
indefinite things which are so hard to record,
and I have none to show.
Needless to add, French and Spanish
geologists, as well as some British, have
paid a great deal of attention to the
carbonate of iron with intergrown calcite
began to concentrate. There was o.xidation
later, giving brown, red, and purple hematite,
enrichment of the carbonate below to pure
sideritc, which again in turn oxidized to
hematite. The details, however, are com-
plicated, and the main interest for the
moment is the fact that mining reveals so
mucii clayey decomposed ground, with
evidence of slumping as in the case of the
chalk pipe, that having these things to refer
to in the same region as the greenstone
dykes, the general idea of growth with
imstable and chemirallv active linn'stnne as
Fic. 7. — DoLERiTE (?) Dyke cittisg across \-ertical beds, the
STRIKE OF WHICH 13 IN THE PLANE OF THE PAPER.
" ophite," and endeavoured to shake them-
selves free from the incredibilities which the
only available descriptive language tended
to impose (Fig. 8).
* * * #
The scale and character of possible
chemical changes can be the better imagined
by considering the ground opened up in
mining the large iron deposits. In and
about the limestone occur deposits of
siderite with o.\idized outcrops. Many of
the quarries have removed most of the
brown hematite and are down on the
carbonate. Unfortunately no adequate
photographs were available.
A simple theory of the origin of the ore is
to suppose that at some period since the
limestone masses were coral and shells poor
Fig. 8.— Bed-like masses is the foreground are of dolerite,
being part of the periphery of the mais mass of trachyte
IS THE BACKGROVSD. THIS IS THE ONLY LARGE MASS NEAR THE
MINES, U-HICII ARE ABOLT FOl'R MILES AWAY.
eari^L^^.^
^
hi
1^
|i'
. , '
^
AND KEEPING WHILE THE EARTH ADVANCES AND THE IRON
NODULES CROW IN BETW.EE.S THEM.
a factor is well sustained. Neither the
source of the iron nor the source of the
alkalies in the silicates is at first of great
importance until we have given full scope
to this idea of grouing land, and are ready
to criticize " beds " " faults," " folds,"
82
Till-: MIN1N(, MACAZINM
'■ intnisions." etc. The growth is so wrll
illustrated by the iron deposits, and is as
iiuicli to be attended to as a volcano or a
river depositing sediment.
* * .» *
Consider one superficial featuie shown in
photo No. 0. On the hard limestone lies
loose earth full of brown hematite grains
and nodules. The imdissolved pinnacles
(" dolomias ") are left, showing a rhythmic
advance of solution in a vertical direction.
The pinnacles arc often wonderfully
symmetrical. In the top right-hand corner
of the picture will be seen two or three
of them sharply pointed, straight-sided.
Far better groups exist than those here
shown. The apices are conical and the sides
have broad re-entrant flutes. Here there is
rhythmical grouping of symmetrical cells
between synmietrical jiinnaclcs, the direction
of growth in the vertical being determined
by gravity. Within the loose earth the
grains and nodules follow their own habits,
and it is a question whether the presence of
the iron has not something to do w'ith the
nicely balanced advance into the limestone,
so as to produce the symmetrical pillars.
We found that a single chalk pipe, when
symmetrical, called for a name, but 1
have never heard of a name for a group of
pillars and cells, such as these. Suppose,
now, instead of this coarse cellular growth
in a vertical, gravitational field, some
similar chemical reactions took place where
everj-th.ing slipped or were drawn out in
long lines, the group of cells would become a
tissue. Such a tissue would be fissile, cleaved,
or foliated, and would call for a name such
as shale, slate, or schist. These names are
integrations of a property common to the
whole mass ; they are like .summations, and
somehow this summing of a series in naming
works itself into our reasoning about the
formation or behaviour of the tissue. That
is to saj^ unconsciously in observation,
description, or argument there is implied
that the whole sum of the parts was formed
by an adding together of the parts. These
pillars grew simultaneously, and the lamin;e
of many shales, slates, and schists of com-
plicated composition grew simultaneously
by compUcated internal processes. Of
course, the textbooks warn us against
confusing stratification or bedding with
" cleavage '', but almost on the next page
the writer wdU probably use an argument
about a " slate " which w-ould only be
valid if the cleaved layers had been added
together. It is ea-;y lo imagine branching
veins of (juartz or i)egmatiti' found running
through a slate being formed as an excretion
or as part of the growth of the tissue, so that
the inference of intrusion or injection or
percolation of solutions in fissures is un-
justified.
-Another noticeable ])oint in connexion with
thi'se pinnacles with their ])Ockels of
i-arth and iron noduKs is the appearance of
crystallized calcite on their sides, something
like wax guttering down a candle (Fig. D).
Ce/ci fe
FigD
That is to say, at some period dtuing the
growth there appears to have been a sort of
reversal or halting between two alternatives
on the part of the dissolving CaCO,.
Either solution and disappearance or re-
crystallization on the side of the pillar.
Anyhow, it is easy to conceive of re-
crystallization spreading over the whole
field, enclosing the nodules of iron ore,
though during the process the iron might
well be dehydrated and appear as brilliant
ilakes. The end result would be a saccharine
or crystalline marble with red or black
hematite streaks through it. The main
point which is certain is that iron and
calcunn carbonate are on the move together.
Where large quantities of the one, the
CaCOj, are disappearing from the field
altogether there will be forthcoming the
freedom, the potential open space, for growth
into permanent equilibrium forms. Such
a complex might be called a " rock" or it
might be called two or more rocks, depending
on how the whole growth had proceeded.
The symmetries developed sometimes tend
to be grouped into one, so that a compound
hcmatite-calcite rock is considered as one
species. Or they might be of such a nature
that the iron ore would be considered
separately as a " lode " in a crystalhne
limestone.
The earth in the cells must not be
forgotten. In the recrystalhzation of
calcite and hematite insoluble matter would
have to pack itself away between the more
mobile substances.
* * * *
Intergrown red hematite and calcite
showing that these two substances at least
AUGUST, 1921
83
have been on the move together is well
illustrated by deposits in the province of
Zaragoza, Spain. The type of ore closely
resembles Cumberland hematite, and it
occurs where Triassic and younger formations
overlie slate or quartzite marked Silurian.
At the particular spot I have in mind it
seemed impossible to find any boundary
between the red and green Triassic rocks
and those said to be Silurian. Further, it
may be remarked that in this rough and arid
region, where at first the mind might be
predisposed to the solid rocky view of things,
far such action has affected the whole region
of slate and quartzite, and where chemistry
is concerned what weight to give to un-
conformability.
In the cases of the chalk pipe and the
pinnacles growth occurred in a " solid "'
medium, or advanced through a field filled
with solid. There was not the freedom
of open water or of molten magma, but there
was the less apparent though equally
effective freedom of the unstable chalk or
limestone, solid for the stratigrapher, solid
for walking on, but potentially not solid
^
«i-
J
wm
|k
m
l"'' 'kiF
^w
^^M^H
^
i&j^H^^S
IHH
\fr
:s::vi liKt ?k ^r^a^^lH^B^^
I^iG IM.- Ikon (Jiarrv in Sierra XtvADA.
Fig. 11. — Iron Quarry in Sierra Nevada.
the finding of soft wet hematite below ground,
mine waters turbid with red oxide and
depositing calcite at a great rate, is a notable
contrast. When these facts have been
weighed the crystalline limestones on the
hillsides, with their wavy lines of hematite
and curious enclosed nodules, are recognizable
as probable growths within, as products of
the mingling of substances from formations
of different age. It is natural to ask how
Fig. 12- — .K Wadv in int Sierra .'^hiamilla.
Fig. 13. — Limestone (Triassic ?) lying on or in the schist
SHOWN in Fig. 12.
when growth is being considered. So by
these banded crystalline hematite-bearing
limestones we are brought a further stage
in grasping what changes are possible in
solid-seeming, hard, dry, rocky land.
The action, however, has been local and
incomplete. Where there has been less action
the " sedimentary " strata are recognizable ;
but supposing it more complete and wide-
spread, the end would have been a " meta-
morphic " area. ,
:{; ^ 4: ^
Photos Xos. 10, 11, are from the Sierra
8-J
AUGUST, I'.vji
Nevada region near the Mediterranean coast
of Almoria. The area is marked on the
Spanish maps as " Estrato CristuMno,"
indicating a careful and philosophic
reluctance to use the word " nuta-
morphic." There are remnants of Tertiary
and Triassic strata scattered o\'er or encloscil
in schists, slates, and cryst;\llinc limestones.
In the quarries shown the main mass of
rock is a soft, unctuous schist, more or less
" decomposed ", accompanied hy limestone
or dolomite varying greath- in colour and
texture, with splashes of hematite even
more varied. The hyjiothesis or expression
" replacement of the limestone," which
serves well in Cimiberland, has its weakness
revealed here. It is so obvious that there
is nothing fixed to be replaced. Everj'thing
is on the move, and photo No. 10 is eloquent
to this effect. Notice the comer on the left,
where the men and trucks are standing.
From here upwards, towards the right, the
dark streaks of ore are like clouds floating
awa\- across the face of the quarry, and at
this particular spot there is no limestone
visible ; it is practically all soft schist con-
taining these " clouds."
In No. 11 the dark mass at the bottom is
purple hematite in a bed-like form, with two
partings of white clay running through it.
The vertical streak of white is only mud
washed down the face. Notice also the
skj'-line. There is just an indication of the
surrounding half-desert, dry, rough, and
stony. Yet, not many feet down, water is
encountered, with soapy rock, ready to shp
and shear the while chemical change takes
place in the moving medium. The ore below
is mostly friable, porous, brecciated, but on
the surface, of course, harder and frequently
bespangled with calcite as though a sponge
of hematite had been reimpregnatcd with
, calcareous solution and dried.
Everything, ore, limestone, soapy schist,
wetness below, dry exterior, betokens collapse
or yielding to external stresses accompanied
by internal change. Most probably vast
quantities of calcium carbonate and we know
not what other substances besides have
been leached out. During this leaching the
oxide of iron has come to its present state of
equilibrium, showing by the great variety
of its textures and colours how sensitive it
is to varying conditions. It varies from
brilliant blue-black oligist to purple, brown,
or yellow, more earthy forms. Needless to say
that these two little pictures would require
to be supplemented by hundreds of others
in order \o i('])iTsrnt fully the cliaracteristics
of this region. The oxide of iron, more' a
dye and less a mineral, impregnates almost
anything, but again seems to leave' things
untoiu'lied, to withdraw itself and con-
ctutrate. Note the bleached ])artings of
white clay in No 11. ICverywhere, liowevtT,
the same lesson emerges, namely, that the
presence of the iron makes clearer what
kind of changes we have to bear in mind in
considering such a region. Not only are iron
and carbonates on the move as before, but
siliceous materials are involved on a very
large scale. The " schist " and " .slate "
can be imagined to be products of similar
changes in less highly coloured siliceous
materials. That many of the changes in the
iron ore arc produced by " weathering."
and some of those in the schist probably
deep down, need not abash us. In either case
" growth " covers complicated " change of
form," accompanied by " change of sub-
stance " or " mctamorphism " and " meta-
somatism," combined and simultaneous.
We are throwing away an opportunity if we
neglect to make the comparison of the
observable superficial deposit with those
which may perhaps have grown or retain
some characteristics of growth under deep-
seated conditions. One suggestion is that
the removal of vast quantities of matter,
the carbonates, gives the freedom necessary
for changes which are often ascribed to
high temperature.
Let us now remark that these ranges of
hills in this half desert region rise several
thousand feet above sea-level, that patches
of Tertiary strata occur at all levels, and that
where the schists are exposed the remains
of the Trias in many places look as though
they were partly engulfed in them, and
partly as though underlying schist were a
sort of vertical fibrous filter on which the
undissolved matter of the Trias has been
caught, the soluble salts having entered into
the reactions taking place in what is now
schist.
You go up a deep gorge entirely in schist.
Its sides show efforescences of salts. The
scanty wells often taste bitter. As you
ascend to the tops of the hills you find
hummocky limestone, occasionally gypsum,
lying in disordered fashion across or tangled
into the lines of cleavage. Photo No. 12
shows a gorge of dull-grey schist with quartz
veins every few yards. No. 13 gives a
rather poor idea of the limestone " caught
on the filter," on the top of the hill above the
AUGUST, 1921
85
same gorge. There are signs of mingling
everywhere. They are multiplied as soon
as you go underground. What has happened
in the vast complex which these hills repre-
sent, of which they are but the residue,
since the Trias was laid down or since the
Tertiaries were laid down ?
There has been movement. What
moved we can hardly say. Why it moved,
much less. But how it moved and reacted
we can in some sort make out from the
present things.
There is every suggestion that in this
region there has been movement through
thousands of feet, and perhaps tendencies
towards far greater distances never realized
of materials partly accumulated in Triassic
times, partly in Tertiary times, and that
below the younger there has been mi.Kture
and reaction with the older, giving a streaking
out into forms showing symmetries, pro-
ducing this schistose complex. That these
schists are Pre-Triassic or Pre-Tertiary is a
statement to which it is difficult to attach
any exact meaning, and for my part those
" Pre-Cambrian " or " Archaean " com-
plexes which I happen to have seen are to
be looked at in the same way. How does the
law of superposition apply to them ? In the
absence of fossils how do they come into the
time scheme at all ? That the Cambrian
appear to rest on them means very little.
Since life came to the world and calcareous
matter was precipitated in large quantities
in the sea, there has been a force at work
renewed periodically from above which tends
to destroy underlying things and their marks.
The calcareous matter is, of course, not the
only reagent at work, but it is in the
observation of limestones that we are led to
gather up the possibilities of internal change
when unstable matter is engulfed or
assimilated in the " solid " land.
Seventy per cent of the earth's surface is
covered by sea. We saw in the Bilbao
region that the remains of the Cretaceous
there might give us some idea of the internal
changes in the vast ocean bed, especially if
we compared it with the Pacific of the present
day.
Here, in this dry region of the south, where
the very barrenness helps one to concentrate
on the chemical aspect of things, where
there is no antithesis of active vegetation or
running streams to predispo.se the mind
towards the solidity of rock, we are reminded
by these lime-washed strata and have this
reminder blazed out in colour by the iron,
2—4
of the poiiibilities of mingling and growth
in the land during its rise into mountain
ranges.
In this same neighbourhood occur lava-
like masses pointing to vulcanism. In the
Sierra de Almagrera hot sahne waters are
pumped from the mines. That growth of the
kind we are considering should sometimes
result in violent reactions is quite easily
thinkable. Salt, sulphur, or carbonaceous
matter, which in other places owing to pro-
tecting influences have managed to survive
as salt-beds, gypsum, or pyrites, coal or
petroleum, if involved in such growth would
increase the chemical potential to such a
degree that local explosions might well take
place. It must always be remembered that
the known deposits of these substances are
not quantitative samples. They are but
indications of probable far vaster potential
deposits, which, of course, would be the
more likely ones to react with devastating
consequences and their own obliteration.
* * * *
Photograph No. 14 shows the Tertiaries
at Sorbas lying level in a break between the
hills. They remind me of figures I have seen
of the Indian Gondwana beds and their
relations to the gneiss. It is obvious that
isolated patches of a widespread formation
may remain slightly changed while every-
thing around may run together and produce
new forms.
* * * *
If we are prepared to make the most of the
phenomena of internal change, revealed in
and about the mines of the Sierra Nevada
region, the " estrato cristalino " becomes a
kind of large concretion involving fragments
of recognizable fossiliferous strata.
Those wonderful series which are so
prominent in the tropics, under such names
as itacolumite, Witwatersrand, Dharwar,
can be viewed in the same way. They may
be more perfect examples of " estrato
cristalino."
* * * +
Photo No. 17, from Minas Geraes, Brazil,
shows a typical outcrop of itacolumite, the
famous " flexible sandstone." It is an
oblique view of three parallel ridges with
slate or schist between them. Close by is
the well-known iron ore mass, the Pico do
Itabira do Campo.
Photo No. 16 is a view of the eastern side
of the Serra do Caraca. To the right, rising
to 3,000 ft. above the plain, is the main
mass of itacolumite. The double pointed hill
86
TTIF :\I1\1\\, MAC, A/INK
towards the left is chiifly of itabirito or
lu'inatite-qiiartzite (Fig. 13). The phiin is
covered with " canga " or " lateritic iron
ore."
Everyone acquainted with these regions
knows that witli variations such series occur
over thousands of square niih's, with granite
or gneiss appearing at regular intervals.
In a paper entitled " Lateri/.ation in
Minas Geracs, Brazil," published some years
ago (lust. Mill. Mel., l'.)i;i-M) I gave an
account of my impressions of this region.
The line taken then was the same as I have
tried to develop in this article. It was forced
on me by the stupendous cliaracter of the
" weathering " phenomena. The iron and
manganese depo.sits bring out in such
remarkable fashion the possibilities of growth
that one is irresistibly led to universalize.
* * He »!
A word about Lake Superior. I have never
been in North America, but taking
Professor Leith's word for it that the iron
deposits are closely similar to those in
Minas Geraes, make the suggestion that both
may be Post-Cretaceous growths. That is,
if it be possible to ascribe any age at all.
Fig. 14. — TERTr.\RiES at Sorbas lying level is a break
BETW'EEN THE HILLS.
In India it has been found that under-
neath limestones there has been " replace-
ment " of gneiss and other rocks. Further,
there are the salt deposits of the Salt Range
in Northern India, apparently Eocene,
but from which it is said that the salt
appears to have penetrated below the
Cambrian .
My suggestion, then, with regard to Lake
Superior and Minas Geraes is that since the
time when these localities were in the
" Pacific Phase," there has been a " drawing
up of the mountain," a reaction between
3'ounger and older sediments. From this
mingling and reaction is produced the
" Atlantic Phase " of growth, with its
crystalline rocks, its schists and banded iron
ores in streaks. The deltas, lagoons, and
submarine volcanoes which Van Hise pro-
fessed to see in these streaks are, if I may so
put it, an example of what rhythm can do
in th<' imagination of able nun, caugiit
between a system of words and — and the
work of the " stars."
The freedom, the 0])en space, required by
lagoons and submarine volcanoes is potinlial
in a system, solid for everyday thinking,
but not to be thought of as solid when
cheniicalh- artivi' sub<t:inrrs are for Imig
Fig. 15. — Section along the strike of JlANiiKn Itaririte,
MiGfEI. Hl-KNIEK MANGANESE MINES, liR\;'ll-.
Fig. 16. — Easter.n side of the Sierra do Caraca.
periods from t^ to 4. in such relations as
we saw obtained in the case of the sand
lying on the chalk.
4: 4: * :{:
We saw that the " chalk pipe " or cell
helped us along with the consideration of
physical and chemical changes taking place
together, of falling related to solution, etc.,
producing definite symmetrical objects calling
for a name, becoming definite members of
a class or species. It led us to extend our
range over great spaces to the conception of
"dynamic" chalk, as a factor or agent or
AUGUST, 1921
87
organ in growing land. In a similar way, but
in a way quite impossible for me to impart here,
the hills of itabirite and their surroundings
may brace a man up for the conception of
growth on a vast scale in a system represented
by the fossiliferous strata in places where this
growth — this so-called metamorphism — has
not destroyed the marks of origin. Such
a "system " includes the sea-water and all
other unstable elements as factors, and
does not exclude, of course, influences from
the interior of the globe, though since these
overtakes it, and detritus is again deposited.
* * * *
Historical!}', at any rate, the so-called
Basement Complexes of gneiss and granite
are connected in thought with fusibility
of alkaline silicates. It may be that we
should give more attention to solubility,
diffusibility, and all the suggestions which the
biologist could supply as to the properties
of potassium in particular. That granite
and gneiss should be end products secreted
downwards or tending in the main to be
lie. 17. — .A. Typical OcrcRor or Iiacolu .mite, Brazil.
are unknown they are regarded rather as
factors in the " field."
secreted within the land seems to accord
with the known facts.
Nearly all the great rivers of the world
run off the Atlantic Phase to the Atlantic
and Indian Oceans. Deposition of detritus
predominates. To the Pacific Ocean few
great rivers run down. There is a pre-
ponderance of chemical precipitation in the
form of oozes and coral. When these latter
are " raised " the more violent chemical
or internal processes manifest themselves in
vulcanism. The .slower segregation of granite
and the wearing down of the land until it
appears as the Atlantic Phase has not
proceeded to completion before the sea
The foregoing notes and pictures are
what I have to offer for consideration in
connexion with a supposed organized under-
taking appealed for in my letter. Readers
of any experience at all will know that there
is a time for logic and a time for faith, and
will, I am sure, easily imagine what might be
attempted on these lines by a joint effort
to unify widely scattered local knowledge.
My own behef is that a very wonderful and
beautiful piece of work would result and that
a new view of the life of land and sea is
indeed opening out before us.
LAS DOS ESTRELLAS GOLD MINE
By T. SKILWES SAUNDERS. M.lnst.M.M.
The iiulhor describes a mine bI El Oro. Mexico, o( which he was mannger (or (he lasl seven years. The conlrol o(
this mine has been in France and Mexico, and details of the operations have not hilherlo been availubleto English readers.
iNTKom'CTioN — I iiavo often boon askotl
to give a description of the Dos Estrellas
(Two Stars) gold mines at Kl Oro, Mexico,
but occasion and opportunity liavc not
been hitherto favourable. The following
notes may help to complete the published
inforiuation relating to an important gold-
producing district of Mexico.
Geology. — Geologically the Dos Estrellas
property pertains to the extensive belt of
Cretaceous schists, known as the El Oro
shales, that extend from the north-eastern
part of the State of IMichoacan to the southern
part of the State of Mexico and northern
part of Guerrero. These sedimentary rocks
have been intruded by porphyritic rocks of
Tertiary age, with the result that extensive
faulting has taken place. Some of the faults
The Gold Mines at El Oro.
follow the general strike of the veins — north-
west and south-east — and are highly
mineralized, thereby constituting profitable
ore-bodies, as, for instance, the San Rafael
vein in the El Oro camp ; whereas other
faults have a general easterly and westerly
strike, but, although they affect the vein
system in several ways, they are devoid of
mineralization.
The Dos Estrellas Company has extensively
developed a system of veins, the principal one
being known as Veta Verde, which has
ascending offshoots into the hanging wall,
these offshoots, or branches, constituting
in general payable ore. The main vein and
all its branches occur exclusively in the shales
and the whole shales as well as vein are
covered by a cap-rock of andesitic lava,
varying according to the topography of the
original surface from 80 to '.i'20 metres in
thickness. Veta Verde has been proved to
have a uniform width of about twelve metres
to a depth of approximately 600 metres from
the cap-rock. The hanging wall branch veins
vary from 70 centimetres to .'! metres in
width ; they are approximately parallel
to each other, and to Veta Verde ; the
westerly vein (Nueva) has a horizontal
distance of about 6,") metres from the main
vein. In many places in the upper part oi
the mine the shale is mineralized to such an
extent as to constitute ore, and in some
instances the silver values in the shale have
been higher than those in the siliceous
branch veins. To the foot-wall, or east of
Veta Verde are other veins, only one of which
(Blanca) joins with Veta Verde in d(i)th.
The others have a width of from 0-8 to
2 metres. They are irregularly mineralized
and are of little industrial importance.
The mineral filling probably resulted from
the combined effect of ascending waters
through previous existing fractures and by
metasomatic replacement of the clastic
rocks. The fractures may have been pro-
duced by shrinkage of the crustal material,
aided by the effect of the intrusives.
The eruptive rocks are mainly andesitic
and rhyolitic in dj'kes and batholiths, which,
when they reached the primitive surface,
spread out and covered the outcrops with the
previously mentioned lava cap-rock. In
the lowest working diabasic rocks have been
found. The payable mineralization ceases
very abruptly, and at a notably uniform
level, which is slightly lower than the point
where the branch veins split from the main
vein, or about 500 ft. below the cap-rock.
Property of the Comp.^ny. — The com-
pany owns eight patented mining claims,
having an area of 429 hectares, or practically
1,060 acres, situated on the western slope
of the Somera mountain. The mine offices,
mill, and cyanide plants are in the State of
Michoacan, but a portion of the mining pro-
pert}' is in the State of Mexico, and adjoins
the mining claims of the El Oro Mining and
Railway Co., the Esperanza Mining Co., and
the Mexico Mines of El Oro.
The main vein (Veta Verde) has an average
strike of N. 18 \V. and a dip of about 60''
AUGUST, 1921
89
south-westerly, and has been proved for
practically 3 kilometres along its strike and
in places to 600 metres upon its dip. More-
over, the Dos Estrellas Company holds 60°o
of the stock in the old Borda Antigua
property in the Tlalpujahua district (about
3 kilometres from Estrellas mill), and during
the past year they acquired controlling
interests in other small silver properties
in the same district. As development work
has proved Veta Verde to lose its mineraliza-
tion in depth, the company has been actively
engaged in searching for other properties,
and they have options upon various pro-
perties including the Veta Grande, near the
City of Zacatecas, and a copper-gold property
at Las Vigas, State of Vera Cruz.
Developments. — Development has been
done by six tunnels from 200 to 1,800 metres
in length and by five principal shafts from
150 to 450 metres in depth. Additionally
there are six interior shafts of from 150
to 300 metres in depth. There are
approximately 60 kilometres of levels, of
which about 38 kilometres are open at this
time.
Ore Reserves. — The calculated ore re-
serves at December 31 of each year are
shown in the following table : —
Positive Probable
Mined
Year Metric
: Tons Metric Tons during
year
1916 46U„528 337,.Vil
146,317
1917 213,
,218 84,106
277,8
176
191S 4.53,
763 367,050
337,420
1919 542,
920 461,292
366,440
1920 429,004 399,535
376,019
Production.
— The output
s during
recent
years are given
in the next table : —
Treated
Total value p..,„„„„.4
operating
Dry Metric
of Bullion
per ton
costs per
Year
tons
recovered
ton
Pesos
Pesos
pesos
1910
425,878
11,185,443-73
26-26
9-9383
1911
479,989
ll,178,0e6-7fi
23-29
9-9977
1912
507,018
11,237,311'D7
22-16
9-1953
1913
521,799
10,309,630-86
19-76
9-2514
1914
141,824
2,632,526-40*
18-56
9-3550
1915
24,542
173,7a3-381-
7-0,a
1910
164,610
2,41'2,288-3U
14-65
9-2330
1917
266,658
4,917,540-62
18-44
14-4847
1918
344,859
7,719,0ai-06
22-38
13-4167
1919
366,820
7,615,798-05
20-76
11-5499
1920
361,878
6,415,669-98
17-73
12-1700
• Four months, t One month experimental work, t Eig
ht months.
On account of political disturbances,
milling was suspended from April, 1914,
until May, 1916, with the exception of one
month during 1915. The total production
from the mine from its inception to the end
of 1920 was 4,869,878 dry metric tons.
Equipment. — Dos Estrellas has a com-
plete electrically driven mining plant and
machinery, including electric haulage, con-
sisting of eight Baldwin Westinghouse loco-
motives. The milling and cyaniding plant
has a daily capacity of 1,250 metric tons,
and comprises two Hadficld gyratory
crushers, Merrick automatic weigher,
automatic sampler, 120 stamps of 1,250 1b.,
108 drops per minute, 14 tube-mills 5 ft.
by 24 ft., 29 r.p.m., 14 drag classifiers, 9 Dorr
thickeners. Butters filters, and Merrill and
Crowe vacuum precipitation plant.
The company owns its railway and rolling
stock connecting its mine and mill with the
El Oro camp, and also owns lumber forests
in the States of Mexico and Michoacan.
History. — The Dos Estrellas property
is on the western slope of the Somera
mountain, whereas the famous San Rafael
vein of the El Oro mining camp is on the
eastern slope of that mountain, and at a
horizontal distance of about 2i kilometres
from the Estrellas creek. This Somera
mountain has a vertical height of about
380 metres above the western river, and on
the western slope of the mountain the shale
is exposed for about 125 metres above the
river, the remaining 255 metres consisting
of the andesitic lava cap-rock.
In the shale and at a point about 70 metres
above the river, some small veins (known as
" Jesus del Monte ") outcrop and upon these
considerable work was done in the way of
test pits ; also a shaft was sunk to a depth
of about 125 metres and a 220 metre tunnel
was driven from the Estrellas creek for the
purpose of cutting these veins in depth.
This work was carried out by local Mexicans
in a spasmodic manner between the years
1890 and 1897. In 1898 the attention of
F. J. Fournier (a Frenchman who was at that
time working in a small mining camp about
10 miles north-west of El Oro) was called
to the abundance of rich float aling the
western slope of the Somera mountain all
the way from the river to the andesite cap-
rock, and he reasoned logically that such
did not proceed from the narrow and poor
veins of " Jesus del Monte," especially as
a great deal of float was found higher up
the mountain side than the outcrops of
these small veins ; neither did the float come
from the strong San Rafael vein on the
eastern slope of the Somera mountain, the
apex of San Rafael vein being about
280 metres lower than the mountain top.
Fournier concluded that the vein which from
the float came was buried beneath the cap-
rock somewhere in the heart of the mountain
but on its western slope, and, acting upon
this assumption he denounced the whole of
the territory available between the western
00
111
M1MN(, M.\r,A/.INK
ravine aiul the ininiiif; claims of thf tliiec
principal El Oro companies. He enlisted
the services of Baltasar Munoz Lumbier,
a well-known Mexican engineer, and also
organized a mining company at Mexico
City in accordance with the laws of the
Republic of Mexico, having as co-directors
some of the best known and most successful
Mexicans at that time engaged in local
mining enterprises. The company was
organized in 3,000 shares of 100 pesos each
par value, to acquire and work the mining
claims held by Fournier, for which he
obtained 5,000 pesos in cash and 1,000 free
or full}- paid shares in the company.
Munoz Lumbier laid out the main tunnel
(now known as the Estrellas tunnel) in the
shale and at a point 360 metres below the
summit of the Somera mountain and about
125 metres below the cap-rock, and pointed
it straight for the main shaft of the Esperanza
mining property, some 2,400 metres
horizontally distant. This tunnel is at a point
about 320 metres south of the previously
mentioned 220 metre tunnel driven earlier
by the Mexicans. Work was begun on the
Estrellas tunnel on December 27, 1899, and
at 210 metres the " Jesus del Monte " vein
was cut. A limited amount of driving
proved it to be of little merit. At 585 metres
a vein known as EI Salto was cut, but this,
too, had little importance. At 660 metres
the bonanza vein (Nueva) was cut. This had
a width of 2 metres, and it immediately
gave shipping ore of phenomenal richness,
several carloads averaging 3 kilogrammes of
gold and 85 kilogrammes of silver per metric
ton. At the 700 metre point the famous
Veta Verde was cut, with a width of 20 metres
(about 65 ft.), and averaging 25 grammes of
gold and 300 grammes of silver per ton. At
once Fournicr's fortune was made, as well
as that of those who retained their shares
and accompanied him in his vicissitudes
and pertinacity. As the mine was opened
up the reserves developed and the surface
equipment and mill expanded propor-
tionately. The price of the shares steadily
increased, and a few years later, when the
price of the original shares reached several
thousand pesos, these were subdivided into
one hundred shares each having a nominal
value of one peso each. Thus, while the
capitalization remained at 300,000 pesos,
the number of the shares was increased from
3,000 to 300,000. These were placed upon
the Paris Bourse during 1907, and rapidly
rose in price until reaching the equivalent
of 38,000 pesos jier share of original stork.
For several weeks the j^rice remained around
the equivalent of 30,000 pesos per original
share. \..\\rv on, during 1913, when it was
seen that the end of the plu nomenal richness
was in sight, and tlividends fell off con-
s'.deral)ly from previous years, a change in
management was made. P'rom 1900 to
1913 the management was confuied to
French and Mexican engineers. Under the
management from 1913 to date extensive
development work in the bottom of the mine
had proved the non-persistence of mineraliza-
tion in depth, and no discoveries or rich ore
had been made during the past few years.
Nevertheless, by employing modern methods
throughout the whole organization, and by
re-working the ujiper part of the mine,
very satisfactory working costs are being
obtained and the property continues to be
operated profitably and to maintain the
leading position among the mines in the El
Oro district.
Opek.\tions During 1920. — The out-
standing features of the year 1920 may be
summed up as follows : {a) the decline in the
price of silver from an average of 131 cents
(U.S. currency) per ounce troy in January
to 64 cents in December ; (6) the increased
difficulties in the labour situation, partly
as a result of political conditions during the
year, and in part due to the demand for
skilled workmen in the oilfields ; and (c)
the management having obtained, by means
of options and contracts, various mining
properties in the Tlalpujahua and other
districts, thereby taking the indicated steps
towards prolonging the life and increasing
the activities of the company.
Though the wages of the work-people were
gradually increased, during the first-half of
the year, yet there was such a demand for
operatives of all kinds in the oilfields that
the men became insistent in their demands,
and demanded conditions economically
impossible, with the result that at the end of
September there was a strike that caused
suspension of operations in the mill during
practically the whole month of October.
Although the management gained its
principal points, the shut-down occasioned
a higher operating cost and lower tonnage
treated than would have re.sulted other-
wise.
The policy of investigating new properties
was pursued most actively, and while as
a result of the big fall in the price of silver
such properties have lost some of their
AUGUST. 1921
91
attractiveness, those which the company is
working in the Tlalpujahua district have
been acquired by long-time contracts of
such a nature as to offset in part the con-
ditions of the silver market.
The operating costs were somewhat higher
than during the previous year, such being
due to more development work being done, to
higherwages being paid to all work-people, and
to the higher first cost of the principal supplies
for the mine. In spite of these conditions,
the operating costs were, as usual, the lowest
in the district.
During the year 3,795 metres of exploration
work was done upon and in connexion with
the various veins, this work being carried
out upon each of the main levels between
the +90 and the -140. Although such
work did not add very materially to the ore-
reserves, in some instances it served to place
ore from the probable to the positive class,
whereas in other cases such as Veta del
Salto, hanging-wall stringers of Veta Verde,
and the deposit against the contact, small
increases in the reserves were realized.
The ore reserves compare favourably with
the reserves at the end of 1919, notwith-
standing the marked difference in the
price of silver at the end of 1920, as compared
with the previous year. The estimates at
the end of 1919 were : Positive ore,
542,919 tons, averaging 5'4 grammes of
gold and 141 grammes of silver per ton ;
probable ore, 461,292 tons, averaging
6'4 grammes of gold and 135 grammes of
silver per ton ; total, 1,004,211 tons, having
an average content of 5-85 grammes of gold
and 138' 2 grammes of silver per ton.
I estimated that at the end of December,
1920, the reserves were as follows : Positive
ore, 429,664 tons, averaging 86 grammes
of gold and 151 grammes of silver per ton ;
probable ore, 399,535 tons, averaging
7 grammes of gold and 152 grammes of silver
per ton ; total 829,199 tons, having an
average content of 7-83 grammes of gold and
151 '4 grammes of silver per ton.
The production for the year 1920 was
361,878 tons of an average grade of
8'9 grammes of gold and 157'5 grammes of
silver. By adding this amount to the
reserves at the end of 1920, it will be seen
that the ore reserves decreased by only
175,000 tons, showing that approximately
187,000 tons of ore was developed during the
year. This increase was brought about by
actively exploiting the old stopes upon
Veta Verde at various places, but principally
between faults from the zero level to the
+ 36 level, where, in addition to finding
payable fills, we frequently found small
pillars of high-grade ore. To a lesser extent
we are developing similar conditions on the
+ 72 level, north of Cyamel tunnel ,and on the
-f 90 level towards the south end of the
mine. The extent of these payable fills
is unknown ; hence the difiiculty in
estimating the tonnage they will produce,
but there can be no doubt as to the
importance they have upon the future of the
mine. I believe that the estimates herewith
given are most conservative, and that as
we continue exploiting the upper part of
the mine we shall continue to find payable
ore in places at present inaccessible.
The following table gives an estimate of
the ore reserves at December 31, 1920 : —
Positive
Probable
Grammes
per ton
Grammes per ton
Tonnage
Au.
As.
Tonnage
All.
Ag.
Veins ;
•■A"
Ampano . . .
—
—
16,901
6-43
103-3
" B"
—
—
— .
8,700
6-19
102-5
Blanca
in„S77
8-44
119-1
14,249
7-93
128-6
Colorada . .
6,240
7-2.5
1-38-2
2,000
5-50
110-0
"D"
2,016
9-89
85-9
19,300
7-48
96-9
" E"
6,769
10-76
151-5
1,717
6-59
334-0
Nueva ....
3.5,156
10-76
187-5
33,818
11-08
25 2
Verde
360,106
8-33
149-5
232,850
6-34
151-9
Hanging-wall
Stringers :
Veta Verde
13,000
7-26
109-1
Salto
—
—
—
5,000
s-so
109-0
Mineral ai^ainst
Contact . . .
—
8-59
150-S
2,000
800
7-00
62-0
Totals . . .
420,661
399,535
152-0
The amount of ore treated during the year
was 361,877 dry metric tons, having an
average content of 8-9 grammes gold and
157-5 grammes silver. The mine produced
373,293 tons, the difference between the
ore produced and the ore treated being
11,415 tons, which was added to the stock-
pile at El Cedro.
The amount of bullion exported manifests
an extraction of 892% of the gold and
70-4°,;, of the silver contents. There was
produced 1,395 bars, having a calculated
value at the mine of 6,415,670 pesos.
The average price obtained for our silver
throughout the year was 1-006 dollars,
U.S. currency, per ounce troy, compared
with 1-121 dollars during the year 1919.
Reference has already been made to some
of the factors that increased our operating
costs, and to these must be added that of the
strike during the month of October, whereby
although we treated only a small amount of
ore in the mill, yet we endeavoured to keep
the mine and some other departments at
92
II MlNlNi; M\(,.\/1M-;
work, tluToby increasing the general cost
of operations.
The operating costs averaged 12' 17 pesos
per dry metric ton tliirint; lO'iO, eomparrd
with llSo pesos during lOl'J. The details
of such costs are herewith given, also a
comparison with previous years.
mis 1919 1920
liiploralion 1-36 068 OUT)
tJtploitation 4-42 3-92 440
MUling 1-33 120 121
Cv-inidinK 2-13 2CiO IM
General Expeiiso IMO 117 131
Taxes 215 209 ISO
Sales of products 001 OM O'.'il
Totals 13-41 11-54 1217
During the year we treated in the La Lucha
mill approximate!}^ 29,200 dry metric tons
of ore from the Borda Antigua property,
ha\'ing an average grade of o'OC grammes
gold and 290 grammes silver. The recovery
as per bullion exported amounted to 9-1-5%
of the gold and SS'S^J,, of the silver values.
During the first half of the year the operations
resulted in a small profit being made, but as
the price of silver became lower and wages
higher, it became unprofitable to continue
milling operations ; consequently, during
the earl}' days of December we ceased all
exploitation work and cancelled the agree-
ment between the Borda Antigua and the
La Lucha companies, covering the operation
of the La Lucha mill. It is the intention
to treat Borda Antigua ores at the El Ccdro
mill when the ore in the mining properties
in the TIalpuiahua district is exploited.
In the Tlalpujahua district, the company
has several properties under option ; these
comprise Concepcion de Borda, Planeta,
San Rafael, and Noche Buena. On the first-
named property we accomplished a con-
siderable amount of preliminary work in the
way of repairing the main shaft and road-
ways, unwatering the mine, and installing
the necessary machinery to render the
mine accessible and to carry on future
development work. The results of in-
vestigations in the upper or exploited part
of the mine indicate the existence of
practically 10,000 tons of fills and pillars,
averaging about 200 grammes silver and
1-5 grammes gold, while in the lower, or that
part of the mine known as the Bonanza
winze, there exists as virgin vein matter
probably 5,000 tons of ore of about
300 grammes silver and 2 grammes gold.
The most interesting and promising point
for investigation in this property is north of
the big fault, where the vein is intact, and
from the second level a working is being
dii\-en t(i inUiscel llit- viiii ,it tliis ]Hiint,
ami at the same lime to exjilore the
ground between ConceiK'ion de Borda and
tin riancta jirojicrties. The latter ]iropi-rty
lias an intcristing record as having jiroduced
high-grade silver ore, and we have been
re-timbering the shaft and placing a hoist
and head-gear in position, and will soon
begin the unwatering of this property. Such
upper workings as we have rendered assessible
show the viin to be completely worked out.
The Noche I^uena property is a small one
south of the Carmen de Virgencs property.
The up]xr part of the vein has been worked
out for its gold as well as silver values, and
a long tunnel that was being driven to cut
the vein in depth at the time of our acquiring
this property did not succeed in finding the
vein, owing to it being faulted ; in con-
sequence we have been cleaning out the old
workings with the view of following the
vein downward by means of winzes.
We cross-cutted the entire wi<lth of the
San Rafael Comanja properties toward their
northern extremity, but such work did not
result in our finding anything of economic
importance ; however, the central and
southern parts of these properties remain
to be explored from the Concepcion and
Planeta properties.
The task of cleaning out the old working of
the Zomelahuacan copper property, near
the town of Las Vigas, State of Vera Cruz,
has been practicallj' completed, and although
the information at present available is far
from being complete or final, yet the results
of several hundreds of samples from various
workings show that the deposits -in places
carry sufficient copper and gold, so as to
render the exploitation of such economically
possible with copper at about 15 cents. On
the other hand, we now know that the
mineralization does not occur in the form of
a fissure vein as has previously been supposed,
but rather as a contact deposit, and there is
little or no continuity between the various
deposits exposed which hitherto has been
considered as being the case instead of isolated
deposits, as we have proved them to be.
A most promising prospect containing
gold values examined during the year is the
El Tigre in the State of Nayarit, but un-
fortunately, although it was decided to
enter into negotiations to acquire such
property under option, legal difficulties have
been experienced in the matter of obtaining
a clear title to the property and have
prevented its acquisition.
THE REAL VALUE OF GOLD
By S. J. SPEAK. A.R.S.M., M.lnst.M.M.
Obv^iously where gold is the unit of
currency its vahie in terms of money is
constant, though its real value is its value
in relationship to other commodities. The
true value of any commodity is equal to the
energy and sacrifice required to produce it,
but its market value is subject to the
varying effects of supply and demand. Gold
differs from all other commodities except
silver, in that the demand for it is almost
entirely for money purposes, so that should it
ever lose its place as the basis of currency
the demand for it would be almost negligible,
and its market value would be subject to the
usual effects of supply and demand, which
would result in the closing of nearly all gold
mines.
Bankers are generally agreed that some
basis unit for currency is essential, and that
the most suitable one is gold. Its supposed
suitabilit}' depends entirely on its past
history, which has been that its production
has not been subject to violent fluctuations.
The discovery of a large and fabulously rich
goldfield would destroy its value as a basis
of currency.
Gold, therefore, is unlike most other com-
modities in that the demand for it is mainly
of an artificial character. In this respect its
position compares unfavourably with that,
say, of diamonds, for possesion of the latter
is desired for their beauty, whereas few would
hold gold on that account.
Even bankers desire to hold as little gold
as possible, for without power to issue notes
against the gold that they may have in their
vaults, they can secure no interest upon it,
and gold is therefore held by them only
as an emergency precaution. Their aim
is to hold as little of it as possible, in
accordance with their own ideas of safety.
.Thus gold is in the paradoxical position
that the demand for it is of an artificial
character, and no one in ordinary times
wishes to hold it as a commodity.
The indifference displayed by our bankers
to the dwindling gold output of the Empire
shows that they regard gold mainly as an
international token, and overlook the fact
that gold takes much labour to produce,
and that such labour has not since the war
been as relatively well paid as labour in other
industries. Of course, there is to be
remembered the fact that a year's production
of gold is only a small proportion of the
world's stock of gold, and bankers may
properly regard a temporary deficiency of
new output as of small consequence ; yet,
on the other hand, currency has been con-
siderably increased during the war, and
deflation will have to be exxeedingly
drastic if the world's currency can ever have
the same gold backing as before the war. The
declared policy of our own nation, which is
no doubt dictated by the bankers, is towards
that end. The paper pound is, if possible,
to be made equivalent to the old gold pound.
To achieve this end strong efforts are being
made to reduce the price of other com-
modities. The attempt with coal has
resulted in a strike which has cost a loss
of national wealth of probably over
£200,000,000. This was a real loss, which
can never be regained, because it was labour
being idle instead of productive. The only
gain is in the direction of improving the value
of our paper currency. Deflation is obviously
going to be a very expensive process, and the
patient may be killecl by it instead of cured.
An alternative method is to recognize the
existing inflation, and thereby avoid wage
reductions, which we know our workmen will
stupidly resist. In comparison with
American currency, ours is inflated about
30%, and it is recognized that American
currency is also inflated, possibly 50%.
America, as a creditor nation, having
secured thereby large stocks of gold, will be
able to deflate and probably at a much
more rapid rate than we, and it may be
expected that our exchange with America
will go further against us.
Under these circumstances, if our country
now recognized an inflation of 50% and
adopted a free gold basis on such ratio,
the immediate results would be somewhat
as follows : —
(1) Wages need be little disturbed for some
time.
(2) The Bank of England could purchase
gold for internal requirements.
(3) American exchange would fall to near
3-24.
(4) Gold producers would receive
nominally more English currency for their
output.
(5) Interest payments on internal national
debt would be greatly relieved. This
93
<)J
THli: MIN1N(. M.\(..\ZINK
woukl not ho oquivalont to capital con-
fiscation if, say. all loans, tkbcntmcs, etc.,
raised before V.Hit were allowed an increase
of oO'',,, because most of the money raised
since that date was in inflated ciurency.
Capitalists would suiter little damage, for
they would benefit by the consecinont
reduced taxation.
(6) All present possessors of cash or bank
deposits would suffer possibly to the extent
of l.")*^,,. which, anyway, is more e(]uilable
than that they should benefit to the extent
of about 50",„ at the expense of the rest of
the nation, which is what the present
deflation policy aims to do.
Unfortunately such a scheme would
probably hit bankers more particularly than
anybody else, and it is therefore to their
supposed interest to avoid it. When, how-
ever, we witness the serious trade difficulties
and imemployment, and compute what
national loss that means, it would probably
pay all capitalists in the end to take a possible
loss now, a loss more apparent than real.
For the sake of brevity, no argument is
offered to show the justice of a 50% premium
on gold. Your readers, however, know the
general conditions of mining throughout the
world, and arc aware how poorly the .gold
miners have been paid for their work as
compared with the coal miners of England.
Of course, this has arisen from the effects of
supph^ and demand.
\\liat is now suggested amounts to
legalizing a 50°o premium on gold with the
object of avoiding the present painful
and wasteful process of currency deflation.
In such way we would more quickly attain
a settled basis of currenc}', whereas the
existim; dill.ilion prociss must take consider-
able time, and may never succeed, and, in the
meantime, will In' a constant embarrass-
ment to trade.
The gokl output of the wnrld li.is fallen
about .'iO^y since the commencement of the
war, and may fall further unless the principal
nations return to a free gold basis at an
early date. If Great Britain will require,
as has been estimated, ten years to com-
pK'ti' its present deflation policy, by that time
gold will be relatively scarce, and it will bi>
difficult to acquire sufficient gold backing for
its currency. This aspect of the question
appears to be overlooked by most financial
experts, and the main object of this article
is to draw attention to the fact that the
matter of gold production has an important
Ixaring on the currency question. The
world is an expanding community, and
unless gold output keeps pace, currency
deflation will have to go beyond the pre-
war basis. As the British Empire is now
contributing about 70% of the world's
output, it is of particular interest to us to
support that industry. During the war its
])roduct was commandeered at pre-war
prices, a treatment served out to no other
industry, and since then and is now suffering
from lack of normal demand. Meanwhile,
America is securing a stock of gold at a price
below the fair cost of its production. The
danger of the present system if continued
is that when we do want gold we shall be
required to pay dearly for it, whereas a
bold stroke as above advocated would
establish a stable currency which would
enable the trade and commerce of the country
to revive rapidly.
BOOK REVIEWS
A Textbook of Practical Hydraulics. l>y
Professor James I'akk. Second edition.
Cloth, octavo, 310 pages, illustrated. Price
21s. net. London : Charles Griffin & Co.,
Ltd.
That a second edition of this work should
have been called for within five years after
the appearance of the first is ample and
satisfactor}' evidence that it has met the
requirements of those for whom it was
intended, and Professor Park is to be con-
gratulated upon having so successfully
accomplished the task that he had set him-
self to perform. There is but little in the
present edition that calls for comment.
beyond the statement that many of the
deficiencies that had been noted in the first
edition have now been made good. The
author has, quite rightly, not departed in
the least from his original scheme, although
he has somewhat strengthened the theoretical
portions which were decidedly weak in the
former edition, as was pointed out in the
Mag.azine at the time. It may fairly be
hoped that in this respect the author has
found the review of his first edition not
unhelpful in his work of revision. For
example, in the present volume Bernoulli's
theorem is stated and is applied to elucidate
the theory of the Venturi meter, and in the
same way the diaphragm method of
measuring the flow of water in a pipe has
AUGUST, 1921
95
been, at any rate, referred to. The account
of the Pilot tubes in the present volume is
a decided improvement upon its predecessor ;
it is, however, not quite accurate to say that
when the mouth of the tube points down-
stream the water in the vertical hmb is
depressed by the same amount as that to
which it is elevated when the mouth faces
up-stream. The depression is, in fact,
always less than the corresponding elevation.
The treatment of most of the sections is,
however, quite adequate and the e.Kplanations
are clearly put. To an English reader, it
appears strange that in a book of this class
the author should find it necessary to work
out so many of his examples first by
arithmetical methods and then again by
logarithms. There may be a good reason
for this not apparent to us in this country,
but here we should have expected that a
student capable of reading a work on
hydraulics would at least know sufficient
elementary mathematics to be able to make
a simple logarithmic calculation.
Henry Louis.
Petrographic Methods and Calculations.
By Arthur Holmes, D.Sc. Cloth, octavo,
511 pages, with diagrams and illustrations.
Price 31s. 6d. net. London : Thomas
Murby & Co.
Many books on petrography contain little
beyond the description of the megascopic
and microscopic characters of the rocks
and the methods employed in their deter-
mination, but Dr. Holmes has set out to
produce a treatise giving a full treatment of
the petrographic methods to be employed
in the laboratory and at the desk. Much
of the matter appears in a British textbook
for the first time.
One is struck from the first with the
stimulating character of the volume. No
chance of indicating a new line of inquiry
is missed, and the student who can work
through the book without attempting to
settle some petrographic problem for him-
self will be very lacking in imagination.
The chapter on the determination of the
specific gravity of minerals and rocks is
particularly complete, and includes a
description of methods for the determination
of the porosity of rocks and of the specific
gravity of rocks and minerals at high
temperatures ; m'olecular volumes, iso-
morphism, and polymorphism are also
dealt with.
The separation of minerals is discussed
from every point of view except that of
flotation, which seems to have been neglected
by most petrographers, but in the reviewer's
experience forms a useful method in some
cases.
The chapters on the optical examination
of minerals, sediments, crushed rocks, and
thin sections are excellent, and include
a most useful chapter on microchemical
methods. The textures of igneous and
metamorphic rocks are then described in
considerable detail, and the book closes with
two chapters on the interpretation and
graphical representation of chemical analyses
of rocks. Useful tables are given in two
appendices, and a third consists of a series
of excellently reproduced photo-micrographs
illustrating rock textures.
Numerous illustrative examples of the
methods described are quoted from actual
researches and the close connexion between
methods of the research-worker and those
suitable for use as commercial tests of
material is pointed out.
References are given throughout the book
to original papers on the various methods
described and on researches in which they
were employed; this greatly adds to the value
of the book.
The book is well illustrated by a series
of figures and diagrams, the latter being
particularly numerous, the print is clear, and
the matter well set out.
Dr. Holmes is to be congratulated on
having produced a book which should
materially advance the study and practice
of petrology.
E. H. Davison.
Chromium Ore- By W. G. Rumbold..
Paper covers, octavo, 60 pages. Price
3s. 6d. net. London : John Murray
and the Imperial Institute.
This monograph is one of a series published
by the Imperial Institute describing mineral
resources, with special reference to the
British Empire, and it deals with the same
matter as a brochure, one of a similar range,
issued last year by the Imperial Mineral
Resources Bureau. It is unfortunate that
these two Government Departments should
publish monographs dealing with like
subjects, and some working arrangement
between the Institute and the Bureau, to
eliminate this overlapping, is desirable.
In Chapter I of the monograph, the
occurrences, character, and uses of chromium
ore are discussed, and attention is called to
96
THK MINIM. MAi.AZINl-:
the great increase in productitin ilurini; tin-
war. For some years previous to li)ll the
price of tlie mineral was low, and the
principal producers were New Cakdonia and
Rhodesia, the output being controlled by a
joint selling agency. With the greater
demand for munitions of war, the deposits
of the United States and Canada were
intensively developed, and the output from
the Indian deposits was also largely
increased. Following the cessation of
hostilities, prices fell heavily, and pre-war
values are now being approached, as well
as the standard of qualit}' raised.
Chromium ores are considered to be
derived from primar\' segregations of a
peridotite magma, and are generalh'
associated with serpentine rocks, in which
they occur as irregular shaped bodies or
disseminated grains. By reason of the wide
distribution of serpentine, an ample supply
of the ores is assured, whirh will meet the
increased demand when conditions are more
normal, for the importance of chromium
has been greatly enhanced as a result of the
war.
Statistics of the output of chromite for
the years* 1912-19 are given, but would
have been improved if they had been accom-
panied by the value per ton of the mineral
c.i.f. British ports over the same period.
The mining and concentration of chromite
are briefly described, and it is pointed out
that a more general adoption of modern
methods would enable producers to reduce
their operating costs to meet present-day
conditions, as, without doubt, where
mechanical concentration is not in operation,
a large proportion of the mineral is rejected
as waste.
The information given regarding the
utilization of chromium is useful. In the
production of ferro-chrome alloys in the
electric furnace, the carbon contents are
high, which is prejudicial when used with
low-carbon steels. Subsequent refining will
reduce the carbon, but a carbon-free alloy
can be made by the " thermit " process of
reduction by aluminium.
The virtues of the so-called " rustless
steel " have been overstated, as Sir Robert
Hadfield pointed out some years ago, but
there is a widening field of usefulness for the
alloy. As a result of improved heat treat-
ment and variation in composition of the
alloy, it is now possible to manufacture
cutlerj' from it with an edge equal to the
best high-carbon steel.
Riferince is madr to the use of chrome
ore as a relractory material, for it con-
stitutes an almost ideal lining for furnaces,
as, although somewhat dilTicult to sinter,
it has a verj' high fusing point and is equally
suitable for basic or acid working. The use
of chromium salts in the dyeing industry is
mentioned, but it is probable the largest
consumption of chromates in the future will
be as a primary coating for iron and steel,
wliicli, when covered with a wet-resisting
tinishing jiaint formi'd of o.xide of iron and
linseed oil is found to be most effective in the
prevention of corrosion.
Useful information is given in Chapter II,
which describes the principal deposits of
chromium ore of the British Kmpire, and in
Chapiter 111, which deals with foreign sources
of supply.
It is pointed out that .some of the largest
and richest deposits are within the Empire,
in Rhodesia, South Africa, India, Canada,
and Australasia. Of the foreign deposits,
those of New Caledonia, Asia Minor, and
Greece are the most important. The pro-
duction of chromite in the United States
reached large figures during the war, but
the high cost of concentration will prevent
development of the ores in normal times, as
obtains with their manganese deposits.
The chromiferous iron ores of Greece
and Cuba, which contain 2 to 3% of
chromium and 05 to 1% of nickel, and which
are widely distributed elsewhere, cannot
be used successfully for the production of
ordinary steel, owing to the e.\tra cost of
manufacture due to their refractory character,
and the necessity of eliminating the greater
part of the chromium in a slag, which is
very viscous. A large expenditure has been
incurred in developing the Cuban deposits,
where the mineral occurs as a mantle, and
is excavated by mechanical plant and
sintered before shipment. The pig iron
produced from this mineral possesses special
qualities, by reason of its chromium and
nickel contents, and is used as a foundry
mixture to increase strength and ductility.
In manufacturing steel from it by the
" Duplex " process, the greater part of the
chromium is oxidized, while most of the
nickel is retained, with the result that the
finished product contains 1 to 1'5% nickel
and 025 to 0-75% chromium. This con-
stitutes a nickel -chromium steel, and
although of low grade, is, with suitable
heat treatment, of greater value than
ordinary steel for many purposes.
AUGUST, 1921
97
The bibliography at the conclusion of the
monograph should enable anyone interested
to obtain more detailed information than is
possible to provide in the text.
H. K. Scott.
Geology of Mesopotamia and its Border-
lands. Compiled by the Geographical
Section of the Naval Intelligence Division.
Cloth, octavo, 120 pages, with folding
maps. Price 5s. net. London : His
Majesty's Stationery Office.
Although but recently issued to the public
this useful little volume betrays signs of
having been written some time previously,
for neither in the text nor in the excellent
bibliography is there any mention made of
the more recent work done in connexion
with the geologj' of these parts, notably of
the paper by Busk and Mayo read before the
Institution of Petroleum Technologists. One
rather obvious defect arising from its
anonymous authorship is the difficulty of
separating the opinions of the writers and
those of their authorities.
In the note which precedes the text we
find that " the problems of the economic
geology of greatest present interest are those
connected with the distribution and
correlation of the oil-bearing beds . , ."
Some space is devoted to other minerals,
but the above forms the keynote of the work,
with which all will agree ; yet, regarded as
a contribution to our knowledge of the oil
of these regions, it must be confessed the
book has little practical value. Thus, the
evident importance attached to the fact
that oil seepages have been known historically
for 2,400 years (pp. 72 and 84) strikes an
oil-man as scarcely justifiable, for the
actual period presumably has been far greater,
and in any case such considerations are little
evidence of commercial supplies being
retained. The fact of the development of
the Maidan-i-Xaftun pool in Persia is, of
course, rather a testimony to the drill than
added geological evidence, and its exact
significance as regards the field as a whole
can be judged only from the detailed geology,
which is not touched upon. Again, the
evident desire for a " definite estimate of the
quantity of oil " before pronouncement as
to the prospects of a field shows undue
caution and the practical oil-man does not
concern himself mainly with the " correlation
and number of the promising oil-beds "
nor with the expression of opinion of writers
personally unacquainted with the area.
Sound judgment formed in the field after
detailed plane-table mapping by experienced
oil-geologists is the kind of basis required
in appraising the potential value of a prospect,
and this has to be followed by systematic
test driUing co-ordinated with the geological
work. The favourable consensus of opinion
of oil-men conversant with these regions,
which tends to regard them as the principal
undeveloped field in the Old World, deserves
more weight than is given to it by the
authors.
With the above reservations the book
may be recommended to all desiring a handy
compendium of the general geology of the
Persian Gulf and Mesopotamian regions,
based mainly upon the works of Loftus, de
Morgan, and Pilgrim, with brief reference
in Chapter V to Oswald's work in Armenia.
The summary of the geological history
in Chapter VII is the most interesting part of
the book, both as regards what is already
known as well as indicating the important
problems yet to be tackled, as, for
instance, the southern margin of the
Sunkland. The maps and diagrams are
carefully made, and the former are not the
least useful part of the work.
T. G. Madgwick.
Handbook of Metllaurgy. Vol. I. By
Carl Schnabel, translated and revised
by Henry Louis. Cloth, octavo, 1,171
pages, with numerous diagrams and illus-
trations. Third edition. Price 40s. net.
London : Macmillan & Co., Ltd.
The first edition of this book was published
in 1898, and the second in 1905, and both
editions were translations of Schnabel's
German editions with brief notices of
improvements and new processe:; made
known after the issue of the original work.
In the present edition Professor Louis has
taken a more original line, for he has adopted
the plan of an independent revision, mainly,
as he states, on account of the death of
Schnabel, and because all the important
modern improvements in general
metallurgical practice were to be found in
English-speaking countries. The war, how-
ever, delayed publication of this third edition,
much of which had been completed and the
type set up by 1914; " therefore," states
Professor Louis in the preface, " there
are no references to an\^ of the most recent
developments in certain departments . . .
nor to any of the literature of the last few
years." This is almost bound to impair the
98
THK MINIXC, MACAZINI
usefulness of tlu' book, ;it least, as far as
those are concerned wlio already possess
the earlier edition. The difticulty does not
appear to the reviewer as insurmountable,
for it niiRht have been overcome by an
appendix in which these matters could have
been dealt with, and then incorjiorated in the
text of the next edition.
The form of previous editions having been
maintained, it will be hardly necessary to say
that the present volume deals with the
metallurgy of copper, lead, silver, and gold,
and that in each case the physical and
chemical properties and the reactions of the
metal compounds that are of imjiortance
in extraction are set forth before the nuthods
of extraction are explained in detail and
illustrated by works practice.
The book deals essentially with general
metaJlurg}^ that is, with the extraction of the
metal from its ores, and the necessary refining
operations. Many people, including the
reviewer, would have liked to see more
reference to the micro-examination of metals
in those sections relating to the effects of
impurities. For instance, in the case of
copper, photo-micrographs of this metal
containing cuprous oxide could have been
inserted with advantage on p. 3 where
reference is made to the eutcctic (a
metallography term), and, further, the
injurious effect of bismuth could have been
explained by an illustration of this con-
stituent separating out and fomiing thin
brittle walls between the copper crystals.
Turning now to the methods of extraction
and refining, it seems a pity, in view of the
fact that an independent revision has been
made, that the reviser has not been more
drastic in his treatment of processes that are
almost obsolete, thereby gaining space for
fuller descriptions of the more modern
methods and plant. A comparison of the
present edition with that published in 1905
shows that the revision has not been as drastic
as some w'ould desire. The details of heap-
roasting may be important, but surely not
of such importance as to require ten pages to
be devoted to it, when the description of the
Edwards and Mcrton roasting furnaces is
confined to a space of a dozen lines. Another
example that might be quoted occurs in the
section dealing with the metallurgy of lead.
It is stated on p. 565 that " the collection
of flue dust is an important element in all
lead smelting," and with this statement all
lead smelters and refiners will agree. The
subject, however, is dismissed in two pages,
witlu)ut ( A'cn a (K>iri]iii<iii of a bag-house,
the reader being referred for this to the
'J'nnisaclions of the American Institute of
Mining Engineers, whereas the illustration
of the heaji-roasting of copjier ores is rejjro-
iluced under lead, a distinct waste of
half a page.
It is gratifying to find that the revision of
that part of the book dealing with the
cyanidation of gold ores is as thorough as
could be expected in a volume of this size.
Had the other metals been dealt with in a
similar manner the book would have been
well-nigh perfect.
In conclusion it should be stated that the
blame for parts of the new edition being
less up-to-date than others must not be
placed on Professor Louis, for it is well-
known that a reviser of a technical book
seldom has the last say, the control of the
policy of new editions resting solely with the
publishers.
George Patchin.
NEWS LETTERS
PERTH. W.A.
May 22.
Tax.'Mion of Mines. — During the past
three weeks the Royal Commission on
Taxation appointed by the Federal Govern-
ment has been taking evidence in West
Australia. The subjects of inquiiy covered
the equitable distribution of the burdens
of taxation, and the giving to primary
producers a special consideration as regards
the assessment of income tax. A great
mass of valuable evidence was collected and
proffered on behalf of the Chamber of Mines
and the i\Iining Association, which was most
ably placed before the Commission by
Mr. J. V. Jukes and Mr. Will Davies, the
accountants representing the institutions.
Mr. Herbert J. Daly, Mr. H. R. Sleeman,
Mr. J. Thompson, M.L.A., and Mr. C. M.
Harris gave evidence supplementing the
above on behalf of those who are directly
interested in finding the capital either in
cash or labour to search for and extract gold
and the base metal ores. A review of the
salient points may be of interest to show to
the British investor that some amelioration
of the present anomalies in taxation as
interpreted may be expected, provided the
Federal Government is sincere, and will
accept the recommendations of the Royal
Commission.
AUGUST, 1921
99
The evidence as it affects the mining
industry may be divided into five headings :
(a) Decrease in the output of gold in Western
Austraha ; (b) taxation of sale consideration
of mining leases ; (c) Federal land tax on the
unimproved value of a mine ; (rf) the taxing
of mines in their early stages ; (c) the
taxation of prcuspcctors.
Dealing with the tax on mining leases,
it was pointed out by Mr. Davies that the
action of the taxation department in assessing
for income tax the sale price of a mine under
the guise of such being payments received
by a lessee upon the transfer of a lease to
another person is most unjust. The depart-
ment admits that the proceeds of the sale
of a mine are not taxable as income ; never-
theless, it arrives at that very unjust result
by taxing the sum received (subject to
allowance for capital expenditure on equip-
ment and development, if any) by
designating it consideration given on the
transfer of a lease. As the Act stands and
is administered at present, the prospector
who discovers a potential mine, but, being
unable to develop it himself, sells it to a
company for partly cash and partly shares,
or for all shares, may be called upon to pay
in taxes on nominal income a greater amount
than will be actually realized, this state of
affairs being brought about by the taxation
of shares at their face value, irrespective of
their actual market value, either at the date
of the sale of the mine or at the date the
return is made by the taxpayer.
In his evidence, Mr. Jukes says on this
question that although originally intended
to apply to leases of business premises, it
is being interpreted in its present form as
applying to mining leases, and operates with
great harshness. A prospector taking up
public land under mining lease may be able
to dispose of his interest to good advantage
through the discovery of promising deposits
on it. Assume he is able to sell for ^^10,000,
he would become liable for £3,421 Federal
taxation and the State Act purports to
impose £2,300, whereas, if he had won the
same amount in a lottery his Federal tax
would be £1,400. Of course, if instead of
taking a mining lease of land he bought
freehold, and then owing to some fortunate
circumstance he sold at a profit of £11,000,
he would not be liable to taxation on the
accretion. From various legal authorities
on judgments quoted, it seems impossible
to regard a mineral deposit, even though
contained in a mining lease, as anything but
a fixed capital asset. And even if in the hands
of the original discoverer who has paid no
fixed sum for the asset, the facts are not
affected. He has given time, money, skill,
and often suffered great hardships in the
search, and the State secures the mineral
contents of a certain area of land to him
to work, remove, and sell for his own benefit.
It is what he retained in the shape of assets
upon which he has expended his capital
subscribed in the form of his savings, work,
and skill.
In the " Kalgoorlie Miner " on October 25,
1919, the Deputy Commissioner of Taxation
in dealing with what is the essential value
of a lease, thereby meaning buildings,
pastoral timber, or gold mining leases
states : " My staff vahier would address
himself to the gold as a wealth-making
factor," and he goes on to say " that is the
value of the virgin gold in situ." As
Mr. Daly pertinently remarked, the Deputy
Commissioner will have to find a superman as
a staff valuer, if he is going to appraise
the value of gold in situ in a newly dis-
covered mine.
A mining lease differs from all other
leases ; it is, in fact, a direct licence to
deplete a certain area of ground and take from
it all its potential and discoverable wealth.
The end of a successful mining venture
means that numerous deep holes have been
made into the earth's crust, and no payable
ore is left in the lease. The plant and
machinery is usually scrapped or sold for
one-tenth part of its original cost. On this
point, Mr. Sleeman says : " Sales of mining
leases should not be taxed as income,
whether sold by individuals or by syndicates
or by companies, whether the finders or the
promoters. It should be treated as other forms
of property in this regard. If this be refused,
then as the next best the whole history of the
lease should be reviewed. Its purchase price
(if any), the money and work spent upon it,
the number of years represented by these, and
so on. It should, however, be levied only
on money when actually received and on
actual saleable value of any shares received
on payment. Then one could sell some
shares to pay the tax on the shares. At
present the tax often demands money that
a man has not got, and cannot get, or he
might be allowed to pay the portion of this
tax in shares."
Mr. Thompson cited his own case in which
he had sold a mineral lease at Yampi Sound
in North-West Australia to the Queensland
100
TllK MIX INC. M\(.\ZINI':
Government for £;iO,000 worth of debentures,
and, according to the I'etieral and State laws,
he was hable' for {10,000 in taxation. Not
onlv that, but tlie Federal Taxation Com-
missioner ruled that the tax nnist be paul on
the face value of the debentures, although
he had offered to sell /1 00 liebentures for
{85. He was of o]iinion that as several
loans had been floated locally by the Federal
Government, and the debenture issues were
free from taxation, why not apply the same
thing to investors, who put their money into
debentures or in developing the country.
Dealing with the question of taxation of
imimproved land values in relation to mines,
Mr. Davies was in a position to give some
very telling evidence in the case of the
Whim \\'c\[ Copper Company. The mine of
this company is held partly as freehold and
partly leasehold. In the absence of a
valuation for the unimproved land tax,
which the company, under legal advice,
refused to put in, the amount of the tax
assessed in default was {1,000, despite the
fact that the company had spent over
£100,000 more money in developing the
mine than they had taken out, and that at
the time were not receiving any revenue, as
owing to the war they were not able to ship
any ore. Considerable argument as to
whether the mine came under this Act
went on between Mr. Davies for the company
and the Taxation Department. Meanwhile,
there was a somewhat similar case pro-
ceeding in the High Court, based on the
value of artesian water below the surface,
and eventually the judgment on the case
was in favour of the Department. The
\\'him Well company had to accept this
decision, as they were not in a position to
fight an expensive case in the High Court.
By this time the company had become
bankrupt. A few London enthusiasts agreed
to find some more mone\' for the mine, but
would not do so while what they considered
an unjust taxation debt was hanging over
the property. Mr. Sleeman, representing
the shareholders who were finding this new
capital, decided to go to Melbourne and
fight the matter out with the Commissioner.
He asked whether it was the policy of
Australia to encourage mining or to kill it,
and whether it was better for the Common-
wealth to get {1,988 by way of taxation, or
that a big mine should be producing possibly
a quarter of a million pounds worth of ore
in two or three years, and pay a very large
portion of it out in wages ? The Chief
Commissioner de.ili wiih the niattiT, and he
annulled the whole of the assessnuiil.
The conclusion is that, while as a ni.it Or
of ]M)licy Federal land tax maj" be of
advantage to the community by deterring
the locking up of land in large estates,
there is neither necessity nor reason for
applying such |irinciples to the small areas
contained in metalliferous mines, no matter
how rich (in isolated cases) those areas may
be.
The clfect of taxation on new mines was
dealt with by Mr. Daly, who contends that
income tax was designed as a tax on vearly
earnings, on tiie profits of a company or
indi\-idual. It certainly was never meant
to be a tax on new wealth, the discovery
by a prospector or by an exploration com-
pan\-, nor was it intended that the working
capital provided to open up new mines should
be subject to income tax before any profit
had been earned from the gold won from the
mine. This statement is given in general
terms, and aims at illustrating how the
mining industry has suffered a severe set-
back since legislation provided for tax on
transfer of leases and income ta.x on
prospectors consideration. The effects of
recent Australian mining legislation have
practically blocked the road to raising any
new capital in London. The taxation on
prospecting operations is one of the chief
hindrances to new mining ventures in
Australia. A few days ago Mr. Daly received
the following instructions from an important
London company : " We have, after careful
consideration, reluctantly decided not to
embark on any gold mining business in
West Australia at the present time." Both
the State and Federal Acts deal as harshly
with mining companies as with the individual
prospector.
The case of Charles Bartlow was cited by
Mr. Davies. He had been prospecting for
over twenty years, with but little success.
Some years ago he found a small patch which
yielded him some three or four thousand
pounds. He put this money on fixed deposit
and has been subsisting on the interest while
he continued his calling as a prospector.
In 1919 his income from prospecting was {40.
for the next four years it was nil. In
November, 1919, he found a rich patch at
Lake Austin, which produced {7,7.51 worth
of gold. Deducting the cost for mining
and treatment, amounting to {411, his
income from personal exertion was thus
{7,343. His income from property, that is to
AUGUST, 1921
101
say, the interest he drew on his former find
was set at £112, or total taxable income of
;f7,455. Out of the modest yield of his
earlier nest-egg (;£112) he is taxed
£35 Is. as income tax from property.
The tax on income from personal exertion
amounts to £1,616 Os. lid., or a total
Federal tax of £1,651 2s. 9d. In addition,
his State taxation was £1,647 17s., making
his total tax for this year £3,298 19s. Thus
he has to pay nearly half of his income.
If he had realized the harshness of such an
unjust tax, he would not have crushed all
the ore in May and June but would have
waited to June and July to bring the
operations into two different taxation years.
Thus he would have saved £2,000.
The Governments have realized the value
of the prospector, and have spent large sums
of money to foster the industry ; men have
been trained as metallurgists, geologists,
mining engineers, etc., and their experience
is an asset to Australia. But if the enter-
prise and grit of the man who finds the gold
or base metals is strangled by unjust
taxation, then the whole fabric of mining
must fall.
C. M. Harris.
TORONTO
July 6.
Porcupine. — While most branches of
mining industry are quiet, there is much
activity in the gold camps since labour
became more plentiful, and the operations
of the current year will probably establish
a new high record of production. Porcu-
pine has had such an influx of labour
that many have been unable to obtain house
accommodation, and are living in tents.
The increased efficiency of labour is indicated
by the statement that the Hollinger Con-
solidated is now mining and milling 2J tons
of ore daily for each man employed, whereas
when efficiency was at its lowest point it
was treating only 1\ tons per day for each
worker. At the annual meeting of the Dome
Mines Co., on June 14, General Manager H. P.
de Pencier stated that since the issue of the
annual report there had been a distinct
improvement in the outlook and the output
had greatly exceeded their expectations.
The ore recovered between the 8th and 10th
levels had fully carried out the promise of
the diamond - drilling, an ore-shoot 360 ft.
in length having been developed on the
10th level, while diamond-drilhng for 300 ft.
below that level indicated even richer ore
than had so far been recovered. The
Mclntyre closed a highly prosperous year
on June 30, and a forecast of the annual
report places the profits in the neighbourhood
of $1,000,000, the grade of the ore reserves
having been well maintained at an average
of about $11 to. the ton. No. 7 vein has been
reached by a cross-cut at the 1,375 ft. level,
where it shows a width of 20 ft. of ore, stated
to carry $30 to the ton. The Allied
Porcupine, capitalized at $5,000,000, has
taken over fifteen mining claims, aggregating
720 acres, together with the mining plant
and mill on the Three Nations property,
and has begun active development with
satisfactory results. New operations under
way include the development of the Big
Dyke and the Triplex, formerly known
as the Tommy Burns.
KiRKLAND Lake. — This district is
attracting much new capital, interest in it
having been stimulated by the prospect of
the construction of the proposed narrow-
gauge railway. The Lake Shore during
May recovered gold to the amount of
$29,637 from the treatment of 1,863 tons.
A rich ore-shoot is being opened up on the
.600 ft. level. The proposed enlargement of
the mill has been indefinitely postponed. The
annual report of the Kirkland Lake for the
year ending May 31 shows a profit on
operations of $34,990, compared with
$24,499 for the preceding year. The pro-
duction was $277,007, as against $107,071.
A new vein found by diamond-drilling from
the 900 ft. level, has been tapped by cross-
cutting, and shows gold content of $21 to the
ton over a width of 7 ft. At the Bidgood
a drift at the 300 ft. lev^-1 has encountered
good commercial ore showing visible gold.
Work is in progress at the Goodfish property,
about 3 miles north of the producing area,
with promising results. The Wood- Kirkland
has a force of men engaged in surface
exploration. A mining plant will be installed.
New enterprises in this field include the
Lebel Lode, Ltd., capitalized at $2,000,000,
which has taken up 100 acres lying north
of the Lebel Oro, and the White Kirkland
with $500,000 capital and a favourably
located property of 130 acres. The Kirkland
Lake Proprietary, which is controlled in
London, appears to be about to resume
active operations. Mr. S. C. Thomson, of
New York, has been visiting the properties,
but his report has not yet been published here.
Cobalt. — -The silver-mining industry con-
102
Till- MIXIXr. MAr.AZINE
tinucs much depressed owing to the low price
of silver. The exchange rate between Canada
and the United States enables the leading
producing mines to continue operations at a
low rate of profit. The Nipissing, during the
five months ended May, produced silver
valued at $724,131, as compared with
$1,7:^1 .-16 1 during the corresponding period
of 1020. The Mining Corporation of Canada
is operating at capacity and storing its silver.
The alterations in the mill increasing its
capacity from 160 tons per day to 300 tons,
with improved methods of treatment, have
reduced operating costs sufficiently to enable
the companj' to keep working in the
expectation of a profit. Recent discoveries
on the Buflalo property have increased the
ore reser\-es. At the annual meeting on
Jime 29, President J. P. Watson stated that
the most important step taken during the
year was the acquisition of a majority interest
in the Plin Flon copper property in Manitoba,
containing 16,000,000 tons of assured ore
and additional possible and probable ore
of 9,000,000 tons. The annual report of
the Beaver Consolidated for the year ended
February' 26 shows an operating loss of
S3, 617, as compared with an operating
profit of 8158,215 for the previous year.
The production of silver amounted to
157,274 oz., compared with 301,781. The
mine, which was closed down in December,
is kept pumped out ready for the resumption
of operations when conditions improve.
Sudbury. — The British America Nickel
Corporation has carried through its scheme
of financial reorganization, arranging for
capital as follows : $6,000,000 first income
bonds ; 518,500,000 second bonds ; and
$20,000,000 common stock. Hon. Edgar N.
Rhodes, of Amherst, N.S., speaker of the
Canadian House of Commons, has been
elected president and managing director,
and Captain D. Vogt, president of the
Norwegian Nickel Works, who was in charge
of the company's affairs during the
re-financing period, becomes vice-president
and managing director for the European
office. The corporation is awaiting an
improvement in market conditions before
reopening its mine and plants.
GoW'GAXDA. — At the Castle property of the
Trethewey much of the surface equipment has
been destroyed by fire, and the mine has
been closed down. Re-financing is in con-
templation before resuming operations, which
will not be a matter of difficulty, as the com-
pany has 400,000 shares in the treasury.
VANCOUVER. B.C.
July
Mackenzik Rivkk Oil. — The Imperial
Oil Company's monoiilane has made its
first trip to I'ort Norman oiltield. The
machine started from Edmonton at the
beginning of June, and made the trip in
slightly over 12 hours flying time. Stops
were made at Smith, Hay River, and
Simpson, the water route being followed.
Mr. Fullerton, the pilot of the machine,
returned to Peace River by power-boat,
the return trip occupying 25 days, and the
round trip, including the stop at Fort
Norman, less than a month. Pontoons
have been added to the company's mono-
planes, so that they may alight on water.
This has diminished their carrying power
considerably. Four new oil-boring rigs
have been dispatched to Norman by the
water route, so this year five holes will be
bored, besides the one at Great Slave Lake.
It is expected that a number of other con-
cerns will have oil rigs in the field before tlie
summer is over, some of which probably will
be in operation.
G. P. Mackenzie, Gold Commissioner for
the Yukon, has been appointed a land
commissioner for the North- West Territories,
in order that prospectors going to and from
the Fort Norman oilfield by way of the
Yukon may file their claims at Dawson,
instead of having to make a special trip to
Edmonton, as in the past. There arc many
that believe that the Yukon route is the
logical route to the oilfields both in winter
and summer. Steamers ply between
Skagway and the Pacific coast ports through-
out the year, and there is a year-round
train service from Skagway to Whitehorse,
over the White Pass railway. There is a
passable road from Whitehorse to the new
silver camp, at Mayo, and Mayo is only
350 miles from Norman.
Yukon Silver Mines. — The Yukon Gold
Co. took out more than 3,000 tons of high-
grade silver-lead ore from its property at
Keno Hill during the winter. The laws
governing mining in the Yukon and the
North-West Territories demand that ore
mined in these places shall be smelted in
Canada. Owing to the low metal prices at
present obtaining, no smelter in Canada was
willing to purchase this ore, so, by an Order
in Council permission has been granted to have
it smelted in the United States, and the ore
is being shipped to the Selby smelter, at the
head of San Francisco bay.
AUGUST, 1921
103
British Columbia Output. — The annual
report of the Minister of Mints for the year
1920 has just been issued. It shows the
value of the mineral production for the year
to have been $35,543,084. This figure is
within $50,000 of the preliminary estimate,
issued early in January, though the
individual items that go to make up that total
are vastly different from the early estimate.
As I stated at the time the prehminary
estimate was issued, the output of zinc then
given was far too great ; the revised figures
now show the estimate to have been nearly
30 million pounds in excess of the actual
production. The lead output given at that
time, however, was some IS million pounds,
and the copper output two million pounds
too low ; consequently the total value of the
final estimate has come out pretty close
to the preliminary one. The preliminary
estimate is made before all the returns have
been received, and evidently this year some
of the lead output was credited as zinc. As
both metals come from the same mines,
the error is an understandable one.
The following table gives the mineral
production for 1920, those of the preceding
year being given also, for comparison : —
1919. 1920.
Gold placer oz. 14,325 11,080
,. lode ..oz. 152,426 120,048
Silver oz. 3,403,119 3,337,849
Copper lb. 42,459.339 44,887,676
Lead lb. 29.475,968 39,331.218
Zinc lb. 56,737,651 47,208,268
Coal long tons 2,267,541 2,595,125
Coke long tons 91,138 67,792
The output of gold was 32,378 oz. less
than during the previous year. This was to
be expected, as the price of labour and
supplies remained high throughout the year,
causing the Nickel Plate mine at Hedley,
one of the principal producers, to close in
September. For the same reason little
placer mining was done in the province.
The Rossland mines, too, were closed on
account of labour troubles for a considerable
part of the year, and had it not been for the
energetic work at the Surf Inlet mine and the
opening of the new Premier mine, the gold
production would have been much lower than
it was. With the general reduction in the
wage-scale, amounting on an average to a
reduction of §1-25 per man per day, there has
been a revival in both placer and lode-gold
mining, and at the present time everything
points to a much larger production of gold
this year.
But for the production from the Dolly
Varden and Premier mines the output of
sUver would have been much less than it
was, as the Slocan district, which is the
principal silver-producing district of the
province, was closed by strikes during the
early part of the year and by the depressed
condition of the lead and zinc market towards
the end, the silver from this district being
obtained as a by-product in the production
of lead and zinc. The consequence was that
the output of the Slocan was less than half
of what it was in 1919.
The output of copper was maintained
through the energetic operations of the
Granby company throughout the year, and
of the Britannia company for the first ten
months of the year. Too much praise cannot
be given to the Granby company, which in
the early part of the year was in a really
precarious condition. A change of manage-
ment in June, 1920, however, has pulled the
company out of the fire. A gradual decrease
in the cost of the production of copper from
18-38 cents per pound in the first half of the
year to 14-01 cents for the second half was
effected. This has been still further reduced
this year, and at the present time copper is
being produced at 12-44 cents. There is still,
of course, no margin for profit at the present
price of copper, but it is expected that still
further reductions will be made in the cost
of operation, and, now that the coal strike
in Britain has been settled, there is likely to
be an improvement in the price of the metal.
The increase in the lead production is
due almost entirely to the output from the
Consolidated Mining and Smelting Co.'s
Sullivan mine at Kimberley. This is turning
out to be a really remarkable mine, and last
year accounted for about 26 millior pounds
of lead and 42 million pounds of zinc,
together with more than 300,000 oz. of
silver. The production of the Slocan, which
used to be the lead and zinc district of the
province, produced only 6 million pounds of
lead and less than 4 million pounds of zinc.
The reason for the low production has
already been given under silver.
The slight increase in the production of
coal has all come from the Crow's Nest
district, where the seams are large and more
cheaply worked. The output per under-
ground employee was 797 tons, and for all
employees 535 tons per man. The
corresponding figures at the Vancouver
Island collieries were 591 and 385 tons
respectively. With these outputs per man
it is difficult to understand why the retail
101
111 .MININ(. MA(,A/.INI
cost of coal remains so hij;h. In the C tow's
Nest field 101,019 tons of coal was con-
verted into coke iij bchivc ovens, and
li7,7i)2 tons of coke was produced. At the
(nanby ooniiiany's by-product ovens, at
Anyox, KHi.iXiO tons of Vancouver Island
coal blended with ^5,755 tons of Alberta coal
jiroduced 75,090 tons of coke, 88 l,:i'.t 1 {j;allons
of tar, •200,125 cu. ft. of gas, 151,802 gallons
refined motor fuel, and 2,100,;{55 lb. of
ammonium sulphate. [This coke docs not
appear to be included in the returns in the
table.— Editor.]
The only other minerals worthy of con-
sideration were 000 tons of manganese ore,
running better than oO"^,, which w-as
jiroiiuced from a new discovery on Cowichan
Lake, Vancouver Lsland, and 7,500 tons of
fluor-spar, valued at SI 75,000, which came
from Rock Candj' mine, in the Grand Forks
division.
Considering the depressed condition of the
base metal market during the latter part of
the year, the report cannot be considered
as other than satisfactory. It is difficult
to make any predictions for the future at
this time. The Granby is practically the
only copper concern operating in the province
at the present time, and it will not account for
more than 30 to 35 million pounds during this
year. The Britannia cannot possibly get
its new mill finished this year, and, considering
that the Canada Copper Corporation shut
down with copper at 15 cents, it is hardly
likely that it will restart this year. The Con-
solidated Mining and Smelting Co. will
produce a small amount of copper as a by-
product from its Rossland gold-copper ores.
It is keeping up its lead and zinc output,
more than 200,000 tons of ore having been
delivered at the smelter during the first half
of the present year, against 383,000 for the
whole of last year. It has improved its
electrolytic zinc process, too, considerably,
and is obtaining a much better extraction.
The Premier Gold Mining Co. wiU have its
concentrating plant and new tramway
finished, and should give a much larger output
than ever before. An enormous ore reserve
has been developed at the Premier, and
the mine may be confidently trusted to give
a continually increasing output of silver and
gold for some time to come. The Bclmont-
Surf Inlet Mines, Ltd., is opening up a new
mine, about three-quarters of a mile from the
present one, and it, too, should give a good
account of itself. The Dolly Varden mine,
which provided more than a quarter of the
silver ]iroduelion last j-ear, has not been
rcopenetl this year. The tenor of the ore
runs about 37 oz. of silver per ton, and, with
the heavy cost of maintenance of the
mountain railway from the mine to tide-
w.itrr, tliis ligure gives little margin for
jMotit at the present price of silver. The
president of the company paid a visit to
ICngland with a view to obtaining capital
for a concentration and cyanide plant at tin-
mine, but the time of his visit, with the coal
strike on hand and consequent waning rate
in money exchange between the two places,
evidently was not propitious. A considerable
sum of money has to be paid off to the old
company before the title of the mine is clear,
and this would make it difficult to raise
capital. Given a concent r.it ion jilant,
indications point to the Dolh' Varden
becoming a good property. Unfortunately,
howc\-er, development work has not been
maintained, and this would add considerably
to the difficulty in getting money.
Mining is still very quiet in the Slocan,
for the double rca.son that the ])rices of silver,
lead, and zinc remain low and there is no
satisfactory outlet for the product, the Con-
solidated Mining & Smelting Co. being able
to obtain all the lead and zinc ore it requires
from its Sullivan mine, and the tenor of the
bulk of the ore in the Slocan renders shipping
to United States smelters unprofitable, on
account of the high freight rates.
NEW BOOK CATALOGUE
The Technical Bookshop of The Mining
Magazine has issued a new catalogue of books
relating to mining, metallurgy, geology, and kindred
subjects, including oil and petroleum. This
catalogue will be sent post free on application.
PERSONAL
F. O'D. BoURKE has left for Nigeria.
L. Maurice Cockerell left on August 3 for
New York and Mexico.
Joseph Crankshaw has gone to Peru to take
over the management of the New Chuquitambo
gold mines.
Harvey Dodd is expected from Brazil.
B. E. Frayling has returned from Nigeria.
O. T. Gorton is home from Portugal.
F. R. Hockey, superintendent of the iron mines
of the Broken Hill Proprietary, has arrived in
London by way of the United States, and is now
visiting the Swedish iron mines.
Henry C. Jenkins is visiting Roumania.
Fred Johnson has been awarded the degree
of D.Sc. by the Birmingham University.
T. J. Jones has returned from the United States.
V. F. Stanley Low is expected home from
Sweden shortlv.
AUGUST 1921
105
D. J. Macdonald has left for West Africa.
William McNeill is back from Mexico.
Percy Marmion has been appointed general
manager in Burma for the Burma Corporation.
Humphrey M. Morgans has returned from the
East.
Arthur E. Page has left for the mines of the
Ashanti Goldfields Corporation, West Africa.
G. RoosE Paton has left for Nigeria.
H. G. Payne has left for Rhodesia.
John Pope has gone to South Africa.
.Albert Reis is back from Spain.
H. F. G. RoosE is back from Colombia.
T. Skewes Saunders has resigned as manager
of Las Dos Estrellas, El Oro, and has opened an
office as consulting mining engineer at 525 Edificio
La Mutua, Mexico City.
F. F. Sharpless has been appointed secretary
of the American Institute of Mining and
Metallurgical Engineers. He will be remembered
in this country as .American representative of
the Consolidated Mines Selection Company. As
to his personal character it may be said that he does
credit to his Quaker parentage.
R. G. Stickland is expected shortly from
Sarawak.
S. C. Thomson has been appointed consulting
engineer to the Kirkland Lake Proprietary
Company.
J. B. Tyrrell has been elected chairman of the
engineering section of the American Association
for the Advancement of Science, which will hold
its next meetmg at Toronto in December.
Arthur L. Walker, professor of metallurgy
in the Columbia University, is on holiday in Europe.
A. T. Watson has gone to the Gold Coast for the
Goldfields of Eastern Akkim
P. B. Waugh is now resident in Hungary.
A. Howell Williams has returned from Chile.
Ernest Williams is back from Canada.
Charles H. Eden, vice-chairman and managing-
director of Vivian & Sons, Ltd., Swansea, died on
July 28.
William Crosley died on July 31. He was for
many years in the service of Edmund Davis, and
was well known in West Africa as manager of the
Abbontiakoon and Prestea Block A.
Cornwallis F. H. Smith, for nearly 50 years on
the City reporting staff of The Times, died last
month. lie was well known in many circles where
his wide knowledge and accuracy of style were fully
appreciated. As a reporter of company meetings
he was unexcelled, Mr. Chisholm, of the Mining
World, being his only rival.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
The works of the Metropolitan -Vickers
Electrical Co., Ltd., at Trafford Park, Man-
chester, were described and illustrated in the Iron
and Coal Trades Review for July 15.
Hyatt, Ltd., of 4 Thurloe Place, South Kensing-
ton, London, S.W. 7, send \is their latest sectional
catalogue showing the appUcation of their roller
bearings to elevating and conveying machinery.
The Wolf Safety Lamp Co. (Wm. .Maurice,
Ltd.), of the Star Works, Leeds, send us particulars
of their acetylene lamps ; and the Federation
Lamp Co. (W'm. Maurice, proprietor), send us a
pamphlet relating to their new electric miners'
lamp.
Daniel Adamson & Co., Ltd., of Dukinfield,
near Manchester, send us a pamphlet giving a brief
account of the expansion of their business since
its foundation in 1851, and of some of their
specialities : steam-engines, turbo-blowers, air-
compressors, etc.
A. J. M. Sharpe, at one time with the Broken
Hill Associated Smelters, and more recently
managing director of H. S. WiUcocks & Co., Ltd.,
has established the International Metal Service,
with offices at 13-14, Walbrook, London, E.G. 4.
The object of this service is to supply commercial
and technical information relating to mines, ores,
metals, chemical products, etc.
The Sullivan Machinery Co., of Chicago
(London Office : Salisbury House, E.C. 2), send us
Bulletin 78a, which describes their dry vacuum
pumps of single-cylinder type. These are equipped
with the Sullivan improved wafer-type plate valve
for both intake and discharge openings. They are
built for steam or belt driving. All the moving
parts are enclosed and are fully lubricated by the
splash method-
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The standard copper market in London
at the beginning of July exhibited quite a firm tone,
but later on values receded. The chief feature in
the situation has undoubtedly been the appreciation
of the dollar, which tended to restrict demand from
Europe, and by curtailing the United States'
export sales caused weakness in the New York
quotation, and a sympathetic easiness here. As
regards the London market, there is little doubt
that the firm manner in which values held up
during the coal stoppage discounted the improve-
ment in consumption which was expected to follow
the settlement, and although some slight improve-
ment has been noticeable of late, it has not been
sufficient to sustain values, which have been
ruling at below the American parity. America, of
course, is and must continue to be, the dominating
influence, and much will depend on the attitude
of producers there. The latter recently have shown
rather more willingness to shade prices, and it may
be that they have at last realized that the only way
to restore the industry to a firm basis will be to cut
down costs and reduce prices. The present United
States output is, of course, drastically restricted,
and only the vastness of the stocks in existence
there and the paucity of world demand prevent
its effect being felt at the present time. With
regard to European demand, both France and
Germany are taking fair quantities ; and in this
connexion it is rather surprising that Germany
should be the chief foreign purchaser of American
electrolytic at the moment, bearing in mind that
she has to pay in cash owing to the fact that the
credit scheme of the Copper Export Association has
not been applied to her. Reports from Huelva
are to the effect that the copper mining industry
there is in a not too hopeful condition, but, in
response to an appeal from the management the
workmen have volunteered to work extra time
without pay. A report from Australia states that
there is no possibility of immediate resumption of
smelting at the Hampden Cloncurry, unless a sub-
stantial reduction in wages, freights, and stores is
effected.
Average price of cash standard copper : July,
106
THE MINING MAi.AZINE
Daily London Metal Prices: Official Closing
Copper, Lcid, Zinc, and Tin por Long Ton ;
CopriR
StnndixrJ i..i
h
Standard (3 mos.)
Electrolytic
Wire Bars
Best Selected
July
C »•
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£ s.
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0
to 77 0
0
70 10
0
to
72 10 0
20
August
2
70 6
0
to 70
7
6
70 12
6
to 70 15
0
75 0
0
to 77 0
0
75 0
0
to 77 0
0
70 10
0
to
72 10 0
70 5
0
to 70
7
0
70 12
e
to 70 15
0
74 10
0
to 7C 10
0
71 10
0
to 76 10
0
70 5
0
to
72 5 0
3
70 2
6
to 70
5
0
70 10
0
to 70 12
6
74 10
0
to 711 10
0
74 10
0
to 70 10
0
70 5
0
to
72 5 0
4
70 2
6
to 70
5
0
70 10
(1
to 70 12
6
74 10
0
to 70 10
0
74 10
0
to 76 10
0
70 5
0
to
72 5 0
5
70 5
0
to 70
7
6
70 12
6
to 70 15
0
74 0
0
to 70 0
0
74 0
0
to 76 0
0
70 5
0
to
72 5 0
8
70 0
0
to 70
2
6
70 7
6
to 70 10
0
74 0
0
to 75 10
0
74 0
0
to 75 10
0
70 5
0
to
72 5 0
1921, ;^71 4s. 4d. ; June, 1921, £7\ ISs. 2d. ; July,
1920, /90 5s. 6d. ; June, 1920, ;(;88.
Tin. — A drifting tendency has been noticeable
in the London standard tin market during the
past month, and after a slight rally at the com-
mencement values steadily receded. Consumption
during July was consistently poor, chiefly owing
to the non-appearance of the expected revival in
the tinplate industry. With genuine consumers
practically out of the market, the standard market
was inevitably dominated by the tactics of
professional operators who are apparently unwiUing
to give the market much support. At one time a
little inquiry was seen from the United States, no
doubt inspired by the proposal to impose a duty of
2 cents per lb. on imported tin, but on the whole
American demand has been quiet, neither the fall
here nor the drop in sterling exchange succeeding
in attracting any serious buying interest. The
Continent, however, has been a moderate purchaser
of late. As regards the East the belief that pro-
duction there is somewhat in excess of current
demand seems to be confirmed by the greater
\vilUngness to sell, which is now apparent in the
Straits. Fair quantities, indeed, have been dis-
posed of there at comparatively reasonable prices.
The future of the market is a little obscure at the
present time, as, although the quotation may not
necessarily be exorbitant, the existence of large,
tied-up stocks in the East and the probability of
a further surplus accumulating cannot be regarded
with much optimism.
Average price of cash standard tin : July, 1921,
/164 13s. Id. ; June, 1921, /167 12s. lOd. ; July,
1920, i262 Is. 5d. ; June, 1920, /250 18s. 6d.
Le.^d. — Remarkable steadiness was the feature
of the lead market in London during the month of
July, and values on balance were little changed.
A fair amount of speculative activity of a bullish
nature was evident, but this factor alone hardly
accounted for the firm appearance of the market.
Holders have continued their firm attitude, while
consumers have also maintained their previous
policy of buying mainly for immediate delivery.
The net result has been that not only has the con-
centration of consumers' demand upon the prompt
position been a sustaining factor, but that when-
ever delayed shipments entailed a shortage of near
metal, values rose appreciably. Under these cir-
cumstances, the early position still commands a
fair premium over forward. Consuming demand,
on the whole, has been much better in this market
than in most of the other metal markets.
Indications are not lacking that possibly the near
future will see larger arrivals of lead, and it is
quite probable that Spain will cease to feature as
the sole supplier. Indeed, during July metal arrived
here both from Australia and America, and should
Me.xico continue to dispatch fair quantities of
metal into the United States, further shipments
from the latter country are to be expected. As
regards Australia, it is not believed that Broken
Hill consignments on any scale are possible for some
time yet. In America the market has been easy
on the whole, and some interests have withdrawn
owing to the fact that the present prices mean a
considerable loss. Quite possibly further cuts
will be made in the United States output.
Average price of soft pig lead : July, 1921,
/23 .Ss. lOd ; June, 1921, ;^22 9s. Id. ; July, 1920,
£35 9s. ; June, 1920, £35 Is. 4d.
Spelter. — The course of values in the London
spelter market during July was steadily downwards,
although the net loss was not considerable. This
seems to have been due to the continuance of an
extremely poor consuming demand and rather more
willingness on the part of holders to liquidate.
Probably some holders have got tired, which is not
surprising in view of the present poor industrial
outlook and the complexity of the spelter situation.
The expected revival in the galvanizing industry
has not yet materialized to any extent, and, indeed,
seems impossible just at present, and therefore
very little improvement can be expected in genuine
consumptive demand. On the other hand, supplies
have continued restricted. The Silesian question
is still undecided, and what with the Reparations
Act and the German -Polish dispute, fresh supplies
are unlikely from that quarter for some time.
Belgium and Norway have recently displayed a
AUGUST, 1921
107
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tim
Silver
ZlKC
Spelter)
Gold
Soft Foreign
Englis
h
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
C s.
d. i s.
d.
£ s-
i. i ?.
d. i s.
d. 1
£ s.d. £ s.
d.
I s.
d. i s.
d.
d.
d.
s. d.
Julv
23 2
6 to 23 0
0
24 10
0 26 17
6 to 27 7
6
166 0
0 to 166 5
0
168 10
0 to 168 15
0
365
36S
112 10
11
23 2
6 to 23 0
0
24 10
0 26 15
Oto27 7
6
166 5
0 to 166 10
0
168 5
0 to 108 10
0
37
36}
113 4
12
23 2
6 to 23 0
0
24 10
0 26 12
6 to 27 7
6
136 15
0 to 167 0
0
169 0
0 to 169 5
0
37}
37i
112 9
13
23 5
0to23 2
3
24 10
0 26 10
Oto27 5
0
166 5
0 to 166 10
0
168 5
0 to 168 10
0
37}
371
37?
113 2
14
23 7
0to23 5
0
24 15
0 26 5
Oto27 0
0
165 10
0 to 165 15
0
167 15
0 to 168 0
0
37}
113 4
15
23 7
6 to 23 5
0
24 15
0 26 5
Oto27 0
0
164 10
0 to 161 15
0
166 15
0 to 167 0
0
371
36?
113 9
18
23 10
0to23 5
0
24 15
0 26 0
0 to 25 15
0
161 10
0 to 161 15
0
164 0
0 to 164 5
0
37J
305
36i
115 0
19
23 10
Oto23 5
0
25 0
0 26 0
0 to 20 12
6
100 0
0 to 160 5
0
162 5
0 to 162 10
0
37
114 4
20
24 -i
6 to 23 12
6
25 5
0 25 10
0 to 20 5
0
161 0
0 to 161 5
0
163 0
0 to 163 5
0
38
371
11411
21
24 2
6 to 23 12
G
25 5
0 26 0
0 to 26 15
0
102 15
0 to 163 0
0
164 15
0 to 165 0
0
38
37J
114 9
22
23 17
6 to 23 10
0
25 5
n 25 15
0 to 26 10
0
160 15
0 to 161 0
0
162 15
0 to 163 0
0
381
38i
38i
114 8
25
23 10
0 to 23 2
6
24 15
0 25 12
6 to 26 7
6
loS 5
0 to 158 10
0
160 5
0 to 160 10
0
382
114 10
26
23 2
6 to 22 17
6
24 10
0 , 25 12
6 to 26 7
6
158 5
0 to 158 10
0
160 5
0 to 160 10
0
39
38J
38|
11410
27
23 12
6 to 23 2
6
24 15
0
25 12
6 to 26 7
6
159 5
0 to 159 10
0
161 3
0 to 161 10
0
391
11410
28
23 7
G to 23 0
0
24 15
0
25 19
0to23 5
0
159 15
0 to 160 0
0
161 15
0 to 162 0
0
38}
38
115 2
29
Aug.
2
23 12
6 to 23 2
6
25 0
0
25 5
0to26 2
6
158 10
0 to 153 15
0
160 10
0 to 160 15
G
383
38 i
115 5
23 15
0 to 23 7
6
25 0
0
25 0
0 to 25 15
0
157 10
0 to 157 15
0
159 15
0 to 160 0
0
388
384
115 5
3
23 15
0 to 23 7
6
25 0
0 25 5
0to26 0
0
158 0
0 to 158 5
0
160 0
0 to 160 5
0
3Si
3SJ
115 1
4
24 0
0 to 23 10
0
25 5
0 ; 25 10
0to26 7
6
159 5
0 to 159 10
0
101 5
0 to 161 10
0
383
38|
114 2
5
23 15
0to23 7
G
25 0
0 25 15
0to26 10
0
161 10
0 to 162 0
0
163 10
0 to 162 0
0
38J
371
113 3
8
little more desire to sell and moderate quantities
have come in. The stocks in the United Kingdom
are not particularly extensive, but are quite ample
to meet the poor demand which at present exists.
Production in Belgium is still restricted and was
some 4,370 tons in June, against 4,360 tons in May.
In the United States the market has been dull,
and the position there does not inspire much
confidence. At the moment, however, conditions
are hardly favourable for shipments of surplus metal
from that country to this side.
Average price of spelter : July, 1921, £2Q 123. ;
June, 1921, £21 2s. 2d. ; July, 1920, £42 13s. 3d. ;
June, 1920, /42 2s. lid.
Zinc Dust. — Prices are fairly steady ; high-
grade Australian £'55 per ton, English 92 to 94%
about £52 10s., and American 92 to 94 °i /52 10s.
Antimony. — English regulus has kept very
steady ; ordinary brands /37 to £40, special brands
£38 5s. to £42, and 98 to 99% £29 to £32. Foreign
in warehouse shows a slight advance on the month
at £24 10s. to £25 per ton.
Arsenic — The market has continued dull, and
the quotation for Cornish white is nominal at £45
per ton, delivered London or Liverpool.
Bismuth. — No recent change has been made in
the quotation, which continues at 7s. 6d. per lb.
Cadmium. — The price continues at 6s. to 6s. 3d.
per lb.
.\luminium. — The quotation is about £115 to
£125 per ton.
Nickel. — Producers quote £190 for both home
and export, but this price is somewhat nominal.
Cobalt Metal. — The price is nominally 15s.
to 16s per lb., but there are sellers at slightly less.
Cobalt Oxide. — Black oxide is still quoted at
12s., and grey is also unchanged at 13s. 6d. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — Platinum is un-
changed, manufactured material being priced at
£20 and raw at £17 per oz., while palladium is also
steady, with manufactured metal quoted at £20
and raw at £15.
Quicksilver. — The market is quiet, and values
are slightly lower at about £10 17s. 6d. per bottle.
Selenium. — Sellers quote 10s. 6d. to 13s. per lb.
Tellurium. — The quotation is easier at 80s.
to 90s. per lb.
Sulph.ate of Copper. — The quotation is un-
changed at £30 per ton, for both home and export.
Manganese Ore. — The price of Indian grades
is rather nominal at Is. 2d. per unit c.i.f. U.K.
Tungsten Ore. — The market is quiet and
variable. The present quotation for 65% WO3
is about 12s. 6d. to 13s. 6d. per unit.
Molybdenite. — The quotation is dull and rather
nominal at 42s. to SOs. per unit c.i.f.
Chrome Ores. — Indian and African grades have
eased slightly to £4 10s. c i.f.
Silver. — The London silver quotation was
firmer during the month of July. The price opened
at 35Jd. on the 1st, rose to 37id. on the 9th, relapsed
to 36|d. on the Uth, advanced to 37id. on the 13th,
and then fell to 37d. on the 20th. Subsequently
the quotation was marked up to 39W, on the 28th,
followed by 38|d. on the 29th. The price closed
the month on July 30 at 39 Jd.
Graphite. — Madagascar, 80 to 90%, has kept
very steady at £20 to £25 per ton c.i.f.
Iron and Steel. — The resumption of operations
on the part of producing plants, since the settle-
ment of the coal dispute, has been slow. This is
mainly accounted for by the price of coal, which is
still too high to permit of economic working. A
very few blast-furnaces have been started, and the
product of most of these is for use in the same
plants. Most ironmasters are reluctant to resume
production till they see a chance of doing so at a
profit, and a substantial reduction in coke prices
will be necessary if the prices of home producers
are to be on a competitive basis with Continental
offers. The stocks of good grades of foundry iron
in makers' hands are very low, as a result of the
protracted stoppage of production In the case
of manufactured material the delay in starting is
no doubt partly attributable to lack of sufficient
orders to permit of regular working. There is a
certain amount of inquiry about, but business is
slow to mature. Keen ■ competition is still in
evidence on the part of the Continent, and a fair
amount of Continental material is changing hands.
108
ll!i: MININC. MACAZINI'.
STATISTICS
PnoBvciioN OF Gold in thi Traksvaal.
Rand
Else-
where
Total
Oi.
Or.
Oi.
Price o(
Gold per ox.
June, 1920 C9P,100 ! 10,753 I 715,857
July 718,521 17„'i7S 78(i,0»D
Au/just CS3,604 18,479 702,083
Septcmlwr , li05,486 16,687 , 682,173
October ' 645,819 16,65.3 662,472
November 618,525 15,212 , 63S.797
December 617,549 14,666 632,215
102
105
112
115
117
117
115
Total. 1920 7,949,038 204,587 8,153,625
January, 1921 . . . 637,425 14,16.'*
l-cbruary I 643,767 I 14,370
March 656,572 14,651
April 665,309 I 16,073
May 671,7.% ( 16,026
June i 663,383 I 15.107
651,593
688,137
671,123
681,882
687,776
676.400
105
103
103
1C3
103
107
Nativks Employed im trb Transvaal Mikes.
Gold
mines
Coal
mines
Diamond
mines
Total
June 30, 1920 i 179,827
July31 1 174,187
August31 1 169,263
September 30 163,132
October 31 ! 1,'>9.420
November 30 ' 158,773
December 31 1 159,671
January 31, 1921 ... 165,287
February 28 171,518
March 31 174,364
April 30 172,826
May31 170,595
June 30 | 168,152
13,036
4,506
]97,4f.9
13,005
4,521
191,713
13,535
4,244
187,042
13,71fi
4,323
181,171
13,858
4,214
177,498
14,245
8,504
176,522
14.263
3,340
1 177,274
14,541
14,697
14,906
14,908
14,510
14.704
3,319
1,612
1,3H4
1,310
1,302
1.317
1S1,147
187,827
100,634
189,050
180,407
184,173
Cost and Profit o.n the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the Transvaal
Cbamber of Mines.
Work'g
Work'g
Total
Tons
Yield
cost
profit
working
milled
per ton
per ton
/per ton
profit
s. d.
s. d.
s. d.
£
June. 1920 . . .
2,146,890
31 10
25 2
6 8
692,510
July
2,194,050
33 6
24 6
9 0
985,058
August
2,0.57,500
36 11
25 0
11 11
1,226.806
September . . .
1,9.50,410
38 U
25 6
13 6
1,276.369
October
1,871,140
39 9
26 1
13 S
1,278,385
November . . .
1,799,710
40 2
26 8
13 1
1,255.749
December . . .
1,797,970
39 11
26 8
13 3
1,193.672
Januarv, 1921
1,895,235
35 0
26 3
8 9
829,436
February
1,. 576,320
35 6
28 6
7 0
5.50,974
March
1,958,730
34 5
26 1
8 4
813,636
AprU
1.981.815
M 5
25 10
8 7
854,533
May
1,955,357
35 3
26 2
9 1
889,520
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1920
1921
January , . .
February , .
March ....
April
May
June
July
August . . . .
September .
October . . .
November .
December .
C
211,917
220,885
225,808
213,160
218,057
2!4,215
214,911)
207,339
223,710
204,184
180,462
158,835
43,423
44,237
4.5,779
47,090
46,266
45,054
46,208
48,740
45,471
47,343
46,782
46,190
oz.
40,956
40,810
31,995
47,858
48,744
49,400
Transvaal Cols Outputs.
i May I
Juno
Treated i
Tons
Yield
Oz.
1 Treated
I Tons
Aurora West
BraKpan
City Deep
Cons. Lan(^laa(jte
Cons. Main Reef
Crown Mines
D'rb'n RoodepoortDccp
Fast Kand P.M
Ferrcira Deep
Geduld
Gcldi-nhuis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburg . . .
Goch
Government G.^I. Areas
Kleinfontein
Knij^ht Central
Langlaa^tc Estate .
l.nipaard's Vlei ....
Meyer & Charlton . .
Modderfontein j
?Iod(!rrfortein V>
Modderfontcin Deep . .
Modderfontein East
New Unified
Nourse
Primrose
Kandfontein Central . .
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodcpoort United . . .
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Trans\aal G.M. Estates.
Van Kyn
Van Ryn Deep
Vill.nge'Dcep [
West Rand Consohdated
W'itw'tersr'iid (Knights)i
VVitw atersrand Deep . .
Wolhuter
10,8.50
54,500
86,000
39,000
48,fK)0
188,000
27,600
130,000
83,100
46,000
48,687
8,370
16,300
184,000
47,700
27,500
38,500
20,770
13.700
88.000
68,000
41,300
24,000
11,000
42,200
20,900
121 ,(,-00
38,500
59,000
22,400
62,000
60,000
'43,900
9,000
15,620
32,500
49,000
46,000
33,100
35,800
35,200
31,400
Yickl
Oz.
• Gold at £5 7s. 6d. per oz. f £5 ;
§ £5 Is. 3d.
£16,a7.''t 10.040 £1B,182«
22,795 58,700 20,971
87,251 85,.500 30,128
£65,209t 44,300 £07,905«
17,684 40,200 16,800
58,149 190,000 64,;-;:)7
9,638 27,000 0,195
85,658 123,500 33,034
10,907 32,300 10,020
15,670 44,500 14,815
18,240 ' 4.5,068 12,428
£6,62ii§ 8,805 i £7,7101
£20,102+ ; 17,800 ! £19,940*
£260,080t ' 129,000 I £275,55(1«
13„345 48,000 ' 13,795
7,107 28,100 08,810
£63,448t 40,200 £r.5,7n{j»
£24,112t 21,550 £20,,S(;0«
£42,166t 18,000 £41,(f.O*
43,680 06,000 45,103
82,038 57,500 82,556
28,233 42,000 23,884
10,353 24,100 9,753
£13,202+ 11,'JOO £18,.571»
13,990 42,000 13,561
£28,807t 21,600 £23,814*
£183,779t 123,600 £201,427*
8,035 42,000 7,905
18,147 56,300 17,404
£23,000t 22,200 £24,434*
13,705 53,500 13,876
14,017 61,400 14,186
19,596 41,500 18.806
5,914 9,500 6,698
£24,312§ 15,590 £23,282t
£48,437t 32,200 £49,225
£136,246t 51,000 £144,520*
15,141 47,000 15,212
Z48,411t 32,000 £48,802
£48,442t 37,400 £53,995
9,568 34,891 9,513
7.670 I 82.600 I '7342_
3s. 9d. per oz. J £5 6s. per oz.
per oz.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
May
Tons
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planet-.\rcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G.M. & I. . .
Shamva
Transvaal h Rhodesian
11,200
16.637
3,324
P,364
1,350
5,440
6.820
6.800
245
55.500
1,600
Oz.
* Also 270 tons copper. t At
II Also 268 tons copper.
£12,978+
3,144*
1,281
5,069
470
£3,422
6,396
2.942
2,630
210
£42,.582t
£5,307t
June
Ton.=
11,700
15,572
3,406
0,185
1.300
2,4S7
6.350
5,700
5,700
528
56,300
1,550
Oz.
3,061
3,88111
1,271
5,386
485
£8,051
5,280
2,438
2,547
279
£43,94 6§
£6,068+
par. X Gold at £5 5s. per oz.
§ Gold at £5 10s. per oz.
Total
52.4PP
S'71.a35
West African Gold Outputs.
May
June
Treated
Value
Treated ) Value
Abbontiakoon
Tons
6,804
6,825
6,727
1,018
7,312
2,600
Oz.
£10,807*
2,252
7,839
£3,265+
£12,437*
1,664
Tons
6,550
6,305
6,692
S39
7,177
2,700
Oz.
£10,9:7*
2,C90
Akoko
Ashanti GoIdBcIds
6,626
£2,555t
£13,091*
1,729'
Prestea Block A
Taquah
' At par. t Including premium.
AUGUST,^ 1921
109
West Australian Gold Statistics. — Par Values.
Reported , Delivered
for Export to Mint
Oz. Oz.
Total
Oz.
Total
Value £
October, 1920 174
November 12S
December 321
JaDuary, 1921 523
February 684
March 10
April 607
Alay 474
June 153
July 1,641
53,801
53,975
229,275
54,729
54,857
233,017
53,595
.53,916
229,057
50,934
.51,457
218,574
26.872
27,556
117,050
47,875
47,885
203,401
46,602
47,209
200,635
47,638
51,503
217,495
28,194
28,347
120,410
44,917
46,558
197,774
Australian Gold Ovipuis.
West
Australia
Victoria
Queensland
New South
Wales
1921
oz.
oz.
oz.
£
January .
51,458
4,587
4,582
20,403
February.
27,557
10,940
9,046
21,575
March . . .
47,886
12,383
6,090
24,344
April ....
47,273
5,954
2,591
34,101
May ....
48,113
—
15,356
June
—
11.340
July
—
16,416
August. . .
. —
September
i_
—
October .
November
December
—
-
—
—
Total . .
222,287
33,865
22,909
144,095
Australasian Gold Outputs.
Jlay
June
Tons
Value i
Tons
Value £
Associated G.M. (W.A.)
6,023
7,28511
5,962
7,65811
Blackwater (N.Z.)
2,744
5,'155' ■
2,927
6,290*
BullBnch (W.A.)
Gold'n Horseshoe (W.A)
4,032
2,454t
10,032
5,253t
Grt Boulder Pro. (W..\.)
4,150
12,883i;
8,743
27,3221!
Ivanhoe (W.A.)
4,483
i,.53i:
15,425
5,958{
Kalgurli (W.A.)
4.958
11,250;|
1,572
4,371|i
Lake View & Star (W.A.)
4,012
in,274f||
6,360
15,2251il
Menzies Con. {W.A.I . .
2,070
4,309*
Mount Eoppy (N.S.W.)
4,874
83ot
2,166
5801
Oroya Links (W.A.) ...
1,548
7,418tll
1,597
7,429tll
Progress (N.Z.)
—
—
Sons of Gwaha (W.A.) .
—
.
_
South KalgurU (W.A.) .
—
—
11,364
18,66311
Waihi(N.Z.)
11,959 ■
.%511t
2.'),738|
13,702 ■[
4,004t
36,003§
„ Grand Junc'n (N.Z.) .
6,020 [
1,790J
6,0S9§
5,700 \
1,7301
5,792§
Yuanmi(W.A.)
1,K!2
5,511«
1,666
4,513*
' Including
premium ; + Including royalties ; t Oz. gold 1
§ Oz. silver ; |1 At par.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs.
May
June
Tons
Value /
Tons Value £
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia)
El Oro (.Mexico)
Esperanza (.Mexico)
Frcntino & Bolivia (C'lbia)
Mexico El Oro (Mexico). .
Mining Corp. of Canada .
Oriental Cons. (Korea) . . .
Ouro Preto (Brazil)
Plym'th Cons. (CaUfmia
St. John del Rey (Brazil).
Santa Gertnidis (Mexico)! 37,258
Tolima (Colombia) 55*'
Tomboy (Colorado) ! 10,000
34,500
2,340
11,500
6,700
8,600
2S2§
207,000t
2,1881}
8,777
181,7801
94.000t
2,41011
8,900
33,009
10.742}
65,0001
34,500
2,340
11,510
6,400
8,000
36,602
18,500
360§
209,0001
32911
10,737*
182,0701
94,0001
2,40911
8,120
40,000*
14,208t
58,0001
• At par. t U.S. Dollars, t Proftt, gold and silver. |l Oz. gold.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. ** Production of silver ore.
Ncchi (Colombia) : IS days to July 1, tl0,S79 from 165,407 cu. yd. ;
18 days to July 19, f 12,006 from 109,247 cu. yd.
Pato (Colombia) : 16 days to Julv 9, S14,93(3 from 71,482 cu. yd. i
16 days to July 25, 51 1,507 from 70,080 cu. yd.
Indian Gold Outputs.
May.
June.
Tons
Treated
Fine
Ounces
Tons
Treated
Fine
Ounces
Balaghat
3,300
12,215
16,818
700
8,630
12,J)00
2,609
4,.561
10,776
913
5,315
8,482
3,200
11,988
17,243
700
8,916
12,000
2,342
4,607
10,5CG
913
5,304
8.476
Champion Reef
North Anantapur
Nundydroog
Ooregum •
Production of Gold in India.
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
January . . .
February . .
March . . . .
April
May
Jure
July
August . . . .
September .
October . . ,
November .
December .
Total ..I 520,362 i 485,236 I 461,171 1444,532 I 1 96,3'
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
44,713
41,420
38,184
39,073
42,560
40,757
36,384
38,872
44,617
41,719
38,317
38,760
43,726
41,504
38,248
37,307
42,901
40,889
38,608
38.191
42,924
41,264
38,359
37,864
42,273
40,229
38,549
37,129
42,591
40,490
37,850
37,375
43,207
40,088
36,813
35,497
43,041
39,472
37,138
35,023
42,915
36,984
39.628
34,522
44,883
40,149
42,643
34,919
Oz.
34.028
32.529
32,576
32,363
32,650
32,207
Ba^e Metal Outputs.
May 1 June
Broken HjII Prop...
Broken Hill South .
Burma Corporation.
Hampden Cloncurry
Mount Lyell
Arizona Copper Short ton? copper . .
I Tons lead cone. . . ,
British Broken Hill . . - -' Tons zinc cone
( Tons carbonate ore
' Tons lead cone. . . ,
* * ( Tons zinc cone. . . . ,
. .Tons lead cone ,
I Tons refined lead . ,
' * I Oz. refined silver . .
( Tons copper ,
* * i Oz. gold ,
j Tons copper
. . J Oz. silver ,
{ Oz. gold ,
Mo-t Morgan "I S^omT'. !
North Broken Hill ■' Tons lead . . .
I Oz. silver . . .
Rhodesia Broken Hill
Sulphide Corporation . .
Tons lead .
J Tons lead cone.
'i Tons zinc cone .,
Tanganyika Tons copper
Zinc Corporation -' ?°"^ f'"S "=°"'^--
^ I Tons lead cone.
2,897
2,781
353,003
435
10,432
277
1,760
1,006
3,093
2,846
9,745
811
2,533
2,323
266,893
451
14,316
280
1,559
3,222
5,320
2,736
9,315
865
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc., into United Kingdom.
May
June
Coal
Iron Ore
Manganese Ore . -
Copper and Iron P>Tites . . . .
Copper Ore, .Matte, and Prec.
Copper Metal
Tin Concentrate . . .
Tin Metal
Lead, Pig and Sheet
Zinc (Spelter)
Quicl<silver
Zinc Oxide
White Lead
Barytes, ground
Phosphate
Sulphur
Nitrate of Soda
Petroleum
Crude
Lamp Oil
Motor Spirit
Lubricating Oil
Gas Oil
Fuel Oil
.Tons .
.Tons .!
.Tons .
.Tons .
. Tons .
.Tons .
. Tons .
.Tons .
.Tons .
.Tens .
.Lb. .
.Tons .
.Cwt. .
.Cwt. .
.Tons .
. Tons . I
.Cwt. .
450,162
15,696
21,518
5,170
291
7,609
1,051
1,205
10,709
2,206
7,865
309
2.8S5
6,987
14,704
18,994
.Gallons, 9,299,586
.Gallons 9,034,974
.Gallons 28,364,422
.Gallons 3,750,784
.Gallons: 1,494,292
.Gallons' 47,952,217 I 54;32i;777
1,390,824
34,209
8,334
3,881
1,373
8,542
2,174
965
12,103
2,593
385,528
340
4,323
12,187
13,875
19,800
7,137,546
16,939,260
16,390,603
1,953,902
7,181,277
110
Till- MlNIXi; MAC.AZIXE
Oi'triTS Of Tis Mining Coupaniks.
la Tom of Concentrate.
April
Nlmriit : Tons
AssKinted Nigerian —
Biiichi 27
Bonitwclli i —
Champion (Nigeria) —
Du» —
Ex-Ljinds 20
rilani 2
Oold Coast Consolidated ... —
Gunim Kiver 7
laittar —
Jos 0
Knduna 10
Kaduna Prospectors 11
Kano —
Kctli ConsolkiattHi
Lower Di«ichi 4i
Lucky Chaucc —
Minua —
Mongu 3G
Naraputa 45
Naraguta Extended i 8
Nigerian Consoliiatcd 8
N.N. I^auchi 41*
Ortin River i —
Rayfield 30
Kopp 95
Rukuba 5
South Bukeru 20
Sybu II
Tin Fields 4
Yarde Kerri 13
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang j —
Gopeng 77J
Idris Hydraulic I 21
Ipoh I —
Kamuntiog • —
Kinta 36
Lahat [ 51
Malavan Tin 77
Pahang '. 230
Rambutan ' 15i
Sungei Besi ' 34
Tekka 31
Tekka-Taiping i 11
TroDoh ' 22
Cornwall :
East Pool I —
Geevor : —
South Crofty —
Other Countries :
Araraayo Francke (Bolivia) . 195
Berenguela (Bolivia) ' 27
Briseis (Tasmania) 8
Deebook Ronpiboo (Siam) . . 28
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal) .... —
Macready (Swaziland) —
Rsnong (Siara) 72
Rooiber^ Mineralsi'Transvaal) 50
Siamese Tin (Siam) 76
Tongkah Harbour (Siam) ... 43
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal) —
Mjy
Tons
161
2a
6
33
107
50
120
54
13
June
Ton*
33
15
321
35
40
38
8
20
6i
9
42
64
__
31
97
104
3
3
10
16
11
U
11
9i
_
09'
83J
361
19
13J
20
5}
82*
35J
35J
50i
52
8:1
8(35
248
240
16
15
36
33
36
30
lOJ
2U
21
20
165
28
9
32
01
55
124
10
2
4
7
10
22t
4
7
11
101
81
10
* Three months. t Tributers.
Nigerian Tin Production.
in long tons of concentrate of unspecified content.
I'^oU. — Thesf fissures are tahcn from the vionthly returv.s made by
individual companies reporting in London, and probably represent
85% of the actual o\ttpiits.
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons !
Tons
January
531
667
678
013
547
438
Februaiy
,528
616
008
623
477
370
March
547
655
707
606
505
445
April
486
555
584
546
467
394
May
536
510
509
473
523
492
483
4R4
383 '
435
337
June
321
July
506
479
545
481
484
August
498
551
571
610
447
—
September ....
535
538
5''0
561
528
—
October
584
578
491
625
62S
—
November ....
679
621
472
536
544
—
December
654
655
518
511
577
—
Toul
6,594
6,927
6,771
6,685
0,022
2,305
ritonucnoN or Tin in FrprRATro Matay Statis.
listimatcd at 7U% of Concentrate shipped to Snieltetm
LonK Tons.
1017
1918
1919
1920
1021
Tons
January 3,B5«
Febniarv 2.755
March '. 8,280
April I 3,251
May I 3,113
June 3,489
July 3.253
August : 3,413
September 3,154
October I 3,4.30
November ; 3,800
December \ 8,525
39,833
Tons
Tons
Tom
3,030
3,765
4,265 1
3,197
2,734
8,014
2,609
2,819
2,770
3,808
2,858
2,000
3, .332
8,407
2.741
3,070
2,877
2,940
8,373
3,75C
2,824
8.259
2,950
2,730
3,157
3,161
2,734
2,870
3,221
2,837
3,132
2,972
2,578
3,022
2,409
2,838
87,370
30,935
34,928
Tons
8,298
3,111
2,190
2,092
2,884
2,752
10,927
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long Tons,
1 May 31
Str.iits and Australi.nn Spot 1 1,430
Ditto, Landing and in Transit . .| 585
Oilier Standard, Si^ot and Landing 4,457
Straits, Afloat I 1,505
Australian, Afloat ' 150
Bauca, in Holland 3,405
Ditto, .\float 445
Billiton, Spot 644
ISilliton, Afloat j 30
Straits, Spot in Holland a.-id|
Hamburg ; —
Ditto, Afloat to Continent | 475
Total Anoat for United States . . .\ 2,595
Stock in America i 2,046
Total i 17,767
June 30
16,953
July 31
1,931
1,930
135
250
4,279
4,868
1,210
1,355
90
135
3,780
4,244
485
351-
523
423
150
38
585
305
1,223
8,906
2,546
2,521
19,852
Shipments, Imports, Supply, and Consumption op Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Lcng tons.
May
June
July
Shipments from ;
Straits to U.K.
1,425
1,7.35
.507
200
490
353
320
600
505
350
25
200
724
1,340
2,420
215
Straits to other places
Australia to U.K
325
150
975
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
221
Supply :
3,667
150
1,180
1 394
1,425
25
273
1,170
263
3,975
150
55
1,284
Standard
1,228
Total
Consumption :
U.K. DeUveriK ,
Dutch „ ,
American ,, .
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
tinental Porta, etc
Total
AUGUST, 1921
111
Outputs Reported by Oil-producing Companies,
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. August 8.
Tons. .
May
June
14,173
10,700
21,000
70,212
102,720
294
94,260
S.OSO
2,1 £9
9,600
19,15J
13,.550
3,768
13,529
Anglo-United
Barrels
Banels
9,660
16,985
Barrels
69,020
Caltex
—
Barrels
91,157
8,845
Tens . .
],115
Tons..
1,228
Tiinidad Leaseiiolds
United oi Trinidad .......
Tons,.
Tons..
11,300
3.402
QuorATioNS OF Oil Companies' Shares.
Denominatioa of Shares £1 unless otherwise noted.
AQglo-Americaa
Aoglo-Egyptian B
Anglo-Persian 1st Pref
Anglo-United, Wyoming
A^jex Trinidad
British Borneo (10s.)
British Burmah (Ss.j
Burmah Oil
Caltes (51) !
Dacia Romano
Kern River, Cil. (lOs.) I
Lobitos, Peru
M?xican Eagle, Ord. {S5)
Pref. (§5)
North Caucasian (10s.) . '
Phoenix, Roamania
Roumanian Consolidated
Royal Dutch (100 galdea)
Scottl«h American
Shell Transport. Ord. . .
., Pref.(£10) ...
Trinidad Central ,
Trinidad Leaseholds
United British of Trinidad
Ural Caspian I
Uroz Oilljelds (lOs.l I
July 6
Aug. 5
1921
1921
i s.
d.
i s.
d.
4 10
0
4 5
I)
1 S
i)
1 8
9
1 2
li
1 2
6
5
I)
3
9
2 0
0
1 17
6
13
9
12
6
1 0
0
17
6
6 7
H
6 2
(i
4
H
4
H
1 0
0
17
H
19
6
19
H
4 5
0
4 2
6
5 7
6
5 6
3
5 2
6
5 2
f,
17
(i
17
K
11
9
9
(i
12
H
10
3
42 10
0
43 0
0
7
0
3
0
5 11
■A
5 2
6
8 10
n
8 10
0
3 15
0
3 11
■A
2 10
0
2 5
0
18
9
17
H
17
«
17
6
8
9
6
6
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
Company
Par
Value of
Shares
Amount of
Dividend
July 25 ..
.\ugust 6..
July 21 ..
July 9 ..
July 25 ..
July 22 ..
July 23 ..
July 11 ..
July 14 ..
JulyU ..
July 27 ..
Broken Hill Proprietary . . .
Deebook Dredging
Eastern Smelting
P.Or.£l
a
a
4s.
Or. /I
Pr.fl
JIO
£i
£1
a
9d.
ls.«
10% less ta.i.
5% less tax.
33%
6\% less tax.
Glynn's Lydenburg
Moad Xickel \
Is. tax paid.
Oriental Consolidated
Oroville Dredging
7% less tax.
50 cts.
Is. less tax.
4Ad. tax paid.
3d. less tax.
Tekka Taiping
These quotations -ire not absalute ; they
quantities required and contracts
' vary according to
nmning,
r t, ^
* Instalment of return of capital.
Acetic Acid, 40%
80%
,, Glacial
Alum ,
Alumina, Sulphate
Ammonia, Anhydrous
0-880 solution
,, Carbonate
,, Chloride, grey
,, ,, pure
Nitrate
,, Phosphate ...,
,, Sulphate
Antimony, Tartar Emetic
„ Sulphide, Golden
Arsenic, White
Barium Carbonate
„ Chlorate
„ Chloride
,, Sulphate
Benzol, 90%
Bisulphate of Carbon
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI
,, Liquor, V'/o
Borax
Boric Acid Crystals
Calcium Chloride
CartKilic Acid, crude 60%
,, ,, crystallized, 40
China Clay (at Runcorn)
Citric Acid
Copper, Sulphate
Cyanide of Sodium, 100%
Hydrofluoric Acid -
Iodine
Iron, Nitrate
,, Sulphate
Lead, .-Ycetate, white
„ Nitrate
„ Oxide, Litharge
„ White
Lime, Acetate, brown
,. grey 80%
Magnesite, Calcined
Magnesium, Chloride
,, Sulphate
Methylated Spirit 04^ Industrial
Nitric Acid, 80° Tw
Oxalic Acid
Phosphoric .\cid
Potassium Bichromate
,, Carbonate
,, Chlorate
Chloride 80%
„ Hydrate (Caustic) 90%
,, Nitrate
,, Permanganate
,, Prussiate, Yellow
Red
Sulphate, 90'%
Sodium Metal
„ Acetate
„ Arsenate 45%
,, Bicarbonate
„ Bichromate
,, Carbonate (Soda Ash)
„ „ (Crystals)
„ Chlorate
„ Hydrate, 76%
,, Hypo:ulphite
„ Nitrate, 96%
,, Phosphate
,, Prnssiate
Silicate
,, Sulphate (Salt-cake)
(Glauber's Salts)
,, Sulphide
,, Sulphite
Sulphur, Roll
,, Flowers
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65^
,, ,, free from Arsenic, 144 '
Superphosphate of Lime, 30%
Tartaric Acid
Turpentine
Tin Crystals
Titanous Chloride
Zinc Chloride
Zinc Oxide
Zinc Sulphate
. per cwt.
, per ton
. per lb.
, per ton
. per lb.
. per ton
, per cwt.
, per ton
. per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
. per ton
, per gal.
, per ton
, per gal.
. per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
. per ton
, per lb.
. per oz.
. per ton
. per gal.
, per ton
, per lb.
. per ton
, per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
. per too
, per lb.
, per ton
, per lb.
, per cwt.
. per lb.
. per ton
14 10
2
30 0
40 0
4 10
o
30 0
4
43
48
32
44
8
U
21
15
10
31
50
26 0
0
0
0
2
1
0 „
0 0
11
0 0
0 0
3 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
0 0
1 7
6J
0
5
0
Hi
^i
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
20
33
55
10 10
2(5 15
16 0
18 10
22 0
11 15
6 10
6 0
22 0
12 10
13 0
13 0
24 0
6 5
8 10
1
4 2
1
1
22 10
41 0
17 0
0
0
0
0
3
0
0
0 94
10
0
5
0
0
n
6
3
3
0
0
4
0
0
7
0
0
4i
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
0
C
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
5
0
0
0
0
n-j
THE MIXING MAGAZINE
SHARE QUOTATIONS
£1 par value except where otherwise noted.
Sharts ■
GOLD, SILVER.
DIAMONDS :
Rand :
Brakpnn
Central Miiilni; (tti)
City & Suburban li-1)
City Detp
Consolid.it<xi Gold Fields
Con'iolid.itod l.nngba^te
Conwilidatcd Main Rct'f
ConM)lidatcd Mines Selection (10s.)
Crown Mines (10s.)
Dafig.ofon tein
Durban Roodepoort Deep
East Rand IVoprietary
Ferreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Government Gold Mining Areas . .
Joh.-innesbiu-g Consolidated
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Kstate
Meyer & Charlton
Moddcriontein (10s.)
Modderfontein H {5s.)
Moddexfontein Deep (5s.)
Moddcriontein ilast
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontcin Central
Robinson (£5)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub-Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. 6d.)
Van R>Ti
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
WolLuter
Other Tr.^nsvaal Gold Mines ;
Glj-nn's l.ydenburg
Sheba {5s.)
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates . . .
Dlamonds in- South .\frtca :
De Beers Deferred {(2 10s.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Sbamva
Waioughby's (lOs.)
West Africa :
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
Abosso
Asbanti {4s.i
Prestea Block A
Taquab
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Shoe (£6)
Great Boulder Proprietary (2s. 1 . . .
Great Fingall (10s.)
Hampton Properties
Ivanhoe (£5)
Kalgurli
Lake View Investment (10s.)
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurh (10s.)
Aug. 6,
ItCO
f. s. d.
2 IG a
S 13 9
0 (i
2 13 9
1 10 CI
17 0
II C
1 2 C
2 13 U
13 0
4
S
8
4 7
1 9
7
4
7
15 0
4 17 6
3 13 9
6 15
2 6
1 3
1 6
10
2 18
2 15
13
9 0
1 1 3
16 3
3
2 1
16
17
17
4 5
2 17
1 17
5
2
3
3
16
7
1
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17 6
3 0
15 0
10 0
0 0
13 9
17 0
5 6
G 0
0
0
3
0 0
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9
3
3
0
0
0
10 9
15 9
13 9
9 0
4 0
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1 G
10 0
20 0 0
4 2 6
10 10 0
11 3
16 S
9 0
16 0
15 3
0 0
4
5
8
2 11
5
2
3 5
Aug. B,
1921
i s. d.
2 l."-. 0
U 8 9
3 0
2 11 3
17 0
12 G
10 6
14 G
2 1 3
8 U
9
3
G
3 9
5 0
6 0
4 3
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14 6
4 11 3
3 15 0
1 11 3'
2 7 6
12 G
12 6
8 6
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2 12 6
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10 0
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4 0
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1 0
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6 0
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Gold. Silvi^k, com/.
Others in Australasia :
Blackwatcr. New Zealand
Consolidated G.F. of New Zealand..
Mount Boppy, N.S.W. (10s.)
Progress, New Zealand
Wailti, New Zealand
W'aihi Grand Junction, New Z'lnd. .
America :
Hucna Ticrra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
HI Oro, Mexico
Ksperanza, Mexico
I'rontino & Bolivia, Colombia
Le Roi No. 2 (C5), British Columbia
Mexico Mines of 111 Oro, Mexico . ...
Nechi (Pref. 10s.), Colombia
Oroville Dredging, Colombia
P]\Tiiouth Consolidated, California. .
St. John del Key, Brazil
Santa Gertrudis, Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia ; '
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balaghat (10s.)
Champion Reef (2s. 6d.)
Mysore (10s.)
North .^nantapur '
Nundydroog (10s.)
Ooregum (IDs.)
COPPER :
Arizona Copper (5s.), Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India...
F.speraiiza, Spain
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland . ..
Mason & Barry, Portugal
Messina (os.), Transvaai
Mount Elliott (£5), Queensland
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan, Queensland
N.'xmaqua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Tiiito (£5), Spain
Russo-Asiatic Consd., Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika, Congo and Rhodesia . .
LEAD-ZINC :
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (OC)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia :
Burma Corporation (10 rupees)
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
TIN:
Aramayo Franrke, Bolivia
Bisichi'{10s.), Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania
Dolcoath, Cornwall
East Pool (5s.), Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.), Nigeria .
Gee\ or (lOs.), Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredging, Malay
Kamunting. Malay
Kintn, Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay
Moiigu (10s,), Nigeria
Naraguta, Nigeria
N. N. Bauchi, Nigeria (10s.)
Pahang Consohdated (os.), Malay. . .
Rayfield, Nigeria
Renong Dredging, Siam
Ropp (4s.), Nigeria
Siamese Tin, Siam
South Crofty (5s.), Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals, Cornwall
Tekka, Malay
Tekka-Taiping, Malay
Tronob, Malay
Aug. 6,
1920
£ : d.
8 0
3 0
5 0
1 9
fi 0
1 15 0
10 0
12 G
12 C
10 6
11 8
10 0
5 10 0
8 9
1 3
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in
1 3
7
1 0
10
IS
4
10
10 5
10
3 2
13
17
1 1
1 5
1 17
13 9
2 6 3
15 0
5 0
12 G
1 10 0
5 6
1 5 0
13 3
18 3
1 12 C
37 0 0
10 3
11 3
113
1 16 3
11 0
2 17 G
11 6
4 3
3 6
13 0
3 3
12 6
1 17 fi
14 3
2 10 0
2 7 6
1 17 6
17 G
10 0
3 6
10 9
8 G
2 13
8 6
1 7 G
1 17 G
3 1 3
13 9
2 11 3
2 10 0
17 0
17 G
Aug. 5,
1921
C ». d.
2 G
2 G
2 0
1 3
1 u I)
8 9
2 6
4-3
0 G
17 0
fi 3
2 0
4 5 0
5 3
13 9
12 G
13 G
7 3
5 0
8 9
5 0
S
1
11
2
6
12
15
30 10
11
7
3
1
3
1 12
11
1 5
1 10
1 6
11
16
1 G
5
1 15
4
G
17
1 1
1 3
12 0
1 7 6
12 6
5 0
5 0
1 10 0
3
6
10 0
14 0
11 3
1 0 0
17 G
10 0
2 0 0
12 6
1 11 3
1 7 G
12 G
10 0
7 Ct
G 0
G 3
1 17 6
5 3
2 6
1 6
6 0
6
3
6
0
0
3
• New Shires. t IC-rupee shares of Indian Co.
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
GEOLOGY OF PACHUCA AND EL ORO
At the February meeting of the American
Institute of Mining and Metallurgical Engineers,
Horace V. Winchell presented a paper giving some
of his impressions of the geology of the Pachuca
silver district, and the E! Oro gold district, Mexico,
obtained during a visit a year ago. His hints as
to future work are of considerable practical value,
and will be of interest to shareholders in the various
companies at El Oro and in the Santa Gertrudis.
Pachuca. — Pachuca district is believed to have
been discovered in 1522, and its present output
is nearly one-sixth of the silver production of the
world. The district consists of a series of mountains
and valleys, the minor features of which extend in an
easterly and westerly direction and reach elevations
of 8,000 to 10,000 ft. above the sea. The range as
a whole constitutes a continental divide ; its axis
runs northerly and southerly and separates the
waters that flow westerly into the Pacific Ocean
from those flowing easterly into the Gulf of Mexico.
On the north and east the surface falls rapidly
to the warmer zone, and is cut by deep canyons.
In this warm country about 4,000 ft. below the
summit is a canyon 2,500 or 3,000 ft. deeper that
drains the region on the eastern slopes. Dense
forests, heavy undergrowth, and much soil cover
the land. On the western slope there is a different
atmosphere and country ; the vegetation is
relatively sparse and the conditions semi-arid. The
rocks are either bare or covered with laterite ;
they are often weathered and rotted to a con-
siderable depth. According to the best weather
data obtainable, there is a marked difference in the
amount of rainfall on the two slopes, within the
few miles occupied by the operating mines, on the
north and east the rainfall being far greater than
on the west. These conditions suggest a difference
in the chemical activity of surface waters, which
seem to have played an important part in the
genesis of these extensive ore concentrations.
Tertiary eruptives similar to those that contain
so many of the mines of Mexico and the south-
western part of the United States are conspicuous
features of the geology. The underlying basement
on which these volcanoes were deposited is probably
Cretaceous sediments, but none was observed in the
area covered by these notes. The oldest rock seen
is the older andesite. This is a thick flow of incon-
stant texture, and varies from a massive rock with
few phenocrysts to a highly porphyritic mass in
which are many whitened felspars and some altered
pyroxenes with occasional biotites. Toward the
north and west this typical andesite is succeeded
by a quartz andesite, or dacite, much more siliceous,
lighter in colour and with many quartz phenocrysts
ranging in size from ^., to J in. in diameter. Whether
the dacite is a phase of the older andesite or a
separate flow was not ascertained. No definite line
of contact was seen. Both of these rocks contam
fragments of darker fine-grained andesite, and both
at times exhibit marked flow structure. They can
hardly have been intrusives, for there is no remnant
of any covering rock. Moreover, at times the
vesicular or amygdaloidal te.xture characteristic
of rocks cooled near the surface is found.
The older andesite appears on the surface over
the greater portion of the area thus far developed
by mining operations. It can be traced continuously
from a point more than 1 mile east of the Guerrero
mill of the Real del iNIonte Co. to a point west of the
Bordo shaft, where it passes beneath later eruptives,
about 12 miles. Its width on the surface is much
less, since its northern margin is south of the
northern limit of underground mining operations,
and may be seen just north of the valley in which are
situated the Paraiso and Santo Tomas shafts. Its
southern limit of exposure was not traced. Within
this older andesite are east-west zones of extensive
and profound thermal alteration in which the rocks
have been altered over areas probably several miles
long and often hundreds of feet wide. The altered
rock is softer and lighter in colour than the fresh
andesite, and carries occasional pyrite crystals, with
calcite films and veinlets, and even quartz incrusta-
tions. It is in these altered zones in the older
andesite (and dacite) that the important ore
deposits have been found and developed.
The succeeding rock is later andesite. This con-
sists of flows, breccias, and tuffs, all highly
porphyritic and generally less massive than the
older andesite. It is, however, sometimes thick-
bedded and dense and so similar in appearance
as to be distinguished with difficulty except on
weathered surfaces. It weathers in various colours
from reddish brown to bluish or purplish grey and
covers large areas north of the actively mined
district. In places, only a thin shell of this rock is
left ; elsewhere shafts go down through it into the
lower andesite. In the Girault tunnel, the contact
is well exposed ; near the TrompiUo shaft there is
a steep fault contact between the two formations
with the Vizcaina vein lying between. This later
andesite has not been considered promising ground
for exploration, and has produced but little ore.
Whether this prejudice is based on its actual
poverty or not is a question that can be answered
only by future and deeper development, where this
later formation attains great thickness. So far
as the author could learn, the only workings in it
are comparatively shallow (at least in the central
portion of the district), and do not attain depths
where, even in the older andesite, valuable ore-
bodies are first encountered.
Still younger, and overlying the later andesite,
is rhyolite. This rock is cream coloured and occurs
on the surface in thin flows and tuffs, often much
weathered and cut by small arroyos. Rhyolite or
quartz-porphyry dykes of the same material are
also seen on the surface and underground through-
out the district from the Santa Gertrudis north to
113
11 1
I II
MINING MA(,.\/1NIC
the Capula ami from the crest of Uio main iliviile
above Real del Monte west to ami beyond the
Bordo. These dykes have various strikes and
dips, but the larpe and more continuous ones strike
and dip parallel to the mam proiliutivc vein
systems. On the surface and underground these
riiyolite flows and quartz-porpliyry dykes are cut
by the vein fissures, which arc sometimes
particularly well mineralized and contain large
stopes where they abut against or rest upon the
dykes. At Capula the vein, carrying ore in two or
more strands, is in a quartz-porphyry dyke of great
longitudinal extent and from 50 to 100 ft. thick,
dipping southerly about 50^.
Cutting later andesite, but of undetermined age
relation to the rhyolite is basalt. This rock is seen
in east-west dykes from 5 to 40 ft. thick, and a
general northerly dip in the country west of the
Pachuca mineralized area. It is not much
weathered. It stands up in bold outcrops, and is
dense and tough and contains abundant olivine
phenocrysts. The later andesite near these dykes
has been weathered and oxidized, and the red
belts have sometimes been mistaken for veins.
So far as could be observed, all the veins of the
Pachuca district belong to the same general period
of fracturing. Although some veins terminate
against or are faulted by others, the evidence
tends to show that all of the productive veins thus
far developed were formed and primarily
mineralized at one period, and from the same
agencies and structural disturbances. Neverthe-
less, there are two systems of veins ; one striking
east and west, and one striking north and south.
The east-west veins are said to have been first
discovered and worked, although the north-south
veins, which are rich and wonderfully productive,
have also been worked for many years. The latter
occur in the eastern part of the district, largely in
the property of the Real del Monte Co. Most of
the east-west veins have numerous branches
extending both north-easterly and north-westerly,
forming what has been termed " linked vein "
structure, quite typical of rock fracturing on a
large scale. Some of the branches extend through-
out the intervening space between the stronger
east-west veins ; others apparently die out before
reaching any great distance. The full extent of the
north-south vein system has not yet been disclosed,
nor is it knoivn how many such veins remain to be
discovered. They seem to terminate on the south
against the great Vizcaina fissure, although the
Dios te Guie is said to be displaced by the Vizcaina
and to extend a short distance south of it, without,
however, containing much ore.
The principal veins of the east-west system are
the Santa Gertrudis. Fresnillo, Anilcos, Vizcaina,
Maravillas, Santa Ana, and Polo Norte. La Corteza
and EI Lobo veins strike north-westerly, while the
Veta del Tajo, Cristobal Colon, and Florencia strike
to the north-east.
So far as developed, the north-south veins, in
their order from west to east, are the Dios te Guie,
San Sabas, Purisima, Santa Ines, Santa Brigida,
and Veta de la Reina. The stoping width of these
veins varies from 3 to 40 ft., and some of the ore-
shoots, such as that in the Purisima (N-S) vein,
are 400 metres long. The large east-west veins
contain some of the longest ore-shoots ever
developed, reaching 1,000 metres in the Santa
Gertrudis vein and as much in the Vizcaina. The
horizontal dimensions of the ore-shoots generally
exceed the dip-length. The bearing of this fact
on the <|uestion of ore genesis will be suggested later.
The dij) of the east-west veins is generally to the
south, at angles of from (i.S" to 80". Loral north
dips are not uncommon. The north-south veins
dip both easterly ami westerly ; it is said that the
former are the more productive.
The veins occupy planes of fracture and zones of
shearing and are composed of crushed country
rock more or less completely replaced by quartz
and other vein minerals. The best veins, from the
standpoint of productivity, are in and course
through the zones of greatest rock alteration, and
yet there was occasionally observed a belt or barrier
of fresher looking rock just before coming to a vein.
Such a belt lies just east of the east-dipping, north-
south Purisima vein.
There are evidences of two generations of quartz
deposition. The first period quartz, which replaced
the broken andesite and often presents a bamled
or curved structure suggestive of its deposition
around rock fragments, is white and bony or ivory-
like. Upon and around this white quartz and in its
interstices is a darker later quartz carrying silver
minerals with pyrite and a little galena and, still
rarer, crj'stals of blende and chalcopyrite. Where
not replaced by quartz, the vein filling is sericitic
or kaolinic. The quartz is usually broken into
fragments, especially where the veins are wide, but
is sometimes solid and " frozen " to the hard country
rock. Some veins have good walls ; some are in
" bad ground ", some are accompanied by well-
defined planes of movement on one or both walls
or in the veins themselves. The best and most
abundant ore seems to be in those veins that are
quite open to the passage of ground water. There
is not a great flow of water, considering the length
of underground development. As the rainfall at
Pachuca is so much less than that at Real del
Monte, it is probable the eastern mines make more
water than those in the western camp.
It is a singular and significant fact that on the
western slope oxidation extends to the lowest pro-
ductive levels, about 2,000 ft. from the surface.
This is not intended to imply that no sulphide
minerals remain. The sulphide of silver, argentite,
is the principal ore-mineral, and pyrite is quite
abundant ; but the quartz is honeycombed,
rhodonite and rhodochrosite are more or less altered
to psilomelane and pyrolusite, horn silver is
apparent, and calcite coatings are found on the joints
and in cavities. The effect of w^eathering is naturally
greater as one approaches the surface, and, indeed,
not only the silver but the quartz itself seems to
have been dissolved out of the upper portion of
the veins and carried downwards. It is only
occasionally that quartz and ore persist upwards
to the grass roots. Few stopes extend high enough
to make their presence known by surface settling,
and the average prospector acquainted with the
camp states without hesitation that good ore can
hardly be expected .short of 400 or 500 ft. in depth.
This has a familiar sound, but seems to have more
than an element of truth here. Long ore-shoots,
already fully explored and mined upwards to their
terminations sometimes have tongues projecting to
the daylight ; but the average line of the upper
margin of the long shoots is perhaps 150 metres
from the surface. Indeed, there seems to be a
general parallelism between the surface topography
and the configuration of the ore-shoots below. This
rule may possibly not hold where there is a con-
AUGUST, 1921
115
siderable thickness of recent volcanics, even though
such rocks are cut by the vein fissures. It must
be admitted that there is no rule without exceptions
and that no general statement is applicable to every
vein in the district. There are stopes that reach
the surface ; there are ore-shoots that do not persist
downwards ; there are veins whose production
has come from within 500 ft. of the present surface
and others that are chiefly barren to that depth
and productive below it. Nevertheless, there is
a remarkably persistent general relation between
the surface and the upper Umit of the pay ore. This
relation becomes still more striking when the
termination of the ore downwards is considered.
There seems to be little doubt in the minds of those
familiar with Pachuca that the minerahzation has
a rather abrupt and ven.' definite termination in
several fully explored mines, and that the pro-
ductive area of the veins is confined within a vertical
range of about 2,000 ft. Moreover, in no one
ore-shoot is the full extent of this zone mineralized.
The average height of the pay-ore zone is, perhaps,
1,500 ft., in many cases less, and in a few cases
more. It is a matter of common knowledge that
the veins scatter, the quartz diminishes, the values
fall off rapidly, and only occasionally are found
any sulphide or base minerals such as blende and
galena. This general situation is not in any way
exceptional for veins in Tertiary eruptives, but the
explanation may not always be the same nor the
geological record so easily read.
In considering the possibilities of a mining district
an understanding of its geology and something as to
the probable genesis of its ores is valuable as a guide
in explorations and in appraising its future. The
facts given may be summarized as follows : (1)
The country rock is a series of Tertiary volcanics.
(2) The vein fissures cut the entire series from the
oldest to the youngest. (3) parallel to the veins
are quartz-porphyry dykes of considerable extent.
These are not universally known, but are in
sufficiently constant association with the veins to
be taken into consideration as possible agents in ore
genesis. (4) The country rock is not only widely
sheared and fissured, but presents evidence of pro-
found alteration by thermal waters over wide
zones. (5) The country rock is still further altered
by weathering from the surface down to considerable
depth. (6) The veins are largely quartz, but this
quartz seldom comes to the surface and never in
such quantity' as in the veins undertjround. This
statement is true of veins and their outcrops,
whether found on the crests of mountains or in
deep valleys. In other words, both quartz and ore
lie for the most part some distance below the surface.
(7) Oxidation and leaching persist to the lowest
levels of silver enrichment. Horn silver, native
silver, and argentite (the last greatly pre-
dominating) are the ore minerals. They occur in
white quartz, which is itself secondary, or as
incrustations or cavity filUngs, together with pyrite
and an occasional speck of chalcopyrite and galena.
For the most part oxides of iron and manganese
are present, though in diminishing amount as depth
is gained. (S) There are seldom any massive
sulphide ore-bodies in the veins beneath the
oxidized ore, nor are there in the upper levels the
large masses of oxidized material that often indicate
the former presence of heavy sulphide bodies.
(9) The major axes of the ore-shoots are more
nearly horizontal than vertical ; so much so that
the Pachuca district is almost unique in this respect.
MO) The vein quartz dies out downwards, and even
large veins dwindle into a series of scattered and
unmineralized stringers. (11) All the mineralized
veins belong to one general period and contain
the same kind of ore. The products of the district
are silver and gold in the ratio of about 5 gm. of
gold to 1 kg. of silver.
With reference now to the richly productive
portion of the Pachuca camp, the history of ore
formation may well have been somewhat as follows :
Having accumulated in large mass, the andesites,
both older and later, slowly cooled, and zones of
shearing were produced by shrinkage and sub-
sidence. Through the multitude of cracks and
fissures vapours and hot waters penetrated the
rock and effected widespread alteration, depositing
at the same time barren pyrite in disseminated
crystals over zones of considerable width. When
these fissures extended to sufficient depth there
was another outburst of magma, this time quartz-
porphyry and rhyolite, followed by the usual
period of hot-spring activity. At this time the first
quartz was deposited in and along the fissure
alieady formed and replaciiig and silicifying the
broken andesite along the shear zones. The period
of subsidence and fracturing was not yet at an end,
for the quartz-porphyry itself, after cooling
sulificiently, was fractured and fissured and some-
what mineralized. Then, -with the dying down of
fumarolic and hot-spring activity, came the
opportunity for surface-waters, which up to this
time had been operating solely on the exposed
surfaces, to begin working their way downward
along the fissures and shear zones, oxidizing and
dissolving the scattered sulphides and carrying
them to new resting places at lower levels. It
is not known how much erosion has taken place
since these Tertiary rocks were formed, but that it
may well have been thousands of feet is shown by
the depth of the valleys in the immediate vicinity.
On the western slope of the mountains chemical
changes are rapid, and with an already altered
rock on which to operate the upper parts of the
veins were constantly and successively oxidized,
leached of quartz, silver minerals, pyrite, and
gangue minerals, while the surface was eroded and
carried away. Always the values were held in the
veins and carried downward in advance of the
dissipating forces of erosion, and times without
number the little films of argentite that had been
deposited at a safe depth and were becoming
endangered by the slow approach of the surface,
were removed still deeper. In this way there is the
cumulative result, first, of ages of primary
deposition, during which perhaps no commercial
ore-bodies were formed, and, second, of a long period
of weathering under a hot sun and climatic
conditions distinctly favourable to secondary
enrichment. The proof of the theory is in the
character of the minerals, the leaching and other
evidences of the work of descending waters, as well
as the shape of the ore-shoots, their correspondence
with the topography of the surface, the paucity of
quartz at grass roots, and its diminuendo habit
beneath the ore accumulations. In short, all the
broad phenomena of the district seem to be in
accord with this theory and with no other. It is
supported by both the positive proof and the
negative facts, by the minerals found as well as by
those that are not present ; it is a most excellent
example of the formation of large and deep ore-
bodies by secondary sulphide enrichment.
lu;
THK MININC. M\(,\/I\l':
Similar forcos working on similar mate-rials nmlor
similar conditions, for an equal liMinth of limo, may
be expecteil to produce similar results. Thus, witli
equal procipitation and evaporation over the entire
district, uniform surface gradients on both sides
of the divide, and similar rocks uniformly sheared
and lissurcd so as to offer equal receptivity to
drainage, there would probably result a similarity
in topography and in the subterranean products
of weathering agencies. Where the materials are
similar but the conditions are, known to vary, it is
reasonable to attribute heterogeneity of products
to such variance of conditions ; and where the rocks
are different, products may be formed by the
operation of similar forces under similar conditions.
At Pachuca. the rocks are, in general, similar
mineralogically and structurally ; the operating
forces are similar, although not of equal intensity
nor volume : the time factor is practically con-
stant ; hut the products have a wide variance in
different portions of the district.
Reference has been made to the marked difference
in the anniial precipitation on the western and
eastern .slopes of the continental divide, but its
effect has not been fully described. The first result
to be noticed is in the different sculpturing of the
surface. On the eastern slope the topography is
rougher, the slope gradients are steeper, the changes
in elevation more frequent and abrupt. On the
western slope there arc many long, smooth, gently
sloping hillsides, and comparatively few sharp
and deep canyons. As a consequence, the rainfall,
if equal o\'er the two areas, would run off faster
on the eastern than on the western slope, and a
smaller amount would percolate downward into
the rocks. But with the much greater rainfall on
the eastern slope, it might be expected that the
effect of surface waters would be at least as great,
and oxidation as deep in I^eal del Monte as in
Pachuca. In fact, considering alone the much
greater precipitation, one would expect deeper and
more intense oxidation. But the reverse is the
case. Sulphide minerals are rarely found within
300 ft. of the surface in the western part of the
camp, while they are abundant within 70 ft. of the
surface about 1 mile east of the Guerrero mill, on
the eastern side of the range. It is probable, as
already stated, that there is more water in the
mines and in the ground generally on the eastern
than on the western slope. The question arises,
why, then, is there such a marked difference in the
depth to which oxidation has extended ? No
doubt many factors enter into the problem. It is
evident at a glance that erosion is more rapid, and
that it nearly keeps pace with oxidation, on the
eastern slope. But there are other reasons why
sulphides in that section are so much nearer the
surface. It may be explained in part by the fact
that the rain waters are not so active chemically
after soaking through the soil. There is perhaps
not enough difference in temperature to make any
material difference, although such difference
probably exists. It is perhaps more largely due
to the fact that the rank vegetation that covers
the eastern foot hills deprives the rain of its oxygen,
and hence the underground waters in that section
are comparatively inert. In this respect Pachuca
offers a rare example of the effect of differing
climatic conditions on the depth and character of
mineralization in veins. In another respect, also,
it is interesting. Many observers here and in other
districts have noted the fact that there is oxidation
below the present water table, and have attributed
the phenomenon to a change of water-level in com-
]iaratively recent time. This does not a])pear to be
the only, nor, indeed, always the more probable,
explanation. Where, as is probably the case here,
the entire volume of ground water is slowly moving
downward, and yet is ever renewed by annual rain-
fall, there must be oxidizing action until all the
oxygen is consumed, and thus even below the
surface of the subterranean water-table, extending
downwards perhaps several hundred feet, the sul-
phide minerals will become oxidized.
El Oro. — For his data on F.\ Oro, the writer is
indebted not alone to his personal examination,
but to a report on the camp by Waldemar I.indgren,
written in 1913. From this report arc taken the
following more general statements, in order to lay
the ftiundation for points that seem to be of special
interest to the economic geologist. The district
of I-ll Oro is situated on the high plateau of Mexico,
near its western edge, at an elevation of about
10,000 ft. On this part of the plateau broad valleys
are separated by irregular groups of mountains
rising 'J.OOO to 3.000 ft. above the depressions. The
valleys are filled with volcanic tutf and dctritns.
The mountains are largely built up of volcanic
flows, mainly andesite, but at many places the
underlying older rocks are exposed. The latter
consist of calcareous shales of Cretaceous or Jurassic
age, and in places contain an older series of igneous
rocks intruded into the shales and exposed by
erosion. The geological sequence is then as follows :
(1) Calcareous shale with some .sandstone and lime-
stone. (2) Older Tertiary igneous rocks intruded
into or poured out on these sedimentary shales.
(3) Formation of fissure veins intersecting .shales
and older igneous rocks. (4) Epoch of erosion. (5)
Late Tertiary and recent igneous rocks, chiefly
flows of lava and tuffs, resting on eroded shales, older
igneous rocks and veins, and showing no
mmeralization. (6) Recent epoch of erosion.
The younger surface lavas are mostly massive,
dark-grey, hornblende-andesites, which are oxidized
and disintegrated near the surface, but show no
mineralization, nor do they contain pyrite. Toward
the valley agglomerates and tuffs gradually take
the place of the massive rocks. Where the contact
with the shales is exposed by mining operations,
a few feet of reddish stratified material of fragmental
origin often rest directly on the shale. The thick-
ness of this lava is manifestly affected by the recent
erosion. Along the San Rafael lode, south of North
shaft, it is less than 200 ft., but north of this point
it increases to 400 ft., and at Tiro Hondo and San
Patricio shafts it is about 600 ft. Under the summit
of the hill the thickness is 1,000 ft. Dykes and
intrusive necks of this lava are found in the adjoining
Esperanza mine.
The older andesite is a greenish dense rock, which
has been greatly altered by the vein-forming
agencies and now contains much pyrite, calcite,
and sericite. It occurs as thick intrusive sheets, or
as irregular masses in the black shales, also as
smaller dykes. On the property of the El Oro Co.
none of this rock reaches the present surface or the
old surface underneath the younger andesite, but
it forms a thick flat body which is about 600 ft.
thick ; it was first encountered in the northern
part of the property along the San Rafael vein,
about 600 ft. below the capping. Farther south,
it lies deeper, being near the interior shaft at about
900 ft. below the capping ; and in the Carmen mine
AUGUST, 1921
117
its top lies again about 800 ft. below that surface.
The lower contact with the shales has been found
in the northern part of the mine. Throughout,
this andesite sheet, or sill, is faulted by the tissure
of the San Rafael, the vertical throw being, in the
vicinity of the Somera shaft, about 670 ft. Down
to about the 1.300 ft. level, the andesite appears
only in the foot-wall. Below the 1,300 ft. level,
it begins to appear in the hanging wall, and con-
tinues to form that wall down to the 1,600 ft. level,
the lowest point reached. (Since Lindgren's
examination the mine workings have developed
ground far beneath the lower margin of this sill.)
The older series of andesite is represented both by
intrusive rocks and lava flows.
The predominating sedimentary rock is a black,
bituminous shale, well stratified and often
containing much calcite, in fact, grading into a
calcareous shale and occasionally into a black
granular limestone. In places the shale contains
embedded masses of a dark-grey friable sandstone.
This sandstone is more abundant in the deep levels,
and is typically present at the station and cross-cut
of the Somera shaft on the 1,300 ft. level. When
examined in the field, this rock was held to be of
tuifaceous origin, but the microscope has shown it
to be a pure quartzose sandstone. The sedimentary
rocks lie horizontal, or at slight dips that exhibit
no marked irregularity. A total thickness of
1,300 ft. of strata is exposed in the workings.
Mr. Winchell proceeds as follows : We have at
El Oro a series of veins bearing gold and silver
minerals in a quartz-calcite gangue. These veins
are fissures that were filled by replacement and
infiltration. Some of them are evidently fissures of
considerable displacement. They cut through the
black shales and through the sill of andesite that was
intruded horizontally into these shales, and which,
as a natural consequence, is both overlain and under-
lain by the shale beds. After the veins were formed
and minerahzed, they were subjected to the action
of surface waters for a considerable time, and an
imknown extent of their upper portions was removed
by erosion. They are oxidized to the depth of nearly
1,000 ft., and their silver content at least was
secondarily enriched by the action of descending
waters. The general strike of the veins is about
N. 30° W., and their dip at varying angles to
the west. They have branches in both foot and
hanging walls, but more numerously in the latter.
After a long period of weathering and erosion the
country was covered by more recent lava flows,
which were in turn weathered and eroded until
in some localities the underlying shales and one vein,
the first discovered Descubridora, are exposed on
the surface. These lava flows and volcanic tuffs
are not penetrated by the veins which cut the
underlying rocks. The veins are, in turn, cut and
displaced by north-dipping east-west faults. These
faults are unmineralized, except by a little calcite,
which may be of recent deposition. Their general
effect has been to step the country down to the
north. The direction of movement along several of
these faults has been diagonally downwards to
the east. The andesite sill varies in thickness from
400 ft. to possibly more than 700 ft. ; it has been
cut and displaced by the vein fissures with throws
of several hundred feet. The most productive
ore-bodies have been found in the veins where they
lie within the shale overlying the andesite sill and
adjacent to it, where, by reason of faulting move-
ment along the vein fissures, the shale is brought
2—6
in opposition to the andesite. There is also some
ore found where the veins lie wholly in andesite,
but not in large quantity anywhere above the lower
margin of the lower faulted .segment of the sill.
Developments indicate that the veins are not
enriched for any distance below the andesite.
Quartz, indeed, is found to persist for some distance
beneath it, but with diminishing tendency down-
ward, and with smaller ore-shoots. The quartz
scatters in stringers of diminishing strength, and
dies out. The lower stretches of the veins contain
some of the baser sulphides, such as blende and
galena. The commercial ore-bodies occur in long
relatively horizontal ore-shoots better mineralized
in the upper levels. Some of these shoots have been
definitely bottomed while others are still being
pursued through their downward reaching lobes
and tails.
EL ORO MEXICO
LOOKING NORTHERLY
It is seldom in the course of geological study that
the facts observable suffice to point strongly to a
particular mass of eruptive rock as the source of
vein mineralization. In this respect El Oro is of
particular interest. The position of the ore-bodies
in the ground and their relation to the andesite sill,
the dwindhng of the quartz and mineralization
downward suggest that it was the fountain head
of ore-deposition. There is nothing to suggest the
presence of other sills or masses of intrusive rock,
and many facts that lead one to doubt their
e-xistence. This holds true of all the veins thus
far developed. They are large and rich above the
sill and poor and small or entirely pinched out
beneath it. This could hardly be the case if they
had been formed from solutions rising from greater
depth. This theory is useful as a working
hypothesis, for it not only suggests the futility of
costly exploration beneath the sill, but at once
shows the attractiveness of territory overlying the
sill still unexplored and now covered by later
andesite, which caps the vein-carrying shale.
lis
III' MIX IXC. MAGAZINE
REMOVAL OF COPPER FROM BASE LEAD BULLION
The Procefdincs of the Australasian Institute of
Mining and MrtaUurg^-, No. 38, 1920, contains
a paper by D. C. M'firucr entitled : The Treatment
of the Copper Impurity in the Lead Ores Smelted
by the Suljihide Corporation, at Cockle Creek,
New South Wales. The question of dealing with the
small quantities of copper found in a great many
of the purchased ores became a factor of importance
when the Sulphide Corporation decided to relinc
its own lead bullion, as the presence of this
impurity has a marked effect on the elticicncy of
the desilverizing operations of the Parkes process.
The copper is rcmoveil from the base bullion by
dressing, wliich collects the copper, and at the same
time has considerable gold, silver, and lead values.
The drossing of the bullion is done in two stages :
firstly, at the smelters ; and secondly, in the
copper kettles at tlie refinery. In both cases a wet
dross is produced, which is subscejuently sweated in
a suitable type of furnace. When dry the dross is
raked out and stored until enough accumulates
to warrant a run on dross in the small blast-furnace
kept for that purpose. A typical assay of the dry
dross is as follows : Au, 03 oz. per ton ; Ag, 55 oz.
per ton ; Pb, 60-70% ; Cu, 6-5% ; Fe, 22% ; Zn,
1-5%; Sb, 4-5%; As, 1-6%; S, 4-5%. The
accumulated dross is treated in a small blast-
furnace with the necessary fluxes, producing a low-
grade Cu-Pb matte and base lead bullion. The
assay -value of the matte is approximately as
follows : Au, 0-05 oz. per ton ; Ag, 30 oz. per ton ;
Pb, 23 2% ; Cu, 23-25% ; Fe, 25% ; Zn, 30% ;
Sb, 5 6% : As. 3-3% ; S, 14-4%.
This matte was formerly crushed, roasted, leached
with H.,S04, and copper precipitates produced ;
but owing to the shortage of scrap iron some other
means of converting the copper into a marketable
form had to be sought. The conversion to bluestone
showed most promise, and with this object in view
the low-grade matte is crushed through i in.
screen, given a quick roast in the rotary furnaces,
then over a Dwight-Lloyd machine, and finally
worked up to high-grade matte in a reverberatory
furnace. In working the low-grade up to high-
grade matte, the time of treatment is gauged by the
Fe contents of the charge, and when a dip sample
shows the Fe to be about 2% the charge is tapped,
irrespective of the copper values. The lead loss is
naturally high, but provision is being made to
connect the reverberatory furnace to a bag-house
in the near future. An average assay of the high-
grade matte produced is as follows : Au, P125 oz.
per ton ; Ag, 69 oz. per ton ; Pb, 24% ; Cu, 47%;
Fe, 2% ; Zn, 2-4% ; S, 17%. The high-grade
matte is crushed in a Krupp mill through 40 mesh
screen, roasted in a 4-hearth hand reverberatory
furnace, and then passed on to the leaching depart-
ment for the production of bluestone. The
temperature aimed at when roasting is between
600° and 625° C, the following tests being taken
under working conditions : No. 1 hearth, 460° C ;
No. 2 hearth, 532° C ; No. 3 hearth, 582° C ;
No. 4 hearth, 618° C. An average sulphur assay
of the roasted product is as follows : Total S,
7-7 o;,; Sas SO3, 7 4%.
The copper is dissolved out of the matte by
leaching with dilute H.,SOi in an ordinary circular
agitation vat provided with a wooden paddle,
which is driven by a spur and pinion wheel fitted
over the top of the vat. Two such agitators are
in use, and they arc employed for either leaching
the roasted matte or purifying the neutral leach
liquors. Sometimes one is treating matte and the
other is purifying liquors, and at other times they
are both purifying accumulated neutral liquors.
The production of a neutral impure liquor occupies
from I to 5 hours, whereas 5 to 15 hours are
necessary for purification, according to the (juantity
of iron present ; therefore an accumulation of
impure neutral liijuor takes place. In making up
neutral liquors, the roasted high-grade matte is
carefully weighed, then lijiped into the agitator,
which has been previously tilled to the correct level
with H2O (or acid wash liquors from a previous
charge) and a calculated quantity of H.jSO,.
Sullicient acid is added to give a neutral liquor
containing 70 to 80 grm. per litre of copper. The
temperature of the liquor is kept up to about 70° C
by means of live steam delivered to the bottom
of the agitator. Samples are taken during the
agitation, and a test made for Cu, Fe, and free
HoSO,. When the copper in the solution is correct,
and the acid neutralized, the agitation is stopped,
the steam turned off, and the pulp allowed to settle,
the clear liquor then being syphoned oft' to the
storage vat for impure neutral liquors. It has been
found that at least three leaches can be made before
it is necessary to discharge any residues. The
copper content of the matte, of course, controls
the size of the charge to the agitators, and con-
sequently the number of charges treated before
discharging a residue.
After the third neutral liquor has been syphoned
off, two successive acid washes are given to the
residues. Each wash is given about 2 hours'
agitation with 5 to 10% H^SOj. I.ive steam is
used to raise the temperature to about 60° C.
Periodical tests of the wash liquor for copper and
acid are taken, and, when no further increase of
copper in the solution is shown, the agitation is
stopped, the pulp is allowed to settle, and the
clear acid-wash liquor is run off to the wash-
water storage vat. From the vat it is subsequently
pumped back to the agitator for the next charge
to make up neutral leach liquors of the required
strength. After the second acid wash has been
settled and run off, sufficient water is added to flush
the whole of the residues out of the agitator through
a bottom discharge into No. 1 of three cone-shaped
setthng vats, which are terraced to flow from No. 1
to No. 2, and so on, finally overflowing into the
storage vat for acid-wash liquors. These vats
allow the pulp to settle, and the clear wash water,
which contains a little copper, is either displaced
by running in fresh water to No. 1 or by syphoning
off to the acid-wash storage vat. The thickened
pulp is discharged through a bottom discharge pipe
into a large brick bin, where it is allowed to dry out
sufficiently to be sent to the roasting department.
All bluestone plant residues, which represent about
40% by weight of the original high-grade matte
leached, are incorporated in the Huntington-
Heberlein pot charge, which forms part of the
ordinary daily charge to the blast-furnace. Of
the metal values in the high-grade matte treated,
all of the Au, Ag, and Pb is retained in the residues,
together with 46% of the Fe, 32% of the Zn, and
9-5°'o of the Cu. The Au. Ag. and Pb values are
thus separated from 90-5% of the copper, and are
subsequently recovered with the bullion produced
AUGUST, 1921
119
in the blast-furnace, the copper that escaped
solution being again drossed off.
Iron is the chief removable impurity, and during
its precipitation the whole of the As and Sb is also
precipitated The Hofmann system of purification
has been successfully employed. This system
claims that in the presence of air and CuO (in hot
liquors) ferric sulphate is oxidized, then precipitated
as ferric oxide, and that a chemical equivalent of
copper goes into solution as CuSOj. A con-
siderable departure from the somewhat elaborate
purifier, as described by Hofmann, has been made,
and all liquor purifications are carried out in an
ordinary agitation vat. Several methods of
applying the air have been tried, but the best
results have been obtained by delivering the air
and steam at a point near the bottom of the agitator,
either by two independent lead pipes of equal
length strapped together — one for air and the other
for steam — or by mixing the air and steam in one
lead pipe. Whichever method is applied, the lead
pipe is securely fixed to the inside of the agitator by
means of wooden cleats.
The agitator is filled to the correct level with
impure neutral leach solution. A sample of the
liquor is taken and tested for iron in the ferrous
state, the agitator is then started, and steam and
air turned on. For the necessary CuO either
ordinary roasted high-grade matte or roasted copper
precipitates are used, and, as the temperature
rises in the agitator, about 300 lb. of roasted matte
or precipitates are tipped in. The progress of the
purification is carefully watched by means of a
sample of the liquor taken every hour, and a test
made for ferrous iron by acidifying the sample with
H.^SOj and titrating direct with standard KMnOj.
In the presence of the added CuO (in the roasted
matte or precipitates) no appreciable iron in the
ferric state is found in the solution ; therefore
a titration for Fe in the ferrous state gives a true
working indication of the total iron in the solution
at any stage of the purification. The amount of
Fe in the impure neutral liquors varies considerably,
according to the iron in the matte treated and the
completeness of the roasting. The maximum Fe
found in the impure leach liquors is about 10
grammes per litre, and the minimum about 2-0
to 2-5 g.p.l. The degree of purification aimed at is
from 0-15 to 0-2 g.p.l. Fe. From 5 to 15 hours'
agitation and aeration are necessary, and, when the
purification is finished, the agitator is stopped,
steam and air turned off, and the charge allowed
to settle. The clear solution is then syphoned off
to the storage vat for purified liquors. The
following tabulation shows the completeness of the
removal of Fe, As, and Sb, the Zn not being
affected : —
Cu Fe As Sb Zn
Impure liquor (g.p.l.) 73 5-1 1-05 trace 3-0
Purified liquor (g.p.l.) 80 0-15 trace nil 3-1
After decanting the purified liquor, the residue,
which contains a considerable bulk of precipitated
ferric oxides, is given a weak acid wash to dissolve
the unconverted CuO. About three hours' agitation
is given. The residue is allowed to settle, and the
liquor decanted to the acid-wash liquor storage vat.
If necessary two acid washes are given, then the
residues are discharged, with water, in exactly
the same manner as ordinary leach residues when
making up neutral impure liquors. All acid-wash
water is used as subsequent leach solutions for
fresh charges of impure liquor.
The main evaporating pan is a rectangular lead-
lined wooden vat of 750 gallon capacity. The first
arrangement consisted of six 4 in. lead-covered
boiler tubes let into the vat longitudinally, with
a fire-box, suitable for burning coke, at one end,
and a chimney at the other. 'The rate of evapora-
tion proved to be altogether too slow, and the coke
consumption was abnormal. Steam coils were then
installed, the first being a 1 in. soft-lead piping.
The best results have, however, been obtained by
using 1 J in. Sb-Pb piping, containing 4% Sb. On
account of the strength of the hard-lead piping
the scale can be periodically removed without
injury to the coil. A percentage analysis of the
scale that forms is as follows : Pb, nil ; Cu, 28-8 ;
Fe, 0-4 ; Zn, 0-9 ; Sb, trace ; As, 0-9 ; total S,
14-5 ; S as SO3, 14-5. The evaporator will not
hold enough concentrated liquor to fill a crystallizing
vat, therefore when the liquor in the evaporator
has attained a specific gravity of 1-4 it is run to
a storage vat provided with lead coil, using the
waste steam from the evaporator. This storage
vat acts as a further concentrator, and also as a
means for thoroughly clarifying the liquor before
its gravitation to the crystallizers, where it is
delivered at from 1-42 to 1-43 sp. gr. and from
80° to 85° C.
The crystallizing vats in use are made of brick,
lined on the sides with 8 lb. sheet lead, and with
10 lb. lead on the bottoms. The dimensions of the
vats are 8 ft. by 10 ft. by 2 ft. 9 in. high, and their
capacity 1,370 gallons. To give the maximum of
surface for bluestone crystals to build upon, each
vat has 112 sheet-lead strips 8 in. wide and 4 ft. 3 in.
long, hung on 4 in. by 2 in. hardwood battens,
and allowed to e.xtend down into the vat to within
about 7 in. of the bottom. When it is desired to fill
a crystallizer, all the strips are placed in position ;
the hot concentrated liquor is gravitated from the
storage vat, covered over with hessian, and allowed
to cool slowly for from 7 to 9 days. From 2 to
2-5 tons of dried bluestone are made per charge.
When the crystallizer is to be emptied, the mother
liquor is ejected by means of a steam ejector. The
crystals are all knocked off the strips and sides on
to the bottom of the vat, then shovelled out and
delivered to the washer. Thus two products are
obtained from the crystallizing vats : (1) Mother
liquor ; (2) bluestone crystals.
An average analysis of the mother liquor is as
follows in terms of grammes per litre : Cu, 84 ;
Fe, 0-8 to 2-0 ; Zn, 11 ; Free H.2SO.,, 1-8 ; Sp. gr ,
1-26. The original procedure was to further con-
centrate the mother liquor and produce a second
crop of bluestone, but it was found that the resulting
crystals were of low grade, which necessitated their
being dissolved and re-crystallized. The assay-
value of the low-grade bluestone thus produced was :
Cu, 24-95% ; CuSOj, SHjO, 97-5% ; Fe, 0-065% ;
Zn, 0-15%.
As only a first-class grade of bluestone is being
boxed for sale, the necessity of re-dissolving the
low-grade bluestone cut the capacity of the plant
down to such an extent that some other means of
dealing with this product had to be devised. The
present practice, which overcomes the production
of any low-grade bluestone, is to by-pass, and run
over scrap-iron, a definite quantity of mother
liquor each week, returning the balance to the
purified-liquor storage vat. By this means no
building up of the zinc (which is the chief impurity)
takes place, and a high grade of bluestone only is
1 20
III
MINIXr, MAi.AZINI';
made. The copper precipitates, prmlucod from
the mother liquor, whicli is by-passeil, represent
about IS"'„ of the copper leached from tlie matte.
It is roasted, and returned to the purifier as a source
of CuO. The only bluestone now being re-dissolved
is the undersizc from the hutch of the washer.
This is dissolved in mother liquor in an agitator
provided with a paddle and steam coil. The
crystals are added to the liquor until a specific
gravity of 1'435 is obtained. The liquor is then
run into the crystallizer with ordinary concentrated
purified liquors.
The bluestone, as it comes from the crystallizing
vats, has to be washed and freed from any very
fine crystals. This is done in a jigger washer,
having a fixed screen. Mother liquor is used as the
wash liquor. The screen on the washer has
3/32 in. holes, which allow the undersized crystals
to pa.ss through into the hutch ; from there they
are periodically shovelled and sent to tho re-
dissolvor. The washed crystals are shovelled off
tho jigger screen into a centrifugal drier, from which
tllDV arc transferred, when properly dried, to a
screen giving two sizes of crystals loss and greater
than i in. The boxes used are made of i)ine, and
have an inside dimension of 20 in. by 10 in. by
12 in. I'"ach bo\ is lined with brown jiaper before
being filled, and holds 1 cwl. net of bluestone, of
either the coarse or fine grade of crystals, and
is branded C or F, according to which grade of
crystals it contains. Tho assay-value of the finishod
article is as follows : Cu, 25-26'>i ; CuSO,, 51I.,0,
Bg^So^ ; Ni, 0 002% ; Zn, 009% : MgO, trace ;
CaO, trace; AUOa -(- Fo.O;,, 0-07%; As. trace;
Sb, trace ; Se + To, trace ; Nitrates, nil ;
Insolulile, 0-02%.
It will be noticed that, although about I.^%
of tho copper leached out of the high-grade matte
is by-passed and precipitated on scrap-iron, tho
precipitated copper is roasted and returned to tho
purifier ; therefore, by the method above described,
a metal, which is looked upon as an impurity in
lead smelting, is .separated from tho Au, Ag, and
Pb, and converted into a profitable by-product.
Gyroscopic Surveying Compass. — In the
Mag.\7ine for .Xpril, 1920, reference was made to
the gyroscopic compass, the principle of which lies
in the fact that the axis of rotation of a rapidly
rotating body tends to assume a position parallel
to the axis of rotation of the earth. This type of
compass is now being used in ocean-going steamers,
and in the notice named we mentioned that the
principle was being applied in Germany to mine
surveying. Last month the specification of a
patent, granted to Anschutz & Co., of Kiel, was
published. This was numbered 18,346 of 1920
(146,372). We quote the specification herewith.
On the bed-plate 1, which is provided with
foundation-bolts 2, is cast the horse-shoe-shaped
bracket 3. The drawing shows only the rear
branch of the said bracket ; the front one is assumed
to be cut off, the cut surface being visible at 4.
On the inner sides of the branches of the said
bracket 3 are mounted — shown dotted — supporting
parts 5 on which a spherical vessel 7 rests, by
means of flanges 6. This vessel is filled with mercury
and contains a spherical float 8 which supports the
gyroscopic compass 9 by nieans of a bracket 10
which is connected by a neck 1 1 to the float 8.
Into a bore 12 of the neck 11 projects, through a
bore 13 of the bracket 10, a centering-pin 14
secured at the top to the bracket 3.
In the gyroscope compass itself, the gyroscope
casing 9 is supported by means of pins 15 in bearings
16 of the bracket 10, so that it may be turned about
itself. On one side of the bracket 10 is mounted
a spring-controlled locking-pin 17, which engages
in the position illustrated, w-ith a notch 18 pro-
vided in a plate 19, secured to the gyroscope casing
9. Exactly at an angle of 180° relatively to the
notch 18 there is provided in the plate 19 a second
notch 20, with which the pin 17 can also engage.
The gyroscope casing may therefore be brought
either into the position shown in the drawing, or
into a position at angle 180° to the same. On the
other side of the gyroscope casing, outside the
corresponding bearing 16, is secured a cup 21, which
is open at the side. Through the said opening is
visible a mirror 22, secured by means of three
screws 23, only one of which is shown in the drawing,
to a part 24 on the bottom of the cup 21. This
mirror is pressed outwardly by a spring 25 mounted
in a bore of the part 24. By suitably setting the
screws 23, the mirror may be brought into a position
exactly at right angles to the axis x — x of the
gyroscope casing 9, or of the gyroscope body proper.
The gyroscope body is not shown in the drawing.
It is mounted in the usual manner within the
gyroscope casing 9, on ball-bearings, which are
provided in the pins 15 The cup 21, containing
the part 24, is used for admitting lubricant, and
the cup 26, which is provided on the plate 19,
is intended for the same purpose. The cup 26 is
further provided with a cock 27 through which air
may be discharged from the gyroscope casing 9, or
a light gas introduced into the casing for the
purpose of reducing the surface friction of the
gyroscope body. The instrument is closed by means
of a sheet-metal cap 28, which is provided in front
of the mirror 22 with an inspection opening 29.
The gyroscope with the casing 9, bracket 10, and
float 8, forms a floating system which can freely
turn about the vertical axis and the geographical
meridian. When the instrument has been steadied
by hand to such an extent that only small
oscillations take place, a reading can be effected
with the assistance of the mirror 22. Then, as
already stated, the gyroscope casing can be turned
with the mirror to fsO", and the reading repeated,
owing to which any errors in the setting of the
mirror at right angles to the axis of the gyroscope
are eliminated. Without this turning it is almost
impossible to test the proper setting of the mirror
if it is desired to keep the errors within the limits
of one minute of arc or less. The securing of the
mirror to the gyroscope casing presents the
advantage that any changes of shape of the
supporting bracket 10 and of the float 8 do not
affect the reading.
The turning of the gyroscope casing with the
mirror is of great importance. In order to do this,
without interrupting the supply of current to the
electric motor (in the construction illustrated a
three-phase motor) driving the gyroscope body, the
current supply is arranged in the following manner
The bracket 10 is provided with a brush-holder
30 on which are mounted three spring-controlled
current-supply brushes 31. These slide on contact-
rings 32 on the gyroscope casing 9, from which the
three phases are supplied to the stator of an electric
AUGUST, 1921
121
motor, which is mounted in the gyroscope casing.
The three phases are, however, supphed to the
three brushes from the outside, without the free
rotation of the floating system about the vertical
axis being interfered with in the following manner.
On the bed-plate 1 is a mercury cup 33 containing
the mercury 34. Into the latter dips a pin 35,
which, by means of an insulating part 36, is secured
to a member 37 depending from the bearings 16.
Another mercury cup 38 is provided in the bore 12
of the neck 11, and into this dips the lower end of
the centering-pin 14. Each of these two mercury
The Anschltz Gvrost.\tic Surveying Co-mpass.
cups supplies one phase of current to one of the
brushes 31, while the third brush is bodily con-
nected to the bracket 10, and receives its current
supply through the mercury in the vessel 7.
In order to make the instrument readily portable,
on the bracket 10 are provided two spring-controlled
hooks 39, which, when the whole bracket 10 is
raised together with the float and the vessel, engage
with corresponding projections 40 on the bracket
3, 4. Pins 41 on the bracket 10 engage then with
suitable bores 42 of the bracket 3, 4, and a pin 43
engages with a suitable bore 44, also on the bracket
10, while at the same time the bottom end of the
centering-pin 14 is enclosed fast by a half-ring 45
in the bore 12 of the neck 11. In that way the
floating system is completely secured to the bracket
3, 4, while at the same time the upper opening of
the mercury vessel 7 is tightly closed bv the shoulder
46 of the neck 11. The instrument is therefore
portable.
It is further pointed out that in the working
position, between the circumference of the bottom
end of the centering-pin 14, and the bore on the
neck ring 45, there should be a clearance, in order
not to disturb the free rotation of the instrument.
This, however, does not affect the result of the
reading, owing to the possibility of repeating the
reading by turning the gyroscope casing with the
mirror tu an angle of 180°.
Indian Mining Laws. — In the Journal of Indian
Industries and Labour for May, Sir Thomas H.
Holland writes on the principles governing the
grant of mining concessions in India. Wc give
herewith his summary of the rules for the grant of
prospecting licences and mining leases and we refer
to his exposition of the principles in an Editorial.
Any British subject is at liberty to search for
minerals in unoccupied and unreserved land
which is the property of Government ; but, before
obtaining a prospecting licence or a mining lease,
which carries with it certain privileges, he must
obtain a certificate of approval from the local
Government within whose jurisdiction the land
lies for which the licence is required. A certificate
of approval, which will hold good till the end of the
calendar year, can be obtained for 50 rupees, and, if
the local Government approve, can be renewed for
a fee of 10 rupees.
The applicant for a prospecting licence is required
to furnish a description of the land, illustrated by
a map or plan, or alternatively, to peg out his
claim according to a prescribed system ; and when
two or more applicants apply for the same land,
the prior right to a licence, other circumstances
being satisfactory, shall be deemed to lie with the
applicant who first files his application with the
Collector of the District.
Before a licence is granted the applicant must
deposit either 100 rupees per square mile or part of
a square mile, or give security to a like amount.
The licence must then be executed within three
months.
A district register of licences granted is open to
inspection by any holder of a valid certificate of
approval on payment of a small fee.
.A licence is granted in the first instance for not
more than one year, but may be renewed for a
further term not exceeding two years.
The licensee has to pay a fee not exceeding one
rupee and not less than one anna per annum per
acre of the land taken up, and is required to pay
royalty at a rate not exceeding 15% of the value on
all precious stones that may be obtained, and, for
other minerals over and above specified, small
quantities allowed free, at the rates referred to
below for mining leases.
The licensee requires the previous sanction of the
local Government to transfer his rights to any other
penson holdmg a certificate of approval.
Within six months after giving up his licence, a
licensee may be required to restore or to make safe
any land opened up during his prospecting operations.
Each licence carries with it the right to claim
a mining lease in accordance with the rules, the
lease comprising the whole or a part only of the
area covered by the prospecting licence, so long
as the total areas leased does not exceed 10 square
miles within any one province.
Ill
nil: MIMXC. MAC.AZINl';
. Holoro obt:\ining a rofuiul of his security, a
licensee may be required to disclose conlidentially
to Government any information obtained as to the
mineralogical or geological nature of tlie area
licensed.
In the case of mining leases, the a]>plioant is
required to deposit as security the equivalent of not
more than ,S00 rupees, but any sum alreaily held in
deposit in respect of the prospecting licence will be
carried forward to the applicant's account.
The application for a mining lease must be
accompanied by a map or plan showing the
bountiaries of the area applied for ; or alternatively,
the ground may be marked out as in the case of
prospecting licences.
In the case of two or more applicants affecting the
same land, not already held under a prospecting
licence, the rule of priority holds.
A register of mining leases is kept in the Collector's
office for inspection by holders of certificates of
approval or their representatives on payment of
a suitable fee.
No mining lease shall be granted by the local
Government so as to cause the total area held under
mining leases by the lessee or by those joint in
interest with him to exceed 10 square miles within
the territories administered by the local Govern-
ment ; but the Government of India has power to
grant areas in excess of this amount.
Without the previous sanction of the Governor-
General in Council, or unless provincial rules are
prescribed for special conditions, such as river
dredging concessions, the length of an area granted
under a minmg lease shall not be allowed to exceed
four times its breadth.
The boundaries below the surface of all areas given
out on raining leases are regarded as running
vertically downwards.
The term for which a mining lease may be granted
shall not exceed 30 years, but the lease may contain
a clause permitting renewal for another 30 years on
a dead rent and surface rent not exceeding twice the
original rents, the royalty payable being that which
on the day following the expiry of the original lease
shall be the royalty rate then in force.
A lessee, with the previous sanction of the local
Government, can transfer his rights to another
person or company holding a valid certificate of
approval.
Unless prevented by reasonable cause, a lessee is
required to commence operations within one year
from the date of the e.xecution of his lease, and is
thereafter required to carry on the operations
etfectually in a proper, skilful, and mining-like
manner. If a lessee, without reasonable cause,
ceases to work the mine for a period not exceeding
tivo years in such a manner as to produce sufficient
mineral to earn a royalty at least equal to the dead
rent, he will be liable to forfeit his leasehold rights,
or may be required instead to pay a higher dead
rent not exceeding twice the original rent.
A lessee is required to keep correct accounts
showing the quantity of all minerals obtained, the
number of persons employed, as well as plans of the
mine, for Government inspection. He is required
to allow existing and future adjoining licensees or
leaseholders of land to have reasonable facilities of
access thereto ; and is also required to report the
discovery of minerals other than those specified
in his lease
At the determination of his lease, he is required
to deliver up the premises in a proper and workman-
like state to the satisfaction of the local Govern-
ment.
Any lessee is at liberty to relinquish his lease at
any time on giving not less than twelve calendar
months' notice and on payment of all sums that may
be due, and cannot take a new lease for a portion of
the land so relinquishetl.
The roy.ilty rates prescribed by the rules include
S'^o on the sale value of ordinary coal, with a
minimum of 2 annas per ton, and half these rates
for coal dust. In the case of mica, the royalty is
5% on the sale value at the pit's mouth. For oil,
the royalty is 8 annas per 40 gallons, or ^"/„ ad
vnlorcm on the gross value ; and for gold and silver
the rate paid is 7i% <in the profits of each year
taken separately, or 2\"„ on the gross value of the
metal. Iron ore has hitherto been charged at the
rate of half an anna per ton. Lease-holders for
precious stones pay 30% on the net profits of each
year taken separately ; and for all other minerals,
not specified above, the rate is 2S% on the sale
value at the pit's mouth, convertible at the option
of the local Government to an equivalent charge
per ton to be fixed annually or for a term.
Lease-holders are required to pay a minimum
dead rent, which becomes absorbed by royalty.
The minimum rates charged are four annas per
acre for coal, lignite, and minerals used in agriculture
and chemical manufactures, such as bauxite,
gypsum, iron pyrites, and pyritous shales. For
gold, silver, and precious stones, the minimum rate
per acre is one rupee, and for iron ore one anna per
acre. These minimum rates are liable to bo
exceeded according to the value of the deposit and
the degree of the development of the area.
The annual surface rent charged for land actually
occupied under lease is that assessable under the
revenue and rent law of the province, or, if no such
rent is so assessable, the rate may be fi.xed by
Government, subject to a maximum on one rupee
and a minimum of four annas per acre.
Origin of the Cost-book System.— .At a recent
meeting of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic Society,
Professor Henry Louis read a paper under this
title, in which he gave an account of Roman
tablets discovered in Portugal, these tablets con-
taining inscriptions indicating the existence of a
cost-book plan.
A few years ago it would have been hazardous
to suggest that the cost-book system was a part of
Rome's legacy to Cornwall, but an interesting
discovery made in Portugal places this point
beyond doubt. .\t the well-known argentiferous
copper mines of .Aljustrel, in Portugal, a bronze
tablet had been discovered in 1876 beneath a heap
of old slag, which gave some interesting particulars
of the economic regulations that applied to these
mines in Roman times. More recently, in 1906,
a second tablet was discovered, the inscription on
which shows the laws under which mining was
carried on in this colony, and presumably also in
others, and here it is interesting to note that we
find the first traces of a well-developed cost-book
system. The inscription dates from the reign of
Hadrian. The relevant portions of the inscription
may be translated thus : —
(2) Silver-bearing shafts shall be worked in the
manner contained in this law ; the prices thereof
shall be maintained according to the generosity
of the most sacred emperor Hadrian Augustus,
in such manner that the ownership of that share
that shall belong to the Treasury shall belong to him
AUGUST, 1921
123
who first offers the price for the shaft and pays
into the Treasury- the sum of four thousand seterces-
(3) Whoever, out of five shafts, shal! have sunk
one down to the ore, shall work without inter-
mission in the others, as is written above : unless
he shall do so, others shall have power to occupy
the same.
(4) If anyone, after twenty-five days given to
preparation for the expenses, shall have forthwith
commenced to carr\- out some work, but shall
afterwards have ceased from working for ten
successive days, others shall have the right of
occupation.
(5) A shaft having been sold by the Treasury
and having lain idle for six consecutive months,
others shall have the right of occupying the same,
provided that when ores are drawn from it one-half
part shall, as is customary, be reserved to the
Treasury.
(6) The occupier of the shaft shall be allowed to
have such partners as he may desire, provided that
the latter shall contribute to the expenses for that
share by which he is a partner. Should he not do
so, then he who has made the disbursements
shall for three successive days in the most frequented
part of the forum cause the account of the dis-
bursements made by him to be published, and he
shall intimate to the partners by the crier that
each shall contribute to the expenses according
to his share. Whoever shall not contribute, or with
evil intent shall have done something so that he
may not contribute, or shall deceive one or more of
the partners, he shall be deprived of his share in the
shaft, and the share of that partner shall belong
to the other partners as they shall have paid the
disbursements.
(7) And those colonists who shall have made dis-
bursements in that shaft in which there shall have
been several partners, shall be entitled to recover
from their partners what shall be shown to have
been expended in good faith.
(8) The colonists shall be allowed to sell among
each other also such shares of the shafts as thev may
have bought from the Treasury and paid the
price thereof, for as much as each one can obtain.
Whoever wishes to sell his share or to buy one must
make a declaration before the Warden in charge of
the mines ; it shall not be lawful to buy or sell in
other wise. And whoever is in debt to the Treasury
shall not be allowed to give away his share.
It will be seen that sections (6) and (7) -really
contain the essential regulations of the cost-book
system ; from the legal point of view nothing more
is required, as we fijid here the power of making
calls upon all the adventurers in a mine for expenses
legitimately incurred and of forfeiting the shares of
such of the adventurers as do not pay their calls.
It is worth noting that such mining partnerships
are to be met with wherever the influence of the
Roman Empire can be traced, and that in a few
cases they have survived up to the present time.
The mining statutes of Trent, Iglesias, etc., all
refer to it, and in Germany we have its survival,
though in modified form, in the " Gewerkschaft,"
which was at one time almost identical with the
cost-book company : we can even trace the intro-
duction of the German terms, for in one of the
Trent ordinances, dated 1214, we find the phrase
" quattuor werki, silicet socii affidati." Again,
the mining partnerships of the same type, as
indicated in the Aljustrel Mining Law, are not
known to modern Spanish Mining Law, but we find
them set out with much detail in the mining laws
of Spanish South America, which were derived from
the Ordinances of Phillip II of 1.S84, which devote
a section to mining partnerships, and enact
regulations quite similar to the Roman ones though
with more detail. A chapter of the modern Chilian
Mining Law (Codigo de Mineria, 1888, Titulo XI,
" De las Compahias Mineras ") practicallv identical
Avith that of the Argentine Republic of 1886, also
includes a set of similar regulations.
There is thus excellent evidence that the principles
of the cost-book system have come down to us
direct from Roman times, and that it was the
keen minds of Roman legislators that first devised
this form of partnership, so admirably adapted
to fostering mining enterprise.
The South-East Rand. — At a meeting of the
Geological Society of South Africa held at the end of
May, Dr. A. W. Rogers, Director of the Geological
Survey of the Union of South ."Vfrica, read a paper
entitled : " The Geology of the Neighbourhood of
Heidelberg." Copies of papers read before the
society are not available for general use until
many months after they are read, so we take the
following abstract of the paper from the South
African .Mining and Engineering Journal for June 4.
This paper describes the country between the
Zuikerbosch Rand and the neighbourhood of
Balfour. A coloured map accompanied the paper,
on which the distribution of the rocks and the
structure of the area were shown, and sections
across the area were also exhibited. The most
important result obtained in the demonstration
was that each major subdivision of the Witwaters-
rand system diminishes in thickness southwards
from the Rand, and that, in the country of which
a geological survey has been made between the
Klipriversberg and the Malan's Kraal-Tweefontein
escarpment, there is no unconformity at the base
of the Ventersdorp formation. The figures obtained
for each major subdivision in Heidelberg are
compared with the estimates made by Dr. Mellor
on the Central Rand, and are as follows : —
Central Rand. Heidelberg.
Feet. Feet.
Kimberley-Elsburg series 6,120 3,560
Kimberley slates 500 370
Main-Bird series 3. 1 60 1 ,020
Jeppestown series 3,700 3,000
Government Reef series 6,220 4,090
Hospital HiU series ... . 4,900 3,180
24,600 14,220
The \^'itwate^srand beds in Heidelberg are shown
to be affected by many faults, and the relations
between the faults and the many intrusions of
igneous rocks are discussed in some detail. The
most conspicuous dislocation, called the Sugarbush
Fault, is later than most, if not all, of the minor
faults, and later than most of the intrusions ; it is an
east and w-est fault which cuts off the Witwatersrand
beds near Heidelberg from those near Balfour, and
its throw diminishes westwards from at least
14,000 ft. near Eden Kop to some 3,000 ft. on
Goedeverwachting, where it passes under the
Karroo beds, which also conceal it beyond Eden
Kop in the east.
The distribution of the conglomerates on each
horizon on which they have been observed is
described in the paper. Some of them are more
persistent than others, and in general they are
thinner and consist of smaller pebbles then the
121
HI
MINING MACAZINIC
conglomerates in similar stratigraphical positions on
the Kand.
Certain strata in the Hospital Hill series, the
Government Kocf scries, the jeppcstown series, and
the Main-Biril series which possess characters
rendering them valuable aids in addition to those
already known for the purpose of correlating beds
in more distant areas with the succession in
Heidelberg, and through that with the strata on the
Central Kand, are described in detail.
The paper also contained a discussion of the
belief, prevalent in some quarters, that in Heidel-
berg the representative of the \an Kyn reef is to be
found among beds which are regarded by the
Geological Survey as lying above the Kinil^erley
slates. It is shown that this belief is based upon
incorrect data ; that the maps published in support
of it are inaccurate through errors in the position of
outcrops of the Nigel horizon ranging from 500 yards
to 6 miles having crept in ; through the existence
of important faults and large intrusions of igneous
rocks having been overlooked ; through the in-
formation to be got from the systematic and
accurate record of position and dip of outcrops
having been dispensed with ; through the Bird
amygdaloid on Maraisdrift and to the south of that
farm having been mistaken for the Nigel slates ;
and perhaps through boulders of banket in the coal
measure conglomerate having been mistaken for
outcrops of banket in place. It is also shown that
certain observations on cores from bore-holes, held
by supporters of the erroneous correlation of
Kimberley reefs in Heidelberg with the Van Kyn
to prove that the Bird amygdaloid is an intrusive
rock are wrong, and that the amygdaloid is a con-
temporaneous lava flow. It is also pointed out that
the following assumptions made by the supporters
of the erroneous correlation are mistakes : ( 1 ) a
great unconformity at the base of the ^■entersdorp
formation, on account of which that formation in
Heidelberg rests upon strata several thousand feet
lower in the succession than it does in the Klip-
riversberg ; (2) the persistence of character in
individual beds of conglomerate on their several
horizons wherever they are developed ; (3) the
existence of a fault bet\veen the Cason and Blue
Sky shafts on the eastern side of which the beds are
displaced towards the south, so that a reef with
slate foot-wall in the east is brought into apparent
continuity with a reef with quartzite foot-wall on
the west. It is pointed out that the change in the
nature of the foot-wall can be followed in detail, and
that the reef is one and the same bed throughout.
Liquid-air Explosives. — The report of the
Government Inspectors of Explosives for 1920
contains a brief reference to tests of liquid-air
explosives. As is usual with Government reports
the information published is meagre and non-
committal, but we reproduce it herewith for what it
is worth.
On October 8, 1920, experiments were carried out
in Harefield Park, Middlesex, with liquid-air
explosives, and were witnessed by two of the
Government Inspectors. Representatives of the
Admiralty, Board of Agriculture, and of county
bodies were also present. The experiments were
conducted by the Liquid Air and Rescue Syndicate,
Ltd. The cartridges consisted of paper bags
containing a carbonaceous absorbent material. A
commercial No. 6 detonator was inserted and tied
to the cartridge, which was then dipped into a
container of liquid air. The liquid air had a high
(over 80%) oxygen content. .\f(rr brinj; allowed to
soak for alxnit l.S minutes the cartridge was ready
for use. The li(iuid-air container containing the
cartridge was carried to the shot-hole, anil as
nnich as ten minutes were allowed to elapse between
the time when the cartridge was taken out of the
container and the firing of the shot. 'I'he cartridges
with which the experiments were made were about
2J in. in diameter and weighed about 2 lb. Single
holes were bored under tree stumps about 18 in. in
diameter without any other disturbance of the earth,
and one 2 lb. carlritlge was loaded and stemmed in
each hole in the usual way. The shots were lired
by electricity, and the results appeared to be
satisfactory.
Sierra Leone Geology. — At the meeting of the
Geological Society of London held on June 22,
Frank Dixey read a pa|>cr entitled " The Norite
of Sierra Leone."
The norite of Sierra Leone constitutes a complex
of which the oldest and most important member
is an olivinc-noritc. The complex forms the
mountainous mass which, together with a narrow
coastal plane of Pleistocene sediments, makes up
the Sierra Leone peninsula. The norite was intruded
in the form'of a huge stock ; it is thus very different
fnmi other well-known norites, which occur chiefly
as laccolites or as special phases of larger masses of
different comjiosition. It does not appear to possess
any marginal or basic modilications, while its
junction with older rocks is obscured by the
Pleistocene sediments. The complex is probably
somewhat later than Pre-Cambrian in age, but in
many respects it closely resembles certain well-
known Pre-Cambrian masses. The main intrusion
of norite was invaded in succession by the following
related minor intrusions: (1) younger norites,
(2) norite-pegmatite, (3) beerbachite, (4) norite-
ajilite, and (5) dolerite.
Important features of interest noted in the older
norite are : (a) Well-developed flow-banding.
(It) A series of binary and ternary intergrowths of
the common minerals, indicating the importance of
eutectic conditions during the crystallization of the
magma. (c) Metamorphism due to the minor
intrusions, which varies in intensity and character
according to the nature and size of the minor
intrusions. For instance, the younger norites and
the beerbachite, not differing greatly from the older
norite in composition, have caused extensive
corrosion and even assimilation, but have not set
up new minerals. The aplite and the dolerite, on the
other hand, being relatively acid in composition,
have, among other effects, converted the pyroxenes
to amphiboles and modified the felspars. .'\n
interesting effect frequently observed in all phases
of metamorphism of the norite is the recrystalliza-
tion of part of the felspar and augite into graphic
intergrowths.
The younger norites form two or more series of
intrusions cutting the older norite, but they are
collectively of small bulk as compared with the
original intrusion. The field-relations of the older
and younger norites are often very complicated,
both on account of the irregular way in which the
younger rocks have broken through the older, and
of the extraordinary amount of corrosion and
assimilation suffered by the older norite. The
beerbachite intrusions are generally small and of
irregular form ; the larger intrusions actively dis-
integrated and incorporated the preceding intrusions
of norite. The veins of norite-aplite generally occur
AUGUST, 1921
125
in the norite in the form of fine threads consisting
mainly of quartz and micropegmatite. These
threads, are, however, only the relatively-acid
terminations of wider veins which are sometimes
seen to attain a thickness of as much as 9 inches.
The thicker portions of the veins consist chiefly of
acid soda-lime felspar, orthoclase. quartz, and
micropegmatite, with small quantities of pyroxene,
hornblende, biotitc, and apatite. The norite-aplite
veins were succeeded by a series of more or less
ophitic enstatite-dolerite dykes, free from olivine
and rich in interstitial acid felspars. In many
respects these dykes closely resemble the well-
known British dolerites ; they are, nevertheless,
free from quartz and micropegmatite.
Iron ores occur in the norite as small masses up
to several inches in length, as narrow schlieren,
and as disseminated grains ; they are highly
titaniferous. Sulphides and other economic minerals
often associated with noritic intrusions are rare or
absent. The weathering and lateritization of the
norite present some interesting features.
In the discussion following the reading of the
paper, A. E. Kitson agreed with the view that the
norite-mass had probably been intruded along a
zone of faulting, and thus had determined to some
extent the character of the coast-line of this part
of West Africa. Since the norite-mass had not been
foliated, he believed that it was later than Pre-
Cambrian in age. The remnants of old platforms
showed strong evidence of at least four successive
uplifts, aggregating more than 1,000 ft. above sea-
level. He agreed with the author that there had
been a good deal of assimilation of the older norite
by the younger intrusions. Examples of assimila-
tion, though of different rocks, occurred in the Gold
Coast. Although in the area between Freetown
and the Hill Station there was a considerable
amount of bauxitic laterite, he had not seen any
blocks of bauxite.
. The author, in reply, stated that iron ores occurred
in the younger norites much as in the older norites,
except that in the former they were present only
as grains and small segregations, and not as
schlieren. Also, bauxite occurred in small amount
on outcrops of both the older and the younger
norites.
SHORT NOTICES
Churn-drilling. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for June 25, E. R. Rice commences an
article on the churn-drilling of disseminated copper
deposits.
Concrete Headgears. — The Colliery Guardian
for July 1 and S contains a reprint of a paper read
before the Liege Engineers' Association by C.
Tournay on reinforced concrete headgears in France
and Belgium.
Gold-dredge in Nevada. — In the Engineering
and Mining Journal for July 16, G. J. Young
describes the building of a gold-dredge at Dayton,
Nevada.
Air-compressors. — The Engineer for July 22
publishes a report by Captain H. Riall Sankey
on the Reavell quadruplex air-compressor.
Submersible Motors. — At the meeting of the
North Staffordshire Institute of Mining Engineers,
held on July 25, A. J. Ramsay read a paper on the
application of submersible motors to mining work.
Galvanized Iron in Australia. — The Industrial
Australian and Mining Standard for May 26
contains a description of the new works erected by
John Lysaght (.\ustralia), Ltd., at Port Waratah,
Newcastle, New SouthWales, for making galvanized-
iron sheets. This company works in connexion with
the Broken Hill Proprietary Co., and the technical
skill is supplied by John Lysaght, Ltd., of Bristol.
Tungsten Filaments. — At the meeting of the
Faraday Society held last month, C. J. Smithells
read a paper on high-temperature phenomena of
tungsten filaments, giving a record of some of his
observations in the laboratories of the General
Electric Company.
Estimation of Bismuth. — In the Engineering
and Mining Jour)ial for July 9, O. A. Critchett
gives a new method of estimating bismuth in ores.
Lead Arsenate. — In the Journal of Industrial
and Engineering Chemistry for June, O. W. Brown,
C. R. Voris, and C. O. Henke describe a method of
making lead arsenate by roasting a mixture of
lead oxide and arsenious oxide.
Tellurium Alloys. — In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for July 20, J. H. Ransom and C. O.
Thieme write on the effect of small quantities of
tellurium in hardening and increasing the tensile
strength of tin, lead, and white metal. It is believed
that the action of the tellurium is to counteract the
effect of other impurities rather than to form
specific alloys.
Magmatic Differentiation. — In the Journal of
Geology for June, J. H. L. Vogt commences an
article on the physical chemistry of the
crysta-llization and magmatic differentiation of
igneous rocks.
Igneous Diffusion. — In the Journal of Geology
for June, N. L. Bowen discusses diffusion in silicate
melts.
Salt in Louisiana. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for July 2, A. G. Wolf describes
salt-mining operations in Louisiana.
Spitsbergen. — In the Geological Magazine for
July Professor J. W. Gregory writes on the
geological sequence across Central Spitsbergen
from Advent Bay to Agardhs Bay.
Malayan Mining. — In the Camborne School of
Mines Magazine for June, W. H. Eplett writes on
lode mining in Malaya, giving particulars of work
at Pahang, Bundi, Sungei Ayam, Intan, Sungei
Gau, Menglimbu, Chendai, and Titi.
Peruvian Oilfields. — In the Camborne School of
Mnu'S Maga:ine for June, S. Raymond Prisk gives
his " Impressions of an Oilfield ", dealing par-
ticularly with conditions in Northern Peru.
Florida Phosphates. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for July 16, S. L. Lloyd describes
the method used m mining phosphates in Florida.
Gold Deposits in Peru. — The Bulletin of the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy for July
contains a paper by A. Gordon Plews describing
lode-gold deposits in the province of Pataz, Peru.
India's Hydro-electric Resources. — In the
Journal of Indian Industries and Labour for May,
J. W. Meares, electrical adviser to the Government
of India, writes on the Government's policy with
regard to the development of Indian hydro-electric
power resources.
Colloidal Fuel. — Engineering for July 15 contains
an article describing the use of colloidal fuel (that is,
oil and pulverized coal mi.xed) at the works of the
Steel Company of Canada, Toronto, for heating
iron bars.
Carbocoal. — Engineering for July 29 gives further
information relating to the Smith continuous car-
bonization process
126
Tin: MIX IXC", MAC'.AZINE
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED NEW BOOKS. PAMPHLETS. Etc.
I— •^'Copies o! the btwiks, etc.. inLMititiiicd brlow Ciin be obt^iinetl
through the Tt-clmicnl Bookshop of The Mining Magazine,
721. Salisbury House, LoiuUm Wall, li.C. :>.
Elements of Engineering Geology. Hy H. KiES
i\iul I'luiMAs L. Wai SON. t'loUi, octavo, 370 pages,
illustrated. Price 2'Js. net. New York : John
Wiley ct Sons ; London : Chapman & Hall, Ltil.
This book is in the nature of a condensation of the
author's well-known book, Engineering Geology,
reviewed in these pages in September, 1914 ; or
perhaps a better idea of its scope would be obtained
if W(! said it was intended as a textbook (or a
shorter coUei^o course on the subject.
Claims against Mexico. By K. K. Desvernink.
Cloth, octavo, l.SO pages. Privately printed.
This books consists of a brief study of the inter-
national law applicable to claims of citizens of the
United States and other countries for losses
sustained in Mexico during the revolutions of the
last decade. The author is a member of the New
York bar.
History and Present Conditions of the Oil
Industry in Galicia. I ■> l>r. S. jANICKl.
Pamphlet, 4U pages. I'rice 2s. 6d. net. London :
The Polish Press Bureau, 2, Upper Montague
Street. W.C. 1.
Canadian Geological Survey's Summary Report,
1920. Part B.— Pamphlet, 72 pages, with numerous
maps. This report contains the following articles :
the Mesozoic of the Upper Peace River, B.C. ;
Review of Prospecting for Oil on the Great Plains ;
The Great Slave Lake .^rea ; Oil-bearing Rocks of
the Lower Mackenzie River \'alley.
Bulletins of Indian Industries and Labour. By
Dr. J. CoGOiN Brown. Published by ordgr of the
Government of India. No. 2. Manganese Ores ;
Xo. 6, .Antimony, .Arsenic, and Bismuth ; No. 7.
Wolfram ; No. 9, Chromite and Molybdenum ;
Xo. 11, Tin. These bulletins give brief outlines of
the occurrence of the minerals, of their commercial
uses, of the methods of identifying them, and of
the customs in the metal and mineral trades.
f^ A cof'y of the <it>e^-t/it\iltim of any of the f\Uents nienlioneii in
this column Ctin he otflainej by sen.ting Is. to the I'tilen! Office,
Soutluimf'ton liutUin^s. Chtincery t^ine, London, M'.C. 2, U'tth
,1 note t>/ the number unj yetir of the patent.
2.242 of 1920 (163,750). C: M. Conder and
G. T. \iviAX, Camborne. Improved method of
mounting jaws of rock breakers.
2.243 of 1920 (163.751). C M. Conder and
G. T. YiviAN, Camborne. Improved method of
mounting crushing rolls.
4.988 of 1920(165,144). P. B. Jones. H. BiRV,
and Mi.NiiKALS StiAKAtiON. Ltd.. London.
Improvements method of application of flotation
to the recovery of fine coal, particularly from the
dust evolved in the production of coal-gas, and
the concomitant recovery of organic carbon com-
pounds that go over with the coal.
6.268 of 1920 (164.444). R. and J. Strang,
Blantvre. Scotland. .Means for stopping mine
cages in case the rope breaks.
7.190 of 1920(154.870). Minerals Separation.
Ltd., London. For floating oxidized ores of copper
or lead, the use of 3 lb. of oleic acid and 2 lb. of
silicate of soda.
7.260 of 1920 (140,096). L. P. Basset, Paris.
For reducing oxides, mixing with finely divided
coal, and submitting to highly heated air, thus
producing a reducin'j atmosphere of carbonic oxide.
7.839 "of 1920 (164.852). H. F. H. Shields
and Hkitish Ropewav Engineering Co., Ltd.,
London. Improvements in boxheads or carriers
used in the single-rope svstem ot aerial ropeways.
8.247 of 1920(163.856). .\.M. Re.\d, Columbus,
Xi.S..\. !\ ball-mill with a number of separating
grids, the spaces between each being provided with
graduated balls.
8.573 of 1920 (164.547). R. Martin and J. I.
Richards, Swansea. Method of operating rakes
in straight line roasting furnaces.
8,591 of 1920(165,208). J. G. Cloke. Tavistock.
Concentration plant of the nature of the fixed
buddle, consisting of a number of V-shaped
launders.
8.960 of 1920(140.824). United Lead Co.. New
Y'ork. Method of making hard alloys of lead con-
taining small amounts of barium and calcium.
11.1 15 of 1920(164.581). Lindsay Light Co.,
Chicago. Method of producing pure thorium com-
pounds from monazite.
11.927 of 1920 (142,493). G. Grondal,
Djursholm, Sweden. .\pparatus for leaching
copper ore that has been subjected to chloridizing
roast.
11,981 of 1920 (149,316). Titan Comp.^ny,
Fredrikstad, Norway. Improved method of pro-
duction of titanic acid pigment from ilmenite.
the object being to get a whiter and smoother
material.
13.652 of 1920 (165,298). Sandvcroft. Ltd.,
and W. Bvllock, London. Improved method of
operating the jaws of rock-breakers.
13,849 of 1920 (164,6081. G. J. Kroll,
Luxemburg. Method of making alloj's containing
alkali earth metals.
25,076 of 1920 (164,270). M. Whitworth,
Oswestry. Forming the floor of sluice-boxes of
perforated metal with the holes pointing slightly
upstream, and sending a pulsating current of water
upward through these holes.
28,886 of 1920 (163,957). S. Hunter,
Manchester. Improved construction of coal-
washing jigs.
1
COMPANY REPORTS
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates. — This company
was formed by the late Nicol Brown in 1882 to
acquire a group of gold-mining properties at
Pilgrim's Rest, in the Lydenburg district of the
Transvaal. In 1895 it was amalgamated with the
Lydenburg Mining Estates, since when it has been
in the control of the Central Mining group. The
report for 1920 shows that 155,063 tons of ore was
mined and treated at the Central mines, 17,790 tons
at the Elandsdrift mine, and 21,414 tons at the
Vaalhoek mine. The revenues, gross and per ton,
including premium, were respectively /251,420 or
32s. 5d., 764,336 or 72s. 5d., and £45,021 or 4Is. 7d.;
and the total revenue was £.360,778. equal to an
average of 37s. Is. per ton The profit was £89,751
or 9s. 2d. per ton. Of the total revenue, £89,358
accrued from premium, a figure almost identical
with the net profit. The shareholders received
£15,105, the dividend being at the rate of 2i%.
Development has been restricted by the shortage of
native labour. Another feature in conne.xion with
development is that at the Central mines the assay-
value of the ore continues to show a slight decline.
The reserves are estimated as follows : Central
mines 461.958 tons, averaging 7-58 dwt. per ton ;
Elandsdrift 73,650 tons, averaging 162 dwt. :
Vaalhoek, 67,262 tons, averaging 8-64 dwt.
I
AUGUST, 1921
127
Rhodesia Broken Hill. — This company works
the lead-zinc deposits at Broken Hill, Rhodesia,
which were described in detail in the Magazine
for October, 1919. Edmund Davis is chairman and
Hooper, Speak & Co. are the consulting engineers.
During the year 1920 the amount of ore smelted
was 42,806 tons, and the yield of lead 14.602 tons.
The whole of this ore was obtained from the open-
cut at No. 1 kopje. In course of mining, 46, 42,'? tons
of ore high in zinc was extracted also, and this has
been dumped for future treatment. The study of
the zincy ore has been continued, and an
experimental electrolytic plant capable of pro-
ducing 50 lb. of zinc per day is in operation. The
prospecting and drilling work and the geological
investigations have been continued, and useful
information has been obtained with regard to the
mode of occurrence of the ore-bodies. The
cementation process has been successfully applied
to the sinking of the shafts through the heavily
watered dolomite. At the end of the year No.l
shaft was down to 151 ft. and No. 2 to 50 ft. The
sales of lead during the year brought an income
of £461,677, and /4.43I was received for vanadium
ore. The net profit was £89,949, out of which
;f35,000 has been declared as dividend, being at the
rate of 10%, less income tax. The output of lead
during the first half of 1921 was 9,428 tons.
Eileen Alannah. — This company belongs to the
Willoughby group and has worked gold mines in
the Gatooma district, Rhodesia, since 1911. The
ore is refractory, and there have been breaks in the
continuity of operations. The report for 1920
shows that 21 ,720 tons was milled, yielding 4,788 oz.
by amalgamating, grinding in pans, cyaniding of
concentrate, and cyaniding of sand. The buUion
realized £25,795. In addition a tributer extracted
gold from accumulated slime, the royalty on which
accruing to the company amounted to £130. The
accounts show a loss of £1,950, bringing the total
debit balance to £25,816. In February, 1921,
there was an exceptionally heavy rainfall, as much
as 9 in. being registered in a week. In consequence
the workings were flooded to near the surface.
The pumps have so far made little impression on
the water, and it is possible that the property may
be abandoned, for the present at any rate. Perhaps
the oxidized ore in the open-cuts may be worked,
if not the sulphides below.
South Kalgurli Consolidated. — This company was
formed in 1913 to amalgamate the South Kalgurli and
Hainault gold mines at Kalgoorlie, West Australia.
The report for 1920 shows that 80,270 tons was
milled for a yield of 30,915 oz., equal to 7-7 dwt.
per ton. The par value of the gold was £130,992.
and £51,284 was received as premium. The net
profit was £36,344, out of which £31,250 is being
paid as dividend, being at the rate of 25%. The
ore reserve is estimated at 179,900 tons, together
with a probable 88,100 tons. Development is
still being actively continued, though no new dis-
covery of note has been made since that of June,
1919, which, as John Morgan, the consulting
engineer, says, was so effective in raising the general
grade of the ore treated.
Associated Gold Mines of Western Australia. — •
This companj- was formed in 1894 to work the
Australia leases at Kalgoorlie. Of recent years the
ore has been of low grade and no dividends have been
paid since 1914. The report for 1920 shows that
64,462 tons of ore was treated for a vield of gold
realizing £121,614, of which /35,439 accrued from
premium. In addition £5,174 was received as
royalties from tributers. .After writing off the cost
of development and diamond-drilling, a profit of
£25,624 was made. From this is deducted £8,864,
the adverse balance brought in from the previous
year, leaving a credit balance of £16,760. D. F.
ilc.Aulay, the manager, states that exploratory
work has proved the continuance of the .Australia
East lode in depth. The company holds interests
in the Keeley Silver Mines and the Porcupine
V'.N.T. companies operating in Canada. The
former started milling recently, but nothing is being
done at the latter owing to the continuance of
high costs.
Lake View & Star. — This company was formed in
1910 to amalgamate the Lake View Consols and the
Hannan's Star companies, after the former had
ceased to be a great producer. In 1915 the Chaffers
mine was purchased. During the year 1920 the ore
raised and treated amounted to 95,157 tons, and
the yield of gold was 25,541 oz., the par value of
which was £103,881. Gold premium and a small
amount of royalty received from tributers brought
the income to /16S,489. The working profit was
£27,494, of which £3.000 was written off for
depreciation and £22,500 was paid as dividend,
being at the rate of 1H%. Developments during
the year have not given any results at Lake View
or Hannan's Star, but additional ore has been
disclosed at Chaffers. The main shaft at Lake
View has been sunk deeper in order to open a new
level at 2,300 ft. The ore reserves are estimated
as follows : Lake View, 58,589 tons, averaging
28s. 9d. per ton ; Hannan's Star, 178,453 tons,
averaging 25s. 8d. per ton ; and Chaffers, 5,400 tons,
averaging 40s. 4d. per ton ; all par values.
Oroya Links. — 'This company was formed in
1896 as Golden Link Consolidated to acquire
properties at Kalgoorlie. In 1909 the name was
changed and milling plant was acquired from the
Oroya Brownhill company. Operations were
suspended in 1916, and part of the property has
been let on tribute. J. H. Cordner- James is
chairman, and Bewick, Moreing & Co. are the
general managers. The report for 1920 shows that
the tributers extracted 13,137 tons of ore, and that
5,765 tons of ore was purchased. The net profit
was £2,537, which was carried forward.
British Broken Hill. — This company was formed
in 1887 to acquire Blocks 15 and 16 at Broken Hill,
New South \Vales. The report now issued covers
the year 1920. The mine and dressing plant were
closed on account of the strike for 19 months.
Mining was resumed on November 16. 1920, and
from then until the end of the year 660 tons of
carbonate ore was raised, averaging 28'5% lead and
5'3 oz. silver per ton ; also 13,756 tons of sulphide
ore, averaging 12-8% lead, n'8% zinc, and 7'3 oz.
silver. The lead concentrator treated 14,279 tons,
and produced 2,330 tons of lead concentrate,
averaging 60-7% lead, 7-3°o zinc, and 264 oz.
silver. At the zinc flotation plant 10,636 tons of
lead-mill residue, averaging 12'6°o zinc, 3% lead,
and 3-1 oz. silver, was treated, yielding 2,120 tons
of zinc concentrate, averaging 45°o zinc, 9% lead,
and 10-8 oz. silver. After the turn of the year the
fire at Port Pirie smelting works and the general
adverse conditions made it necessary to stop work
at the end of January. The accounts for the year
showed a loss of £47,757. The reserve of sulphide
ore is estimated at 1,057,905 tons, averaging 12-4%
lead, 11'3% zinc, and 6-9 oz. silver.
12S
nil-: MiM\(, m.\(,.\/im;
Brisris Tin & Grnrrnl Mining.— -Tliis company
has woikcil alluvial tin Joposits in north-eastern
Tasmania since 1899. The report for 1920 shows
that 1S1.300 cu. yd. of grounil was shiiceil at
KnishUa's l-"lat for a yield ol 219-8 tons of tin con-
centrate, the extraction per yard being 272 lb.,
while at Kingarooma 115,501) en. yd. yielded
23-5 tons, being at the rate of 0.45 lb. per yard.
The total production was 244 tons. This was
smelted at the company's works at Launceston, and
the metal obtained, 176J tons, sold for ;(;46,155.
The working profit was /1 5,467, out of which
/2,2'-'9 was written off for depreciation, and
;i7,368 was allowed for British and Colonial taxes.
Arrangements are being made for diverting the
Ringarooma river once more to bring it behind
the working faces by means of a high embankment.
Until this work is completed the output of tin
concentrate will be necessarily restricted.
Kramat Pulai. — This company belongs to the
Trtmoh group, and w^as formed in 1907 to work
alluvial tin properties at Pulai, in the Kinta district
of Perak, Federated Malay States. Subsequently
deeper leads containing scheclitc were worked,
according to the demand for this mineral. A year
ago it became necessary to provide rock breakers
for disintegrating the scheelite-bejiring material.
The report for 1920 shows that the output of tin
concentrate was 112 tons and of scheelite 194 tons.
The production of scheelite was suspended in
September owing to the low price obtainable. The
accounts show receipts of £34,326 from the sale of
the company's products and of /4,2S9 from
tributers. The net profit was /15,194, and, with the
amount brought in from the previous year, the
credit balance on December 31 was /24,937.
Dividends absorbing /20,000 have been paid, being
at the rate of 20%.
Gurum River (Nigeria) Tin Mines. — This
company was formed in 1911 to work alluvial tin
property in the north-western part of the Bauchi
plateau, Nigeria. Oliver Wethered i'' chairman,
J. jM. lies is on the board, and Laws. Rumbold &
Co. are the general managers in Nigeria. The report
for the year ended September 30, 1920, just
published, shows that the output of tin concentrate
was 176 tons, as compared with 104 tons the
previous year. The receipts from the sale of con-
centrate w-ere ;f21,353, and the net profit was
;£2,923. Adding £14,010 brought forward from the
previous year, the disposable balance was /16,934.
Out of this /12,316 has been distributed as
dividend, being at the rate of 15%.
Naraguta Extended (Nigeria) Tin Mines — This
company has worked alluvial tin ground in the
northern part of the Bauchi plateau, Nigeria,
since 1911. The report for 1920 shows that the
output of tin concentrate w^as 224 tons, as com-
pared with 276 tons the year before. The fall was
due partly to labour shortage, but also to the
suppi}- of water during the rainy season not being
up to the average. The accounts showed a credit
balance of £359 for the year's worlcing. At the
present time the property has been let on contract.
Kaduna. — This company was formed in 1910 to
acquire alluvial tin properties on the western side
of the Bauchi plateau, Nigeria. J. E. Snelus is the
manager. The report for the year ended October 31
last shows that the output of tin concentrate was
168 tons, as compared with 205 tons the year before,
the fall being due to the shortage of efficient native
labour. The accounts show credits of £21,361 from
the sale of tin, and a loss for the year of £482. The
sum of £3,699 was brought forward from the
I^revious year, and £7,360 was recovered from
excess prolits tax previously paid. The balance
in hand was therefore /10'.,S76, out of which a
dividend at the rate of 10% was paid, absorbing
/2,780. .Additional prospecting licences have been
actiuired during llie year.
Kaduna Prospectors. This company w\as formed
in 1913 as a subsidiary of the Kaduna Syndicate,
and now works alluvial tin property in the southern
part of the Bauchi plateau, Nigeria. The report for
the year ended October 31 last shows that 90 J tons
of concentrate was won, as compared with 58J tons
the year before. The accounts show a loss of"£750.
Additional ground is now being examined under
prosjiecting licence.
Burma Ruby Mines. — This company has worked
ruby mines at iMogok, Burma, since 1889. During
1920 the amount of earth washed was estimated at
771,406 truck-loads and the stones recovered were
valued at £43,010. The sales brought an income
of £33,507. There is a steady demand for the
ordinary qualities of stones in India and Burma,
and fine stones arc always in demand in London and
Paris. Large sections of ground are worked by
tributers, and the royalties collected during the
year amounted to £14,528, which, less cost of
collection, was handed over to the Indian Govern-
ment. The accounts for 1920 show an adverse
balance of £5,929. During the j'ear sluicing has
been introduced, and water is now brought in
instead of the earth being hauled to the washers.
In this way the cost of operation will be greatly
reduced.
Poderosa. — This company was formed in 1908 to
acquire copper properties iji the CoUahuasi district,
Chile. The ore is of high grade, but conditions of
work are difficult ; moreover, the marketing of the
ore has been subject to frequent interruptions during
recent years. Dividends were paid for 1909, 1916,
and 1917. The report for 1920 shows that 5,01 1 tons
of ore, averaging 30-13°o copper and 15-16 oz. silver
per ton, was shipped to the smelters, as compared
with 1,498 tons of similar tenor the year before.
The operations during the first three quarters of
1920 were fairly remunerative, but with the fall in
the price of copper it became impossible to ship at
a profit, so that since October work has been con-
fined almost entirely to development. The accounts
show receipts £108,620 from the sale of ore and
a profit, after allowance for development and
depreciation of plant, of £18,349, out of which
£8,750 has been distributed as dividend, being at
the rate of 2J% less income tax. R. O. Packard,
the manager, gives particulars of current and pro-
jected development. He estimates the ore in the
Poderosa mine ready for shaping at about 10,000
tons, averaging 25 to 30% copper, and the con-
centrating ore on the dumps at 134,000 tons,
averaging 31"^ copper.
Libiola Copper — This company has worked a
copper mine in the north of Italy since 1888. The
report for 1920 shows that the yield of copper ore
was 2,297 tons and of pyrites 6,309 tons. The
demand for cupreous pyrites improved during the
year. Owing to labour unrest, operations were on
a comparatively low scale, and no development work
was done. The reserve is estimated at 6,325 tons
of copper ore and 37,560 tons of pyrites. The
profit and loss account shows a credit balance of
£234.
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director.
Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of eacli month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbuky House, London Wall, London, E.C. 2.
Telephone : London Wall 893S. Telegraphic Address : Oligoclase. Codes : McNnll both Editions
Branch Offices ' j:^!:': ^^?^^^}^^l'"']-C^'!:^I^^"-^°- Svbsceiptov ' ^'^- P" annum' (Single Copy Is. 6d.), including
I postage to any part of the World.
1 t.;Ol.t. Fisher Bdg., Chicago.
Vol. XXV. No. 3. LONDON, SEPTEMBER, 1921.
Price Is. 6d.
CON T E N T S
Editorial
Notes 130
The Position of Cornish Mining; Cages for Deep
Mines ; Sir Thomas Holland's Resignation ;
Newcomen's Memorial at Dartmouth ; The
Engineers' Club.
Carbonic Oxide Poisoning 130
Reference is made to the increasing use of carbonic
oxide in factories and homes, with comment on
recent Government decisions.
The Metalliferous Mines Advisory Com-
mittee 132
The opportunities presented by the appointment of
this Committee for introducing many reforms and
improvements in mining methods and administra-
tion are discussed.
The Shetland Isles 133
A historical account of mining activities in the
Shetland Isles is here given, with special reference
to the copper deposits in the southern part of the
Mainland.
Review of Mining 136
Articles
Trinidad: A Review of its Geology
and Oil Resources . . Henry B. Milner 139
In this article the author summarizes our present
knowledge of the geology of the Island of
Trinidad, with special reference to the mode of
occurrence and storage of its oil. An account is
given of the progress of development of the
petroleum resources, and some of the more
iinportant technical difficulties encountered during
oil exploration m the Island are discussed.
The Ventilation of Dead-Ends in
Mines Stanley Nettleton 149
Crushing and Concentration at Mount
Lyell 152
Letters to the Editor
The Origin of Primary Ore Deposits
Dr. J. Morrow Campbell 154
Manjak R. H. Emtage 156
Book Reviews
McLaughlin's " Oil Land Development and
Valuation " h. B. Milner 156
"Manganese" H.K. Scott 158
News Letters
Melbourne. 159
Gold stealing in West AustraUa ; Queensland Gold
Mining
Perth 160
Suggestions for Reform ; Gold Stealing ; Labour
Questions; Security of Tenure; Tributing •
Hampton Plains ; Oil ; Northern West .A.ustraUa.'
Toronto 163
Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt j Lightning
River ; Larder Lake.
Vancouver ] 64
Silver- Lead; Premier Gold; Dolly Varden ; Con-
solidated Mining and Smelting; Liinonite Deposits.
Personal 166
Trade Paragraphs 1 66
Metal Markets 167
St.atistics of Production, etc 170
Prices of Chemicals 173
Share Quotations 174
The Mining Digest
Principles of Copper Leaching. . .F. E. L%the 175
Dressing of Wolfram Ores in Queensland . . .
W. H. Bowater 182
Cornish Geology E. H. Davison 185
The Goudreau Gold Discovery, Ontario ....
A.G. Bunows 186
Tin Concentration H. S. Hatfield 188
Geological Investigations in Rhodesia
H.B. Maufe 188
Distribution of Gold in Banket
F. Wartenweilsr 189
Mining Efficiency on the Rand. . ./o/!« Moore 190
Operation of Mine Fans in Combination. . . .
David Penman 191
Moisture in Furnace Blasts /. H. Gillis 191
Short Notices 192
Recent Patents Published 192
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 194
Company Reports 194
Broken Hill Block 10; Broken Hill Block li ; Leeuwpoort Tin
Mines ; Ropp Tin ; Waihi Graud Junction.
1-3?
EDITORIAL
THF. Enfjinot'is' Club w as formally oihih d
on Si'ptonibor 1. The Club occupies
a handsome house at the ct)rncr of Coventry
Street and W'hitcomb Street, between
Leicester Square and I'iroadilly Circus.
The honorary secretary is Mr. K. ].. Hill.
ONLY last month we referred with com-
mendation to Sir Thomas Holland's
scr\-ices in the administration of certain
branches of Indian Government business. It
is unpleasant, therefore, to have to record
that ho has had to resign his position as
member for commerce on the Council
of the Governor-General of India. He
ordered the abandonment of a prosecution,
which the legal members of the Government
considered should be continued. Here, again,
it is of little avail to plead that his actions
were prompted by notions of public duty. We
can onlj' express regret that his undoubted
abilities and his sympathetic methods of
handling native questions should be lost
to the Government at a time of anxious
national stress.
ONE of Mr. E. H. Clifford's recom-
mendations relative to winding from
great depths, contained in his paper on the
Citj' Deep mine read before the Institution
of Mining and ^Metallurgy early this year,
was that cages and skips should be made of
the strongest steel or other alloy obtainable,
in order that their weight should be reduced
to the lowest possible limit. It is obvious
that the lightening of the hoisting load
obtained thereby would effect an important
economy and substantially reduce the
working costs, in spite of the fact that the
first cost would be considerable. We hear,
however, that inquiries made by mining
houses do not receive a ready response from
the constructional engineers, who appear
to be rather doubtful as to the advisability
of such a polic}'. We can assure the
manufacturers that the matter is one well
worth their attention.
IN memory of Thomas Newcomen, the
pioneer of steam engineering, a
monument has been erected in his native
town of Dartmouth, being placed in the
public park facing the River Dart. The
monument consists of a large, rough-hewn
granite block, to which is at'ti.xed two bra.ss
tablets. One of the tablets gives in a few
words an outline of Newcomen 's career, and on
the other there is an engraved representation
of his invention, the atmospheric steam
engini'. Niweomen was born in Dartmouth
ill Iti()3, where he first earned his living as a
blacksmith. The house he lived in was in
existence until liSiSI. The records show that
he built an engine near Dudley Castle in
1712, and the last that was at work was at the
South Liberty coal mine near Bristol. He
died in London in 1729, and he was buried
in Bunhill Fields ccmeterj', which is situated
about half-way between the old and the new
homes of the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy.
AT the annual meeting of the Cornish
Chamber of Mines, certain members
forcibly expressed their disapproval of words
in the editorial on Cornish Conditions
appearing in the Magazine last month.
The offending words were : " Cornish mining
is dead." Without their context and without
further amplification the statement appears
sufficiently alarming. But the word " dead "
is one of elastic definition, as will be found
by reference to the Oxford Dictionary.
Wc did not mean it in the sense of Artemus
Ward's " killed fatally dead," but rather
in the mode of language of the stockbroker,
who at present loudly avers that the rubber
share market is " dead." " Inactive, motion-
less, idle," are given in the Oxford Dictionary,
and this is the sense in which it was used
by us. A more considered phrasing of the
words and their context would be : " Cornish
mining is temporarily dead, and there are
no signs of an immediate revival." Mr. R.
Arthur Thomas at the meeting put it con-
cisely when he said : " Cornish mining is not
dead, but sleepeth."
Carbonic Oxide Poisoning
On several occasions recently we have
drawn attention to the dangers arising from
the gradually extending use of carbonic
oxide in metallurgical and other industrial
and domestic operations. Owing to it being
without colour and odour, its presence is
not detectable until unpleasant physical
symptoms arise, and for the same reason
the symptoms are not easily recognizable
as the result of this particular form of gas
130
SEPTEMBER, 1021
131
poisoning. In mining operations its effect
is not as general!}' understood as it should
be, and the headache following exposure
to the fumes of blasting is often wrongly
attributed to nitrous compounds. Though
various writers have given the results of
their investigations into the composition
and effects of the fumes given off by
explosives, the action of carbonic oxide has
not received the attention it deserves,
owing presumably to the comparatively
small proportion present. One of these days
a medical man will devote himself to the
study, in the same way as Dr. Leonard Hill
has made a speciality of the effects of
moisture in hot atmospheres. The remedy
will probaT)ly lie in regulation of times of
blasting, rather than in the matter of
ventilating, but the subject will afford con-
siderable scope for investigation. In coal-
mining the gas is known as " white damp,"
but the effect of its presence after an
explosion of coal gas or coal dust is often
ignored, and it is only recently that the
necessity for providing means for combating
its effect during first-aid and rescue
operations has been recognized.
The dangers arising in industrial operations
from the use of commercial gases containing
carbonic oxide, and from its incidental
formation and escape, are fully understood
by the Home Office, for a number of
publications have been issued dealing with
various phases of the subject. One of these
was issued last month by the Factory Depart-
ment, entitled " Memorandum on Carbonic
Oxide Poisoning in Factories." This
pamphlet contains a large amount of
information of value to metallurgists and
to users of gas engines and plant in which
gas is emploj'ed for heating purposes. At so
many mines and metallurgical works gas is
used nowadays that this pamphlet ought to
be in the hands of all our readers. It is not
possible here to give anything like full
quotations, but one point raised is deserving
of special reference. The dangers are often
entirely unsuspected, and in the specific
case mentioned deaths have been known to
occur owing to the slow smouldering of coal
and other carbonaceous matter in dumps.
The gases released by this action permeate
the soil and gain access to buildings. In the
same way gob fires in coal mines are dangerous,
for this reason as well as on account of the
heat evolved, though in these cases the
ventilating current usually provides sufficient
remedy.
In factories and mines it is possible, by
observing certain rules, to keep clear of the
dangers of carbonic oxide, and in well-
organized establishments there are means
for instantly combating its effects when the
symptoms arise. Under these conditions
there seems no reason for agitating against
the use of gases containing this highly
poisonous constituent. On the other hand,
the increasing proportion of carbonic oxide
in town gas used for household purposes is
open to considerable objections, and the
recent report of a Board of Trade committee
refusing to recommend a limit must be
viewed with some disquietude. The battle
of twenty-five years ago between the water-
gas fraternity and the anti-poison group
will be remembered. The result at the time
was a curbing of the general expansion of
the use of this gas, but two factors in the
problem have since arisen to change the
point of view. In the first place the incan-
descent mantle requires heat and not
illuminating power in the gas employed,
while the gas-works desire an outlet for their
coke. Thus the Gas Regulation Act, passed
a year ago, allowed the gas companies to
sell gas by heating power instead of
illuminating power, and they were given a
free hand with regard to carbonic oxide
content, subject to the decision of a com-
mittee appointed by the Board of Trade.
This committee met a great many times, and
examined a number of expert witnesses.
The opinions expressed differed fairly widely,
but the general view appears to have been
that as straight coal gas contains 9% of
carbonic oxide, there can be no serious
objection to higher proportions being used.
While man}' experts pressed for a maximum
of 20%, the preponderating view was that
no limit should be imposed. It cannot be
denied that the members of the committee
and the experts are well informed men, but
the average user of gas feels that their judg-
ment is open to criticism, and that there is
something wrong somewhere. The gas
companies claim that they are benefactors
to the race because their product gives
no smoke and no fumes to destroy btiildings ;
they must not object if they receive a retort
to the effect that they introduce a virulent
poison into our houses. There is reason
to doubt the sincerity of the altruistic
attitude assumed by the lighting and heating
corporations, for are not the electric lighting
stations the worst offenders in the matter
of discharging black smoke into the
132
III. MlMXt. .MAi.AZlMC
atmosphere ? The cynic will go almost as
far as to say that these clouds of smoke are
gooil for the companies, as they create a
demand for artificial light. Seriously, how-
ever, the carbonic-oxide position is unsatis-
factory, and much has still to be learnt by
producers, users, and experts. \\'atch will
undoubtedly be kept on the results of the
recent removal of restrictions, and the matter
will be revived at a later date. As far as this
JIagazine is concerned, it is impossible
to do more now than to question the wisdom
of allowing unlimited use of this gas.
The Metalliferous Mines Advisory
Committee
As mentioned in the June issue, the
Secretary for Mines recently appointed an
Advisory Committee for the Metalliferous
Mining Industry. No doubt many readers
are sceptical of the value of any departmental
committee, and judging by past experience
the\^ have good reason for such disbelief, for
the permanent or political Goverimient
officials have usually ignored the recom-
mendations of such advisers. But this
attitude of scepticism is surelv wrong, for
everybody connected with metalliferous
mining in this country should endeavour
strenuously to back their interests and take
fuU advantage of the opportunity now offered
for doing some good to an industry which is
confessedly in a parlous position. Anyway,
most of the committee take a serious view of
their duties, and they should be generously
supported in mining circles. Among the
members of the Committee best known to
readers of the Magazine are Dr. F. H.
Hatch, Dr. Malcolm Maclaren, Professor
Henry Louis, and Messrs. Frank Merricks,
F. W. Harbord. R. Arthur Thomas, Anthonj'
Wilson, and T. C. F. Hall. The committee
consists essentially of representatives of
owners of iron, tin, and other metalliferous
mines, and of an equal number of repre-
sentatives of labour, together with mining
engineers, geologists, and metallurgists, and
a medical expert. If there is a criticism to
be made with regard to the constitution of
the committee it arises from the appoint-
ments to the chairmanship and vice-chair-
manship. Sir Cecil Budd is the chairman,
and it is generally felt that this office would
have been better held by some one con-
versant with mining rather than by a repre-
sentative of the metal markets ; while it is
considered in some quarters that^the
presentation of the vice-chairmanshi]) to
tlu' Labour ])arty gave the Committee ino
nuuh of a political complexion. These
points arc not of any great practical
im])ortancr as matters go nowadays, and it is
well to dismiss the criticisms as prom])lly
as ])ossible. The great point in connexion
witii the Committee is that its formation
marks a new era in administration, and that
for the first time in our history the owners
and workers have a direct and legitimate
voice in such control as is exercised by a
Government department. The Committee
has the widest functions, and tiiough the
Minister is not compelled to refer any
question to it, undoubtedly he will have in
practice to obtain the opinion of his advisers.
It is also laid down in the constitution of the
Committee that the Minister " shall take into
consideration any representations which may
be made to him by the Committee," a clause
which gives a right that may prove to be of
immense value to the industry. As regards
recommendations involving the sjjending
of money, the Committee was told at its
first meeting that the limit of expenditure
by the Mines Department had already been
reached, so that no such recommendations
could be considered. This, of course,
excludes a great many matters that would
otherwise have been brought forward, and
has accordingly caused much disappoint-
ment to a large section of the non-ferrous
mining community.
One of the recommendations already made
by the Committee relates to the collection
of statistics of production and labour. Of
recent years the Home Office reports on
these matters have grown more and more
absurd, as regards both scantiness and
dUatoriness of publication. The mine owners
send full returns in January, and an ordinary
business house would be able to publish
the reports in February. But the reports
are generally published towards the end of
the year, when they are of little use to those
engaged in the industry or to anyone else.
The Committee is now urging a reform in this
method of presentation of the returns, and is
also urging their publication, especially those
relating to labour, at shorter intervals, say
quarterly.
The Minister of Mines has placed before
the Committee the recommendations of the
various Commissions that have examined
the conditions of the mining industry of
late years, in particular the Royal Com-
mission on Metalliferous Mines and Quarries,
SEPTEMBER, 1921
133
the Royal Commission on Royalties, and the
Departmental Committee on the Non-Ferrous
Mining Industn'. Up to the present time
no effort has been made to carry out these
recommendations, and the various reports
have been entirely neglected. They are now
being considered by the Committee, and it is
probable that many of the recommendations
contained in them will be endorsed by the
Committee, and probably accepted by the
Minister. It will hardly be possible to deal
with all these matters by immediate
legislation, and in any case there is great
difficulty in drafting an Act of Parliament
in a sufficiently comprehensive manner to
include all the regulations that would be
necessary, so in all probability the most
urgent matters will be dealt with by means
of special rules and Mines Department
regulations, which, when formallyissued, have
all the force of law. In preparing the rules,
it is of importance that they should be
adapted to each class of metalliferous mining,
for it is clear that what is suitable for open-
cut ironstone mining in the Midlands is not
easily adaptable to tin-mining operations.
Then, again, local nomenclature should be
considered, for the terms used in the various
districts differ widely. Even in Furness, the
words and their meanings are not all identical
with those employed in the neighbouring
iron mines in Cumberland, while Cornwall
has a dialect of its own. Sub-committees
have already been formed to consider the
qualifications of managers, the keeping of
plans, the rules for safety and health, and
other subjects.
Probably the question of royalties, way-
leaves, and rates will receive close attention
by the Committee. It is to be hoped that the
new statistical returns will give the
information, which has hitherto been
unavailable, relating to the amounts paid
by the mines under these headings.
Curiously enough, the Royal Commission
on Royalties was unable to secure exact
data, a fact which went far to nullify any
good done by the inquiry. The Government
is pledged to the nationalization of royalties,
and it is clear that full details must be
obtained before any legislation can be under-
taken. Both mine owners and the workers
are aware of the heavy handicap of these
charges, and are equally helpless in the
matter. It is true that occasionally a royalty
owner will alleviate the burden under special
circumstances, but nothing but public
regularization will really meet the case.
3—3
It will therefore be one of the duties of the
Committee to advise as to the terms of
nationalization. The incidence of local
rates is not of less importance than the
imposition of royalties, and it will also
receive due attention.
The Committee has started well, and it will
no doubt make its position felt. Outside
support must be given to it so that it shall
be able to avoid the fate of similar bodies,
which have gradually sunk into the apathy
consequent on neglect. It must not stop
at mere advice on official proposals, but
should boldly handle all the factors that have
so largely contributed to the existing
desperate position. We may hope that the
Minister of Mines will make full use of the
Committee, and treat its recommendations
with sympathy and intelligence, and give it
a status that will encourage it to throw itself
with energy and responsibility into the task
before it.
Shetland Copper
As recorded in recent issues, a project
is in hand for the reopening of the old copper
mines in the JMainland of the Shetland Isles.
At the time we recommended inquirers to
consult Dr. J. S. Flett, director of the
Geological Survey, with regard to this
subject. Since then a report by Dr. Flett
has been issued by the Scottish section of the
Geological Survey, giving a historical account
of these ore deposits, so the public are now
in possession of all essential details.
The deposits are found in the Old Red
Sandstone of the Devonian Age. These
rocks are principally conglomerates, red
sandstones, and shales, with occasional
thin-bedded grey flagstones. The area
covered by the rocks extends from Rovey
Head, a few miles north of Lerwick, the
capital of the Isles, along the eastern side
to Sumburgh Head, at the extreme south of
the Mainland. To readers of Sir Walter
Scott the country? will be familiar as providing
the principal scenes in " The Pirate." Pyrites
and chalcopyrite are found in lodes in these
Old Red Sandstone rocks, and at a number
of places these lodes have been worked for
copper at various times. The most important
of the operations have been at Sandlodge,
which is situated about 14 miles south of
Lerwick. The lode trends about N. 10° E.,
and three old shafts are marked on the 6 in.
ordnance survey map. The country rock is
reddish sandstone, and the weathered back of
the lode can be seen in some old pits. The
131
THE MININC. MAC.AZINE
lode consists largely of siderite, wiiiih is
weathered to liinonite on the surface to a
dcptli of about 100 ft. Tlie pyrites is found
in stringers and pockets, and other sulphides,
such as galena and blende, are also present.
The deposit was originally worked for copper
ore. but at one time iron ore was also mined.
In depth the siderite gives place partly to
carbonates of lime and magnesia. The lode is
fairly wide, measuring Oor 10 ft., and thi're is
al.so a subsidiary lode. The foregoing facts
give a general idea of the nature of the
deposit, but it is interesting also to record
the history of the work done.
The early records indicate that the
Sandlodge mine was first opened toward
the end of the eighteenth century, and that
a party of miners was brought over from
Wales to do the development. Shafts were
sunk, and copper ore was raised, selling for
about £2,000. The death of the lessee put an
end to the operations before much work was
done, but by the year 1800 mining had
been resumed. Robert Jamieson, in his
Mineralogy of the Scottish Islands, describes
his visit to the property in 1790. .According
to his account, two lodes had been worked,
known as the east and west veins, and
forming branches of one lode. In 1803
Patrick Neill was there, and he gave his
impressions in his Tour through some of the
Islands of Orkney and Shetland. He found
that a shaft was down to 130 ft., and that
one or two cargoes of dressed ore had been
shipped. He was told that the company
had spent £10,000 on the mine, and that the
best quality of picked ore realized £70 per
ton. John Sherriff, in his book A General
View of the Shetland Islands, published in
1817, mentions that Professor Fleming
visited the district in 1808. The mine had
been abandoned by that date and the shafts
were full of water. From time to time during
succeeding years the property was worked
on a small scale with unimportant results,
and it was not until 1872 when John Walker
obtained a lease that public attention was
attracted once more. Mr. Walker carried on
work actively for eight years, and raised
about 10,000 tons of iron and copper ore.
In 1878 the production of copper ore was
708 tons, valued at £1,770, and of iron ore
1,241 tons, while in 1880 the yield was
1,995 tons of copper ore valued at £5,814
and 396 tons of iron ore valued at £344.
]\Ir. Walker sold the lease in 1880 to the
Sumburgh Mining Company, which had
a nominal capital of £60,000, but this com-
p.my wiiit inio lii|uid.iii()n in the follt)v\'iug
year. Since then the property has been
I'xamined on many occasions, but reopening
was never recommended, until in November
last the present enterprise was inaugurated.
One of the most enlightening accounts of
the deposit written in recent years is found in
a paper read in 1908 by Mr. R. W. Dron
before the Geological Society of (jlasgow,
entitled " Iron and Copper Mining in
Reference
Gnasa,
•Mu^-s- - -.
■> faults
StraJ^i
Geology of South of Mainland of Shetland Isles.
Shetland." He gives some idea of the nature
of the deposit and of the ores mined. He
states that the lode averaged 9 or 10 ft.
wide and that the west shaft had been sunk
on the incline to a depth of 180 ft. For the
first 100 ft. the lode appeared to have con-
sisted of hematite and limonite, the
weathered products of siderite, with here and
there pockets of copper pjTites. He was
informed that the iron oxides had been
shipped to gas works for use as a
desulphurizer. Below the 100 ft. level,
he reported the lode material to be siderite,
associated with carbonates of iron and
SEPTEMBER, 1921
135
magnesia, and that this also contained copper
pyrites. Also he mentioned that a vertical
shaft had been sunk to cut the main lode
at a depth of 240 ft., and that below this
■point the shaft had followed the lode for
60 ft., and levels driven northward and
southward for 220 ft. and 190 ft. respectively.
In these bottom workings the lode material
is reported to be white siderite, containing
copper pyrites, but Dr. Flett is of opinion
that its composition is vary variable.
Dr. Flett in his report mentions a number
of other spots where copper pyrites is known
to exist in this district. At Setter, about
half a mile south of Sandlodge, a lode has
been known for many years, and an attempt
was made to work it in 1890. Two shafts
were sunk. One of these was near the coast
line, and followed the lode for 90 ft. The
vein was of solid copper pyrites, but it was
narrow, being only a few inches wide at the
surface and 1.5 to 20 in. at the deepest point
worked. The proximity to the sea made it
impossible to continue the sinking of the
shaft, so a second shaft was started about
150 ft. inland, and on higher ground. This
shaft was sunk to 83 ft., ancl a cross-cut
was then started to intersect the vein, but
at this stage the venture was abandoned.
Copper pyrites is also found on the cUffs
at Sandwick and No Ness, not far from
Sandlodge, and the lode is presumably
a continuation of that worked at Sandlodge.
Other trials have been made at Levenwick,
Hoswick, Garthness, and Ouendale. Fair
Isle, situated about half-way between
Orkney and Shetland, belongs also to the
Sumburgh estate, and here there is another
outcrop of copper pyrites, which has been
investigated at various times during the last
hundred years, but neither its nature nor
its position has been such as to encourage
exploitation.
From the description of the.se deposits
it would appear that they resemble more or
less closely the siderite lodes north of
Pcrranporth, Cornwall, to which attention
was drawn in these pages about four years
ago. They do not seem to afford much
hope for success. Dr. Flett says it is quite
possible that with modern methods of mining
and dressing there may still be a future for
the Sandlodge mine, but this is evidently
more of the nature of a polite reservation
than an actual opinion. For ourselves we
do not consider that the project of reopening
this mine is a suitable subject for paragraphs
in the financial dailies.
Reference is made in the foregoing article
to Sir Walter Scott's romance "The Pirate,"
in which manj' of the scenes are placed in
Shetland. In the course of the story, lie
makes mention of the copper deposits, and
as the account given is appropriate to the
present position, we give extracts herewith.
One of the characters in the story,
Triptolemus Yellowley, is continually
attempting to introduce so-called improved
agricultural methods into the islands, and
is the author of many other similarly in-
considered schemes, the results always being
disastrous. He has a sister who is the
meanest of the mean, but also an acute
critic. On a certain auspicious occasion
he is congratulating himself on the bonny
blaze of wood on the hearth, to which his
sister retorts that he won't see such a blaze
again unless the house takes fire or a coal-
heugh is found.
" And wherefore should not there be
a coal-heugh found," said Yellowley
triumphantly, " I say, wherefore should not
a coal-heugh be found in Shetland as well
as in Fife [from whence he came], now that
the Chamberlain of the Isles has a far-
sighted and discreet man [himself] upon the
spot to make the necessary perquisitions."
" I tell you what it is," answered his sister,
who had practical reasons to fear her
brother's opening on any false scent, " if
you promise the Chamberlain so many of
these baubles we shall not be well settled
here before we are found out and set trotting
again. If one was to speak to you about a
gold mine. I know well who would promise
he should have Portugal pieces clinking in
his pouch before the year went by."
" And why should I not," said Triptolemus,
" maybe your head docs not know there is
a land in Orkney called Ophir, or something
very like it ; and wherefore might not
Solomon, the wise King of the Jews, have
sent thither his ships and his servants ?
Yes, you shall all of you see what a change
shall coin introduce, even into such an
unpropitious country as this. Ye have not
heard of copper, I warrant, or of iron-stone,
in these islands, neither ? There is copper
near the cliffs of Konigsburgh ; ay, and a
copper scum is found on the Loch of Swana,
too."
And so on. It should be added that
Yellowley was not the pirate which provided
the title to the story. Eventuall}' Yellowley
has to drop his schemes as the inhabitants are
derisive of his failures.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — The iiutal markets con-
tinue to be very liull, and consequent h'
mining remains in the doldrums. The trade
of the country is, liowever, tending to im-
prove, following resumption of operations on
the conclusion of the coal strike. Thus
there is a rather more hopeful feeling in
mining circles.
Transvaal.- The agreement reached last
month between the Chamber of Mines and the
men's unions for a cut in wages of white
labour, depending on cost of living, has
already had a brightening effect on the
gold shares, and in both Johannesburg and
London the quotations have recovered
slightly from the low level to which they had
sunk. The actual working costs have not
yet fallen in any substantial manner, but it
is fairly clear that the ma.ximum has been
reached, and that an appreciable if small fall
may be e.xpected before long. As regards
cost of supplies, there is at present few signs
of reductions ; in fact, the price of dynamite
has been raised.
As the new refinery for Rand gold
approaches completion, the question is once
more discussed of marketing the gold
through a local selling organization, instead
of sending it to Rothschilds in London. A
suggestion has even been made that the out-
put should be sold ahead on contract, thus
helping to stabilize the market. We are
not sure that this would have the effect
desired. The selling of gold to advantage is
an intricate and specialized business and
requires close touch with all the banking
centres of the world.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during
July was reported at 51,564 oz., as compared
with 49,466 oz. in June, and 46,208 oz.
in July of last year. Returns for July relating
to other metals and minerals produced in
Southern Rhodesia were : Silver, 12,620 oz. ;
coal, 5,3,967 tons ; chrome ore 730 tons ;
copper, 239 tons ; asbestos, 1,775 tons ;
arsenic, 7 tons ; mica, 8 tons ; tin con-
centrates, 1 ton ; diamonds, 22 carats.
At the Lonely Reef, the development of
the 24th level is now giving better results
than at first. On the north drive, for 60 ft.
from 100 ft. to 160 ft. the assay- value
averaged 3| oz. per ton over 40 in. At 165 ft.
the value was 61 oz. over 55 in. ; at 170 ft.,
6f oz. over 51 in., and at 175 ft., 4J oz.
over 64 in.
riic admission of Southern Rhodesia to
the I'nion oi South .\frica is once more
Ining actively discussed by those in
authority, although the jiopular vote last
year was overwhelmingly against such a
step. The change of view has followed on
General Smuts' sweeping victory in the
I'Uion election. This victory is taken as a
sign that the inhabitants of South Africa
are now following a man who can think
imperially and at the same time unselfishly.
Louis Botha was a man of the same character,
but did not have the extensive support of
the Dutch citizens as Smuts now has. It is
probable that under the new conditions
Rhodesia may join the Union.
Some particulars are given under the
heading " Geological Investigations in
Rhodesia," in the Mining Digest this month,
of the chrome deposits, recently discovered,
which have already had such an effect on the
market for this mineral. The article also
gi^'es some information relating to mica and
graphite deposits.
West Africa. — The first return of the
Goldfields of Eastern Akkim gave 85 oz.
from 4,000 cubic yards. This was effected
by a trial run of the new sluicing plant.
At the par value of gold the yield was at
the rate of 20d. per yard. Investigations
are now in hand relative to the working
of the ground by dredges.
Nigeria. — As will be seen from the report
quoted elsewhere in this issue, the Ropp
Tin company was not able to make a profit
during 1920, in spite of its large output of
tin concentrate, 1,017 tons. During the
current year, the costs have been sub-
stantially reduced, and the company is now
able to make a profit when the price of the
metal is above £150 per ton. Mr. Edmund
Davis, the chairman, believes that the price
of tin will considerably improve after the
end of the j'ear, and he is not disposed to
suspend operations in the meantime, as
such a policy would entail expenses while
working is stopped, and also in the sub-
sequent reopening. The company's proved
ground is estimated to contain about
10,000 tons of cassiterite.
Australia. — Furtlicr information has been
given liy the British Government with regard
to the Australian zinc concentrates purchased.
The total quantity held on March 31 of this
year was 573,685 tons, while 11,943 tons was
136
SEPTEMBER, 1921
137
delivered in April, 14,085 tons in May,
16,677 tons in June, 17,758 tons in July,
and 22,418 tons in August. It is admitted
that there is no prospect at present of dis-
posing of the stocks at prices equivalent to
the original purchase cost.
Cable advices give the results achieved
by the Broken Hill Proprietary during the
year ended May 31 last. The lead-zinc-
silver mine was reopened on November 10,
after the cessation of the strike, but was
closed early in Januarj' owing to the un-
satisfactory state of the metal markets.
During the time of operation 3,875 tons of
ore was raised, from which 801 tons of lead
concentrate was obtained. The zinc plant
gave 2,918 tons of zinc concentrate, the
regrinding plant 557 tons of lead con-
centrate, and the slime flotation plant
1,487 tons of lead concentrate and
4,258 tons of zinc concentrate. At the iron
and steel works the output of pig iron was
226,760 tons, and the open-hearth furnaces
produced 209,458 tons of steel. A third
blast-furnace was blown-in last month.
Alluvial gold has been found on Block 41,
owned by Hampton Gold Mining Areas,
Ltd., the reconstruction of Hampton
Uruguay, Ltd. This is situated farther to
the north-east of Hampton Plains than the
Celebration and other discoveries of two
3'ears ago. It is close to the Trans-
continental railway, at about 37 miles from
Kalgoorlic. Mr. H. J. Daly, the manager,
reports that the find is encouraging, though
it does not justify a rush. The district has
been proclaimed as a new goldfield, which
is officially given the name "Transfind."
Malaya. — The arrangement between the
Federated Malay States and the Dutch East
Indies with regard to the sale of stocks of
tin is to be continued. In February last it
was agreed that neither should sell its stocks,
purchased in the interest of the local industry,
for a period of three months. In May the
period was extended by another three months
ending August 31. The present renewal of
the agreement does not mention any date
limit, so apparently the respective Govern-
ments do not expect any immediate chance
for disposing of their stocks without further
upsetting the tin market.
CornwalL — The directors of East Pool
have issued a circular relating to the policy
which has become necessary since the
collapse of the main shaft. As a matter of
fact it is not a new policy, and the accident
only had the effect of hastening the proposed
modification in the method of attacking the
ore. The circular reminds shareholders of
the announcement made at the last general
meeting that rich ore had been developed
on both the Great lode and the Rogers lode,
in the Agar section, in the direction of
Tolgus, and that the sinking of a new shaft
had become necessary. The fall of ground
in May occurred over an extensive area in
the old workings at East Pool. Althou.eh
this fall affected the East Pool shaft at the
130 fm. level, and put out of action the
electric pumps at the 80 fm., 180 fm., and
240 fm. levels, it was hoped then that the
shaft could be repaired. However, con-
tinual further falls took place all through the
month of June, completely wrecking the
shaft and depriving the mine of its winding
facilities. During July dams were com-
pleted in the cross-cuts to the Rogers lode,
in order to isolate that lode in the Agar
.section from the old workings in East Pool,
and salvage operations took place to remove
the electric pumps and other material. There
was then no alternative but to stop pumping
and definitely abandon the old workings at
East Pool, as the amount of water was
greater than could be dealt with by the
Cornish pump, and practically all the ore
had been already worked out in this section.
The directors have now decided that the new
shaft referred to at the general meeting shall
be at once taken in hand, and the position
of the shaft has been definitely fixed at a
point north of the present Agar shaft, where
it will cut the Rogers lode at a vertical
depth of about 250 fathoms. This shaft
will be a combined winding and pumping
shaft, and its position will enable it to be
used for working the whole of the rich
unexhausted portions of the Rogers lode
to the west, and the undeveloped portions
of that lode to the east in the direction of
Tolgus, and also the rich lodes proved by
bore-holes parallel to the Rogers lode. The
directors say nothing about any arrange-
ment with South Crofty with regard to the
underground water question. The point is
that when the East Pool pumps are out of
action the clearing of the water falls entirely
on the South Crofty pumps, which are not
equal to the duty. If the newer part of the
East Pool company's property is sealed off
from the old property. South Crofty will
never in the future receive any assistance
from the East Pool pumps. There seems to
be no alternative for South Crofty but to
provide additional pumps.
i.-^s
111. MIMNc, .M.U.AZIXE
Canada. — C)ur Toronto coirospomlcnt
refers 10 the jnosiierity now being enjoyed
by the Porcupine gold mines. .\t the
Mclntyre, an ore-body 30 ft. wide and
assaying S-0 per ton is being developed at
the 1.375 ft. level, and the mill is to be
extended so as to brini^ the capacitv from
500 to 1,000 tons per day. A. Mitclielson
and Co., Ltd., of London, has acquired a
controlling interest in the Davidson Con-
solidoti'd, north-cast of Porcupine.
United States. — The position of the zinc
industry is retlected in the figures of pro-
duction and export during the first half of
1921. There was produced 100,781 tons
from home ores and 1,714 tons from im-
ported ores, making a total of 102,.")25 tons.
These figures compare with 205,269 tons
during the second half of 1920, and 2.38,108
tons during the first half. The stock at
June 30 was reported at 94,747 tons, as
compared with 71,037 tons at December 31,
and 29,892 tons at June 30, 1920. The
exports during the first half of 1921 were
2,255 tons, and the imports 7,405 tons. The
imports arc as a rule nothing at all, while
during the immediately preceding half-years
the exports were, respectively, 24,500 tons,
99,750 tons, 68,600 tons, and 77,600 tons.
The figures here quoted indicate the present
demoralization of the United States zinc
industry-.
Interest in the shares of the Arizona
Copper Company has been revived by the
statement that the deal with the Phelps-
Dodge Corporation is at last nearing com-
pletion. In America the purchase of the
properties by the corporation is generally
accepted as an actual fact, and that only
details of price are wanting to complete the
transaction. It is presumed that the railway
controlled by the Arizona Company will
become part of the El Paso and South-
western system, and that the lighting and
power service will be transferred to the
Phelps-Dodge power house at Morenci, where
Diesel engines give cheaper generation of
current. It is stated that Mr. J. P. Hodg.son,
formerly manager of the Detroit Copper
Co., is to be appointed manager of the
Arizona Company's property.
The Alaska Gastineau Company, operating
the Perseverance gold mine behind Juneau,
has finally decided to suspend operations.
In a lengthy article published in JIay. 1918,
we revieweci the unfortunate position of this
and of the Alaska Juneau company, which
works a mine on the same line of lode. The
Gastineau was controlled by the Jackling
group, and the Juneau was an appanage of
the .'\laska Treadwell group. Both com-
panies suffered owing to the low-grade ores
proving far poorer than was estimated,
while at the Juneau the milling plant, which
was built to a new design, was not successful
in practice. The cost of treatment turnetl
out eventually to be much higher than was
estimated, but this fact was, of course,
beyond the control of those responsible.
At the Gastineau it was originalK'
estimated that 21,000,000 tons of jproved
ore averaged Sl"75 in gold per ton, while
the probable and partly developed ore was
estimated at 75,000,000 tons, averaging
Sl'50. The operating cost was put at
75 cents per ton and the loss in tailing
25 cents per ton. .Almost at once it was
found that the average content had been
over-estimated, for the first year's results
showed an average assay- value of SI' 15 per
ton and an extraction of 93 cents. At first
the cost was 69 cents per ton, but as harder
ores were milled the cost of mining and
treatment became greater, and at the same
time war conditions sent up the cost of
labour and supplies. As recorded last
year, the position eventually became
impossible, so that the recent decision to
close down was not unexpected. During the
time the mill was at work 11,711,314 tons
yielded gold worth 59,508,168.
Mexico. — The Mexican Minister of Finance
has made a compromise with the repre-
sentatives of the United States oil interests,
and his action has been approved by
President Obregon. The result is that
operations have once more been resumed,
and the export tax has been withdrawn.
The exact terms of the agreement have not
yet been made known.
Russia. — The visit of Mr. Leslie Urquhart
to Moscow is an important event, and hopes
are high that he will be able to make some
arrangement whereby the mines of the
Russo-.\siatic Consolidated can be reopened.
He leaves on his return on the 13th.
China. — The Eastern Pioneer Company,
which has done so much good work in
prospecting in Sze-chuan under the control
of Mr. Pritchard Morgan and by the mining
advice of Mr. H. W. L. Way, is being
amalgamated with the Yang-tse Corporation,
and additional capital is to be raised. It
will be remembered that Jlr. Way gave an
account of the potentialities of this district
in the M.\gazine for July, 1916.
TRINIDAD :
A REVIEW OF ITS GEOLOGY AND OIL RESOURCES
By HENRY B. MILNER, M.A., D.l.C, F.G.S.
Lecturer in Oil Technology, Royal School ot Mines
In the following article the author summarizes our present knowledge of the geology of the Island of Trinidad, with
special reference to the mode ot occurrence and storage of its oil. An account is given of the progress of development of
the petroleum resources, and some of the more important technical difficulties encountered during oil exploration in the
Island are discussed.
Lntroduction.
At the request of the Editor of The
Mining Magazine, and also in response to
the repeated suggestion from several sources,
I have endeavoured in the following paper
to present a concise account of the pure
and economic geology of Trinidad, an
account summarizing more especially our
scattered knowledge of the important oil-
fields extant in the island.
For its size, Trinidad possesses a really
undue share of geological and structural
complexity, and as is well known, contro-
versial tectonic questions and stratigraphical
problems make up no insignificant part of
this somewhat striking feature. Notwith-
standing the great amount of prospecting
carried out in the past, it is surprising how
little is really known of the geology of this
island, and although it may appear
paradoxical, the more geologists who visit
the colony, the less we seem ultimately to
know about it ; this is a natural outcome of
the tendency, both past and present, towards
the elucidation of local geological features
often without possible regard for the wider
potentialities of the work ; such localization
is the unfortunate concomitant of oil-finding
where private and not national interests
are the first consideration, and in itself,
of course, in no way reflects on the standard
of the work carried out hitherto. Scientifi-
cally we may deplore the traditional lack
of cohesion between geologists who serve
solely the interests of different and possibly
rival oil companies, and though we may
agree strongly with Professor P. Carmody
in advocating " team work " in the field
as conducive to the best economic results
for all concerned,! the fact still remains that
most oilfield investigation is regarded
primarily in the light of a confidential
inquiry, whose evidence is stored up in the
secret archives of the company responsible
for its inception. This practice, while
probably necessary in certain cases, obviously
• "Trinidad as a Key to the Origin of Petroleum"
Inst. Pet. Tech., .May 10, 1921.
inhibits the grasp of the facts by a larger
public, and it further retards, through
lack of publication, the progress of geological
knowledge of the island, a factor which is
bound to be detrimental to the best economic
development of its natural resources in
the long run.
It is not surprising to find, therefore,
that Trinidad only has a scattered and
incomprehensive geological literature com-
pared with many other oil-producing
colonies, and in view of the very general
interest evinced in the island at the present
time, some coherent account of its geology
and oil technology may not be out of place.
Physiography.
Trinidad lies just off the north-east
coast of South America, from which it is
separated by the Gulf of Paria, the distance
measured from mainland to island (across
the Dragon's Mouth) being about 12 miles.
Both physically and structurally it is related
to the South American continent, more
particularly to northern Venezuela, whose
tectonics are referable to those of the sunken
Antillean continent now beneath the
Caribbean Sea.^ Trinidad forms the
southernmost peak of a submerged mountain
chain now represented by such islands as
Antigua, Barbados, and Tobago, the chain
constituting the middle Caribbean zone
of folded sediments, as defined by Suess.s
The trend of this chain is parabolic, with
concavity facing west, and the island itself
marks the turning point of the southerly
limb of the curve as it swings round from
N.E.-S.W. (Tobago) to E.W., the dominant
strike of the Northern Range of Trinidad
and of the Caribbean Hills of Venezuela.
Roughly quadrangular in outline, though
breached by the sea, particularly on the
west coast, Trinidad has a total area of
some 1,7.50 square miles, and a coastline of
220 miles long. Geographically it presents
- II. B. Milner, Oil Resources of South America,
Milling Afag., April, 1921, p. 203.
3_E. Suess, La Face de La Terre, Tome 1, 1897,
p. 724 et seq.
139
140
THE MlNlXc; .MAi.AZIXE
SEPTEMBER, 1921
141
five well differentiated elements : (a) the
Northern Range, {b) the " Swamp " area,
forming the basins of the Caroni and
Oropuche rivers, (c) the Central Range,
(d) the Naparima Plain, and (e) the Southern
Hills. The geological significance of these
features will be apparent ultimately ; for
the present we may briefly note the physical
characteristics of each.
{a) The Northern Range consists chiefly
of two well-defined ridges, a foothill ridge
with an average height of 800 ft., bordering
the north coast, and an inland ridge
rising to a height of 3,000 ft. in places.
Both ridges stretch almost continuously
from west to east coasts, having a total
length of 53 miles. The range is tectonically
connected with the Caribbean Hills of north
Venezuela, of which it is but an eastward
e.xtension, the islands of Chacachare, Huevos,
Monos, etc., constituting the intermediate
links.
(h) The " Swamp " area is a typical
savanna feature, reminiscent of similar
though much more extensive river basins
of the northern part of South America ;
it is formed by the drainage of the Oropuche
river flowing east, and by that of the Caroni
flowing west ; a low watershed separating
the two basins rises to a height of 220 ft.,
and is part of a sinuous divide, traceable at
intervals across the island from north to
south.
(c) The Central Range is composed of a
series of comparatively low ridges stretching
somewhat irregularly from Point-a-pierre
on the west to Cocos Bay (south of the
El Branche river) on the east ; the average
height of the range is about 850 ft., but
it includes such hills as Montserrat, Tamana,
and Mount Harris, all over 900 ft. high.
The ridges are not continuous across the
island, but are intercepted by valleys and
ravines in which there is an abundant
growth of tropical vegetation ; the higher
elevations are commonly well wooded,
particularly in the west. A peculiar feature
is the radial development of small ridges
from Montserrat itself, five of which strike
obliquely to the general E.-W. trend of
the range, occasioning much irregularity
of topography, characteristic of the western
area.
(d) The Naparima Plain defines the region
between the Central Range and the Southern
Hills, and has an average breadth of 18
miles. Its character is that of a gently
undulating plateau, occasionally broken by
steep-sided valleys and monadnocks such
as Naparima Hill and Dunmore Hill.
Towards the east the plain becomes flatter
as it approaches the swampy tract of the
Nariva Lagoon.
{e) The Southern Hills are much less
clearly dift'erentiated than the other ranges
to the north, and are not so conspicuously
continuous across the island. One ridge
occurs to the east of the Moruga river,
stretching from Grandecaille Point to the
Moruga valley ; west of that valley the
country rises again in the form of a broad
elevation trending in a westerly direction
to Siparia. The principal summits occur
in the east, the Three Sisters, for example,
rising to heights of over 700 ft. In the
west the elevations are slighter, being
seldom more than 250 ft. above sea-
level. Mainly on account of the arenaceous
character of the rocks involved, the hill
slopes are often remarkably steep, especially
in the eastern part of the range.
From the map (Fig. 1) it will be seen that
the main drainage of the island is towards the
east and west coasts, the principal watersheds
being those of the Caroni, Oropuche, and
Ortoire rivers ; a portion of this drainage,
however, finds its way into swamps such
as the Oropuche and Nariva Lagoons,
which are low-lying tracts of country
bordering the west and east coasts
respectively.
The climate is tropical, with a wet season
from June to December, when the swamp
areas are often quite inaccessible and the
rivers impassable. The tropical heat, how-
ever, is frequently ameliorated by the
prevalent trade winds, and where the
principal hill ranges occur the conditions,
even in the hottest and most humid months
of the year, August and September, are
not too trying.
On the lower slopes of the hills and in the
plains, the soil is wonderfully fertile and
the vegetation is accordingly luxuriant ;
much of this land is at present under
cultivation.
The usual types of tropical fever prevail
in the island, but the consensus of opinion
shows that, with ordinary precautions, such
risks can easily be minimized.
Gener.al Geology.
The original geological survey of Trinidad
was instituted in 1855 by the Secretary
of State for the Colonies, Sir William
Molesworth, who was instrumental in
irj
ihl; minim; ma(,azi.\l:
\
SEPTEMBER, 1921
143
obtaining Treasury sanction for this and
for the scientific investigation of other
West Indian colonies. It was Murchison
who had the task of selecting a suitable
staff, and as director-general of the Geological
Survey he appointed G. P. Wall as chief
geologist, a former pupil of the Government
School of Mines, at that time established
in Jermyn Street. J. G. Sawkins, a fellow
of the Geological Society and a man already
known from his work in Mexico and Cuba,
was also recommended by Murchison to
accompany Wall, and in this way the
classic survey of Trinidad by Wall and
Sawkins came to be inaugurated. The
work was actually carried out during the
years 1857 to 1859, and in 1860 the " Report
on the Geology of Trinidad " * was issued
jointly by those geologists as a memoir
of the Geological Survey. This memoir,
now both long out of date and print, formed
the basis of much of the subsequent economic
work in the island, and although later
researches have modified much of the
geology therein described, the general
principles enunciated by the authors still
maintain a certain technical value.
Wall and Sawkins divided the rocks of
the island into three well differentiated
series corresponding approximately with the
dominant physiographical elements described
in the preceding section ; the sequence they
established was as follows : —
a. Naiiva
Series.
6. Naparima
Marl.
('. Tamana
ur Cal-
Tertiary.
careous
Newer Parian Group5-( , ^^"":^-
\a. Carom or
Carbon-
aceous
Series.
e. Moruga or
.\renace-
\ ous
Series.
Cretaceous. 2. Older Parian Group.
(Metamorphic). I. Caribbean Group.
The broader divisions still hold within
certain limits, the Caribbean group having
its typical development in the Northern
Range, the Older Parian group in the
Central Range, and the Newer Parian group
in the southern part of the island ; recent
work, however, has modified our ideas of the
■* For Her Majesty's Stationery Office : published by
Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts. 1S60.
^ Subdivisions of this group )w/ arranged in strati-
graphic order.
distribution of the Older and Newer Parian
groups because in the Central Range, for
example, rocks belonging to the Newer
Parian group certainly occur. For purposes
of description it is convenient to take this
classification as a basis, reserving for future
discussion such alterations rendered
necessary by subsequent detailed work.
(1) The Caribbean Group. — This group
comprises a large and heterogeneous series
of rock types in which mica schists,
quartz schists, crystalline limestones,
and foliated quartz and felspar rocks
occur together with less deformed sand-
stones, shales, quartzites, and conglo-
merates ; these rocks have for the most
part suffered intense folding and shearing,
and the metamorphism produced varies
in character, being greater in the western
than in the eastern part of the island.
Dal ton "^ has shown that the series is typically
developed on the mainland in the Caribbean
Hills of Venezuela ; the crystalline limestones
of eastern Venezuela correspond lithologically
to the similar facies occurring in western
Trinidad (Levantille Hills), and the mica
schists and graphitic schists of the former
country are recapitulated in many of the
highly foliated rocks of the north-west
coast of the island. The connecting islands
of Chacachacare, Huevos, and Monos,
between Trinidad and the mainland, are
also composed of rocks of this series, and
they represent partially submerged summits
of the mountain mass forming the southern
border of the ancient " Antillean Continent,"
remnants of which are now extant in the
Caribbean Hills of Venezuela and the
Northern Range of Trinidad.
With regard to the geologic age of this
group, considerable difference of opinion
prevails. Wall and Sawkins are discreetly
reticent on this point, though they suggest
a " remote " origin ; Ells ' remarks on their
lithological resemblance to Huronian or
possibly Lower Cambrian rocks in Canada,
but the subsequent discovery of some
rather doubtful fossils (alleged to be
inurchisonia and fawsites) in the limestone
of the Levantille Hills is certainly suggestive
of a Palaeozoic age, a point receiving some
support from Dalton, who assigned the
Caribbean series of the mainland to at
least early Mesozoic, Palaeozoic, and possibly
° L. V. Dalton, Geol. A/a«., 1912, pp. 203-10 and
references.
' R. W. Ells, Trans. Roy. Soc. Canada, 1907,
section iv, p. 117.
144
'illL .MJM.NO .MAL.AZIM:;
Arch.xan epochs. The latest view is that
of Cunningliani Craig, who regards tlie
group as Jurassic (not older) or possibly
merely altered Cretaceous." It would seem,
however, that the balance of oj^inion at
the present time favours a Pakcozoic age,
tliough doubtless j'oungcr rocks are repre-
sented as in Venezuela.
The thickness of the group is another
unknown factor, though M'all and Sawkins'
estimate of 10,000 to 12,000 ft. is probably
highly exaggerated ; folding on such an
extensive scale as has operated here is
bound to produce much faulting and
repetition of beds, and Cunningham Craig's
computation of the real thickness as being
not more than 2,000 ft. is probably far
more correct.
(2) Older Parian Group. — As originally
described, this group embraces a series of
sandstones, clays, carbonaceous shales, and
limestones, and ;Uso a peculiar deposit known
as "argiline,"'-' a siliceo-calcarcous claystone,
tv-pically developed at San Fernando Hill.
The coast section at Point-a-Pierre exposes
several facies of this series, and the dark-
grey clays and shales with their ferruginous
concretionary bands give rise to a very
distinctive reddish soil, traceable for some
distance inland. The group as a whole
is characteristic of the Central Range of
the island, extending from the east to the
west coasts ; it also forms the cores of
several hills in the Naparima area such
as the Mont Chagrin, Dunmore, and San
Fernando Hills, and outcrops in several
places from beneath the Tertiary deposits
along an elongated tract of country bordering
the south coast.
In many instances the rocks show the
result of extreme folding, which took place
prior to Tertiary deposition. Fossils are
peculiarly scarce and the evidence as to
geological age is based on lithological
similarity to beds at Cumana, Venezuela,
which contain definite Neocomian species.
Recent work has shown that these deposits in
Trinidad may be in part Tertiary, but
their accurate delineation both as regards
stratigraphical age and geographical dis-
tribution can only be settled by very careful
detailed survey. This question of age has
an important bearing on the geology and pros-
pects of the Tabaquite and Piparo oilfields.
^ E. H. Cunningham Craig, Geo). Structure of
Trinidad, Victoria Inst, of Trinidad and Tobago, 1905.
' The argiline is now regarded by some workers as
being of Tertiary age.
{^^) Newer Parian Group, — The sub-
divisions of this group quoted above
an b:is((l on lithological differences,
and (U> nut rcjirisent successive strati-
f^rajiliical horizons : the differentiation of
the rocks in the held lias presinted ])roblems
of the greatest complexity owing to their
heterogeneous characters and varying
developments. x\n explanation of the
occurrence of the several facies of Tertiary
deposition (and more have been recognized
since Wall and Sawkins originally described
the group) is to be found in extensive lateral
variation, consequent on the existence of
different physical conditions under which
they were depC'sited ; the sediments were
laid down on a (presumably) Cretaceous
land surface, in most cases unconformably,
and with marked overlap ; as a result of the
differential erosion of that land, and also
as a result of collateral earth movement with
sedimentation, deep water, shallow water,
and estuarine deposits were formed
contemporaneously, and thus a variety
of rock types were evolved.
These beds occur on both sides of the
Central Range, though their maximum
and most important development is in the
southern third of the island. The Tamana
and Caroni series are typical of the northern
region, and the Nariva, Naparima, and
Moruga series of the southern region. It
is the geological range of the individual
series and their correlation, even over
comparatively small areas, which have
constituted the chief analytical problems
in the field, and as these rocks contain the
main oil-producing beds at present known
in the island, their correct interpretation is a
matter of supreme economic importance.
(rt) The Nariva Series. — As originally
defined, this series consists of clays, shales,
and occasional limestones, yielding a char-
acteristic reddish soil ; the rocks are traceable
from the west (Naparima) to the east
(Nariva) at intervals, but their relations to
the Older Parian series are obscure. In the
western area the Nariva series is represented
by the San Fernando sandstone series,
consisting of sandstones, clays, and silicified
marble ; they are here overlain by the
Naparima Claris.
(6) Xapariina Marl. — Typically de-
veloped in the Naparima plain and present-
ing at least three well-marked facies, an
older marlstone series resembling massive
chalk and including intercalations of clay
and foraminiferal sands, a later nodular
SEPTEMBER, 1921
145
calcareous sand, massive and unbedded,
conta.ining glob igerina, nmnmulina, and other
foraminifera, and an uppermost green clay ;
these facies have been chiefly recognized
in the western area. This marl series is
succeeded by a thick series of clays, the
Naparima or Globigerina Clay, consisting
of buff-green and bluish-green clays with
a glauconitic sandstone at base and top.
In age the Naparima marls probably range
from late Eocene to early Miocene, the
overlaying clay series being regarded as
Miocene.
[c) Tamana or Calcareous Series. — Wall
and Sawkins include under this heading
the massive limestones of Tamana and
Montscrrat, with their associated sands and
shales, developed on the northern side
of the Central Range and alleged to be
unconformable to the Older Parian wherever
they occur. Guppy has described their
lithological and palieontological character-
istics,!" and has shown that the limestones
contain several new species of Tertiary
mollusca. These limestones seem to form
the base of the series and they are overlain
by sands, shales, and conglomerates of
estuarine origin.
[d) Caroni or Carbonaceous Series. — This
series was originally differentiated as typified
by the rocks exposed in the coast section
between Manzanilla and Oropuche on the
eastern border of the island. Wall and
Sawkins recognized a lower non-carbonaceous
division consisting of shales, clays, and
sands, and an upper carbonaceous series
of sands, shales, and coal seams, chiefly
met with on the western coast. The
geological age of the series is doubtful,
Dall regarding them as Oligocene.^' and
subsequent workers as Mio-Pliocene.'-'
[e) The Moriiga Series. — Extensively de-
veloped in the southern part of the island,
from the south coast to the Ortoire valley.
On the whole these rocks have decided
estuarine characters and consist chiefiy of
loose sands, calcareous sandstones, and
carbonaceous shales (" lignite seams ") as
at Point Moruga. At Erin on the south
coast the series includes a peculiar " por-
cellanite," an indurated shale owing its
origin, according to Wall and Sawkins,
•o K. J. L. Guppv, IJ.J.G.S., vol. 22, 1866, pp.
570-93.
" Guppy and Dall, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus.,vol. xix,
1896, pp. 303-30.
'- E. H. Cunningham Craig, Bull. Imp. Inst., vol. 5,
1907, pp. 175-9, and Victoria Inst, of Trinidad and
Tobago, 1905.
to the (? spontaneous) combustion of
associated carbonaceous matter ; '^ this rock
also occurs at Point Cedros, Point Rouge,
and locallj' at Moruga. The Moruga series
is now very generally legarded as being
of Pliocene age.
Practically the greater part of the existing
divergence of opinion as to the Tertiary
stratigraphy of the island is centred in the
recognition and correlation of the various
members of the Newer Parian group ; in
the space here available it is impossible
to do more than mention one or two of the
recent theories, but it may be remarked
at once that in the opinion of most workers
in the island our knowledge is still insufficient
to permit of any dogmatic assertions as
to the relative ages and distribution of the
beds.
Cunningham Craig regards the Moruga
series (as defined by Wall and Sawkins
for the southern part of the island) as
equivalent to the whole of the Tertiary
sequence developed elsewhere, and the
Tamana and Caroni series he regards as
corresponding to the lower and upper
divisions of the Morugas respectively. i*
Again, in the southern area, two distinctive
groups of oil-sand have been recognized
as the Lower and Upper Galeota groups ;
their precise horizons have been doubtful,
but the same author considers them as
being of lower Tertiary age and as repre-
senting the lower part of the Morugas.
Cunningham Craig's middle Tertiary em-
braces the middle Moruga series, which
includes the Naparima clay and marl series,
of Oligocene age according to Dall,!^ but of
Miocene age according to the first writer.''^
The typical Moruga sands, lignites, and
porcellanites, together with the La Brca
oil-sand, constitute the uppermost horizons
of the Moruga series, and are assigned by
Craig to a late Miocene or early Pliocene
age.
Again, during the course of oilfield develop-
ment, a great many local names have
come into existence designating certain
sands or particular horizons of economic
importance in the Tertiary series. In this
connexion mention may be made of the
" Morne L'enfer sandstone," " Forest Clay,"
'^ Wall and Sawkins, op. cit. , p. 49.
'* E. H. Cunningham Craig, Geol. Structure of
Trinidad, Bull. Imp. Inst., v, 1907, p. 175, and
Victoria Inst, of Trinidad and Tobago, 1905.
■5 Guppy and Dall, Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus., 19, 1896,
p. 303.
'* E. H. Cunningham Craig, op. cit.
1 10
111
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SEPTEMBER, 1921
147
"Forest Sand," and the " Cruse sands "; the
first three are typically developed in the
Fyzabad and Point Fortin fields, the Morne
L'enfer sandstone overlying the Forest Clay
which includes the productive Forest Sand,
the two latter equivalent to the Naparima
series (in part). The Cruse sand is a local
development of the lower Tertiary seizes
principally in the south-eastern part of the
island, and is possibly the equivalent of the
so-called Lizard series of the south-western
peninsula.
More recently still, the paljeontology of
these Tertiary beds has received considerable
attention at the hands of Douville,'' Penny,
and others ; the work has been largely a study
of the foraminifera occurring in the Naparima
series, on account of the great economic
importance of that series as the chief
oil-producing horizon. It would seem, how-
ever, that despite this detailed work,
correlation of the beds is still far from
satisfactory, and more than one doubt
has been expressed as to the ultimate
stratigraphic and economic value of the
results. So many species occurring in these
rocks have unfortunately a long range in
time and wide distribution in .space, and
consequently are of little value as indices
of any but the broadest divisions of geologic
time ; nevertheless, there is no reason why
more detailed palasontological work of this
description should not yield important
criteria, especially if, as our knowledge
increases, certain species can be segregated
for purposes of precise zoning.
A method of attack in problems of corre-
lation of the sediments over small areas has
been successfully employed by V. C. Illing
during the course of his work in Trinidad ; '"
the method is based on an intensive study
of the petrography of the deposits, and
the results have hitherto been most en-
couraging. Much more attention is now being
paid to this hitherto neglected branch of
petrology, and in thus bringing new light
to bear on the peculiarly complex problems
of stratigraphical correlation in the island,
it is to be hoped that far-reaching scientific
and economic results will eventuate.
Tectonics.
Although some little account of the
tectonics of the main groups into which
Wall and Sawkins divided the strata of
'' M. H. Douville, Comptes rendus des seances de
Tacademie des Sciences, t. 164, p. 841.
'" Lecture before the Geologists' Assoc, March 3,
1916, Abstract 185.
Trinidad appears in their memoir, the
information given is exceedingly scanty,
and we owe the first real attempt at the
elucidation of the structural features of the
island to Cunningham Craig, whose work
has been pubhshed in various Council Papers
(Trinidad) and elsewhere. i"
From the economic standpoint the most
important geological structures occur in
the southern part of the island, and it is
this region which has naturally received
the more detailed attention in recent 3'ears ;
with the development of the Tabaquite
oilfield, the Central Range structures have
claimed more careful attention, and a
great deal of work has been carried out to
this end, though little has been made public.
The northern area is commercially un-
attractive, and the structural features are
on that account little known except in
broad outline.
Reviewing the facts in the light of present
knowledge, however, we can recognize in
Trinidad at least three dominant phases
of earth-movement operative, as far as
can be ascertained, in pre-Cretaceous, late
Cretaceous, and Tertiary times respectively.
The pre-Cretaceous folding involved the rocks
now forming the Caribbean Hills of the main-
land and the Northern Range of Trinidad ;
the evidence shows that this folding was
produced by horizontal earth stress acting
along a N.N.W.-S.S.E. line, and the pro-
duction of a series of parallel folds, disposed
en echelon, has impressed an E.N.E.-W.S.W.
strike on the rocks which gives the dominant
character to the physical relief of Northern
Venezuela and Trinidad. In the Northern
Range there is noticed a strong tendency
to the development of " fan-structure "
with concomitant faulting and thrusting ;
the latter elements have played but a
subordinate part in the evolution of the
present structures, the marked repetition
of strata being a function of folding rather
than of dislocation in this case.
The Cretaceous folding affected principally
the sediments of the same age, and to this
phase of earth-movement wc can assign
the initiation of the Central Range. It
is probable that the movement actually
took place collaterally with sedimentation,
and there is evidence also that the basin of
deposition received a slight tilt in a N.W.-
" E. II. Cunningham Craig, Bull. Imp. Inst., vol. 5,
1907, p. 175, Victoria Inst, of Trinidad and Tobago,
1905, Council Paper 119 of 1905 (Trinidad 1905),
Council Paper 60 of 1907 (Trinidad 1907).
148
nil. M1N1X(, MAi.AZlM';
Fig 3
DIAGRAMMATIC SECTION FROM NORTH TO SOUTH ACROSS
MAIN ANTICLINAL FEATURES
[ 1 - Naparima Series
Moruga Series]
S.E. direction, with (.■Icv.uion towards the
S.E. As deposition advanced, tlie earth
movements continued to gather in intensity,
and they culminated with the formation
of a series of X.E.-S.W. folds, recognizable
in the Central Range, and also in the
Cretaceous rocks of the mainland. On
the whole the degree of flexuring was not
so great as in the case of the northern
metamorphics, but it was quite sutncient
to produce the sharp asymmetrical fold
features characteristic of the Older Parian
rocks.
Tertiary folding also took place at the
time of deposition, reaching its ma.ximum
phase tow-ards the close of Miocene times ;
the early and middle Tertiary deposits
were laid down on the eroded Cretaceous
land-surface, the sediments becoming
involved in flexuring along E.-W. axes,
consequent on earth-movement from the
south. In this way the Cretaceous N.E.-
S.W. folds became moditied in the southern
part of the island, much as the Caledonian
folds are truncated by Miocene uplifts in
southern England, and in Trinidad, as
in Venezuela and elsewhere, the effect
of such tectonic interference was to produce
quaquaversal structures, often quite local,
but of importance from the point of view
of oil accumulation.
Cunningham Craig has shown that the
main result of this Tertiary folding was
the formation of a well-marked series of
anticUnes and synclines.^" in three cases
extending right across the island. It is
these structural elements with which are
associated the principal oilfields of the
island, and they may be differentiated as
follows (see map. Fig. 5) : — •
{a) The Southern anticline, traceable from
GaJeota Point to the south-western pro-
montory of the island, in a direction
approximately parallel to and bordering
the southern coast.
-° E. H, Cunningliam Craig, op. cit.
(Ij) The Point l'"ortin anticline, traceable
from Mayaro Hay, along the southern side
of Rock River and north of Siparia to
Point Fortin.
(c) The Vance River anticline, starting
from a little north of Mayaro Point and
traceable across the basin of the Ortoire
River and its tributaries, through the
Oropuche Lagoon to Guapo Bay.
((/) The Pitch Lake anticline, occurring
at La Brea Point and extending eastward
along the southern main road.
(e) The San Fernando anticline, of
doubtful extent, and
(/) The Central Range anticline, a less
clearly defined feature in the central part
of the island.
An intermediate line of flexure occurs
between the Point Fortin and Southern
anticlines, lying midway between Erin Point
and Siparia ; although for the most part
hidden, it is quite possible that its linear
extent may be considerable.
Besides the above-mentioned folds, a
great many local and subordinate flexures
occur, particularly in the southern part
of the island ; their individual characteristics
are but little known except to company
geologists, though in general their relations
to the larger tectonic features are evident.
The diagrammatic section, Fig. 3, illustrates
some of the most important folds.
{To be concluded.)
The Iron and Steel Institute held its
autumn meeting in Paris during the week
beginning September 5. In addition to the
usual sessions at which technical papers
were read and discussed, a number of
excursions were arranged. One of these
excursions covered the Lorraine iron ore
fields ; a second consisted of a visit to the
steel works of Creusot and Chamand ;
while a third w^as to the iron deposits and
industries of Normandy. A reception was
given by the Comite des Forges on Sep-
tember 5.
THE VENTILATION OF DEAD-ENDS IN MINES
By STANLEY NETTLETON, M.Inst.M.E., Assoc.Inst.M.M.
THE desirability of completing the
development work of a mine as soon as
possible after its inception renders the
problem of efficient ventilation a matter of
great importance to mining engineers. In
addition to the primary consideration of
safety of the workmen, the relationship
between time and costs must not be lost
sight of, for a sinking shaft or heading is
generally of no value until completion. The
interest on capital expended may amount to
a considerable sum.
Blasting operations in " dead-ends " may
take place several times daily, and it is
desirable that workmen on each occasion
should return to the face as quickly as
possible consistent with safety.
In metalliferous mining it is a common
practice immediately before firing a charge
of explosives to open taps on the compressed-
air service in the immediate vicinity. This
certainly results in the introduction of cool
and pure air into the working face, but the
disadvantages of this method of ventilation
are obvious. Even when a water-blast is
employed the discharge of air at high pressure
tends to place dust in suspension in the
atmosphere, and the cost of removing
blasting fumes efficiently may be excessive,
as from a pipe 1 in. in diameter there may
be discharged 15,000 to 20,000 cubic feet of
air per minute.
A working face is frequently well ventilated
by the exhaust of machines during drilling
operations, but these only occupy a portion
of the time when men are engaged in the shaft
or drive. In order to maintain the efficiency
of labour it is essential that fresh air should be
provided in large volumes for dilution of
noxious gases and reduction of temperature.
Among the arrangements which have
been extensively adopted for the conveyance
of fresh air to the faces of dead ends are pipes
of large sectional area, and the division of the
shaft or roadway into two portions by means
of a partition of canvas or other material
fixed from floor to roof in a line parallel to
the heading. The difficulties associated with
the fixing and maintenance of these devices
are well known to men on the work. Air
conduits of light metal or casings of wood are
cumbersome and heavy. The cost of trans-
port, erection, and dismantling on the
completion of mine development may be
3—4
greater than the initial cost of material
employed. The removal of rigid air conduits
is usually carried out in so hurried a manner
that they require the attention of fitters or
carpenters before they are fit for further use
elsewhere.
With the greatest care in erection, the
amount of leakage is apt to be excessive,
particularly if the conduits are .subject to
vibration due to air-blasts arising from the
use of explosives. The leakage of air is much
greater than is generally realized by those in
charge of the plant.
Tests made at the South Star Mine,
Ballarat, Austraha, showed that on forcing
3,830 cubic feet of air through 3,230 ft. of
ventilating pipe 11 in. in diameter only
510 cu. ft., or 13 % was delivered at the
face. At another mine in Victoria the
relative quantities of air forced into the
system and delivered where it was required
were 4,630 and 1,136 cu. ft. per minute
respectively, an efficiency of 24%. To
obtain even moderate efficiency it is essential
that with the metal or wooden air-conduits
very great care must be taken in installation
and maintenance to avoid leakage at joints,
air conduits cannot be carried near a
face where explosives are used
without risk of damage from fallina: rock, and
when, as is frequently the case, box-holes
have to be opened out on a drive in course of
development the temporary removal of
ventilation arrangements may be a matter
of considerable inconvenience. Metal pipes
or wooden boxes 1 or 2 ft. in diameter
cannot be readily stored in a roadway where
tramming operations are being carried on.
The division of a roadway into two sections
for ventilation purposes has several dis-
advantages. Canvas sheeting extending
from roof to floor does not make a very
satisfactor}'- joint even at the low ventilating
pressures which exist in airways of large
sectional area compared with totally enclosed
conduits. Wlien increased width of roadway
is necessary extra cost is entailed in most
instances. Though this may not be a serious
matter when the road is entirely in coal or
ore-body the question of roof support may
demand serious attention. At some collieries
in Lancashire these difficulties have been
surmounted by building in the centre of the
roadway a brick wall, which serves the double
149
Rigid
working
150
Till-: MIXING .MAGAZINE
purpose of supporting the girders, sustaining
the roof, and dividing; the road into intake nntl
return airways. This has proved to be an
erticient though costly method of dcahng
with the problem. The erection has to be
carefnlly carried out, and the cost, chiefly due
to the amount of labour employed on the
work, prevents this method of ventilation
from being largelj' adopted. For general
practice the most satisfactory arrangements
for the supply of fresh air to dead-ends apjxar
to consist of some form of conduit which has
considerable sectional area, is simple in
installation, and can be readily removed when
necessary. Many attempts have been made
to use collapsible canvas conduits designed
to comply with the above requirements. In
an .Austrian device the conduits are rec-
angular in section, the canvas being supported
by a light frame of wood or metal. Owing
to difficulties in manufacture at low cost
and risk of leakage at joints which cannot be
made satisfactorily when the main has not
a regular alignment, this type of ventilating
conduit has not been largely adopted. Canvas
tubes of circular or oval section offer greater
possibilities of success, but the connexion
between the individual lengths presents
difficulties. The use of half-flange joints
coupled by bolts involves the use of a spanner
in erection and removal, apart from the
disadvantages of cost and weight. Owing to
corrosion by acid mine water it may be
necessary for the iron connexions to be cut
apart, and further cost is entailed in labour
for removal of bolts and clamps.
The use of the Ventwal patent joint
appears to solve most of the above-mentioned
problems. It consists of two oval rings,
overlapped by the canvas which forms the
air-conduit. The connexion is made by
inserting one ring into the open end of
another length of canvas. One end is then
rotated 90°, so that the two rings are exactly
parallel to each other when they are drawn
together. The canvas surrounding the metal
rings makes an air-tight joint, the efficiency
of which is increased by any further tension
upon it. Over eleven miles of these tubes
have been sold to mining companies in
England and abroad. They are made in
lengths of 20 ft., and of any required
diameter. Tubes of 36 in. in diameter have
been supplied to a copper mine in Rhodesia,
and five repeat orders were received from
an English colliery company last year.
They are light, and maj' be suspended from
roof timbers or carried on plugs driven into
the wall. The stiffness of the canvas
iniployed jirevi'nts collapse, even when
working on exhaust pressure, but as the
tubes may be used on irregular drives or laid
over broken ground, each length of 20 ft.
contains four iron supporting rings.
To obtain a rot-proof canvas has been a
matter of some difficulty, but the Telephos
Co., Ltd., of Vaughan Road, West Harrow,
Miildlesex, the licensees for the manufacture
of ^'cntwal tubes, have placed on the market
tubes of canvas specially treated to render it
resistant to the acid water and the deleterious
fumes so frequently met with in mining work.
The forcing of air at high pressures through
pipes is a most uneconomical and usually a
very inefficient method of ventilation.
Pressures equal to 20 to 30 inches water-
gauge, produced by Roots blowers, have been
recorded in details relative to the ventilation
of shafts and headings in Australian mines.
Expenditure in installing larger air-pipes
would be well justified by reduction in
working costs and by improvement in air
supply in these cases. The air current
should be at as low a pressure as is possible
consistent with efficiency of service, and
though the use of blowers and fans driven by
engines or motors has sundry advantages,
a jet of air placed in a pipe of large section
has much to recommend its application.
It is simple and not likely to get out of order,
and where the pressure is within reasonable
limits it is remarkably efficient as an injector.
A few years ago tests were made bj'
Mr. E. Pam on the Geldenhuis Deep gold
mine, Johannesburg, on a 538 ft. length of
9 in. pipe with four right-angle bends, with
the following results, the air pressure on _the
mains being 72 lb. per square inch : —
Discharge
Theoretical from
Tables.
Free air per
minute produced
by jet.
Size of
ill cubic
Nozzle.
feet per
minute.
in.
\1
210
.S
P*lange off ....
530
770
19
43
1,080
76
f
Quantity of
Blind flanj^e on intake
}»
air actually
of pipe
80-'
measured
coming out
^
of nozzle.
These practical tests show that the
consumption of air from the compressor
service is from Jj, to ^^ of the total amount
of fresh air forced through the ventilating
pipe.
SEPTEMBER, 1921
151
The use of air from the compressor engines
as a source of supply, and not of power for
ventilation cannot be too strongly
condemned.
It is becoming generally recognized that
ventilation is a factor of importance in
dealing with mining costs, owing to its
influence on the efficiency of the worker.
Labour costs have increased enormously in
recent years, and the miner who is supplied
with an abundance of cool and pure air is
more likely to do a fair day's work than
those who toil in a warm atmosphere con-
taminated by traces of blasting fumes. Bad
ventilation has far-reaching effects. Men
not only become inefficient underground,
but on reaching the surface in a condition
described as " played out " they are ready
to listen to anj' argimicnt in favour of
striking for higher rates of pay for work
which in the opinion of their employers is
costing much more than is reasonable.
With the exhaustion of the older mines.
Section through Ventwal Joint.
Making Ventwal Joint.
Ventwal Joint Complete.
Showing how Ventwal Tubing can be put through narrow and
irregular fissures.
i:>2
Till': MINIXC, MA(;.\ZIXK
the (]uo^tion of vontilation becomes more
im]iortant owins; to increase of temperature
with greater depth of workiiTj;. It is in
development work and in outlying parts of
a mine that the ventilation is most likely to
be unsatisfactory. In many mining areas
these should receive more attention than
appears to have been given to them in the
past, when high wages and a sliort life under-
ground were generally regarded as prominent
features in the life of the miner, .\part from
considerations of health and contentment of
employees, which should be regarded as
matters of first importance, the inlluence of
good ventilation in the mine on working
costs should never be overlooked.
CRUSHING AND CONCENTRATION AT
MOUNT LYELL
In our issue of November last wo quoted
from a paper by Mr. L. V. Waterhouse,
describing the flotation plant recentlj'
brought into use at Mount Lyell. Since then
we have received some notes from the com-
pany, giving an outline of the crushing,
sorting, and dressing plant, describing the
course of the ore through the plant, with
special note of the rearrangements intro-
duced for the purpose of saving labour. It
will be remembered that the ore from the
Mount LycU mine is pyritic, and low in
copper and silica, while that from North
Lyell is higher in copper and contains much
siUca. Some of the North Lyell ore can be
picked and sent direct to the smelter,
while the rest requires concentration. The
ore from the Lyell Comstock all requires
concentration.
The first-class North Lyell ore as it arrives
from the mine is dumped into the bins
reserved for it, as shown in the diagram
herewith. From the bins the ore is fed over
a grizzly, which screens out the material
minus l|in. in size. The minus IJin.
material falls through a chute on to No. 4
conveyor, which in turn discharges it on to
the inclined conveyor No. 5. The latter
carries the minus IJ in. material to the top
of the mill, where it is distributed over the
miU-feed bins by a conveyor.
The oversize, or material too large to pass
through the li in. grizzly, falls upon No. 1
conveyor, and discharges over a chute on
to a shaking grizzly-feeder, where it is
washed and the material minus 4 in. screened
out. The oversize from the shaking grizzly-
feeder is fed into the jaws of No. 1 crusher,
which crushes to 4 in. The mimts 4 in.
material from the shaking grizzly-feeder,
together with the crushed oversize, falls
upon the inclined conveyor No. 6. This
raises the crushed and washed ore to the
top of the sorting plant, and discharges
it on to the sorting belt or conveyor No. 7.
The ore on the sorting belt passes in front
of the sorters, who pick out the lower-
grade material, depositing it in chutes,
which discharge on to No. 8 conveyor, and
thence into the reject bin. The higher-
grade ore is left on the sorting belt, and from
there passes over conveyors Nos. 9 and 10
to the sorted ore-bin. From this bin the
sorted ore is taken in trucks to the smelter
bins.
The reject ore is fed from the reject bin
by two reciprocating feeders on to the
inclined conveyor No. 3, which serves as a
belt feed to No. 3 crusher set to crush to
H in. The IJin. product from No. 3
crusher falls upon No. 4 conveyor, passes
to No. 5 conveyor, and thence to the mill-
feed bins, joining the minus iHn. material
already referred to. v
The second-class North Lyell ore is
delivered into bins as marked in the sketch,
and is passed over grizzlies having liin.
spaces. The minus \h in. material falls on
to No. 4 conveyor, thence to No. 5 con-
veyor, and on to the mill-feed bins, to join
the li in. material noted above. The over-
size falls on to No. 2 conveyor, which serves
also as a belt-feed to No. 2 crusher, set to
crush to 3 in. approximately. The 3 in.
product from No. 2 crusher falls on to No. 3
conveyor, and thence to No. 3 crusher,
where it is crushed to liin. The l|in.
product from No. 3 crusher travels over the
same course as noted in the case of the
reject ore.
The Comstock ore is delivered to the
mill-feed bin, which also receives some
of the second-class North Lyell ore. The ore
passes over a H in. grizzly directly into the
jaws on No. 4 crusher set to crush to 1^ in.
The li in. product from the crusher joins
SEPTEMBER, 1921
153
the minus liin. product from the grizzly,
and is elevated to the distributing belt over
the mill bins.
It will be seen from the foregoing that all
the ore delivered to the sorting and crushing
sections is, after removal of the higher-
grade material, crushed to li in. and sent
to the mill-feed bins. The combined 1| in.
material is dehvered, via two roll feeds and
a short cross conveyor, on to a | in. shaking
screen feeder. The oversize from the
shaking screen is crushed and elevated, and
returned to the screen, all material eventually
having to pass through the screen. The
sufficiently crushed is separated from the
coarser materia], and overflows to the boot
of the Minerals Separation feed-elevator.
The sandy discharge from the classifier
joins the discharge from the cone, and is
returned to the tube-mill for further grinding.
The thickened slime from the Dorr thickener
joins the overflow from the Dorr classifier
in the boot of the Minerals Separation feed
elevator, and is lifted to the Minerals
Separation machines for further treatment.
The ore, which has now been reduced to
minus 65 mesh, is fed to the Minerals
Separation boxes, of which there are twelve.
NORmmLORE.
Z')^ CLASS
NORTH lYEa ORE.
H' CLA5S
^^^
SORTED ORE
ls-tt't»'l
Sorting Plant at Moitnt Lyell.
minus i in. product from the screen is
elevated to the feed of the Hancock jig,
which makes three products, concentrates,
middlings, and tails. The concentrates
are lifted in an elevator to a dewatering vat,
and from there are taken in trucks to the
smelter bins. The middlings are crushed
in a set of fine-crushing rolls, the product
from the rolls joining the feed to the jig
for re-treatment. The tailings are delivered
to an elevator and lifted to a shaking screen-
feeder having |- in. holes.
The oversize from the screen-feeder is
crushed through a set of fine rolls and
returned to the screen via the elevator.
The minus \ in. material passing through the
screen is elevated to a diaphragm cone,
where the excess water overflows to two
Dorr thickeners, and the sandy discharge
is fed directly into two tube-mills. The
ore, after being ground in the tube-mills,
is discharged into the boot of an elevator
and lifted to the feed end of a Dorr classifier.
In the classifier all material that has I een
The first eight boxes produce concentrates
and tailings. The tailings from the first
eight boxes are treated in the last four
boxes, where a middling concentrate is
produced which is returned to the first eight
boxes for re-treatment. The tailings from
the last four boxes then pass over a small
cascade box, the float from which joins the
middling concentrates from the last four
bo.xes for re-treatment. The tailings from
the cascade box are sent to the dump. The
concentrates from the first twelve boxes are
elevated to Ohver and Portland filters,
where the excess water is removed, leaving
a concentrate carrjdng from 11 to 15% water.
The filtered concentrates fall upon a con-
ve3'or that delivers them into a bin, from
which they are loaded, weighed, and sent
to the smelter for further treatment in the
Dwight & Lloyd sintering plant.. After
sintering the concentrates are combined,
in proper proportion with the sorted ore, jig
concentrates, Mount Lyell ore, and fluxes,
and smelted in the blast-furnaces.
i:.i
THF MINING MAGAZINE
LETTKRS rO TIII'. liDI FOR i"iiclusinn on Uic cvidmco of (luartz and
The Origin of Primary Ore Deposits
The Editor :
Sir — Mr. Kendall has had wide experience
of ore deposits, and I appreciate the coni-
]iliment of his contributing; (in the Magazinh:
for May last) to the discussion of n\v ])aper
on the origin of primarj' ore deposits. I
regret, however, that his article contains
so much evidence that he did not cither
grasp my views or studj' my paper
adequately.
I made no attempt at " explaining the
well-known features of the dift'ercnt classes
of ore-bodies." I sought an explanation
of how metals are segregated from their
original disseminated condition in rock
magmas, in what condition of solution thev
are carried in magmatic liquids, and the
causes of their deposition as ore minerals
therefrom.
For my purpose drawings were of no \'aluc
whatever.
In connexion with crust formation and
foundering and the differentiation of primeval
magma, i\Ir. Kendall has missed what I sa}'
at the bottom of page 9 of mj- paper : " The
crust became permanent long before the
capacity of the fused silicates for the ab-
sorption of water and oxygen was satisfied,
then general absorption was prevented
and the molten mass no longer in violent
agitation underwent segregation into an
acidic portion above and a basic portion
below "; also the first paragraph on page 10 :
" The top of the crust was probably not
truly granitic, but considerably more basic
since it was only after its formation that
the segregation upward of the acidic sub-
magma could have taken place."
I have no means of access here to the
records of the United States Geological
Survey, and I am not conversant with the
work of Barns referred to. Where the fallacy
comes in I do not know, but it is obviously
incorrect to assert that fragments of any
solid can float on a liquid the density of
which is less than that of the solid.
That- an aqueous mother-liquor is given
off by magmas, which, on consolidation,
yield granite, is so widely accepted that it
seems unreasonable to regard it as anything
but a fact as well established as any such
process can be. "Sir. Kendall sa}-s I do not
give the evidence on which the " assumption"
is based. He has overlooked what appears
in the middle of page 7 : " We come to this
Hgmatitc veins, one or both of which
.iri' invariably found in or above granite
batiioliths. These veins are not filled with
<iuartz or pegmatite in a state of simple
fusion, and there is no doubt that the
elements of water were present in the
liquid from which they were derived."
I did not assert that jnimcval granite was
derived from dioritc. On page 9 we find :
" It is probable that the primeval crustal
magma was between syenite and diorite
in composition, with about 60% of combined
silica and without water." The effect of
the absorption of water appears to have been
to break up certain silicates, especially the
ferro-magncsian, freeing silica and bases
such as FeO. The former combined with
water and, as silicic acid, leached from the
magma those silicates most soluble in it,
especially those containing potash, and such
ore minerals that were present as it could
dissolve under the conditions. Those practi-
cally insoluble in silicic acid remained
behind in the basic portion of the magma ;
examples of these are magnetite and chromite.
The bulk of the sparingly soluble sulphides
were also left behind. Water appears to
divide a rock magma into an acid and a
basic portion and the ultimate residue is
practically non-siliceous ore. Crystallization
differentiation and gravitative segregation
are both equally incompetent to furnish
the force necessary for the dissociation of
silicates and the entire removal of silica from
combination with bases. There must be some
basic radicle present which has a greater
affinity for silica than have the bases that
are liberated. The only compound present
capable of effecting the changes observed
in nature I believe to be water, which, as
hydroxyl, seems to have a strong afiftnit}' for
silica.
It appears improbable that primeval magma
could have contained free silica. Mr.
Kendall asserts that the basic I'ocks do not
contain free bases with which the free
silica in granite could have combined
originally. It is impossible for us to ascertain
the quantity of free bases existing in basic
rocks because the great bulk of them is
not within our reach. The quantity of
free silica in existence is certainly very
large, but it makes a great show, for it is
a leading component of the lighter rocks
forming the greater part of the immediate
surface layer of the earth. If Mr. Kendall
real-zes that the bases in calcium caibonate
SEPTEMBER, 1921
155
and sodium chloride as well as magnetite,
to mention only three substances common
on the surface, were originally combined
with silica, he will probably admit that
the conclusion he has arrived at on this
subject is not at all a safe one.
If the primeval crustal magma, as I believe,
was an anhydrous silicate melt at its com-
mencement it is practically certain that it
contained no free silica. When water was
absorbed the modification of the affinities
of component radicles brought about by the
presence of hj^droxyl would lead to the
formation of many new minerals whose
existence was previously impossible, such
as the micas. These were not confined
to such as contained hydroxyl. It is
doubtful if felspars, and particularly the
the alkali felspars, could have come into
existence in appreciable quantity in an
anhydrous silicate melt.
The subject of magmatic differentiation
is one on which there is much divergence
of opinion, and concerning which it is easy
to arrive at false conclusions. It is most
regrettable that we have no geo-physical
lal)oratory in Britain, for it is only by
means of experiment that we are likely
to ascertain the truth.
We now come to the definition of primary
ores, ^^'hile professing not to do so, Mr.
Kendall uses the same criterion as I do,
namely, genesis, in defining ores. All metals
came up in solution in magmas in the first
instance. They appear as ores only after
magmatic segregation, and all must fall
into one of two classes : (1) Those segregating
as such within magmas, and (2) those
expelled from magmas in solution and
deposited usually in fissures either near
the periphery or in overljdng sedimentary
rocks. Mr. Kendall says a primary ore is
one " which has not been derived from any
other ore." Since such ores must of
necessity belong to one of the two classes
mentioned above it follows that Mr. Kendall's
definition and mine must have exactly the
same meaning.
Mr. Kendall asserts that a pressure of
3,000 lb. per square in. would have prevented
the expulsion of mother-liquor from the
primeval crustal magma. Many granite
batholiths demonstrably solidified under
a depth of sediments which in hydraulic head
onh' produced a pressure at the periphery
much greater than 3,000 1b. per sq. in.,
yet we have evidence that such magmas
gave off mother-liquor in every known
case. The expansive force exerted by
magmas on solidification is enormous.
Mr. Kendall doubts that magmatic liquids
(1) removed the bulk of ore minerals from
an acid magma, and (2) were the vehicle in
which primary ores were transported to
veins. Let us take the case of Cornwall,
which is well known to most of us. How
much tungsten, tin, or copper is found in
components of the granite ? Practically
none. Before consolidation of the granite
these metals must have been disseminated
in solution throughout the magma. It
is not possible to explain their existence in
the position in which we find them unless
we admit that they were segregated by some
means from the magma leaving barren
granite, expelled in liquid form with silica,
water, and other minor constituents in what
we call mother-hquor, and that this, under
favourable conditions yielded the ore
minerals that we find in fissures both in
the granite near its periphery and in over-
lying sediments.
The immediate cause of the development
of ore minerals from magmatic liquids is
not understood. I have not neglected
the precipitating effect of substances in the
walls of fissures as Mr. Kendall asserts.
I refer to it in the last paragraph under
" temperature of deposition " on page 19.
Such cases as those cited by my critic
are exceptional and no generalization can
be based on them.
In Burma we have fissures filled with
wolfram and quartz that have been reopened
and the new space filled with chalcopyrite
and quartz, reopened a second time and
filled with pyrrhotite, blende, galena,
stibnite, and quartz. This demonstrates
clearly that the granitic magma gave off
mother-liquor containing not only tungsten,
but copper, zinc, lead, and antimony,
and that in each' case the ore minerals are
accompanied by silica. I state this in order
to demonstrate that the magma gives off
in mother-liquor not only the high but the
intermediate temperature ores by the same
vent, and the latter in some cases at a later
period than the former.
To the first paragraph on page 275 I
cannot reply ; it is enigmatic.
In spite of Mr. Kendall having quoted
the paragraph in which I define the scope
of my paper, he insists on bombarding me
with examples of ore deposits of types
to which I made no reference. I purposely
limited myself to ores occurring in veins
156
THE MINING MAGAZINE
in order to present the problem of ore
deposition in its simplest aspect.
Some of the types referred to by my
critic, for example, that at Lcadville, arc
probably not primary in the sense in wliich
I nse tlie term. Many galena and otlur
sulphide ore deposits that I have seen I
regard as not rigidly primary but secondary,
due to replacement that acted in the same
way as that by which chalcocite and galena
were introduced into sedimentary rocks
such as the " Red Beds " of the south-west
United States, and Permian and Triassic
beds elsewhere.
Concerning the origin of ores in veins
in and near the periphery of batholitlis,
there can be little doubt, but the problem
increases more and more in complexity
as the deposits are farther removed from
their source in igneous rocks. The genesis
^ of ore deposits cannot be studied satisfac-
torily except by working up from the
simplest, near igneous rock, to the more
complex at greater and greater distances
away. Man}- deposits usually regarded as
primary may be really secondary, the result
of metasomatic replacement by ore-bearing
solutions produced by the dissolution of
primary deposits by agents very different
from those contained in magmatic liquids.
Though outside the range of my paper,
I may remark, in connexion with some
of the examples given by Mr. Kendall, that
the present form of vein walls and the
composition of vein matter, both as regards
ore and gangue minerals, may be very
different to-day from what they were when
deposited. JIany strata containing ores
have undergone metamorphism, and it is
quite evident that marked alteration, in
form and composition of both walls and
contents, may have resulted.
J. Morrow Campbell.
Yengan, Southern Shan States,
Burma, July 14, 1921.
Manjak
The Editor:
Sir — In 5'Our issue of April last, in an
article on the " Oil Resources of South
America," b}' Mr. Henry B. MUner, the fol-
lowing statement occurs : " Glance Pitch,
a variety of asphaltite, is a natural desiccated
petroleum produce, which, when free from
mineral matter, is known as ' manjak.' "
I hardly think that the name manjak is of
such wide application. It is not so used by
Clifford Richardson in his treatises on the
variinis hydrocarbons and allied substances,
nor by Heinrich Rics, in his " Economic
Geology." And is not found at all in the
]niblic&tions of United States Bureau, edited
by the late G. H. Eldridge, their recognized
authority on the hydrocarbon series.
.As a matter of fact, the term manjak
originated in the island of Barbados, and v.as
never used outside that area imtil the neigh-
bouring island of Trinidad struck a grade of
glance pitch to which the Barbadian term
was promptlj' applied, paying us the com-
pliment of this sincerest flattery. The term
is as distinctive of certain particular grades
of glance pitch found only in Barbados, as is
the term " Demerara crystals " of a particular
class of sugar, and that notwithstanding the
adoption of it by Trinidad, whose prod\ict
does not enter into competition with that of
Barbados. To the trade, the products are
known as " manjak " and " Trinidad
manjak."
Although manjak does claim to be of great
purity (and in a report on it by the
Mineralogical Bureau of Bohemia, it is
stated of one of the grades that " it is
surprising to find a bitumen of such purity
in nature "), yet it does not claim to be
" free from mineral matter." In fact,
Mr. Milner seems to contradict himself when
he applies the term to a product of South
America, which he states " contains only
3% of mineral constituents."
R. H. Emtage.
Ellerton, Barbados.
July 13.
BOOK REVIEWS
Oil Land Development and Valuation.
By R. P. McLaughli.n. Cloth, octavo,
200 pages, illustrated. Price 18s. net.
New York and London : McGraw-Hill
Book Company.
There are comparatively few phases of the
mining industry calling for such specialized
knowledge and technique as oil land develop-
ment, and those who are unfamiliar with the
vicissitudes of oil production can form but
a small idea of the difticulties and
responsibilities entailed in " running " a
field successfully, the unenviable task of the
average field manager. If things go wrong,
as the}' may often do, there are two parties
upon whom the blame may be conveniently
fastened by inexorable directors, the geologist
and the field manager ; the former bears the
initial brunt of adverse criticism if his
SEPTEMBER, 1921
157
locations of well sites prove unprofitable;
or if an unkind fate decrees the absence of oil
at anticipated horizons ; the latter, once
some wells are brought in successful^, has
to look to his laurels should drilling con-
tractors give trouble, production slacken,
or unaccountable failure overtake the opera-
tions of the compam'- concerned. In either
case the lot is not an easy one, and reputa-
tions are speedily made or broken as chance
decides. The geologist, however, has an
advantage, in that public opinion has of late
been much enlightened by an extensive
literature describing his work, which,
intelligently perused, has brought home to
the uninitiated some of the difficulties he has
to face ; the field manager and those who,
with him, share the responsibility of develop-
ment and production, have few volumes
accurately descriptive of their work, and
consequently less is known generally about
such matters as well-drilling, water and gas
troubles, cementing, casing, bailing, and
shooting wells, output charts, production
reports, and the like. The reason for this is
not far to seek ; competent field manage-
ment is only won by long experience, and the
nature of operations in different fields is
often so variable that probably no single
exposition by any one author would be
adequate to all cases. Yet Mr. McLaughlin
has undoubtedly given us a book which
presents this aspect of the oil industry in
a most concise and practical manner, and this
volume cannot fail to be of the greatest use
and enlightenment to all concerned with the
development and successful administration
of oil properties.
The author was formerl}' State oil and gas
supervisor of California, and the foundations
of this work are laid chiefly on experience
gained in Californian fields ; those who know
anything about the technology of these oil-
fields know how diverse are the conditions of
oil occurrence in that region, so that the
author's contention that the principles in-
volved in oil production there are applicable
to all oilfields, though a somewhat sweeping
statement, is one with which few wiU disagree.
The various phases of oil land develop-
ment and valuation are grouped together
under six main sections dealing successively
with development programmes, drilling of
wells, underground information derived from
well-logs, oil production, repairing, deepenmg
and abandoning wells, and values of oil
properties. In all cases the principles in-
volved are clearly discussed and some ex-
cellent diagrams appear in the text in illustra-
tion of the ideas involved. The ten sketches
depicting flooding of oil wells bj' water, due
to various causes, are especially good
(Chapter II), and our only criticism in this
connexion is that there might be more
figures like them (publishing costs
permitting !) explanatory of other possibilities
of bad wells. The author has a good deal to
say on sampling wells, that most important
branch of drilling ; he agrees with most
observers in remarking that cable tools on
the whole yield better samples than rotary,
but he rightly draws attention to many
difficulties in the way of procuring repre-
sentative samples of strata, no matter what
system is employed. In view of the in-
creasing importance of microscopical in-
vestigations of the materials brought up,
from both petrographical and palaeontological
standpoints in identification and correlation
of horizons, it is to be hoped that manu-
facturers and others engaged in the produc-
tion and manipulation of drilling plant will
keep this in view, either perfecting existing
sampling devices or so modifying the
commonly used bailer for the collection of
cleaner and less contaminated material than
is customarily obtained thereby.
In the paragraphs on assembling of in-
formation, the construction and analysis of
well records are discussed, and graphic
well logs explained ; an interesting feature is
the use of " peg models," that is, models of
wells of a given field made of wooden rods
fixed into a firm base, the rods being coloured
in sections representing thicknesses and
differences of strata passed through ;
correlation of horizons from one well to
another is effected by using fine string, and
thus the structure of the field and the
differentiation of producing horizons may be
usefully portrayed. Such a model exists of
the Coyote Hills Oilfield, California, and is
here illustrated (p. 71).
The remainder of the volume calls for little
remark, save that the final chapter on the
value of oil land is somewhat brief in pro-
portion to its importance ; several references
are given, however, to other and more
detailed works published in America.
Of all the various works published hitherto
on oil technology, there are just four of
particular merit which we should like to see
compulsorily laid on every petroleum com-
panj-'s board-room table ; Mr. McLaughlin's
volume is one of the " big four."
H. B. MiLNER.
138
THE MIMXC. MAGAZINE
Manganese, rainplilot, 151 pages. Price
OS. Oil. net. London : The Imperial
Mineral Resources I^ureau.
Tliis is a report, one of a series, dealing witii
the mineral industry of the British Empire
and Foreign Countries, and published bj' the
Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau.
While manganese minerals and alloys have
been necessar\- in steel manufacture since the
introiluction of the Bessemer process, they
became imjiortant factors to the .\llies during
the war period, by reason of the dilliciilty of
obtaining supplies of the raw material, con-
sequent on the activity of submarines, and
also because no equalh- efficient deo.xidizer
of the steel bath was available.
Since 1913 much information has been
published on the subject, particularly in the
United States, and the monograph is a pains-
taking and complete compilation of this
material with that previously published con-
sidered of sufticient interest to include in
the publication.
The value, however, of a volume like the
one under review is somewhat reduced by the
fact that the ' information is not con-
temporaneous, and represents the view-
point of many different observers. These
disadvantages are evident when dealing \\-ith
economic details, some of which, owing to
being somewhat out of date or relating to the
war period, have a reduced present or future
value ; and also when discussing estimates of
ore reserves.
The preface indicates that the volume will
be published annually, and it is hoped that
with the help of the Foreign Commissioners
of the recently created Department of Over-
seas Trade, as well as of our Diplomatic and
Consular representatives, it may be possible
in future to publish reliable statistical and
economic information shortly after the
period to which it refers, in addition to that
of a more general character which appears
from time to time in the proceedings of
scientific institutions and in the technical press.
Under the heading " General," interesting
particulars are given regarding the principal
minerals, their uses and value for different
purposes. The statement on page 7, re-
garding the mineral utilized in the
manufacture of iron and steel is hardly
correct, for a large percentage of 50°o
manganese ore is smelted in the blast-
furnaces, as indicated on page 27, for the pro-
duction of a pig iron containing 1 to 2'\^ of
manganese, which enables the basic process
to be more easily worked.
It is noteworliiy tlial tin- iinscnt prices of
manganese ore and alloys are within reason-
able distance of those of the pre-war period,
this being due to the trade depression, and
the great reduction in the cost of ocean
transport. Further reduction in costs will,
no doubt, be olitained as a result of lower
railway rates, and the more general applica-
tion of mechanical plant to the gi;tting of the
mineral, particularly in India.
During IJie war ferro-mangane.se was made
in many countries not hitherto producers, and
on a larger scale than heretofore in the
United States, so it is probable that this will
influence prejudicially the British produc-
tion of ferro alloys by the imposition of
protective duties.
No mention is made of the use of
manganese ore for the production of carbon-
free metallic manganese, made by the
thermit process, which is becoming of
increasing importance for nickel, copper, and
silver alloj's.
Under the title " World's Production,"
some interesting information is given, but
the estimates regarding costs of production
of Indian, Brazilian, and Caucasian ores,
taken from Dr. Termor's book published in
1901), have now only historical value. The
three Indian deposits, of which estimated
reserves are given, did not contribute
appreciably in recent years to the output,
and other properties of much greater im-
portance e.xist in the Central Provinces of
that country. So little development work
has, however, been carried out on any of them
that any estimates must be only approxima-
tions, although those who have seen the ore-
bodies are convinced that the potential
reserves are very large.
With regard to the Brazilian deposits, the
principal one, Morro da ]\Iina, has been
recently acquired by the United States Steel
Corporation, and as that concern requires in
periods of industrial activity upwards of
500,001) tons per annum of manganese ore for
its own consumption, it is probable that
amount will be obtained from the deposit in
the future.
The present capacity of the world's steel-
works is about 100 million tons per annum,
which, together with other demands for
manganese, will require in times of good
trade nearly 3 million tons of ore. This can
easily be supplied by known deposits, if
transport arrangements are available. At
present steel is only being produced at the
rate of about 35 million tons per annum, so
SEPTEMBER, 1921
159
that the absence from the market of
Caucasian ore is not serioush' felt. With the
return, however, of favourable trade, there
may be a scarcity of rail and ocean transport
for Indian and Brazilian manganese ore,
unless political conditions in the Caucasus
become more settled.
The details regarding the Sinai deposits
indicate that although occurring at the base
of the Carboniferous Limestone series the
mineral may be classed as a manganiferous
iron ore containing about 40% manganese
and 15% iron, similar to that of the lateritoid
deposits of India, Brazil, and elsewhere. The
West African deposits at present known are
important, and it is probable that others will
be discovered in the district as the forest
coast belt is cleared. The South African and
Canadian deposits are unlikely to provide
mineral for export, but are probably of
sufficient importance for local requirements ;
while the Australian deposits appear to be
more extensive, although in many cases of the
lateritoid type, and their distance from the
coast and Europe precludes export, unless
rail and ocean transport can be obtained at
low rates. Dr. Termor's classic work has
been drawn upon for particulars of the Indian
deposits and analyses of the ores.
Of the foreign sources of manganese ore,
Georgia, South Russia, and Brazil are the
most important. The Russian deposits are
especially valuable by reason of their com-
parative proximity to steel producing
countries and low percentage of iron contents
which neutralizes the disadvantages of its
finely divided condition consequent on its
pisolitic and earthy character which is
undesirable for the blast-furnace. Owing to
the chaotic political position in Georgia it is
doubtful when the mines of Tchiatouri will be
in regular operation again, although cargoes
from stock have reached Western Europe
from the South Russian and Caucasian
deposits. The deposits of high-grade ore of
the Central American republics, Cuba, and
United States, do not appear to be very
extensive, as no great development of them
took place during the war period when the
incentive of high prices and national stress
should have enabled this to be done. Of the
Brazilian deposits in Minas Geraes only that
of ^lorro da Mina has extensive reserves, and
is capable of a large output, although several
other properties can produce when prices are
satisfactory. ^
H. K. Scott.
NEWS LETTERS
MELBOURNE
June 30.
Gold Ste.alixg ix West Austr.'^li.^. — A
deputation, which included representatives
from the Primary Producers' Association,
the Chamber of Mines, and the Mining
Association, waited on the West Australian
JMinister for Mines, Mr. Scaddan, earlj- in
June for the purpose of urging the necessity
of steps being taken to cope with the illicit
traffic in gold. The deputation was intro-
duced by Mr. T. H. Harrison, M.L.A., and
the principal speaker was Mr. Richard
Hamilton, president of the Kalgoorlie
Chamber of Mines, who presented a Bill
which had been drafted, not with a wish
to usurp the functions of the Jlinister's
department, but to save the Minister a lot
of time and trouble. He thought the public,
and perhaps Parliament, did not appreciate
the extent of the evil of gold stealing.
If as much value had been stolen in wheat,
steps would have been taken to stop the
practice. The price of six bags of wheat
could be stowed away in a man's mouth
in the form of gold without any inconvenience
to the man ; hence the difficulty of detecting
the thefts ; for years and years the value of
100,000 bags of wheat had been stolen from
mining companies, and they had tried in
vain to get prohibitive legislation passed.
The Minister, in reply, concurred as to
the neglect of successive Cabinets to deal
with the matter. The matter was not new,
either to him or to his department. He did
not know how far the deputation's draft Bill
would meet the case, but he would have
a Bill embodying the idea prepar-^d, and
would consult the Chamber of Mines re-
specting it. He could not promise that
it would be put before Parliament this
session, but it would be submitted to the
Cabinet, and it would have a good chance
of being dealt with this session.
OuEENSLAXD GoLD MixixG. — The official
figures for the month of May, 1921, indicate
that the production of gold in Queensland
is at a very low ebb, probably the lowest
since gold mining has been a recognized
industry in Queensland. The chief cause
of the falling off was the closing down
of Mount Morgan, no gold being won there
for the month, as against 6,346 oz. for
;\Iay in the previous j-ear. Industrial
troubles among the workers account in
a fair measure for the lessening of the \-ield.
160
III
MlNlNi. MA(>.\ZlNi:
and scratchcrs and fossickcrs are not so
numerous as in the years gone by, when
they were hired to fields of iiossiblc fortune.
Last month's output was '2,077 oz., against
8,132 07.. for May, 1920. Charters Towers
dropped by 290 oz. to 776 oz. ; Gymjiie
increased from 237 to 722 oz. ; Chillagoe
from 173 oz. to 267 oz. ; Etheridgc and
Oaks fell from 175 oz. to 1-17 oz. ; Croydon,
166 oz. to 71 oz. ; Ravenswood produced
72 oz. in both periods. The total yield
for the five months to May 31, 1021, was
2-1,986 oz., being a decrease of 11,701 oz.
against the five months of the same period
in 1920. The dividends for the five months
this year amounted to /-l.SOO, against
£49,663 for the same period last year.
Mount Cuthbert Copper. — During the
half year ended February 28 only 03 days'
actual work was done at these mines north
of CloncurPi', distributed over October,
November, and December, and on December
18 the mines and smelter were closed down.
As costs and the price of copper have not
since adjusted themselves to give a working
profit, the mines and smelter remain closed.
The amount of blister copper produced
during the half-vcar was just over 693 tons.
Of 12.468 tons" of ore smelted about half
(6,285) came from the Kalkadoon mine,
the Mount Cuthbert mine furnishing 3,166
tons, the Orphan 2,415 tons, the flighty
Atom 510 tons, the Surprise 79 tons, and
the Little Wonder 13 tons. Since smelting
was commenced the total of ore treated has
been 123,093 tons, from which 6,768 tons of
blister copper was produced. Before the
company's own smelter was put up 13,099
tons was smelted at ]\lount Elliott, which
yielded 1,110 tons of blister, making the
total tonnage smelted 136,192, for a pro-
duction of 7,878 tons of blister copper.
No fresh estimate has been made of the
ore reserves, owing to the limited amount
of extraction, and these still stand at 193,500
tons containing 13,245 tons of copper.
These figures include 80,000 tons in the
Kalkadoon mine, averaging 5% of copper,
and there is, in addition, 35,000 tons of
limestone flux in the Kalkadoon east lode,
averaging 2% of copper. Only 509 ft.
of actual development work was done
during the half year, but the results are
regarded as satisfactory-. Chief interest lies
in the developments at the Orphan mine,
where, at the 100 ft. level, the new ore-body
was proved for a length of 231 ft., while the
south end was still undeveloped, and the
average width was about 20 (t. (^n the
west lode tiie length of the ore cxjwsed was
255 ft., and the lode was still strong in
the north enil. Tlu' ore in the north drive
is regarded as payable. At a depth of
175 ft. the south level was 325 ft. in fair
ore, and the face was in ore of high grade.
PERTH, W.A.
A iiisiist 1 .
SuGGESTio.vs FOR I\EFORM. — " The early
history of California, New Zealand, Victoria,
and West Australia itself have strikingly
illustrated the potency of discoveries of gold
in stimulating the flow of population and
capital into a country. The gold-mining
industry has been the main factor in the
progress of this State, and the Government
should I>e urged to take immediate steps
in the direction of bringing about a revival
of that industry." This is the preamble of
a notice asking mining men in West
Australia to meet and formulate a series of
recommendations to the Primary Producers'
Association. For some years representatives
of goldfields constituencies have devoted
their energies to securing benefits for the
workers, without giving any consideration
to the rights of the owners. However, the
general depression in mining has wakened
up the primary producers to the fact that
something must be done, if the mining
industry is to survive. The Chamber of
Mines ' in Kalgoorlie and the Mining
Association in Perth have been co-operating
in this, and already several suggestions
have been made which it is hoped will be
introduced to Parliament in the Session just
opened. I have in a previous letter dealt
with the evidence given by various mining
men before the Federal I\oyal Commission
on Taxation. It is expected that an
amelioration of some of the anomalies will
be secured, such as the taxing of prospectors
when they make a find and on the taxation
on the transfer of gold-mining leases, both
of which are grossly inequitable.
Gold Ste.^ling. — A gold buyers' bill
has been prepared, which will make it very
difficult for the receiver of stolen gold to
dispose of it. At the present time if a man
has a mine, in which rich patches of ore
occur, he can augment these by adding
stolen gold, without much fear of detection.
Under the new bill, if such a mine were
suspect, the Warden could order it to be
sampled and secure evidence which would
enable the police to put the onus of proof
SEPTEMBER, 1921
161
of production on the owner. Recently
one such man was caught bringing to the
mine 1,000 oz. of amalgam, after midnight.
He was arrested, convicted, and sent to
gaol for eight months and the gold forfeited.
The new bill, it is considered, will go a long
way to stopping the gold-stealing evil, in
that it will make the receiver's risks too
hazardous to be worth taking.
L.ABOUR Questions. — The Arbitration
Court, which was heralded as the panacea for
all troubles by the workers, has resulted in
a professional class of advocates whose aim
seems to be to keep employer and employee
apart. It is now suggested by the committee
who waited on the Premier yesterday that
as soon as any industrial trouble arises a
conference of owners and workers shall be
held, under a chairman to he chosen. Each
side can state its case, and in this round-table
conference it is felt that a better under-
standing will be come to, than if the case were
to be fought on the present lines. It is only
the questions which cannot be mutually
settled that will be heard by a Supreme
Court judge. It is suggested that he be
appointed for life, and thus ensure con-
tinuity in arbitration work.
The writer has during the past five years
been in a position to compare the effects
of class warfare on the one hand and co
operative working on the other. In the first
the costs are high, and neither the employer
nor emplo^'ee is satisfied. In the latter,
where everyone works together to make a
success of the scheme, it is progressive and
financially sound. The latter are men who
learnt the value of team work in Gallipoli,
Egypt, France, and Belgium, and although
some of these men are crippled they are
succeeding where other industries are being
damaged through want of understanding
between the owner and worker. Col. Blackett,
at the annual dinner of the Institution,
sounded a note that will echo in the hearts
of mining engineers the world over, when
he spoke of his love for the Durham coal
miner. The miner individually, whether
he be a coal miner or a gold miner, is a most
lovable man ; one has only to see the response
to an appeal for help, either in money or in
service, when his purse and his life, if
necessary, are willingly proffered. It is the
professional agitator who is too lazy to work
that causes all the trouble, because his living
depends upon keeping the owners and
workers apart. There are signs that the
latter are beginning to realize that they are
being led to destruction by the Bolshevistic
element which secured control of the trades
unions while the loyalist workers went to the
war. The soldiers, when they returned,
wanted peace, but find they must now fight
the enemies in their midst (who stayed at
home), if the industries of our fair land are to
be saved.
Security of Tenure. — The subject of
security of tenure of mining leases has also
been given attention. It is suggested that
the expenditure on development work on
a lease shall be cumulative in the matter of
exemption. That is, assuming £4,000 spent
entitles a leaseholder to one year exemption,
/20,000 should entitle him to five years,
and mines on which a considerable amount
of money has been spent may not be payable
under existing conditions ; but with the
exception of one year exemption, even
although ;£100,000 may have been spent,
without any reward, the owner is at the
mercy of the Warden. If he fails to protect
his lease for one day it may be jumped by
any man of straw who comes along.
Wliereas, if the owner who has spent his
thousands on the lease knew that he would
be sure of being protected, he would be
much more likely to find more money on
the lease if conditions improved than the
jumper would. There is no equity at all
for the leaseholder under the present Act ;
and although Ministers have hitherto been
unable to see it in this light, perhaps some
future Minister may be convinced by the
pressing argument of loss of capital to the
State which is manifest. A number of
suggestions have been made, whereby the
leaseholder would have rights more in accord
with those granted to holders of other
property.
Tributing. — The result of the hasty
legislation introduced last year by the
Minister of Mines rather appropriately
referred to by one manager as the " Tributers
Extinction Bill," has been that the com-
panies will not renew existing tributes nor
grant new ones. A Royal Commission, with
the Warden of Kalgoorlie as chairman,
a member of the Chamber of Mines, and one
from the Miners' Union, has been appointed
to inquire into this question, and is now
taking evidence. It is hoped that some
workable agreement can be come to, whereby
instead of a term of three years, which can
now be demanded as the length of the
tribute, irrespective of how impossible it may
be for the owner, it is proposed that the
lf.2
Tin: MIXING MACAZINIC
tribute agreement shall be subject to six
months' notice of termination, which is
nmch fairer. The terms will no doubt be
made more equitable so that after the
tributer has made wages the owner shall
receive a fair share as royalty.
Haimpton Pl.-vins.— Ives Keward, which is
situated on the south side of Lake Lefroy, on
the continuation of the line extending from
Boulder through Celebration and \\hite
Hope, is being reported on by the manager
of the last-named company. It is a big
lode, on which glowing reports have been
made by the j)ros])ector and manager.
The report by this well-known mining
engineer, N. E. Giblin, will therefore be
looked for with keen interest, as it may mean
another big mine. If so it would be an
incentive to genuine work on a field which
was born in a boom, and its development
frustrated b}' companies with big share
capitalization, but little working capital.
The prospector of the new Monger field,
McCahon, who has done some good work
on his lease, has cut the ^longer Proprietary
lode at a depth of 160 ft., and it is said to
carry high values. A battery has been
erected on the field, and no doubt a number
of rich crushings will be secured from pipes
of ore, but the mines are not suitable for
companies, being more suitable to parties
of working miners.
The reports from the Celebration recently
have been anything but reassuring. The
lode in the 300 ft. level, occurring as it does
in contact with the jasper and porphyry,
is patchy, and dispels any doubt as to its
similarity in origin to the lodes at Boulder.
It was questionable when this lode was
found whether it was derived from the quartz-
dolerite on the one wall or the porphj-ry
on the other. Owing to the oxidation and
alteration of the lode material it was
impossible at the 100 ft. level to say from
which of these wall-rocks the gold came.
The majority of mining engineers and
geologists who inspected the mine and the
field were of opinion that the lode was
identical with those on the Golden Mile.
That opinion has proved to be wrong. At
the same time there is no reason for the state-
ments issued in a recent editorial in the
Times that the reports were made by " two
a penny mining men." It was the very fact
that several leading mining engineers in
West Australia were the vendors of the
Celebration when it averaged 50s. over 20 ft.
in width that caused the boom. It was the
hundreds of comp;mies that wen' lloalici
on the strength of this jMoperty, on leases
without any apparent ore-bodies, and not
accompanied b\' a report by an accredited
mining engineer, that was the greatest mis-
take. This applies also to the mines on the
Mount Monger field, w'hich was condemned
bj- tJie writer in these colunms right from the
start.
Flot.\tion Axn Repokts. — During the
war comjianies could not be floated without
the sanction of the Federal Minister dealing
with this, and he insisted on a report being
made by some reliable man as to the
justification of that company and its
prospects. Had this wise war-time measure
been retained, onl}^ those leases on which a
lode carrying reasonable prospects of gold
would have been allowed to be floated, and
the numerous wild-cat companies would
never have come into existence. Whether
the State Government will take this lesson
remains to be seen ; probably they will,
as in the past, say it is not their business,
but this it surely is if they wish West
Australian mining to regain the confidence
of the investing public.
Oil. — There was some wild excitement
in Perth recently when a local paper
published news that an oil flow had been
struck at Bremer Bay, near Ravensthorp,
and that the owners were claiming the
reward of £5,000 offered by the Government
for the discovery of a payable oilfield.
Inquiries elicited the fact that the rumour
arose because a boring plant had arrived to
test several points where good surface
indications were found. Considerable
Tertiary and Post-Tertiary beds exist at the
back of Bremer Bay, and it is here that the
prospecting work is being carried on.
The Assistant State Mining Engineer
(Mr. Torrington Blatchford) is still in the
Kimberley district investigating certain oil
indications there, which had been reported
to the Mines Department. He has sent down
several samples for preliminary examination,
as a guide to his Geological Survey.
Northern West Australia. — The
Government realizes the possibility of the
great Nor' West of this State, and have
appointed Major Drake-Brockman, an
engineer, as a First Commissioner to reside
there and collect information, with Mr.
Blatchford as his mining adviser. Those
men who have lived in that tropical portion
of West Australia are all enthusiastic as
to its mineral possibilities.
SEPTEMBER, 1921
163
TORONTO
August 10.
Porcupine. — The gold-mining industry
has entered upon a period of prosperity and
expansion. Labour is plentiful and efficient,
and operating costs are being steadily reduced
by the ado]ition of modern methods and
devices. The gold production of Ontario
during the present year to date is estimated
at about §7,600,000, of which approximately
$6,700,000 was the output of the Porcupine
camp. The Dome Mines during the three
months ended June 30 realized net profits
of §235,697, being at the rate of 20% on the
issued capital. The grade of ore taken from
the lower levels is much higher than that
formerly treated, rendering possible larger
returns to the shareholders. It is officially
stated that the present dividend rate of
10% per year will be continued, and that any
further distribution of profits will be in the
form of a return of capital. The Mclntyre
has cut a vein 30 ft. wide stated to carry
$20 to the ton on the 1,375 ft. level, which
is being opened up. A station has been
cut on the 1,625 ft. level, and the sinking of
the shaft to a depth of 2,000 ft. is being
continued. The management has decided to
proceed at once with the construction of an
addition to the mill, increasing its capacity
from 500 tons per day to 1,000 'tons. The
production of the Hollinger ConsoHdated is
about $800,000 per month, and dividends
of 1% every four weeks continue regularly,
the aggregate disbursements for the year
amounting so far to SI, 968, 000. At 'the
Porcupine Paymaster, situated about 2 miles
south-west of the Dome, development is
meeting with satisfactory results. The vein
is 20 ft. wide in places and is paralleled by
other good veins. The shaft will be put down
to the 400 ft. level. Lateral work is under
way at the 300 ft. level of the Beaumont,
formerly the North Davidson, to cross-cut
promising veins indicated by diamond-
drilling. Development is being undertaken
on the Gold Island property on Night Hawk
Lake with A. R. Globe, formerly assistant
manager of the Hollinger, as manager.
The Allied Porcupine Mines has unwatered
the Three Nations mine, which it recently
took over, and will resume underground
work. The March Gold is arranging to
instal a mining plant, surface work having
been attended with encouraging results.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The Lake Shore during
June established a new high record, with a
production of §52,539 from the treatment of
1,656 tons of ore, being an average recovery
of S31-73 per ton. Present development
work is being carried on at the 400 ft. and
600 ft. levels with excellent results.
Dividends of 2%, have been declared payable
August 10 and November 10. The Ontario
Kirkland is making good progress with the
construction of its mill, which it is hoped will
be ready for operation this fall. A new
shaft is being made near the mill site by
rising from the 300 ft. level to connect with
a shaft started from the surface. The grade
of ore latterlv taken out by the Teck-Hughes
is running high. A new grinding and
classifying unit is to be added to the mill,
which will increase its capacity from 100 to
160 tons daily. The Sylvanite mine is being
taken over by the Kirkland Lake Proprietary
(1919) conjointly with a group of American
financiers. The unissued 80,000 shares of the
]iresent Canadian Sylvanite Co. will be
purchased for 1400,000, and the company
reorganized with a total capital of §3,000,000
in shares of §1 each. Existing shareholders
will receive §2,000,000 in the" ratio of five
shares for one, and the remaining 1,000,000
shares will be held in reserve, the Kirkland
Lake Proprietary and the American group
to have the option for two years of acquiring
500,000 shares each. The Wright-Hargreaves
during June produced over §51,000, though
the mill lost 25% of possible running time
owing to power difficulties. The mill is now
handling 150 tons of ore per day, mainly
development ore. Stopes have been opened
up in several parts of the mine. At the
King Kirkland a new vein 7 to 10 ft. wide
and heavily mineralized has been discovered
by surface trenching. The drift at the 300 ft.
level of the Bidgood has been in ore for
upwards of 100 ft. Surface work at the
Wood-Kirkland has uncovered several veins,
one of which especially appears of con-
siderable importance. Lateral work will
be undertaken to oit these veins at the
100 ft. level. The Queen Lebel, a new com-
pany, capitalized a't §2,000,000, has been
formed to operate a group of claims on the
south-east side of Gull Lake. An 8 ft. vein
has been opened up at the surface.
Cobalt. — The silver - mining industry,
though still depressed, is showing more
activity, and the outlook is improving,
owing to the strengthening in the price of
silver, and more favourable economic con-
ditions. It is still handicapped, however,
by high freight rates, and a wage rate, which,
notwithstanding the recent reduction, is
10 I
TIIF. MIXIXC. MA(,\/1N1
higher than many i)f ihi- mines can ]iay willi
a margin of prolit. The Nipissing dnring
Jnnc mined ore of an estimated net value
of $162,824, and shipped bulhon from
Nipissing and custom ores of an estimated
net value of $208,526. Tlie prochiction of
cobalt has become an increasing factor, the
output of this metal in June (included in the
above) being S2o,o60. The mill of the
Mining Corporation of Canada is treating
about 300 tons of ore daily, containing an
average of approximately 20 oz. of silver per
ton, indicating an output , of about
2,190,000 oz. annually. The La Rose Con-
solidated is extending its operations, and has
unwatered and resumed the development of
the Violet property, adjacent to the O'Brien.
The Hudson Bay is preparing to resume
milling operations for the treatment of
broken ore to the amount of 6,000 tons.
When this is done the directors will decide
whether to undertake further development
or close down the mine. The Bailey custom
mill during July operated at capacity,
treating 4,043 tons of ore and realizing
gross earnings of $12,129. The shaft on
the Waldman property of the Oxford Cobalt
is down 50 ft., placing some high-grade
and a substantial quantity of milling ore in
sight.
Lightning River. — A rich find of gold
has been made on the claims of the Lightning
River Gold Mines, Ltd., in Harker Township,
8 miles south of Lake Abitibi. The vein is
54 in. wide, with free gold across the whole
width. The richriess of the ore has caused
much excitement, and a rush of prospectors
to the district has commenced.
L.\RDER Lake. — The large three-compart-
ment shaft of the Canadian Associated
Goldfields has been put down to the 350 ft.
level, and cross-cutting towards large ore-
bodies indicated by drilling has begun on the
175 ft. and 320 ft. levels. The company
has been able to effect great economies in
transport by the use of a caterpillar tractor,
capable of carrying a load of 11 tons. The
Crown Reserve of Cobalt is exploring its
Larder Lake claims, and has uncovered an
important vein system.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
August 20.
SiLVER-LE.-\D. — With the exception of the
activities of the two big smelting companies,
both of which are being operated at close
to capacity, mining in the Province remains
quiet, although there has been considerable
iiniirovemenl during the past nidulli. 'i'lie
Granby Consolidated Mining Smelting &
Power Comjiany is turning out about two
and a half million pounds of copper monthly,
and, judging from the fact that the com-
])any's engineers have examined several
silver-lead properties recently, it would
appear that the management is con-
templating the addition of a lead smelting
and relining department to its plant. In fact,
there would seem to be an opening for such
a plant on the northern coast of British
Columbia. Great activity is being exhibiteil
this summer at the Mayo camp in Yukon,
and at the present time ores from there are
being shipped to the Selby smelter, on San
Francisco bay, a very expensive haul that
is made possible only bj' the high-grade
nature of the ore. More tlian two thousand
claims have been staked in the Keno Hill
district, near Mayo, and among the parties
that arc developing ground there are the
Yukon Gold Company, and F. W. Bradley,
of the Bunker Hill and Sullivan. The ore that
has been shipped is a high-grade silver-lead
ore, running about 200 oz. in silver and
60 to 70% of lead. Of course, there is a
quantity of ore of a mucli lower grade, and
the Yukon Gold Company is contemplating
the erection of a concentrating plant next
3'ear. This camp, together with the Salmon
River and Alice Arms camps and the recent
discovery of silver-lead ore in the Atlin
mining division, would seem to warrant the
erection of a lead smelter on the coast in the
northern part of the Province, and no one
is better fitted to undertake the enterprise
than the Granby company, wliich already
has an excellent staff of trained metallurgists
at Anyox.
Premier Gold. — The Premier Gold ]\Iining
Companj' has put the first 1 00 ton unit of its
combined concentrating and cyanide plant
into operation, and it is said to be giving
complete satisfaction. A quantity of con-
centrate has been sacked, ready for shipment,
but at the present time the condition of the
road between the mine and tide-water
prevents it being moved. The construction
of the aerial tramway, which will be
11| miles long, is being pushed, and ore-
bunkers are being built at Stewart, the
shipping point. A rather wet summer, and
consequent soft condition of the roads, has
delayed the work appreciably. The Fish
Creek Mining Co., which is operating a mine
on the Alaskan side of the international
boundary, has sent a trial shipment to the
SEPTEMBER, 1921
165
Sclby smelter, and has some 20 tons of ore
sacked ready for shipment over the winter
snows. The ore from this mine is said to
be similar to the Premier ore, containing
gold and silver, and having an assay-value
of between SjOO and S600. Like the Premier,
too, the property is rather inacressiblc,
high up on a mountain, and for the present
will have to depend on winter snow for the
transport of its ore. The Alaskan Govern-
■ ment, however, has made arrangements for
the building of a waggon-road to the mine.
Probably more than 100 tons of ore will be
taken from the property during the coming
winter.
Dolly V.\rdex. — The Dolly Vardcn mine,
which produced some 850,000 oz. of silver
last year, is in litigation once again. It will
be remembered that, in the closing hours of
the 1920 session of the Provincial Legislature,
an Act was passed taking the mine out of
courts and vesting its ownership in the Taylor
Mining Company. Among the liabilities
that the Taylor company had to assume was
a mortgage on the property for S150,000,
given by the previous owners, the Dolly
Varden ]\Iines, Ltd., to George Wingfield,
of Reno, Nevada, who was president of the
company. This mortgage fell due on July 31,
and Mr. Wingfield is suing the Taylor Mining
Co., the Taylor Engineering Co., and Charles
M. Rolston, of Vancouver, for the amount
together with accrued interest, which brings
it up to §182,322. The plaintiff asks for
an accounting, for foreclosure, for possession,
and for the appointment of a receiver. The
president of the Taylor Mining Co. paid a
visit to England last winter, it is stated for
the purpose of raising funds for the erection
of a concentrating and cyanide plant to obtain
more economical production. No announce-
ment was made on his return, so, presumably,
his mission, if such it was, failed. Neither
the railway nor the mine was opened this
spring, but a few weeks ago the railway was
put into operation for the purpose of shipping
some 3,000 tons of ore that was mined, but
not shipped, last year. A little development
work was started, and this has resulted in
the discovery of another ore-bod}'-, some
20 ft. above the old workings. The extent
of the new discovery has not yet been
determined, as it is covered by a rock slide,
and a considerable amount of work will be
necessary to discover its extent. A sampling
across 4 ft., however, gave an assay of
.57 oz. of silver per ton, while picked samples
ran up to 267 oz.
3—5
The C0NS0LID.A.TED Mining & Smelting
CoMP.ANY is maintaining the production of
lead and zinc from its Sullivan mine, at
Kimberley, and considerably increasing the
production from its Rossland mines, which
contain es.sentially gold ores, with just about
sufficient copper for the collection of the
precious metals. The copper output from
the smelter will be small, probably less than
four million pounds, but the gold, silver,
lead, and zinc outputs should be considerably
in excess of last year, as the total tonnage
treated at the smelter up to the middle of
August was 260,924 tons, compared with
383,112 tons for the whole of last year.
\Mth the exception of about 5,000 tons, all
the ore has come from the company's own
mines. The Consolidated company has two
surveying parties exploring what is known
as the Esquimalt & Nanaimo land grant, on
Vancouver Island. This belt of land was
granted to the Canadian Pacific Railway by
the Dominion Government in consideration
for the construction of the railway, the Con-
solidated being to all intents and purposes
a subsidiary of the C.P.R. The monopoly
of this belt of land has deterred prospecting
on the Island, and last year the Provincial
Minister of Mines took the matter up with the
C.P.R., with the result of the present survey,
which will determine exactly what ground
the company desires to retain. The
remainder will be turned over to the
Provincial Government, and will be opened
for location.
Other Mines. — The new concentrating
plants at the Le Roi No. 2 at Rossland, and
the Ottawa mine, at Slocan, have been put
into operation, and are said to be working
satisfactorily. Several properties in the
Slocan have either changed hands or been
leased or optioned, and a good deal of
development and explorative work is being
done, but little actual production.
Lbionite. — Part A of the Summary
Report of the Canadian Geological Survey,
which has been issued recently, is of
particular interest to British Columbians,
in that it contains a report of the limonite
deposits in the Taseko valley, in the Lillooct
division. Considerable excitement was
caused in 1919 by the announcement of the
discovery of an immense deposit of limonite.
W. M. Brewer, one of the district engineers
connected with the Provincial Department
of Mines, was sent to make a reconnaissance
of the deposit. From such a reconnaissance
he was rash enough to make an estimate that
THE MINING MAGAZINE
166
the deposit contaiiud upwauU of seven
nillion tons of aetual ore and l.fty mill on
?o s of possible ore. To -"">■. Ins the
Provincid Department of Mmes sent 1-. J.
C o sbnd. an independent minmg engineer,
to make a thorough exammation while
the Geological Survey sent J. D,MacKenzic
or the same purpose. Both engmeers spent
the .Greater part of last summer m the iu'ld.
and thet esUmates. ^vluch agree closely plaec
JSe actual ore at little more than OoC^OOO tons^
This ore is distributed m isol'^ted patches
over an area of some 50 square miles, and,
owing "o the inaccessibility of the situation,
is of no commercial value.
PERSONAL
W. H. GOODCHILD has left for K.rldand Lake
°"r "b Gottsbfrger has been elected secretary
^°c'f L'EACH-has been elected president of the
Korth'^'o'-f England Jn^titute of M>nmg and
M°n,f, a,r/S,,»;.n», Journal, has gone to Ind.a
°°# rMcDo^-"fNe.v York, has been tounng
Germany and Fra^e^ the position of secre-
tary'to-th'johannesburl Consohdated Investment
^"t'^ur'I^nce Pitblado has left for Chile.
k CHARD QUAKCB has left for West Afnca.
r \ Richardson is here from Coba t.
A T Snelung has gone to Mongu, Nigeria.
G. GORDON THOMAS fs expected next month from
^'T"h Tonking has gone to West Africa.
DAVID WILKINSON is here from Johannesburg.
\ Stanley Williams has left for Mgeria.
t' NORMAN Wynne has left for the Pahang Con-
solidated Company's mines in the Federated Malay
^*H^'h YeiLL. of Bainbridge, Seymour & Co.,
Ltd ' is 'visiting the Shetland Isles.
°r"''ifi'?.°i°C* Drv.DSO». te.a ol the Sire„o
<h,ced. His most important '"vcnf"" ; "f ,
S rocco fan. designed for the purpose of drying 1h.
U'vlcaf ' 1»^«' l'^' started the manufacture of tins
fin and . thor specialties at Belfast. As is well
!:^;:,.?nMie Sirol^o fan has '^'^^^^^^^
-K"nnn^'^e,i\^iat!:r^i^-lff^e'p.:^rfo^
-•-n!V'r::^E"Tai^.M^^'c^-v. AS briefly
h°ea?t f:?^url° earned him oif suddenly ^H^^-
He came of a familv of civil engineers, his father
hav'ng been associated with the constructmn
nf^ some of the earliest railways m England. I'or
?L "eater part ol his career he was engaged
neold mining, but in his earlier years he gamed
a practica knowledge of engineering in col lery
wo?k Ins first responsible post being a^ ch'^f
survA-or to the Pemberton Collieries, near W igan
In 887 he transferred his activities to gok mimng
l",m. Ol t to take charge of the Sucr6 g°W mmes
Tn Colombia, South America, which P»^t he held
f . tin vears He then went to Rhodesia as
m'nv-er or the Rhodesian Gold Trust, afterwards
"ting as consulting engineer to the Charterland
GoUrFields and the Mashonaland ASf">^y-^^^Y°f^
mai *„ IQ.'IQ he was on the Cold coast i"
ha .e of h Prestea Block A. For />-■ following
tref years he was engaged in exploration w«k
in Mexico, travelling over many parts of the
TS tr "ff srs„"ri:*eer.r.i
■G'Sr^f f-rc.r -■ss^^
S;Sy.n?L ,?. uLll S.*» 0.1, .. .he evening
previous' to his decease.
tradeTTaragraphs
F ^'^V^LK.xioN & pTriners. LTD.. of Hatfield,
arf m'akmg "maU vtind-power electric generating
^'■^T^T Reed Cooper, of U, TothiU Street. West-
minste;, has"i"sued a neW catalogue of his immersible
electric pumps. Sheffield are
aelXd a"nd^fllustra?e°d -npneenn, for August
>%rifrRDl^GE%CtNY.-of New York (Londo
t-i iShlft^l^^Sing^-lk, Sng ^with
eight-foot ball-mills.
SEPTEMBER, 1921
167
The Metropolitan- VicKERS Electrical Co.,
Ltd., of Manchester, and 4, Central Buildings,
Westminster, send us Circular 1790/1, dealing with
motor equipments for main rolling-mill drives.
F. W. Brackett & Co., Ltd., of Colchester,
have issued a bulky catalogue dealing with air-
compressors, dry vacuum pumps, wet vacuum
pumps, plunger pumps, centrifugal pumps, and
steam engines.
The Ingersoll-Rand Co., Ltd., has been
registered at Somerset House as a private limited
company to carry on the English business of this
well-known American corporation. W. M. Treglown
is chairman, and D. M. Armstead is manging
director.
Henry Bath & Son, Ltd., metal and mineral
brokers, of London, Liverpool, and Swansea, send
us a copy of conversion tables containing factors
for converting cents per pound into pounds per
ton, according to the variations in the dollar
exchange.
Nobel Industries, Ltd., of Nobel House,
Buckingham Gate, London, S.W. 1, send us three
new pamphlets : Blasting in Collieries and Hints on
Electric Shot-Firing ; Blasting Explosives and
Accessories ; and Ground-Clearing with the aid of
Explosives.
The BucYRUs Company, whose headquarters are
at Wisconsin, U.S.A., and who have hitherto been
represented on this side by Messrs. G. F. West & Co.,
announce that they have now opened their own
London office at 19, Iddesleigh House, Caxton
Street, Westminster, S.W. 1, to which address all
communications should in future be forwarded.
The Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co.,
Ltd., of Manchester, and 4, Central Buildings,
Westminster, send us their circulars 1,266/1,
1,266/2. and 1,254/1, dealing respectively with oil
circuit breakers type G2, oil circuit breakers type
Gil, and the breaking capacity of switches and
circuit breakers.
Head, Wrightson & Co., Ltd., of Stockton-on-
Tees, and 5, Victoria Street, Westminster, are re-
issuing their catalogue of mining machinery in
sectionalized form. The sections already received
deal respectively with jaw-crushers, crushing rolls,
grinding pans, Nissen stamps, the Colorado impact
screen, the :Notanos tube-mill, the Colorado rod-
mill, the Colorado convertible-discharge ball-mill,
the Akins classifier, the Lowden patent dryer, the
Notanos patent rotary dryer, and the Skinner
patent roasting furnace.
G. A. Harvey & Co. (London), Ltd., of Woolwich
Road, and Suffolk House, Laurence Pountney Hill,
London, are exhibiting their specialties at the
International Shipping, Engineering, and Machinery
Exhibition at Olympia : Perforated metals for all
industries, with over 3,000 designs ; colliery and
quarry screens ; perforated conical slotted copper
for sugar centrifugals ; perforated brass radiator
and pipe guards ; ventilating panels and piping ;
storage tanks ; steel lockers and cupboards ; steel
storage bins ; heavy mild steel hoppers and
cyclones ; transformer tanks ; sheet steel and
plate work of all descriptions.
John & Edwin Wright, Ltd., of the Universe
Rope Works, Birmingham (London office, Salisbury
House, E.C. 2), have a representative show at the
International Shipping, Engineering, and Machinery
Exhibition, Olympia. The exhibit includes highe.st
quality steel-wire ropes, for the engineering,
marine, mining, oil well, and logging industries.
including locked coil, flattened strand, non-rotating,
and other special constructions of wire ropes, for
winding, sinking, haulage, bridge suspensions, aerial
ropeways, cranes, elevators, etc. ; also running
ropes, cargo hauls, standing rigging, etc. ; high-
grade plough steel steam ploughing ropes and steel-
wire rope slings for heavy lifting purposes ; specially
flexible high-grade tinned plough steel cables and
strands for aircraft, etc. ; high-grade cotton
driving ropes, hemp, manilla, etc. ; ropes and
cordage for shipping, crane and capstan ropes,
manilla and hemp ropes for shipping and fishing
industries.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The course of values on the standard
market in London during August was fairly steady
until about the middle of the month, when an
easier tendency w'as noticeable, and although the
last few days of August saw a slight recovery, values
showed a loss on balance. The easiness was due to
a wave of pessimism which appeared in the market,
and it seemed as if certain holders were tiring of their
burden. The outloolc was — as is still the case —
very obscure, and with consumers' demand con-
tinuing restricted, the situation presented very little
to encourage a bullish view. In the United States
there was at one time rather more demand for the
metal, but sellers immediately put prices up,
according to their usual habit, \vith the result that
the buying movement was scotched, followed by
a rapid weakening in values, which was, of course,
reflected sympathetically in London. At the
moment the best foreign customer of the United
States copper producers is Germany, but the recent
depreciation of the mark has had a somewhat
restraining effect on her purchases. As regards
the position in England, manufactured material
continues in poor demand, and makers report that
the Continent is able to secure a substantial pro-
portion of the available business. It is hoped,
however, that the reduction in the price of fuel
will assist British manufacturers to compete more
advantageously in the near future. The month
saw a moderate demand for sheets from India.
There has been much talk recently of Germany
establishing credits in the United States, ana should
the scheme succeed it is to be expected that exports
of copper to that country might show a certain
increase.
Average price of cash standard copper : August
1921,i68 12s. Sd. ; July, 1921, j(;71 4s. 4d. ; August,
1920, /94 Is. ; July, 1920, /90 5s. 6d.
Tin. — The standard tin market in London
fluctuated within moderate limits during August,
but the trend of values was downward until the
last few days, when a recovery took place,
apparently on speculative buying. In the absence
of much genuine consumptive demand, a weak
tendency was practically inevitable, and the
occasional rallies were due merely to bear covering
and other tactics of the professional operators.
The general position has thus shown very little
change during the month, the large unabsorbed
stocks in the East continuing to hang over the
market, with an unfavourable effect on sentiment.
One reason why the market receives so little support
is doubtless the fact that holders find their existing
stocks a sufficient burden without adding to them.
It is difficult to see any hope of a sustained improve-
168
TUK MIN'ING MAilAZlNi;
Daily London Metal Trices : Official Closing
Copper, Lead, Zinc, and Tin per Long Ton |
CorPKR
Standard Casb
Standard (3 tnos.]
Electrolytic
Wire Bars
Ucst Selected
August
C »-
d. C s.
d.
C s.
d.
C s.
d.
£ ».
d.
C s.
d.
c
s.
d.
^ »^
d.
c
B.
d.
« ». d.
«
70 0
0 to 72 2
6
70 7
(i
to 70 10
0
74 0
0
to 75 0
0
74
0
0
to 75 0
0
70
n
0
to
72 0 0
10
70 2
6 to 70 5
0
70 10
0
to 70 12
6
70 0
0
to 76 10
0
75
0
0
to 75 10
0
70
0
0
to
72 0 0
11
70 0
0 to 70 2
6
70 5
0
to 79 7
0
75 0
0
to 76 C
0
75
0
0
to 70 0
0
70
0
0
to
72 0 0
12
00 15
0 to 69 17
6
70 0
0
to 70 2
0
74 10
0
to 76 0
0
74
10
0
to 70 0
0
69
15
0
to
71 15 0
IJ
69 17
e to 70 0
0
70 5
0
to 70 7
6
74 0
0
to 75 0
0
74
0
0
to 75 0
0
(iO
15
0
to
71 15 0
IC
69 10
0 to 69 12
6
69 17
0
to 70 0
0
73 10
0
to 74 10
0
73
10
0
to 74 10
0
69
10
0
to
71 10 0
17
CS 2
6 to 68 5
0
as 12
0
to 08 15
0
72 10
0
to 73 10
0
72
10
0
to 73 10
0
C9
10
0
to
71 10 0
18
C7 5
0 to 67 7
6
67 15
0
to 67 17
0
71 10
0
to 73 10
0
72
10
0
to 73 10
0
69
10
0
to
71 10 0
19
67 2
6 to 67 5
0
67 12
0
to 67 15
0
71 10
0
to 73 0
0
72
0
0
to 73 0
0
67
5
0
to
69 5 0
22
65 5
0 to 66 7
0
(.6 15
0
to 06 17
0
71 0
0
to 72 10
0
71
10
0
to 72 10
0
67
5
0
to
69 5 0
sa
60 0
0 to 60 2
6
Oli 15
0
to 66 17
6
70 10
0
to T2 0
0
71
0
0
to 72 0
0
66
0
0
to
08 0 0
24
66 15
0 to 66 17
6
67 5
0
to 67 7
0
70 10
0
to 72 0
0
71
0
0
to 72 0
0
06
0
0
to
68 0 0
25
66 5
0 to 66 7
6
06 17
6
to 67 0
0
70 10
0
to 72 0
0
71
0
0
to 72 0
0
60
0
0
to
68 0 0
2B
67 10
0 to 67 12
6
08 2
6
to 08 5
0
70 10
0
to 72 10
0
71
0
0
to 72 10
0
67
10
0
to
69 10 0
29
67 17
6 to 68 0
0
68 10
0
to OS 12
0
70 10
0
to 72 10
0
71
0
0
to 72 10
0
67
10
0
to
69 10 0
30
67 12
6 to 67 15
0
6S 5
0
to 08 7
0
71 10
0
to 73 10
0 72
0
0
to 73 10
0
67
15
0
to
69 15 0
31
Sept,
1
07 15
0 to 08 0
0
58 12
6
to 68 15
0
71 10
0
to 73 10
0
71
10
0
to 73 10
0
67 15
0
to
69 15 0
67 15
0 to 67 17
6
08 12
8
to OS 15
0
71 10
0
to 73 10
0
72
0
0
to 73 10
0
67
15
0
to
09 15 0
•f
68 12
6 to OS 15
0
69 10
0
to 69 12
6
71 10
0
to 73 10
0
72
0
0
to 73 10
0
69
0
0
to
71 0 0
5
68 17
(i to 69 0
0
09 15
0
to 69 17
0
73 0
0
to 75 0
0
73 10
0
to 75 0
0
69
0
0
to
71 0 0
u
08 17
0 to 69 2
6
69 17
6
to 70 0
0
73 0
0
to 74 10
0
73
0
0
to 74 10
0
70
0
0
to
72 0 0
7
68 12
6 to 08 15
0
69 12
0
to 69 15
0
n 0
0
to 74 10
0
73
0
0
to 74 10
0
70
u
0
to
72 0 0
8
67 5
0 to 67 7
6
68 5
0
to 68 10
0
72 0
0
to 74 0
0
72
0
0
to 74 0
0
70
0
0
to
72 0 0
9
67 2
6 to 67 7
6
68 2
6
to 68 7
6
72 0
0
to 74 0
0
72 10
0
to 74 0
0
08
5
0
to
70 5 0
merit in values until there is a broadening of
consumption, and while the tinplate industry con-
tinues depressed this is hardly likely. Continental
inquiry has been on the whole disappointing, and
demand from the United States, although
occasionally stimulated by the falls here, has also
been poor. In the Straits sales have been made in
fair quantities at about the London parity, and
sellers there have evinced quite an eager desire to
dispose of metal. Batavia sells occasionally.
China, however, has continued to hold aloof. Some
hopes are held that the tinplate industry is on the
eve of a recovery, owing to the absorption of the
war stocks of canned goods and the fact that the
relief of the Russian famine will entail the dispatch
of vast quantities of tinned meats to the stricken
districts.
Average price of cash standard tin : August,
1921, £155 8s. 4d. ; July, 1921, /164 13s. Id.;
August, 1920, ;£274 5s. lOd. ; July, 1920,
/262 Is. 5d.
Lead. — The London lead market kept remarkably
steady during August, and closing values were
very little below those at which the month opened.
This was due to no small extent to the fact that,
unlike most of the other non-ferrous metals, there
was quite a fair demand from consumers, which
helped to sustain values. This fact is all the more
surprising when it is remembered that lead is,
relatively, the dearest metal of the four dealt in
on the London Metal Exchange. Holders of the
metal have not relaxed their firm attitude to any
extent, and the spot position has remained tight,
aided by irregular shipments and the policy adopted
by consumers of buying for prompt delivery only.
There is a fairly general opinion that arrivals
. from Spain are likely to be erratic and restricted
for some time to come. On the other hand,
reports speak of greater activity at the Mexican
smelters, so that supplies from that quarter
should be on an increased scale in the near
future. It is interesting to notice that the Govern-
ment has at last disposed of their stocks of lead,
estimated at about 10,000 tons. At the beginning
of the month there w-as quite a fair inquiry from the
Continent, but later on demand fell away, perhaps
owing to American competition there. In the
United States the market appears to have a quiet
tone, and although the leading ])roducers have made
no alteration in their price, lead in bond can be
bought at less. News is to hand that the Port
Pirie smelter in Australia has resumed operations.
The smelter in question was, it will be remembered,
recently burnt down, and the reconstructed plant
has probably less than half the roasting capacity
of the old one, its maximum being about 3.000 tons
of concentrates weekly. The actual scale of working
will depend almost entirely upon the activities of
the Broken Hill mines.
Average price of soft pig lead : August, 1921,
/23 5s. Id.; July, 1921, /23 5s. lOd. ; August,
1920, £36 Ss. lOd. ; July, 1920, /35 9s.
Spelter. — Values in the London spelter market
had an easier tendency during the month, despite
a slight improvement in the galvanizing trade
and a consequent better demand for spelter. The
easiness appears to have been due chiefly to the
developments in the Germ.an situation. The
renewed depreciation of the mark led to the natural
supposition that exports of spelter from that country
might again be feasible on a fair scale. As a matter
of fact, a quantity of German spelter has actually
been, sold here, but there has been no selling
pressure from that quarter. Other producing
countries have been adopting a rather reserved
attitude. Belgium sold a little, and there were
offerings of Austrian metal. Norway was a
prospective seller at the beginning of the month,
but ceased to offer later. The future of the market
is largely dependent on whether foreign holders
are able to finance their stocks. Consuming
demand generally, despite the improvement above
referred to, is still none too satisfactory. In
America rather a better trade infiuiry was reported
at the beginning of the month, but this appears to
have failed to develop into a serious buj'ing move-
ment, and the position there continues in a
deplorable state. Despite the efforts of producers
to keep down output, stocks continue to increase,
being now more than 90,000 tons.
SEPTEMBER, l')21
169
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounee : Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Zinc
Stan
DARD Tin
Silver
Gold
Soft Foreign
F.nglisii
Spelter)
Cash
1
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
£ 5.
d. C s.
d.
I s.
d. 1 ^ ?.
d. f s.
d. C s.
i. C s.
d. ' £ s.
d. £ s.
d.
d.
d.
s. d.
Aug.
23 13
Oto23 7
ij
25 0
0 23 17
6 to 2il 12
G
1U2 10
0 to 162 15
0 1 164 10
0 to 164 15
0
361
361
Ill 4
9
23 12
6 to 23 5
0
25 0
0 25 17
6 to 20 12
G
159 5
0 to 159 10
0 161 5
0 to 101 10
0
37
36i
112 7
10
23 10
0to23 0
0
24 15
0
25 10
0 to 26 5
0
157 0
0 to 157 5
0 138 111
0 to 158 13
0
371
375
37S
112 5
11
23 10
0 to 23 2
G
24 15
0
23 10
0to26 2
G
155 5
0 to 155 10
0 156 3
0 to 150 10
0
371
375
112 1
12
23 12
Gto23 fi
0
24 15
0
23 10
0to26 2
6
155 5
0 to 153 10
0 156 10
0 to 136 13
0
38'
112 0
15
23 12
6 to 23 5
0
24 15
0
25 2
6 to 25 15
0
154 15
0 to 133 0
0 1 156 0
0 to 156 5
0
38
375
112 4
16
23 12
6 to 23 5
0
24 15
0
25 0
0 to 25 S
0
131 10
0 to 131 15
0 1 152 10
n to 152 15
0
38J
38t
113 1
17
23 12
6 to 23 2
(J
24 15
0
24 12
6 to 25 5
0
151 10
0 to 151 15
0
153 0
0 to 153 3
0
381
38
112 6
13
23 7
6 to 2i 17
6
24 15
0
24 12
6 to 25 5
0
152 7
G to 152 10
0
154 0
0 to 154 5
0
383
3SS
112 5
19
23 2
6 to 22 12
6
24 3
0
24 12
6 to 25 5
0
152 10
0 to 152 12
6
154 5
0 to 154 7
6
37}
37j
112 3
22
23 0
0 to 22 10
0
24 5
0
24 10
0 to 25 0
0
152 2
6 to 152 5
0
153 15
0 to 154 0
0
38
373
112 4
23
23 0
0 to 22 7
6
24 3
0
24 7
6 to 25 0
0
150 0
0 to 150 5
0
151 10
0 to 151 15
0
sst,
33
11111
24
23 5
0 to 22 15
0
24 5
0
24 13
0 to 25 2
6
140 0
0 to 149 0
0 j 150 15
0 to 151 0
0
3Si
38
111 4
25
23 7
6 to 22 13
0
24 5
0
24 15
0 to 25 5
0
152 0
0 to 152 5
0 ' 154 0
0 to 154 5
0
38
375
111 6
20
23 7
6 to 22 13
0
24 5
0
24 13
0to23 7
6
153 5
0 to 153 10
0
155 5
0 to 155 10
0
381
87?
111 4
29
23 5
0 to 22 15
0
24 5
0
24 17
e to 25 10
0
156 10
0 to 156 15
0
158 15
0 to 159 0
0
384
375
111 1
30
23 3
0 to 22 15
0
24 5
0
21 15
0 to 25 10
0
157 0
0 to 157 5
0
159 3
0 to 159 10
0
38?
37i
110 4
31
Sept.
1
23 10
0 to 22 17
6
24 10
0
24 12
6 to 25 10
0
154 10
0 to 154 15
0
15R 12
6 to 156 17
6
373
373
373
384
110 4
23 7
e to 22 13
0
24 10
0
24 7
6 to 25 5
0
150 15
0 to 157 0
0
159 0
0 to 159 5
0
38J
109 8
2
23 5
0 to 22 13
0
24 5
0
24 12
6 to 25 10
0
159 5
0 to 159 10
0 i 161 15
0 to 162 0
0
38?
110 10
5
23 5
0 to 22 15
0
24 0
0
25 0
0 to 25 15
0
161 5
U to 161 10
0
1G3 15
0 to 164 0
0
391
38|
38|
110 9
6
23 7
C to 22 17
6
21 5
0
25 2
6 to 25 17
6
161 17
G to 162 2
6
164 10
0 to 164 15
0
110 10
7
23 2
6 to 22 12
6
24 5
0
25 2
6 to 25 15
0
159 0
0 to 159 5
0
161 10
0 to 161 15
0
382
38i
3S|
110 1
8
23 7
0 to 22 17
6
24 5
0
25 7
6 to 25 17
6
156 5
0 to 156 10
0 1 158 15
0 to 159 0
0
381
110 1
9
Average price of spelter : .August, 1921, /25 8s. ;
July, 1921, /26 12s. ; August, 1920, ^'41 19s. 6d. ;
July, 1920. /42 13s. 3d.
Zinc Dust. — Values have kept very steady.
High-grade Australian is priced at /55 per ton, and
English and .\merican 92 to 94 "o a"bout £52 10s.
Antimony. — Prices were unaltered during the
month. English regulus ordinary brands, £'37 to
jf40 ; special brands, £38 5s. to £42, and 98°^ to
99°o ^29 to /32. Foreign in warehouse is steady at
/24 10s. to £25 per ton.
.\rsenic. — Business has been very quiet, and
producers have reduced the quotation for Cornish
white to £32 7s. per ton delivered station London.
Bismuth. — The leading interests continue to
ask 7s. 6d. per !b.
Cadmium. — The price has eased to about 5s. 9d.
to 65. per lb.
.\luminium. — Home producers quote £120 for
home and £125 for export business, but there has
been some foreign material offering below these
figures.
Nickel. — The leading producers continue to
quote £190 per ton for home and export business.
Cobalt Metal. — The quotation is still 15s. to
16s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — Business is quiet, with black
oxide steady at 12s. and grey unaltered at 13s. 6d.
per lb.
Platinum and P.\lladium. — The market has
kept steady. Prices are : manufactured platinum
.£20, raw £17 per oz. ; manufactured palladium £20,
raw £15.
Quicksilver. — The trend of prices has been
easier, the chief interests having reduced their
price, and the present value is about £10 5s. to
£10 7s. 6d. per bottle.
Selenium. — Sellers quote 10s. fid. to 13s. per lb.
Tellurium. — The price is steady at 80s. to 90s.
per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — The quotation is a little
firmer at £30 to £32 for home and export.
Manganese Ore. — There has been a rather
easier tone, and Indian grades are nominal at
Is. Hd. per unit c.i.f. U.K.
Tungsten Ore. — Business is dull, with the
present quotation for 65% WOg at 13s. to 13s. 3d.
per unit c.i.f.
Molybdenite.— Sellers quote 37s. 6d. to 42s. 6d.
per unit c.i.f.
Chrome Ores. — The price has been steady at
£4 10s. c.i.f.
Silver. — The price of spot bars on .\ugust 2
was 38|d., but Chinese and Indian selling had a
depressing influence, and the quotation sagged to
36Jd. on the 9th. Subsequently there was some
Indian buying, which carried the price up to
38§d. on the 19th. On the 22nd spot bars- reacted
to 375d., only to recover to 38id. on the 24th.
Towards the end of the month there were small
fluctuations, the price closing at 37|d. on the
31st.
Graphite. — Quotations are nominal, business
being rather quiet. Madagascar, 80 to 90%, is
steady at £20 to £25 per ton c.i.f.
Iron .\nd Steel. — .\t the end of the month there
were fourteen furnaces in operation in the Cleve-
land district, and four furnaces in Scotland. Pig
iron manufacturers have had their attention
chiefly riveted upon the course of fuel prices, and
are anxiously awa,iting the time when pig iron
production can be resumed upon an economic basis.
Coke is being offered at 35s. delivered, but pig
iron makers are not inclined to look at anything
above .30s. The official home trade minimum price
of No. 3 Cleveland is still 1205., but sellers ask 135s.
Export business is quite stagnant. Hematite is a
more active market and supplies are scarce, makers
not bein.g disposed to resume production on any
large scale until fuel is cheaper. Prices are firm at
160s. for the home trade and 150s. for export.
British steel has continued under the influence of
Continental competition, but German works are
filled now for three months ahead. The settle-
ment of the ship joiners' strike here has tended to
improve the home position, and orders which were
held up on that account and on account of the coal
strike are now being placed. .\n all-round reduction
of 2ns. was made in home trade steel quotations,
but these are still dearer than Continental supplies.
170
I Hi; MINING M.\GAZINE
STATISTICS
Produciioh or Gold in ihk Transvaal.
, Else-
; Rond where Total
Price ot
] Oj. Oi. Oz.
Gold per or..
Julv, 1920 718,521
Auijust 0S3,«U
Srptfinlwr 6l>5.48t>
OctolKT Wfl.Cl'.l
November 618.525
December 617,549
ToUl, 1920 7.949.038
January. 1921 . . . 637.425
Febru.ir>- 643.767
March 656.572
April 6l».309
May , 671.750
June 663.383
July I 673,475
1
s.
d.
17,678
736,099
105
0
18,479
702,083 1
113
6
16,687
682,17:1
115
0
16,653
662.472
117
6
15,212
633,737
117
6
14,666
632.215
115
U
204.587 8,153,625
14,168
14,370
14,551
16,073
16,026
16,107
16,080
651,593
105
0
688,137
103
9
671,123
103
9
681,382
103
9
687,776
103
9
678,490
107
6
t«<9,55:>
112
6
Kativks Employed in tub Transvaal Mines.
Gold
mines
Co.il
mines
Diamond
mines
ToUl
July 31, 1920 174,187
August 31 169,263
September SO 163,132
October 31 1.59,426
November 30 158,773
December 31 159,671
January 31. 1921 ... 165,287
Februm-28 171,518
March 31 174,364
April 30 172,826
May31 i 170,595
JuneSO 168,152
July31 ' 160,999
13,005
13,635
13,716
13,858
14,245
14,263
4,521
4,244
4,823
4,214
8,504
3,340
191,713
187,042
181,171
177,498
176,.522
177,274
14,541
14,697
14,906
14,908
14,510
14,704
14,688
3,319
1,612
1,3(U
1,316
1,302
1,317
1,246
183,147
187,827
190,634
189,050
186,407
184,173
182.9.33
Cost and Profit on tue Rand.
Compiled from official statistics puMished by the Transvaal
Ch.imbcr of Mines.
Tons
Yield
cost
profit 1
working
milled
per ton
per ton
per ton
profit
s. d.
s. d.
s. d.
£
Julv, 1920 .
. 2.194.030
33 6
24 6
9 0
953,058
August . . .
. 2.0.57.5(50
Sti 11
25 0
U 11
1,226,906
September .
. 1.9.")O.410
SS U
25 6
13 5
1,276,369
October ...
. 1.871.140
39 9
2() 1
13 8
1,278,385
November .
. 1.799.710
40 2
20 S
13 1
1,255,749
December .
. 1.797.970
39 11
26 8
13 3
1,193,672
January. IS"
n 1.895.235
35 0
20 8
8 9
829,436
February . .
. 1.576,320
35 6
2S 6
7 0
6.50,974
March ....
. 1,958,730
34 5
26 I
8 4
813,036
April ....
. 1,991,815
34 5
25 10
8 7
854,533
May
. 1,955,357
35 3
26 2
9 1
839,520
June
.! 1,966.349 1
85 10
25 10
10 U
979,769
Trahsvaal C.oLn Oiitpi'ts.
June
Treated
Tons
--
Aurora West. . . .
Brakpan
City Deep
Cons. LanRlaaitte
Cons. M.iin Reef
Crown Mines
D'rb'nRoodepoortDeep
F.-ist Kami P.M
Ferrcira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhtiis Deep
Glynn's Lydcnburg ...
Goch
Government G.M. Areas!
Kleinfontcin
Knight Central |
Langlaa^tc Kstate ....
Luipa.ird's Vlei
Meyer .S: Charlton
Mo.idcrfontcin
Modd»*rfontein B
Motlderfontcin Deep . .
Modderfontein East. . . .
New Unitied
Xourse
Primrose
Randlontein Central . .
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodcpoort United . . .
Rose Deep
.Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub N igel
Transvaal G.M. Estates.
Van RiTi
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Hand Consolidated
\\itw'tersr"nd (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep . .
Wolhutcr
10.640
63,700
85,500
44.300
49,200
190,000
27,000
123,500
32,300
44,500
45,668
3,3K)
17,300
129,000
48,900
28,100
40,200
21, .550
13.000
06,000
67,500
42,600
24,100
11,200
42,000
21,600
123,500
42,000
56,300
22,200
53,500
61,400
41,500
9,500
15,690
32,200
51,000
47,000
32,000
37,400
34,391
32,600
Yield
Oz.
iC15,182«
20,971
36,128
£07,905«
16,866
64,837
9,195
33,034
10,020
14,815
12,423
£7,710:
£19,946*
£275,556*
13,795
68,816
£a5,700«
£26,8011*
£41.0;**
45,103
32,556
23,884
9,753
£13,571*
13,5fil
£23,814*
£201,427*
7,905
17,404
£24,434*
13,876
14,136
18,806
6,698
£23,28"'*
£144,526*
15,212
£48,802
£53,995
9,513
7,842
July
Treated
Tons
Yield
Oz.
10,080
58,000
84,000
42,300
50,700
201,000
I 27,4(»
127,000
1 32,300
45,300
51,387
' 3.630
' 17,000
I 140,000
60,100
28,600
40,300
22,.560
13,500
96,000
69,000
42,500
20,350
11,500
43,400
22,000
127,000
38,000
60,200
22,600
54,400
57,500
40,000
10,000
16,010
33,400
49,300
50,000
32,000
37,700
81,759
33,500
£15,K23t
21,909
35,578
£71,0731
17,660
69,092
9,448
34,252
10,022
15,655
13,324
£7.1.535
£20.441t
£2»7.622t
13,743
6,761
£6Si,991t
£31,484t
£42,7151
46,454
33,047
23,978
10,172
£13,536t
13,.n01
£20,31 r,t
£211,792t
7,571
17,7.59
£25,514t
1.3,292
13,251
18,572
5,461
£25,8785
£50,7301
£148,588t
16,152
/;49,712t
£52,862t
9,178
8,278
' Gold at £5 7s. (M. per oz. t £5 12s. 6d. per oz.
§ £5 1 Is. iicr oz.
J £5 6s. per oz.
Rhodesian Gold OuTPtrrs.
June
July
Ton.-
Oz.
Tons
Oz.
Cam & Motor
FhIcou
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planct'.\rcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G.M. & I. . .
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian
11,700
15,572
3,406
6,185
l.StK)
2.437
6,350
5,700
5,700
528
50,300
1,550
3,661
3,38i;i
1,271
5,386
485
£3,051
5,280
2,4,38
2,5-17
279
£43,9465
£5,063t
12,800
15,718
3,701
6,079
1.500
2,409
5,400
5,840
6,850
338
54,150
1,5.50
4,060
3,425*
1,242
5.892
483
£3.170
5.180
2.689
2,582
346
£41,50(^
I £4.400t
* Also 243 tons copper. t At
5 Gold at £5
par. n Also 268 tons copper.
10s. per oz.
PRODDCTioti OP Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1U2U
1921
January . . .
February . .
March . . . .
April
May
June
July
August
September .
October ...
November .
Decemt>er .
Total .
£
211,917
22l>,SS5
2L'5,a«
213,160
218,057
214,215
214,919
207,3.39
223,719
204,184
186.462
15S,S35
2.409,40^
oz.
43,428
44,237
45,779
47,000
46,206
45,054
46,208
48,740
4,S47I
47,343
46,782
46,190
B.'>2.49S
or.
46.950
40.S1G
Sl,«':.
47.858
48,714
49.400
61.564
323.399
West Aprican Gold Otnpors.
June
July
Treated
Vahie
Treated
Value
Abbontiakoon
Abosso
Akoko
AshanU Goldfields
Eastern .\kkim
Obbuassi
Tons
6,550
6,305
6,692
"^9
7,177
2.700
• Oz.
00,957*
2.090
6.626
£2.555t
£13.091*
1.729
Tons
7.200
6,767
7.OT7
901
8.093
3,000
Or.
£12.476*
2,278
6,085
85
£2,")74»
Prestea Block A
Taquah
£13,m>6*
1,823
' At par. t Including premium.
SEPTEMBER, 1921
171
Wesi Ai-siKAiiAS Gou> Statistics. — Par Values.
Indiak Gou> Outputs.
Reported DeUveied
for Export to Mint
Oz. Oi.
Total
Oi.
Total
Vaiue £
Noi-ember. 1920. . . 1;S>
Dectmbei 321
lanuaiT. 1921 523
i^ebruarr 6S4
March..' 10
April 607
Mav 474
June 153
Julv ' l.etl
August IIQ
51.729
54.So7
2c3,C17
53,oJ6
.^3,916
229,C67
50.^4
51.457
21S.574
26.S72
27,556
117,050
47,S75
47,585
2te.401
46,60e
47,209
StW.cSo
47,63S
51,503
217,435
2S,194
2S,»47
iai,410
+4,917
4ti,55S
197,774
51,731
51,Sil
220,2'.io
.\t«TjuaxAX Gold OtrrFtrrs.
West
Australia
Victoria
j Queensland
New South
Wales
1921
or.
or.
oz.
/
January .
51,4JS
4,5S7
4.0S2
a->.4G3
Februarv.
27,557
ia940
9.046
21.575
Maitjl ...
47,8SC
12,3S3
6,690
24,344
April ....
47,273
5,954
2.591
S4.1v>l
May ....
4S.113
10.2SO
2.0:7
15,S?6
June
2S.347
—
—
11.S40
July
—
—
—
16.416
August...
—
—
—
l'i410
September
—
—
—
October .
—
—
—
November
December
—
—
—
—
250,634
44,145
24,966
144,095
AvsntAuisiAK G«u> Ootputs.
June
July
.Associated G.M. ,W.A.)
Blackwater (X.Z.)
BuUSnch (W.A.)
GoM'n HorsesliM (W^_\)
Grt Boulder Ptol (WA.)
Iv-anhoe (W j\.) 15,425
KalsurU vW_A.t
Lake View & Star (W„\.)
Menries Con. iW..\.> . .
Mount Eoppy iN.S.W.)
Orora I inks \W..A.) . . .
Progress iN.Z.l
Sons oi Gwalia (W.A.)
South KalgurU {WW.) .
Waihi(N.Z.)
Tons
Value £
Tons
Value £
5,962
7,C5.S!!
5,f«2
8,329!!
2,927
6,299*
2,S09
5.173*
10,033
5,2o3{ '
10,224
5,332{
8,743
27,322;!
9,1SS
28,7121!
15,425
5,ceSJ I
15,106
5,634:
1.572
4,371!;
2.370
4.238;!
6.3«»
15,225t,i
6,582
14,625»11
2.070
4,300*
1,079
5,511
2,166
5S0:
2,4C4
93St
1,397
7,429tll
1.330
7,113tt1
June
July
Balashat
Champion Reef . .
Mysore
North Acantapor
Nundydroog . . , .
OoregTim
Tons
Fine
Tons
Fins
Treated
Ounces
Treated
Ounces
3,2CO
2.342
3,300
2,361
11,988
4.667
12^50
4.713
17.243
10.506
17,090
10,517
700
913
70O
90S
S.916
5,304
9,048
5,337
12.900
a 475
12.900
8.439
Proddction of Golo Kt India.
1917
1918
1919
1920
irat
Oz.
Januarv- 44,718
February . . . 42.56C
March 44,617
.-^pril 4.%726
3Jav 42,901
June 42,924
Julv 42,273
August 42,591
September . . 43,207
October 43,041
November . . 42.915
December .. 44,SS3
Oz.
41,420
40,7S7
41,719
41,504
40,889
41,264
40,229
40,496
4a06S
39,472
36.984
40,149
Oz.
38,184
36,3&t
38,317
38,248
38,608
38,359
3S,>19
37.850
36,813
37,138
39.628
42,613
Oz.
39,073
38,872
38,760
37,307
38.191
37,861
37,129
37,373
35,497
35,023
34.522
34.919
Oz.
34,02s
S2.R29
32,576
32,363
32,«50
32,207
32,278
Total .
. .saases |48S>.^6 I461.171 1444.532
'228,647
Base Mgtal Otnpins.
June
July
.. Grand Junc'n {N.Z,)
Vuanmi OV--V,)
11.364
13,3(i2||
5.700 {
1.666
1S,663!|
4,00«
36.098$
1,730J:
5,7921
4,513*
7.857
13.%0
5.570
Broken Hill Prop
Broken Hill South . . .
Burma Corporation . . .
Hampden Cloncurry .
Mount Lyell
Mount Morgan
1 12.4SS!!;
( 4.033*
\\ 42.3841
I 1 1,55SJ
I 4,341 §
premium : t Including royalties ;
§ Oz. silver ; 1| At par.
.\rizona Copper Short tons copper . . .
r Tons lead cone. . . .
British Broken Hill ... Tons zinc cone
Tons carbonate ore
Tons lead cone.
> Tons zinc cone
Tons lead cone
' Tons rehned lead . .
• Oz. refined silver . .
Tons copper
Oz. gold
Tons copper
Oz. silver
Or. gold
Tons Copper
Oz. gold
North Broken Hill , J^^^^ »-;:::: ;
Rhodefua Broken Hill Tons lead
Sulphide Corporation . . -! S°! ^^^ ^^J" • * "
"^ ^ ( Tons zmc cone
Tanganv-ika Tons copper
f Tons zinc cone
1 Tons lead cone. . . .
2,533
2.323
: Oz. goU ; I Zinc Corporation
451
14.316
2S0
1,569
3,222
5,320
2.736
9,315
4,709
3,239
302,499
446
14,479
3S5
1,200
1.170
1,575
2.183
3,671
3,189
9.195
925
KlSCEULANEOtJS GOLD AKD SiLVSR OUTPITTS.
June
July
Value £ Tons Value £
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia) — 3605 — 1 51^t
Cascalho (Brazill — — I — 32j-f
Chuquit-imbo (Peru) 1,200 1 1,000* 1,400 ! 1,000*
El Oro i.Veiico) 34.500 ! 2O9.00Ot' 31.730 19S,C0Ot
Esperanza (Menco) — , 32VtJi — 698*;
Frcntino & BoUvia (C'lbia) 2,340 ' ia737* ■ 2,130 ; 10,106*
Meiico ElOto (Meiico).. 11.510 lS2,070t — —
.Miniag Corp. oi Canada .' 3,201 114,28^ — —
Oriental Cons, i Korea) ... — ; 94,00Ot: — ' S3.000t
Ouro Preto (Brazil) 6.400 2,409(! 7.5C0 2.503;|
Plym"th Cons. iCalifmJa 8.000 8.120 7,200 8,704
St. John del Rev (Brazil). — 40,000* — 40 000*
Santa G-rtrudis (Meiicc) 36,6Ce , 14,298? 38,250 13,968;
Tolima (Colombia) — — — —
Tomboy (Colorado) 18,500 58,000t 16.000 61,C00t
* .\t par. t U.S. Dollars. { Profit, goM and sih-er. |l Oz. gold.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. •• Producuon of silver ore. ^tOz, gold,
also 155 carats oi di.iaiond>. ;; Eight weeks to .August iu.
J§ Oz. silver.
Neehi (Cofcmbia) : 13 days to .August 3, 128,330 from 90,7Gl1 cu.vd.;
19 da\-s to .August 22, $21,978 trom 117.760 cu. vd.
Pato(Cok>mbia):lSda>-5to.Augustl2, 523,3921rom 116,90301. vd.;
12 da>-s to .August 24, ?22,55r from 91.(J99 cu. >-d.
IsipORTS OF Ores, Metals, etc., into U.t ited KiscroM.
June
July
Coal Tons .; 1.390,824 1,389,981
Iron Ore Tons.! 34,209, 14,857
Manganese Ore Tons .; 8,334 4,789
Copper and iron Pvrites Tons . 3,881 2,933
Copper Ore. .Matte, and Prec Tons . 1,373 689
Copper Metal Tons . 8,542 2,534
Tin Concentrate Tons . 2,174 1,003
Tin Metal.. Tons . 965 2.1SS
Lead, Pig and Sheet Tons . 12.1CG 12,718
Zinc (Spelter) ..Tens . 2,593 2,743
Qmcksaver Lb. . 385.528 343,176
Zin: Oxide Tons . 340 350
White Lead Cvvt. . 4.323 7,884
Barytes, ground Cwt. . 12,187 20,490
Phosphate Tons . 13.875 8,561
Sulphur Tons . 3 ■ —
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. . 19,800 23,130
Petroleum
Crude .. GaUons 7.137.546 13,271,705
Lamp Oil Gallons 16,939.260 12,940,684
Motor Spirit GaUons 16,390.608 13,952,940
Lubricating Oil Gallons 1,953.902 3,545,107
GasOU Callous 7,181,277 12,666,628
Fuel Oil Gallons 54.321.777 64.079,313
Till-: MlNlNc; MAi.AZINl-:
Oi'TFVTS Of Tin Mining Coufanirs.
In Tous of CoQcentnitr.
Nigeria :
Asfodnted Nigerian . . . .
Disichi
nongwclli
Champion (Nlgerin) ... .
Due
Ex-Lands
Filani
Gold CMst Consolid.iled
Gunim River
Jantar
Kadiina
Kaduna Prospectors
Kane
Kctii Consolidated
Lower Bisicbi
Lucky Chance
Minna
Mongu
Naraputa '
Naraguta Extended '
Nigerian Consolidated
N.N. Hauchi
Offin River ,
Rayfield '
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Yarde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang
Gopeng
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamuntiog
KinU I
Lahat !
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Rambiitan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
South Crofly
Other Countries :
Aramayo Francke (Bolivia) .
Berengiiela (Bolivia)
Briseis (TasiBania)
Deebook Ronpibon (Siam) . .
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal) ....
Macready (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rnoiberg Minerals{Transvaal)
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam) . . .
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal) ,
M^y
Tons
28
7
£2t
4
11
81
S2i
10
S
Ci
07
3
10
1?
831
19
20
351
505
83
248
16
36
36
lOi
21
161
2S
6
33
107
50
120
64
13
June
Tons
S3
4
U
10
7
lOi
10
15
35
38
20
9
64
31
104
3
16
li'
li
69'
861
82'
35|
52
86i
240
15
33
30
21i
165
28
9
32
71*
19*
91
55
124
98
10
Three months.
t Tributers.
July
Tons
is
20
li
13
1}
i;)i
_7i
23
3i
37
50
20
8
03
37
118
4
16
89
17!
22
35?
53}
86J
214
14
47
37
20
32
28
23
50
134i
123
Nigerian Tin Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unsp'^ciiied content.
Kote— These fi^itres are taken from the monthly returns made by
individual companies reporting in London, and probably represent
85% of the actual outputs.
1916 1917
1918 I 1919 I 1920 I 1921
January .
February . . .
March
April
May
June
July
August
September . .
October ....
November . .
December
Total 6,594
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
531
657
678
613
528
&16
068
623
547
655
707
606
486
555
584
546
536
509
525
483
510
473
492
484
506
479
545
481
408
551
.571
610
535
538
520
561
584
578
491
625
679
621
472
536
654
655
518
511
Tons
547
477
505
467
383
435
4S4
447
528
628
544
577
Tons
438
370
445
394
337
423
494
6,927 I 0.771 I 6,085 I G,022 2,881
Production op Tin in FinruATRo Maiav Sfatks.
Estimated at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Smelters
I.OMK Ions.
1017
1918
January
rebniary
March
April
May
Juiie
July
August . .
September
October
November
December
Tons
8,559
2,7.^5
8,280
3,251
3,113
3,489
3,253
3,413
3,154
3,430
8,300
3,525
Tons
8,030
8,197
2,000
8,808
3,332
3,070
3.373
3,2.59
3,157
2,870
3,132
3,022
lUlU I 1920
Tons
3,765
2,734
2,819
2,a-.8
3,407
2,877
3,750
2,9.56
3,101
3,221
2,972
2,409
Tons
4,265
8,014
2,770
2.000
2.741
2.040
2,824
2.730
2.734
2.EI37
2.673
2.838
39,833
34.928 22.210
1021
Tons
8,298
3,111
2,190
2,092
2,884
2,752
3,750
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long Tons.
June 30 July 31 Aug. 31
Str.iits and .\ustralian Spot
Ditto, Landing and in Transit . . .
Other Standard, Spot and Landing
Straits. Afloat
Australian. Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto, Afloat
Billiton, Spot
Billiton, Afloat
Straits, Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto, Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States . . .
Stock in America
1,931
135
4,279
1.210
90
3,780
485
523
159
585
1,225
2,540
1,930
250
4,388
1.355
135
4.244
351
423
38
305
3,906
2.521
1.811
690
3.994
1.025
190
4.003
897
327
100
650
3.689
1.761
Total ) 16,953 I 19.852 I 19.037
Shipments, I.mports, Supply, and Consumption of Ti.n.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
June
July
August
Shioments from :
Straits to U.K
Straits to America
320
600
505
350
25
200
724
1,340
2,420
215
325
150
975
221
995
1,580
.590
Straits to other places
Australia to U.K
950
75
490
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
587
Supply ;
Straits
Australian .
Billiton . . .
Banca . . . .
Standard . ,
1,425
25
273
1,170
263
Total
Consumption :
U.K. Delii-eries
Dutch ,
American . . . . -
Straits, Banca & Billiton,
tinental Ports, etc
Con-
Total
3,156
1,361
388
1,590
631
3,975
150
55
1,284
1,228
6,692
3,165
75
275
963
928
;.409
1,224
.331
1525
713
3,793
2,004
389
3 320
511
6,224
SEPTEMBER, 1921
173
0UTPUT5 ReFORIED BY OiL-PRODUCING COMPANIES.
ADglo-Egyptian
Tons. .
June
13.529
9,660
16,985
22,35S
69,020
23G
91,157
8,845
1,115
1,228
17,704
11,300
3,402
July
14,682
9.900
Barrels
22,225
Astra Romana
Tons. .
Barrels
22,234
79,569
Caltex
13,340
236
Barrels
93,121
Tons. .
9,323
Roumanian Consol
Tons. .
Tons. .
2,U53
1,371
18,892
United of Trinidad
Tons..
11,000
QUOTATIOSS OF OiL COMPANIES* SHARES.
Denomination of Shares £1 unless otherwise noted.
Anglo- American
Anglo-E^ptian B
Anglo-Persian 1st Pref
Anglo- United, Wyoming
Apex Trinidad
British Borneo (lOs.)
British Burmab (S?.)
Burmah Oil
Caltex{$l)
Dacia Romano
Kem River, Gal. (10s.)
Lobitos, Peru
Mexican Eagle, Ord. ( S5)
Pref. ($5)
North Caucasian (10s.)
Phcenix, Roumania
Roumanian Consolidated
Royal Dutch (100 gulden) 4S
Scottish American ,
Shell Transport, Ord
„ Pref. (£10)
Trinidad Central
Trinidad Leaseholds
United British of Trinidad
Ural Caspian
Uroz Oilfields (lOs.l
Aug. 5
Sept. 6
1921
1921
£ s.
d.
£ s.
d.
4 5
(1
4 0
0
1 8
i>
1 10
0
1 2
n
1 1
6
3
9
3
9
1 17
H
2 0
0
12
6
11
3
17
K
1 0
0
6 2
6
5 15
0
4
H
3
9
17
6
1 1
a
19
6
18
6
4 2
fi
3 17
6
5 6
3
5 2
fi
5 2
6
4 17
H
17
6
16
3
9
C
S
y
10
y
11
0
43 0
(1
40 0
0
3
0
2
6
5 2
6
4 17
6
8 10
n
8 2
6
3 11
3
3 2
6
2 5
(1
1 18
9
17
H
16
H
17
6
16
3
6
6
5
3
Dividends Deci.ared by Mining Companies.
Date
Company
Par
iValue of
Shares
Amount of
Dividend
Sept. 8 . . .
August 17.
Sept. 8 . . .
August 30.
Sept. 8 . . .
Sept. 7 ...
August 30.
August 31 .
August 30.
August 10.
August 16
August 29.
Balaghat JP^'lg;
Kinta Tin , £1
Jlysore \ l^^s.
Xechi Mines Pr. lOs.
North Anantapur -j q/*
Nundydroog 10s.
Oroviile Dredging £1
Ouro Preto Pr. ;f 1
Pato Mines H
Rambutan £1 '
Witbank Colliery £1
Zinc Corporation Pr. £1
Is. 6d. less tax.
6d. less tax.
5% tax paid.
Is. less tax.
Is. 3d. Jess tax.
Is. 6d. less tax.
Is. 6d. less tax.
(id. less tax,
9d. tax paid.
10% less tax.
7s. less tax.
8d. less tax.
15% less tax,
2s. less tax.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. September 8.
These quotations are not absolute ; they vary according to
quantities required aud contracts running.
£ s. d.
Acetic Acid, 40% per cwt, 10 0
80% , 1 18 0
„ Glacial per tou 44 0 0
Alum „ 16 0 0
Alumina, Sulphate ,, 14 10 0
Ammonia, Atihydrous per lb. 2 2
„ 0-880 solution per ton 30 0 0
,, Carbonate per lb. 4
,, Chloride, grey per ton 37 0 U
,, „ pure per cwt. 3 5 0
Nitrate per ton 45 0 0
Phosphate „ 70 0 0
Sulphate 13 7 0
Antimony, Tartar Emetic per lb, 2 0
,, Sulphide, Golden „ 1 5
Arsenic, White . per ton 30 U 0
Barium Carbonate „ 10 0 0
,, Chlorate per lb. 11
,, Chloride per ton 14 0 0
Sulphate 8 0 0
Benzol. 90% per gal. 3 0
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 56 0 0
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI „ 16 0 0
, , Liquor, 7% „ ti 0 0
Borax „ 31 0 0
Boric Acid Crystals ,, 65 0 0
Calcium Chloride ,, 10 0 0
Carbolic Acid, crude GO*;'© P^ 8^1 i 7
,, ,, crystallized, 40 per lb. 6i
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton 4 10 0
Citric Acid per lb. 2 5
Copper, Sulphate . . per ton 30 0 C
Cyanide of Sodium, 100% .... per lb. 11 J
Hydrofluoric Acid ,, 7 j
Iodine per oz. 1 0
Iron, Nitrate per ton 9 0 0
„ Sulphate „ 4 0 0
Lead, Acetate, white ,, 45 0 0
„ Nitrate 43 0 0
„ Oxide, Litharge „ 41 0 0
„ White „ 44 0 0
Lime, Acetate, brown ,, 8 0 0
„ grey 80% , U 0 0
Magnesite, Calcined „ 21 0 0
Magnesium, Chloride ,, 14 0 0
Sulphate „ S 0 0
Methylated Spirit Gi Industrial per g?.\. 5 3
Nitric Acid, 8U'' Tw. per ton 31 0 0
Oxalic Acid per lb. 7^
Phosphoric Acid per ton 40 0 0
Potassium Bichromate per lb. 10
,, Carbonate per ton 26 0 0
, , Chlorate per lb. 5
Chloride 80% per ton 17 0 0
„ Hydrate (Caustic) 90% „ 31 0 0
Nitrate ,, 40 0 0
,, Permanganate per lb. 1 3
„ Pnissiate, Yellow „ 1 3
Red „ 2 3
Sulphate, 90% per ton 16 0 0
Sodium Metal per lb. I 4
,, Acetate per ton 24 0 0
„ Arsenate 45% „ 44 0 0
Bicarbonate , 10 10 0
,, Bichrftnate per lb. 7
,, Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton 15 0 0
(Crystals) , 7 0 U
,, Chlorate per lb. 4
„ Hydrate, 76% per too 20 15 0
,, Hyposulphite „ 16 0 0
„ Nitrate, 96% „ 18 10 0
Phosphate „ 22 0 0
,, Prussiate. . , per lb. 7
,, Silicate per ton 11 15 0
Sulphate (Salt-cake) „ 6 10 0
(Glauber's Salts) „ 5 0 0
„ Sulphide „ 22 0 0
„ Sulphite 12 10 C
Sulphur, Roll „ 13 0 0
„ Flowers , 13 0 0
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65^ ,. 24 0 0
free from Arsemc, 144' .. . ,, 6 5 0
Superphosphate of Lime, 30% .. 6 10 0
Tartaric Acid per lb. 1 ?
Turpentine per cwt. 3 3 6
Tin Crystals per lb. 1 5
Titanous Chloride 1 0
Zinc Chloride per ton 22 10 0
Zinc Oxide „ 41 0 0
Zinc Sulphate „ 17 0 0
171
THE MIXING MAGAZINE
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares are £\ par value except where otherwise noted.
GOLD, SIL\KK,
DIAMONDS :
Rand :
Brakpnti
Central iMining (£S)
City & Suburban (£4)
City Docp
Consolidated Gold Fields
Consolidalcii I^lnglaagtc
Con*^Uidati\i Main Kccf
Consolidated Mines Selection (10s.) .
Crown Mines (10s.)
Dapj;afonIein
Durban Koodeiioort Deep
East Kand Propriet.-iry
Fcrreira Deep
Geduld
Geldcnhuis Deep
Government Gold Mining .Areas . . .
Joh.innesburg Consolidated
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knierhts Deep
Langlaagte Instate
Mever & Charlton
Modderfontcin (10s.)
Modderfonteiu IJ (5s.)
Modderfontcin Deep (os.)
Modderfontcin East
New State Areas
Notirse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfootdin Central
Robinson i£o)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub-Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. Cd.)
Van R>-n
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolhuter
Other Transvaal Gold Mines :
Gl>Tin's Lydeoburg
Sbeba (5s.)
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates . . .
Diamonds is South Africa :
De Beers Deferred (£2 10s.)
Jagersfonteio
Premier Deferred (2s. 6ci.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phtenii (3s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Sfaamva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa :
AbbootiakooD (IDs.)
Abosso
Ashanti (4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taquah
West Australia ;
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
Bullfinch
GoUen Horse-Shoe (£5)
Great Bnulder Proprietary (2s.) . . .
Griat Fingali (10s.)
HamotoD Properties
Ivanhoe (£5) _
KalsTJirli
Lake View Investment (10s.)
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurli (10s.)
Sept. 7,
1820
r s. d.
i 12 6
S 12 6
7 (i
2 17 0
1 9 »
17 e
It 6
1
2 13 9
11 0
5
8
10 0
1 18 0
7
4 5
1 9
3 13
6 1(5
2 4
1 2
1 10
10
2 19
2 12
12
17 0
2 16 3
3 0 0
1 16 3
0 0
6
9
0
0
0
3
6
6 t)
10 6
12 6
17
17
3
2 2
17
17
17 0
3 17 6
10 3
17 6
14 3
8 6
4 6
13 0
1 9
10 0
ID 5 0
4 13 0
10 U 0
12 0
15 9
8 6
14 6
Sept. e,
1921
i ». d.
2 10 3
7 0 0
2 0
2 11 3
1 1 3
16 S
12 6
17 6
2 6 0
3 3
6 0
G 0
10 0
2 10 0
B
0
5 0
8 0
14 0
4 2 6
3 15 0
1 10 0'
2 5 0-
11 6
15 0
9 9
2 10 0
2 15 0
13 0
10 0
10 0
13 9
3 0
2 5 0
11 3
lU 9
13 0
3 15 0
10 0
13 9
13 9
S 6
4 0
5 6
1 9
9 3
13 5 0
3 0 0
5 15 0
12 0
12 6
5 3
10 9
13
2 10 0
3 15 0
1 12 6
4 0
2
0
2
9
10
6
9
0
17
0
10
0
2
6
1
9
13
9
9
0
3
0
2
fi
3
0
2
6
3
()
1
U
15
0
11
3
7
3
6
0
1
H
1
6
11
3
5
U
18
9
16
3
15
0
12
0
16
6
8
9
6
0
3
()
6
0
5
6
Gold, Silver, cent.
Others in Australasia :
Htiickw.itcr, Nt'w Zealand
Consulklated G.I-\ o( New Zealand...
Mount Uoppy, N.S.W. (lOs.)
Progress, New Zealand
Waiiii. New Zealand
Waihi Grand Junction, New Z'lnd..!
Amkhica : I
Hiicna Ticrra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado |
Ki Oro, Mcxieo I
Kspcranza, Mexico '
I'rontino & Bolivia, Colombia j
Lc Koi No. 2 {,(5), BriUsU Columbia j
Mexico Mines of Kl Oro, Mexico . ...
Ncchi (Prcf. ILts.), Colombia \
Oroville Drcdginc, Colombia i
Plymouth Consolidated, California. .
St. John del Key. Brazil |
Santa Gertrudis, Mexico |
Tomboy, Colorado ,
Russia :
Lena Goldficlds
Orsk Priority ,
India ;
BalaBhat (10s.) ,
Champion Kccf {2s. tjd.) ,
Mysore (10s.) ,
North Anantapur ,
Nundydroog (10s.) ,
Ooregum (10s.) ,
COPPER :
Arizona Copper (5s.), Arizona ,
Cape Copper (C2), Cape and India..,
lisperanza, Spain ,
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland . .
Mason & Barry, Portugal ,
Messina (os.), Transvaal ,
Mount Elliott (£5), Queensland. ....
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Namaqua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Tinto (£5), Spain ,
Russo-Asiatic Consd., Russia
Sis.sert, Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika, Congo and Rhodesia ..
LEAD-ZINC:
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (lOs.)
Asia:
Burma Corporation {10 rupees)
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill fos.)
TIN:
Aramayo Franrke, Bolivia
Bisichi (10s.), Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania
Dolcoath. Cornwall
East Pool (5s.), Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.). Nigeria . . .
Geevor (10s.). Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredeine, Malay
Kamunting, Malay
Kintn, Malav
ATalavan Tin Dredging, Malay
MoDgu (10s.). Nigeria '.
Naragutg, Nigeria
N. N. -Bauchi. Nigeria (10s.)
Pahang Consolidated (5s.), Malay. . .
Rayheld, Nigt^ria
Renong DreHtring. Siam ,.
RoPD Us). Nutria
Siame<^ Tin, Siam
South Crofty (js.). Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals. CorDwall
Tekka, Malay
Teklia-Taiping, .Malay
Tronoh, Malay
Sept. 7,
1020
£ s. d.
8 9
8 0
5 0
1 0
1 13 9
10 0
10 0
13 3
13 6
14 3
10 0
5 0
6 17 6
1 2 6
10 0
15 6
1 3 G
8 0
11
17
1 15
y.' JO Atuiiwu, .urtitij
'ew Shares. f 10-rupee shares of Indian Co.
3 1
12
15
1 3
1 5
1 15
17 6
10 0
8 6
2 9
17 0
4 3
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13 6
2 10 0
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3 0
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17 6
2 10 0
2 2 0
1 17 6
17 0
10 0
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Sept. B,
1921
£ •• <!•
2 8
2 U
2 0
1 1
4
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17
1 1
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4 0
10 0
17
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10 0
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31 10 0
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6
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals ani
proceedings of societies, together tvith brief records of other articles and papers; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
THE PRINCIPLES OF COPPER LEACHING
The June Bulletin of the Canadian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy contains a paper by
Frank E. Lathe, chief chemist of the British
America Nickel Corporation, on the " Principles of
Leaching and Precipitation of Copper." We
reproduce this paper practically in full.
Ten or fifteen years ago hydro-metallurgists
were predicting a bright future for leaching
processes. Many different methods had been
worked out satisfactorily on an experimental
scale, and all seemed ready for their commercial
application. About that time, however, oil flotation
came to the fore, and though not even yet under-
stood thoroughly as far as theory is concerned, it at
once proved a great commercial success. In fact,
its conspicuous achievements relegated leaching to
the background. The chief reason why flotation
made such rapid progress in comparison with
leaching is that the former fits in well with ordinary
gravity concentration, in fact, helps it out where it is
weakest, in the treatment of slimes. Leaching, on
the other hand, is not well adapted to slime treat-
ment, and involves a separate plant, with new
apparatus, new chemistry, and new methods of
control. As a result, flotation has advanced more
rapidly than leaching, but both have now become
so firmly established that the metallurgists who
would keep abreast of modern progress must study
both carefully. In considering the possibility of
leaching a particular ore or tailing, there are
important points to be investigated. The present
paper is an attempt to answer the questions in the
light of the recent success of several large plants.
In Table I will be found a list of the principal
leaching plants in operation in America during
1920, with classified information about each. In
addition to these, several companies are practising
heap-leaching of very low-grade ores on a moderate
scale, and many processes are being investigated.
The various operations through which an ore may
pass will now be taken up one at a time, and the
principal points considered in some detail.
Crushing. — Many factors influence the decision as
to the best size for leaching purposes. For heap-
leaching, where the operation is expected to require
a year or two to go to completion, pieces up to
several inches in diameter will be satisfactory.
Where ore is leached in tanks, however, overhead
expense is considerable, and time becomes an
important matter.
Fine crushing possesses the following advantages :
(1) It sets free the copper minerals more perfectly
and hence tends to improve the extraction.
(2) It increases the capacity of the plant by
shortening the time necessary to dissolve the copper.
(3) If the solvent is sulphuric acid, as is usually the
case, less of it will be required. The reason for
this is as follows. When coarse pieces of ore are
Table I. — Principal CoprER Leaching Plants in America.
No.
Company
Location
Tons
Daily
Capy.
Material
Treated
Gangue
Chief
Copper
Minerals
Preliminary
Treatment
Solvent
Preci-
pitant
References
1
Anaconda
Anacon-
da.
Montana
2,000
Tailing
(sand)
Qiiartz-
monzon-
ite
Chaicocite.
vhalcopyrite
enargite,
bornite
Roasting
Sulph-
uric
acid
Scrap
iron
Mathewson, E. & M. J., 1915,
vol. 99. page 723.
Laist and Aldrich, Trans. A.I.
M. E.. vol. 55, page 866.
2
Calumet
and
Hecla
Lake
Linden,
Michigan
4,000
Tailing
Basalt
and con-
glomerate
Native
copper
Crushing to
28 mesh,
and de-
sliming
Ammo-
nium
carbo-
nate
heat
Benedict. E. & M. J , 1917.
vol 104, page 44.
3
Chile Ex-
ploration
Chuqui-
camata,
Chile
15,000
Ore
Granodi-
orite
Brochantite
chalcanthite,
natrochalcile
Crushing to
half inch
Sulph-
uric
acid
Elect-
rolysis
Papers by G. L. Oldright, J. J
Fleurnoy and J. B. Wise, read
before the Chuquicamata Tech-
nical Society. Personal notes.
4
Xennecott
Kcnne-
cott.
Alaska
700
Tailing
Dolomitic
limestone
Malachite,
azurite
Partial
desliming
Ammo-
nium
hydrate
Heat
Lawrence, E. & M. J., 1917. vol.
104, page 781.
Eddy, E, & M. J. 1919. vol. 107,
page 1.162.
i
New
Cornelia
Ajo,
Arizona
5,000
Ore
Monzon-
ite
porphyry
Malachite,
cuprite,
chrysocolla
Crushing to
half inch
Sulph-
uric
acid
Elect-
rplysis
and
scrap
iron
Morse and Tobelmann. Trans.
A.I.M.E., vol. 55. page 830.
Tobelmann .and Potter, Trans.
AI.M.E,, vol. 60, page 22.
MacKay. Bull, A.I.M.E., Sept.,
I',i9,
6
Utah
Copper
Garfield.
Utah
2,000
Ore
Monzon-
ite
prophyry
Malachite,
azurite
Crushing to
half inch
Sulph-
uric
acid
Scrap
iron
Rickard, M. & S. P., Dec. 1918.
175
170
THK MINI.NC. MACAZINIC
present the acid first dissolves the ropper minoriils
from the surface of these, and diirinp tliis time has
no great action on the Kansvie. As the sulvent action
progresses towards the centre of these pieces it
becomes slower and slower, and the acid is meantime
lying in intimate contact with the leached outer
portion. Some of it will therefore be neutralized by
the basic gangue minerals, while if the ore had been
crushed tnier the acid would have been drawn off
before much of this neutralization had taken place.
(4) It will result in less fouling of the solutions, for
the same reason that acid consumption is lowered.
On the other hand, if the ore is crushed un-
necessarily line, there are the following dis-
advantages : —
(1) Considerable expense in crushing will be
involved.
(2) I^xcessive dust will be caused in the crusher
building, with consequent injury to the workmen.
As a preparation for leachini;, crushing is done dry
when possible.for reasons which will be apparent later.
(3) The dust losses will be considerable whenever
the ore is handled, in the crusher building, on con-
veyors, and particularly when dropped from loading
bridges into leaching tanks. This may appear to be
an unimportant detail, but as the fines are usually
richest the loss is sometimes sufficient to be seen on
the monthly balance-sheet for copper.
(4) Slimes leach poorly, unless they can be
agitated, which is not done in any commercial
plant yet constructed. Extraction is usually best
on fine sands.
(5) Channeling in the tanks may result, so that
slimes will interfere with the extraction even on the
coarser sizes.
(6) More moisture will be retained after the
leaching and washing operations are completed,
with consequent loss as water-soluble copper.
Where copper minerals occur mainly in cracks,
and joint-planes in the ore, as at Chuquicamata,
Ajo, and elsewhere, crushing does not need to be
finer than i in. in order to give a good extraction.
.\t Lake Linden, on the other hand, the minus f,. in.
tailing has to be further ground until it will pass
a 28-mesh screen. At Anaconda 75 to 80% of the
sand taihng being treated will pass 20-niesh, and no
further grinding is necessary.
The crushing machinery used in preparing ore for
leaching does not differ greatly from that found
in ordinarv- gravity-concentration plants. The
horizontal Sjmons disc crusher is the favourite for
intermediate work, while rolls and the vertical
Symons are also used to some extent. Vertical
Symons and fine rolls reduce to half-inch. At the
Calumet and Hecla pebble mills are used for fine
grinding.
A device has recently been installed at Chuquica-
mata for overcoming the dust nuisance in the
crusher building. Dust is removed by fans and con-
ducted through pipes to a large wooden settling
chamber, from which the collected dust is flushed
to the leaching tanks.
Dc-sliming. — If i in. ore is being leached, no
de-sliming is required before sulphuric acid leaching.
The Anaconda plant treats a tailing which contains
no great amount of slime, hence percolation is good.
The feed is partially de-slimed at I'Cennecott, and
more completely at Lake Linden, where minus
200-mesh material is carried off in the overflow
from V-shaped settling tanks. Such .slimes cannot
be leached well without agitation, but may be
treated by flotation.
I{(i<isli)if;. -On account of the exjiense. tliis step
will of course be omitted if possible, and numy
o])erators of the jiresent day would say tha(» the
necessity of roasting an ore debarred leaching
processes altogether. This conclusion is by no
means justified. The .Anaconda Company roa.sts
tailing with 3;<";, of coal, and makes a profit when
handling material as low as 0-5"o copper. That
being the case, there is no reason why leaching
shoukl be considered out of the question simply
because the copper minerals in the ore are not
soluble in sulphuric acid.
When roasting is used as a preparation for
leaching, the combined process will in many in-
stances become a serious competitor of flotation,
l^oasting and leaching have even been made the
subject of large-scale experiments on such material
as flotation or other concentrates, and it is claimed
that these mixed sulphides may be roasted to make
soluble 95°,, of the copper and not more than 1%
of iron, in which case electrolytic precipitation
should be possible.
The chief objects of roasting are to increase the
solubility of the copper and decrease that of the
gangue. Copper sulphides are almost insoluble in
ordinary leaching solutions, while those of iron are
often fairly soluble. In a general way the opposite
is true of the oxides. Roasting therefore brings
about these two desirable ends, and in addition
agglomerates the fine particles so that percolation
takes place more readily. In some cases certain
impurities like arsenic and antimony are partially
volatilized at the same time.
Free access of air is of course necessary for
oxidation. In addition to this, temperature control
is important. At a low heat sulphates are formed
of both copper and iron, and the most desirable
temperature is one at which the latter readily
breaks up into sulphur trioxidc and iron oxide, but
at which the copper sulphate is not decomposed.
This is about 550' C. Laist states that if the
temperature rises too high some of the copper will
become insoluble in all acids except hydrofluoric.
This will not take place, however, until the
temperature is higher than that necessary to
decompose copper sulphate, which is 650-700° C.
If the heat is sufficient to sinter the sulphides, the
copper is likely tp be found partly as undecomposed
sulphide, half fused, and partly as oxide, but not at
all as sulphate, which is the most desirable form if
acid consumption is to be kept down.
Chemicals are sometimes added, either to the
charge or to the roa.sted product. Of these the most
common is ordinary salt, the presence of which
renders much of the copper soluble in chloride
solutions, even in the absence of acid, and is
especially useful in converting silver and gold into
chlorides, in w'hich form they also are readily
soluble. In addition, the presence of salt increases
the oxidizing action of the air. When leaching was
first begun at Anaconda, about 1'5% of salt was
added after the roasting operation was complete to
increase the extraction of silver, but its use was
discontinued some two years ago, chiefly on account
of the increased cost of salt delivered at Anaconda.
As Anaconda has the only large-scale plant
roasting ore or tailing as a preparation for leaching,
a brief description of that plant may be of interest.
Roasting is carried out in si.x-hearth modified
McDougall furnaces, 20 ft. in diameter, and fired
with coal on the third hearth. The temperature of
this hottest hearth is about 535" C, control being
SEPTEMBER, 1921
177
made easy bv means of a series of recording pyro-
meters. Sulphur in the feed is a httle over 2° a- and
this is reduced to about i%, a part of which is
present in the roasted material as soluble sulphates.
Each furnace has a capacity of about 75 tons in
24 hours. As already mentioned above, the coal
consumption is only about 3-3°o, a part of the heat
required being furnished by the oxidation of sulphur
and iron.
Solveiils. — The ideal solvent would be cheap,
easy of transportation, or capable of being
manufactured at the plant where used, non-
volatile, and easily recoverable from its solutions
with accompanying precipitation of the copper in
a marketable form. Also, when considered in
relation to a particular ore, it should completely
dissolve the copper without attacking the gangue.
The standard works on leaching give lists of many
solvents, including water, sulphuric acid and
sulphates of various metals, hydrochloric acid and
manv chlorides, ammonia, and ammonium salts,
sulphurous acid, nitric acid, and others. None of
these comes near to the ideal solvent, and most of
them are so far away from it that it is unlikely that
they will ever be used in commercial operations on
a large scale.
Of the solvents named, sulphuric acid is the best,
and about 75 °o of all leaching at the present time
involves its use. It has the advantages that : —
(1) It is the cheapest of all solvents except water.
(2) It can frequently be manufactured at the plant
where it is to be used, perhaps utilizing for the
purpose waste gases from roasting operations.
(3) It is easily regenerated by electrolysis of the
copper-bearing solutions.
(4) The copper recovered is of very high purity,
and needs only to go through the ordinary furnace-
refining given to all high-grade copper in order to
make it suitable for wire-bars.
(5) It is non-volatile, and therefore easily handled.
Sulphuric acid, however, possesses some dis-
advantages which entirely prevent its use in some
instances. For example : —
(1) It does not dissolve metallic copper.
(2) It dissolves only half the copper from cuprite,
leaving the remainder in the form of metal.
(3) it readily attacks carbonates of lime and iron,
which are frequently present in the gangue of copper
ores, causing both a heavy consumption of acid and
a. contamination of the solutions.
(4) It has some action on oxides and silicates of
iron and aluminium, which cause trouble by fouUng
the solutions.
Ammonia, or ammonium carbonate, is being used
at the two modern plants, the Calumet and Hecla
and the Kennecott, and it is therefore worth while
examining its suitability as a solvent. On the one
hand : (1) It is expensive. (2) It is not possible
to regenerate it by electrolysis of the solutions.
(3) The copper recovered from ammoniacal solutions
requires further treatment. (4) It is volatile, and
therefore difficult to handle. These disadvantages
show that ammonia cannot hope to compete with
sulphuric acid in the field where the latter is
suitable. But ammonia, on the other hand : (1)
Dissolves metallic copper readily. (2) Completely
dissolves cuprite. (3) Does not attack carbonates
of lime or iron. (4) Does not attack compounds of
ferric iron or alumina. (5) Is very perfectly
recovered by distillation, fouhng of solutions being
therefore impossible.
Ammonia, therefore, fills just the field in which
sulphuric acid is useless. This is well illustrated by
a consideration of the two plants using ammonia
leaching processes. At the Calumet and Hecla,
where native copper is dissolved from mill tailing,
sulphuric acid could not be used because of its lack
of action on the copper. At the Kennecott plant,
where copper carbonates occur in dolomitic lime-
stone, sulphuric acid would dissolve the copper
readily, and decompose the gangue almost equally
well.
Sulphurous acid, that is, an aqueous solution of
sulphur dioxide, has been made the subject of a
great number of experiments, and it is possible that
it may yet be used on a considerable scale, with
precipitation of copper by scrap iron or otherwise.
In the majority of cases, however, it will pay better
to oxidize it to sulphuric acid, which will make
possible the electrolysis of solutions and obviate the
difficulty a.rising from fumes.
Ferric salts are good solvents for oxidized or
metallic copper, and even for chalcocite. One of
the chief advantages of their use is that they do
not ordinarily attack the gangue. Difficulties are
that where ferric salts are reduced in the process
their complete oxidation is not easily brought
about, and that precipitation by electrolysis is not
possible. Ferric sulphate is used chiefly in heap
leaching, with precipitation on scrap iron.
None of the other solvents is of sufficient
importance to make its consideration desirable in
a brief review like the present.
From the foregoing it will be evident that so far
as present practice is concerned sulphuric acid and
ammonia have the field very much to themselves.
While the others are not likely to be applied on a
large scale in the near future it must not be forgotten
that even ten years ago a commercial ammonia
process seemed very far away.
Sulphuric Acid Process. — Where fine and com-
paratively uniform material is to be leached no
particular attention need be paid to the distribu-
tion of the charge in the tanks. This is the case at
Anaconda. But when the ore contains pieces
varying in size from nearly an inch in diameter to
the finest of slime, precautions have to be taken to
prevent channels of coarse ore through which an
excessive amount of solution might pass, to the
detriment of the remainder of the charge. The
large tanks are usually rectangular, and are spanned
by loading bridges on which run conveyor belts
carrying the ore. A moving tripper distributes it
uniformly over the full width of the tank. The
tanks are usually 10 to 15 ft. in depth, and it is best
to make the layer of ore in the tank the full depth in
one trip. The coarser material falls to the bottom,
so that there is a certain amount of stratification,
but this is desirable rather than otherwise. In
filling the final end of the tank it is wise to go only
so far that the bottom of the ore slope comes near
the end wall, and then move the distributor so
that the ore falls directly against the wall, going
backwards to fill the remaining space. Other-
wise there would be a column of the coarser ore
against the end, which it is desired to prevent.
It has been suggested that the best method is to
charge the ore with solution already in the tank.
When tried on a large scale, however, it is found
that this practice results in too much classification,
and that piercolation and solution of the copper are
both slower.
There is no part of the leaching process which is
more confusing to one not accustomed to it than
178
nil-: MIM.\(, MACA/IM-;
till- circulation of solutions. Moreover, each plant
has its own system, so that it is almost iniiio.ssilile
to generalize. For the purposes o( this paper the
author deeidetl to choose as an illustration the
practice that ajipears to him most rational and of
most general application, namely, that uf the Chile
lixploration Co., at Chuquicamata. The writer
distinj;uislies the various solutions by letters, taken
alphabetically in the order in which they are used,
from A to F. Thus A is that going from the
leaching plant to be purified on its way to the
electrolytic tanks, B and C are the two leach
solutions put on the ore, and D, E, and F' the
three wash solutions, to be followed by fresh water.
It should be mentioned here that each of these has
its own solution tank in which it is stored while not
being used on any ore tank, and these solution
tanks will be designated by the same letters as the
solutions themselves. The solution analyses to be
given are only approximate, as they vary con-
siderably. Table II is an illustration of the working
of the svsteni to be described.
Table II.
— Le.\chi.ng Cycle at Chuquicamata.
Solution.
Cubic Metres On.
Cubic Metres Off.
Solution.
Moisture
100
B
D
3.2001
600 1
3,800
.\
C
3.200
3,200
B
n
2.600
3.200
D
E
3,200
3.200
E
V
2,500
2,500
F
Water
1,400
900
(in tailing)
16,800
16,800
The first solution put on a fresh tank of ore is
B, only moderately high in both copper and acid
(Cu, 25 grammes per litre ; HjSOj, 45 g.pl.).
This is admitted from the bottom, in order to keep
the slimes as far away from the filter as possible,
and in amount just sufficient to cover the ore well.
It is left on the tank from four to eight hours,
depending on the requirements of the electrolytic
tank-house, and is then drawn off as A (Cu, 55 g.p.l. ;
H.iSO,, 20 g.p.l.). As soon as the withdrawal of
A is begun it is followed on the tank by some of D,
the first wash (Cu, 15 g.p.l. ; H.jSOj, 28 g.p.l.), the
amount varying with the estimated grade of the
ore charged.
All the solution being drawn off is sent to the
A tank until it is down to 30 g.p.l., so that the
volume is greater than that of B put on, greater,
if the estimate has been correct, by the volume of
D used.
After the small volume of D has been added it is
followed by a large volume of C (Cu, 13 g.p.l- ;
H.jSOj, 80 g.p.l.), which is the spent electrolyte
from the tank-house. This strongly acid solution
does the most difficult part of the leaching, and is
therefore left on the ore for as long as possible,
usually about 36 hours. At the end of that time it is
withdrawn, becoming the new B solution, and is at
the same time followed by wash solution, first the
remainder of D, then E (Cu, 8 g.p.l. ; H..SO4,
12 g.p.l.), F (Cu, 4 g.p.l. ; H.,SOi, 5 g.p.l.),' and
clean wash water, in rapid succession. In drawing
off these solutions the division between them is not
maile as in the first case, by copper analysis, but by
vohune, so that the renuiinder of I>, with a small
part of E, goes into the D lank, the remainder of K,
with a small part of F, into the K tank, and the
n-mainder of F, with all the wash water, into the
F tank.
The amount of wash water which can be used is in
the long run the sum of the solution discarded in the
electrolytic tank-house, evaporated in the circuit
and left in the tailing as moisture, less, of cour.se,
the original moisture in the ore. At Chuquicamata
the last item is very small, but it is worth mentioning
because it illustrates why the ore should not bo
sprinkled to keeji down the dust in the crushing
plant. In order to keep the water-soluble copper
lielow 0-(II"(, it is necessary to use about 1,300 tons
of water per 10,000 ton tank, .■\fter washing, a
tank is drained 12 to 24 hours, the longer time
being especially necessary when but little wash
water has been used.
It is not possible to compare methods in use at
different plants with perfect fairness unless all the
conditions arc carefully considered, which is not
possible in this paper. However, some points
regarding the practice at Ajo may be mentioned
here, and .^jo is more nearly comparable than any
of the other plants because it also uses electrolytic
precipitation of the copper.
At Ajo the acid in the solutions is run much lower,
on account of the much greater solubility of the
gangue. The fir.st solution on fresh ore in a tank is
circulated through that tank until almost neutral.
When drawn off it is followed by several leach
solutions, w'ith gradually increasing acid, until at the
end of a w-eek the acid has risen to 30 g.p.l. In
their practice it has been found that the maximum
extraction per pound of acid consumed is given by
this long treatment with weak solutions, although
of course a larger plant is required. The strongest
acid solution is followed by the first of four washes.
Each of these is circulated on itself for three hours,
until the soluble copper remaining in the ore is
uniformly distributed through it, and the tank is
then drained before the next wash solution is
admitted. The water-soluble copper remaining
in the tailing is about 0-06% out of a total of 0-28.
Comparing the two systems, the percolation at
Chuquicamata is downward except for the first
solution, that at Ajo is altogether upward. The
.'\jo metallurgists state that upward percolation
reduces channeling and effects a more rapid extrac-
tion of the copper. On the other hand, their method
results in ten times as much water-soluble copper
in the tailing, which means a loss of two or three
tons of metallic copper per tank. The efficiency of
the Chuquicamata method is due to the fact that
each succeeding wash put on is lower in specific
gravity than the previous one. and there is very
little mixing of solutions. To one familiar only with
the chemical operations of a laboratory^ the difficulty
of mixing solutions of different specific gravity in
large tanks is almost incredible In fact, the theory
has been advanced in all seriousness that a uniform
solution if left undisturbed for some time will tend
to stratify, which is the opposite of the teachings of
textbooks. The draining method is doomed to
inefficiency because of the considerable amount of
each solution remaining in the ore when drained.
This can at best only be diluted by the succeeding
solution. Downward percolation has the additional
advantages that it greatly lessens the amount of
slime carried over to the solution tanks, and requires
I
SEPTEMBER, 1921
179
less power, as the solutions find their way down
through the ore by gravity. If, however, the ore
in the tank he wet at the beginning of the leaching
operation it is desirable to admit the first solution
from the bottom, in order to make the water rise
ahead of it and go to waste until traces of copper
appear. As mentioned above, it is for another
reason that it is admitted at the bottom at
Chuquicamata, namely, to keep the slimes away
from the filter.
As for the advantage of continuous percolation
over merely allowing the solutions to stand on the
ore, this must be determined for each separate
plant. In general, low-grade ore does not require
continuous percolation, but it may be essential for
ore of high grade. The reason seems to be that with
richer material it is necessary to circulate in order
to bring a sufficient amount of acid in contact with
the copper minerals to effect their solution. In
such a case continuous percolation has been known
to raise the extraction as much as 30 per cent.
An extension of the time of leaching will usually
result in better extraction, or, if the acid concentra-
tion of the leach solutions be reduced, in a lower
acid consumption with equally good extraction.
In normal times the saving thus obtained must be
balanced against the cost of additional plant
required for an extension of the leaching period.
During curtailed production, however, the time may
be lengthened to great advantage. Thus at
Chuquicamata the average extraction for February-,
1921, was raised from the normal of 90-92°o to
94-15°o- A 40% curtailment at Ajo in March,
1919, reduced the acid neutralized per ton of charge
from 67-4 to 45.
The percentage of the total copper which can be
extracted in leaching will vary considerably, as
some copper is nearly always present as sulphide or
in some other insoluble form, and all that the
leaching plant should be asked to do is to dissolve
a satisfactory percentage of the copper which is
soluble in sulphuric aid. The percentage of the
acid-soluble copper which is dissolved ought not
to be under 85 per cent.
Leaching tanks in the larger plants using
sulphuric acid as solvent are usually made of
reinforced concrete, with a lining of either lead or
mastic asphalt. The lead may be protected from
mechanical wear by wood. The smaller tanks, of
circular form, are more often of wood, with lead
linings. Tanks are emptied by several methods :
at Garfield and Chuquicamata by Mead-Morrison
unloading bridges, which span the tanks, at Ajo by
Hulett unloaders, and at Anaconda by flushing out
with water. All these methods are proving
satisfactory.
Leaching for precipitation on iron does not differ
radically from that just given. The chief differences
are caused by the fact that one does not have to
plan for the recovery of the acid, which is all lost,
and that the fouUng of solutions is important only
in so far as it increases the consumption of acid. To
avoid a large consumption of iron and sulphuric
acid the solution going to the precipitation plant
should be verv low in free acid, which attacks iron
readily. It is therefore kept on fresh ore long enough
to become practically neutralized. Ferric salts also
have a solvent action on the iron, but these are not
usually present in large amount. At Garfield the
general scheme is not unhke that at Chuquicamata,
though there is more circulation of the solutions in
the tanks by means of a series of air-lifts.
At .Anaconda, where precipitation on iron is used
and all acid is lost, this loss amounts to about 65
pounds of 60^ acid per ton of tailing. At Ajo much
of the acid is regenerated in the electrolytic deposi-
tion of the copper, as well as in the purification of
the solutions by sulphur dioxide, but the acid
consumption is some 90 pounds per ton of ore, the
larger amount being due to the relatively greater
solubility of the gangue. At Chuquicamata there
is a very considerable amount of combined sulphuric
acid in the ore, so that if no solutions were dis-
carded in the tank-house there would actually
be an increase of acid in the system. As it is, the
new acid required amounts to only four or five
pounds per ton.
Purification of Sulphate Solutions. — Purification
is not necessary except as a preparation for electro-
lysis, for owing to the discarding of all solutions in
precipitation on iron there is no cyclic increase of
impurities.
Any gangue material soluble in sulphuric acid is
liable to increase to the point of saturation. This
may do no harm, if it be chemically inert like
calciunr sulphate ; it may not be within com-
mercial control except by discarding a part of the
solution, as, for example, nitric acid ; or it may be
capable of reduction by a comparatively cheap
means, as in the case of ferric iron and chlorine.
Ferric iron is the h^te noire which haunts the
copper hydro-metallurgist in his dreams, and turns
his hair white before its time. It is mainly
responsible for the difficulties of electrolytic work,
and has probably caused more failures than all
other impurities combined.
It is possible to entirely remove ferric iron from
the solution by precipitation with copper oxide, this
being produced especially for the purpose or
obtained from the ore itself. In the latter case the
difficulty is that in order to dissolve the copper
completely it is necessary to follow the purified
solution with an acid one, which picks up the
precipitated ferric oxide for another trip on the
merry-go-round. Fortunately iron in the ferrous
condition is almost harmless, so the efforts of the
metallurgist are usually directed towards methods
of reducing it to the ferrous condition instead of
eliminating it from the system.
At Ajo the reduction is made by means of sulphur
dioxide. This does not act well in a strongly acid
solution, so the solution used in the leaching process,
as noted above, is made almost neutral before being
sent to the reducing towers. It passes through the
towers which are filled with a wooden checkerwork,
counter-current to the flow of sulphur dioxide pro-
duced in roasting pyrite, and a very good absorp-
tion is secured. While being reduced to the ferrous
condition ferric iron oxidizes sulphur dioxide to
sulphuric acid, which is an important gain.
The reduction brought about in the towers brings
the ferric iron down from 10 to 2-5 g.p.l. and
increases the acid from 4-0 to 16 g.p.l. This is
done without saturating the solution with sulphur
dioxide to such an extent that it gives much trouble
in the tank-house, although it is well to provide for
good ventilation where their gas is used.
It was also suggested at Ajo to utilize the cement
copper produced in the precipitation-on-iron plant
to reduce the ferric iron of the solutions. This was
tried and proved successful, but it usually pays to
ship the cement copper and use sulphur dioxide
reduction.
Chlorine is present in the Chuquicamata ore.
ISO
THU MININC. MA(,\ZIM
partly a-; an oxychloride of copper, atacamilo. but
iiiainiv as <itKliuiii chlorido. This is all dissolvcil in
the leaching tanks, so that the strong solution from
fresh ore contains up to live grammes of rhlorine per
litre. It is precipitated as cuprous chloride by
agitatinq the solution with fine cement copper,
which at the same time reduces much of the ferric
iron present. The cuprous chlorido is dissolved in
a lerrous chloride solution and then the copper is
precipitated on scrap iron, most of the cement
copper so formed going back to the dechloridizing
plant.
Prfrif'ilnlinii ol Copper by Fledtolysis. — This is
perhaps the most difficult part of the hydro-
metallurgy of copper. If the solutions contained
nothing biit copper and sulphuric acid the operation
would be an easy one. but impurities cause no end of
trouble, which can be overcome only by persistent
effort.
Many different materials have been suggested for
the anodes, but onl\- four have been used to any
extent.
Graphite, or carbon in some other form, has many
strong advocates, but so far has been practically
limited to chloride solutions. If used for sulphate
solutions the oxygen liberated at the anode will
attack it vigorously unless neutralized by some
reducing agent like sulphur dioxide. Ferric salts
are also extremely corrosive to carbon. But the
voltage used is low, and the amount of acid re-
generated is very high, so there are great induce
ments for further experimentation. It is not at all
unlikely that it will be used on a large scale when
the various difficulties have been overcome.
Lead containing up to 10% of antimony is very
satisfactory for pure sulphate solutions, owing to
the insolubility of lead sulphate. Even ferric iron
lias no effect on it. If much chlorine is present,
however, these anodes go to pieces rapidly, and their
solution is even more rapid with nitric acid in the
electrolyte as at Chuquicamata The only trial they
have had on a large scale is at Ajo, and there they are
giving splendid .service. At the end of the first year
of operation they were almost as good as new. sn
it is certain that anode replacement will be a small
item.
Chuquicamata, with sulphuric, nitric, and hydro-
chloric acids in the solutions, has had the most
difficult problem. Here both magnetite and ferro-
silicon have been used. In the early experimental
work it was decided to use fused magnetite anodes
made in Germany, and these were installed in the
large plant. Then the breaking out of the European
war prevented the shipment of a further supply,
and ferro-silicon (about l.'^'^o Si) was substituted for
magnetite. This was much inferior to magnetite
chemically, but far better in its mechanical and
electrical properties, and cheaper. The war has
been over more than two years, but ferrous-silicon
anodes are still in use. The company's research
laboratory has developed several promising new
materials, and may yet be rewarded by an anode
which w-ill be a success commercially. The difficulties
with ferro-silicon are that it is not entirely insoluble
in the solutions used, so that anodes of this material
have to be replaced from time to time, and that the
iron dissolving contaminates the solution. In
fact, the necessity of discarding a large quantity
of solution at that plant is due entirely to the
solubihty of the anodes, for the tailing contains as
much iron as the ore itself. Some solution would
have to be discarded, in any case, to eliminate the
nitric ,ncid, Iml tli.il does not iln sn much harm
when the ferric iron is low.
The electrolyte employetl differs from the electro-
lyte used in onlinary cojiper-refining chiefly in the
lower acid cnnti-nl and higher impurities. The
.lormer is due to the effort toa,void aciil consumption
by action on the gangue, which would be increase<l by
high acid in the solutions. At Ajo it is further
lowered to gain efficiency in the reduction of
ferric iron bv sulphur dioxide. In order to increase
the acid and lower the copper at Chuquicamata the
solution from the dechloridizing |)lant is diluted,
be'ore going to the tanks, with .some of the solution
which has been ))artly electrolysed and therefore
has had a part of its acid regenerated.
The impurities in the electrolyte are those which
have not been eliminated by some process of
purification of the leaching plant solutions. Ferric
iron in the head-tank solution is usually low,
because it can be controlled, but the ferrous iron
may be high, and this is a latent source of trouble
on account of the ease with which it is oxidized.
As the total iron increases, the trouble with ferric
iron becomes so great that something radical has
to be done, and this usually means discarding the
solution after removal of the copper. Ferric iron
has a very considerable solvent action on the copper
deposited, thereby lowering the ampere efficiency
and also increasing the voltage. Chlorine up to
0-5 g.p.l. has no ereat effect on the current efficiency,
and a considerable part of it is deposited with the
copper; chemically deposited, because electrically it
would go to the anode. The small amount of
chlorine which may be introduced into solutions in
the wash water used has not been found harmful to
lead anodes, as was feared before they were given
a commercial trial. At .Ajo about two-thirds of the
chlorine is deposited with each cycle through the
tanks. Nitric acid may run up to 15 g.p.l. without
doing any serious harm, esi^ecially if the ferric iron
is low. but at high concentration or in a warm
electrolyte it attacks both cathode and anode, at
the same time giving off obnoxious fumes in the
tank-l;ouse.
On account of the high voltage necessary to
deposit copper with insoluble anodes, it is not
necessary to heat the solutions. In ordinary copper-
refining this is done to decrease the ohmic resistance
of the electrolyte, but when ferric iron is present it
is desirable to have the temperature as low as
possible to avoid the solvent action of these
impurities on the deposited copper. At Ajo the
temperature of the solutions remains about 30° F.
above that of the atmosphere, but at Chuquicamata,
where the current density and the resistivity of the
anode are both higher, the beating is great enough
to make necessary a cooling tower through which the
electrolyte goes.
In discarding solution from the tank-house to
eliminate impurities, the copper may be removed by
electrolysis, or by precipitation on iron, or by a
combination of these methods. The choice depends
chiefly upon the relative cost of electric current and
scrap iron, and the means at hand for disposing
of the impure electrolytic or cement copper pro-
duced. Flectrolysis is done at the cost of a greatly
reduced current efficiency, while conditions arc also
bad for precipitation on iron, on account of the
acidity of the spent electrolyte. At Chuquicamata
electrolysis alone is used, and the impure (arsenical)
copper is sent to the anode furnace making soluble
anodes for the starting-sheet section of the tank-
SEPTEMBER, 1921
181
house. At Ajo the spent electrolyte is passed over
scrap iron, and the cement copper is shipped or
used to reduce ferric iron in the solution.
The spent electrolyte may not, however, always
he the proper solution to discard. It may be that
in t he leaching process iron and alumina will actually
be precipitated on the ore, only to be picked up
a<rain by the strong acid and wash solutions. If as
a result the wash solutions contain more iron and less
free acid in proportion to the copper content than
does the spent electrolyte they can be discarded to
advantage. It will mean less copper to precipitate
per unit of iron discarded, and less acid lost as well.
Also, on account of the lower acidity, the con-
sumption of scrap iron should not be as high as
when precipitating copper from spent electrolyte.
In addition, the water-soluble copper in the tailing
can be kept down by using an extra amount of
wash water and then passing this over scrap iron.
The theoretical voltage necessary to decompose
copper sulphate with an insoluble anode is 1'22. In
practice nothing near this is ever reached, owing
chiefly to the solvent action of impurities, but all
the factors ordinarily met with in copper refining
also play a part. At Ajo, where the current density
is low (7"5 amperes per square foot) the voltage is
just over two ; at Chuquicaraata, with anodes of
greater resistivity and nearly double the current
density, it is about ?'8. The current density should
be about that used in ordinary refining under similar
cost conditions. A higher current density has been
advocated in order to more perfectly overcome the
solvent action on the cathodes, but this doe? not
take into account the heating of the solutions with
the higher current, which will cause the solvent
action to increase in even greater proportion than
the amperage.
The current efficiency in a new plant is usually
low, not so much on account of difficulties inherent
in the process as because it is necessary to start with
a green crew. When men have been properly
trained for the work it is not unreasonable to look
for an efficiency of 80 to 85%. The amount of
copper deposited per kilowatt-hour should be
0-7 to 0-9 lb.
The starting-sheet section may be practically the
ordinary starting-sheet department of a copper
refinery, when soluble anodes are used, as at
Chuquicamata, or the starting sheets may be made
from the usual tank-house solution, with insoluble
anodes, as at Ajo. If the anodes can be provided
without too great expense, it will be found
advantageous, in most cases, to adopt the former
system, owing to the better quality of the sheets
produced.
Percipitation on Iron. — This method will usually
be adopted in small plants where it is desired to
keep the initial expense of construction down to
a minimum, and in large-scale operations as well
when iron can be obtained as a by-product of the
company's shops, as at Anaconda and Garfield.
These plants are also favoured by having a ready
means of disposing of the cement copper produced.
The installation of electrolytic tank-houses should
be undertaken only by companies with the best of
metallurgical skill at their command.
Precipitation may be done with almost any kind
of scrap iron, old tin cans, and old galvanized iron
utensils being used in large quantities for the
purpose. Sponge iron, that is, iron reduced from
its ores at a low temperature, and consequently very
porous, would be almost ideal as an iron precipitant,
3—6
but its production on a commercial scale has not
been a part of the practice of any of the large
companies. Both the Anaconda and Xew Cornelia
(Ajo) have done extensive experimentation along
this line, and it is believed that the difficulties
encountered are not insurmountable.
Precipitation formerly took place in launders,
which required a fairly large plant and involved
difficulties in handling materials. Now, however,
the tendency is to precipitate the greater part of
the copper in modified tube-mills filled with scrap
iron, through which the solution flows on its way
to the launders for the final precipitation. This
centralizes the handling of both the scrap iron and
cement copper, for which machinery can then be
used to advantage. The Utah Copper Co., at Gar-
field, has the most extensive installation of this kind,
though it has been practised for some years at
Chuquicamata in the recovery of copper from the
cuprous chloride.
Theoretically the consumption of iron in the
precipitation of copper from cupric solutions is nine-
tenths of a pound per pound of copper, and half
of that amount from cuprous solutions. Owing,
however, to the action of acid and ferric salts, these
figures cannot be even closely approached in
practice. Twice the theoretical consumption would
be more nearly normal in sulphate solutions, with
better than that in chloride solutions.
The cement copper is always contaminated with
iron and other impurities, so that it will not usually
analyse higher than 65 or 70% copper.
Aimuonia Leachitig. — The success of ammonia
leaching may be ascribed chiefly to the overcoming
of mechanical difficulties in handling a solvent so
volatile, so that the mechanical features of such
a plant are specially important. Steel tanks are
used by both the Calumet and Hecla and the
Kennecott, but these differ considerably in detail.
In the former each tank has a removable cover,
which is taken off for charging and other operations,
while the solution is not on the charge. At
Kennecott the covers are dome shaped, and riveted
to the tanks, and are made sufficiently strong to
withstand an internal pressure of 10 lb to the square
inch. Manholes are provided, as also are others
for charging and manipulating the feed distributor
and excavator, which are permanent fixtures inside
the tanks. The reason for the Kennecott construc-
tion is that the washing of the taihng is done with
steam under pressure, the system being patented by
them. Covered tanks are provided in both places
for solution storage.
The chemistry of the operation is simple. At Lake
Linden ammonium carbonate is bought, and this,
with the oxygen of the air, acts on the metallic
copper as follows : —
2(NH4).,CO, + O2 -1- 2Cu =
2CuCO,,(NH3)., + 2H..O
This cupric-ammonium carbonate has a solvent
action on more copper, producing cuprous-
ammonium carbonate : —
CuCO,(NH,)., -t- Cu = Cu^COslNHs).,.
This again is oxidized by the air to cupric-
ammonium carbonate : —
2CU2C03(NH3)2 -f Oo -f 2(NH,).jCOs =
4CuCOi,(NH3)2 -1- 2H.,0.
In this way the air really furnishes all the oxygen
required, and the ammonium carbonate and cupric-
ammonium carbonate simply act as carriers for it.
In plant operation this oxygen is introduced by
passing air through the first and second leach
182
111; MINIM, MAGAZINE
solutions, which have their copper thus converted to
the cupric condition. Any ammonia gas whicli is
carried oft during the operation is absorbed in water.
At Kennecott. where the ore is a carbonate, the
solution is bought as ammonia, but this is of course
rapidly converted into the carbonate. In both
plants the ammonia and the carbon dioxide com-
bined with it are recovered by distillation, the
compounds being broken up by heat, but again
re-forming in the condensers, while copper oxide is
precipitated in the residual solution.
The leaching cycle is not radically different from
that used in sulphuric-acid leaching, and the same
precautions should be observed, except that in this
ca.se there is no fouling of solutions to worry about.
At Lake Linden two leach and two wash solutions
are used, followed by wash water, the quantity of the
latter being dependent upon the volume sent to the
stills. This will naturally be kept at as low a point
as possible, as the cost of steam for distillation is one
of the principal items of expense. In washing at
Kennecott, steam is introduced at the top, and
passes through the charge, being thus preceded by a
wash of condensed steam. The ammonia is thus
driven out by volatilization. The amount of steam
necessary per ton of charge is about 100 lb. at 5 lb.
pressure, and some 20 hours are required for the
operation.
Theoretically all the ammonia should be recovered.
In practice there is lost about one pound per ton
at Lake Linden and half that amount at Kennecott.
The better recovery at the latter place is due to the
steam w-ash, but it is doubtful w^hether in the average
plant it would pay for the cost of steam consumed.
Steam and ammonia account for about 60% of the
total cost at both plants. The stills consist of a
series .of cylinders placed vertically, the copper
ammonia solutions passing down while steam
ascends. The first cylinders remove nearly all the
ammonia, and the second series complete the
operation. At first much trouble was experienced
owing to the precipitated copper oxide adhering to
the stills, but this was overcome by placing in each
a revoking scraper to remove it as fast as formed.
The leaching plant at Lake Linden made last year
about 11,000,000 lb. of copper, which cost less than
six cents a pound up to smelting. The recovery was
over 80",,. At Kennecott the recovery of oxidi/ed
copper was about the same, the cost per ton of
tailing somewhat higher and that per pound of
co])per a little lower, owijig to the higher grade of
material treated.
Scofye of Lcnchini; Processes. — The characteristics
of an ore suitable for leaching by one of the methods
described are : —
(I) The copper minerals must be soluble in
sulphuric acid or ammonia, or capable of being
made so by a cheap method, as roasting. This
ajiplies to nearly all ores except possibly heavy
sulphides.
('2) The gangue minerals must be nearly insoluble
in either acid or ammonia, or capable of being made
so. This also applies to most ores.
(3) Gold and silver should either not be present in
appreciable quantities or .should be rendered soluble
by a chloridizing roast or leach. It should be
mentioned that there is no large-scale ]ilant
recovering both copper and precious metals in this
way, but such may be expected as a result of future
developments.
On account of the strong competition of flotation
in handling sulphide ores, the most promising
extension of leaching in the near future would seem
to be the treatment of the large bodies of partly
oxidized ores at present lying idle. These will, of
course, require a preliminary roast. And the day
may not be far distant when a roasting and leaching
process producing electrolytic copper may be found
preferable to the usual combination of gravity
concentration, flotation, smelting, converting, and
electrolytic refining, even on ores which arc well
adapted to flotation.
Leaching has been applied in the past almost
entirely to low-grade material, but this limitation is
not imposed by the nature of the process. If it be
commercially feasible to roast and leach the tailing
from a gravity-concentration plant, it may be even
more profitable to similarly treat the ore itself.
When viewed in the light of its financial success,
leaching makes an excellent showing. In fact, the
profits made by companies handling low-grade ore or
tailing are an indication that under suitable con-
ditions leaching costs compare favourably with those
of any methods of treatment yet devised.
DRESSING OF WOLFRAM ORES IN QUEENSLAND
Reference was made recently in the Magazine to
the mines and dressing plant of the Burma Queens-
land Corporation, at Wolfram Camp, North Queens-
land. A detailed description of the mill is given
in a paper by W. H. Bowater, showing how the
tungsten, bismuth, and molybdenum minerals are
separated, appearing in the Proceedings of the
Australian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy,
No. 40, 1920.
A commencement was made with the erection of
the first unit of the new mill in August, 1917, and
milling and concentrating commenced in February,
1919. The ore is essentially quartz, the richer
values occurring in lumps and patches in this
quartz. Between the quartz and the granite there
is a transition zone, through which the molybdenite
is more evenly distributed. The chief minerals are
molybdenite, wolfram, metallic bismuth, bismuth
sulphide, bismuth carbonate, and, rarely, a little
scheelite. The wolfram is of a very friable nature,
and, as the quartz gangue contains the molybdenite,
a screen must be chosen so that the wolfram is
slimed as little as possible and at the same time
the quartz reduced as much as possible.
The ore from the company's various mines is
delivered by the aerial ropeway into the off-loading
bin (see Fig. 1), passing from this bin over No. I
grizzly with 2 in. openings. The oversize from
No. 1 grizzly passes to No. 1 jaw crusher, set to
break at 2-5 in., and thence to No. 2 grizzly with
l'5in. openings. The oversize from No. 2 grizzly
passes to No. 2 jaw crusher, set to break at I'.i in.,
then joins up with the fines from No. 1 grizzly and
No. 2 grizzly, the whole then passing to the inter-
mediate bin. From the intermediate bin the ore is
trammed to the battery bins, side-tipping trucks of
one-ton capacity being used. The ore is distributed
as required for each 5 heads of stamps. .\t the
SEPTEMBER, 1921
183
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Flow-sheet of Burma Queenslanii CoKroRAXioN's Mill.
time of writing the first unit of 20 heads of stamps
was in commission, arranged in groups of 5 to each
box. From the battery bins the ore is automatically
fed through Challenge ore-feeders to the stamp
boxes. Stamps are of 1,2501b., run at 100 drops
per minute, with from 6 in. to 7 in. drop. The depth
of overiiow is approximately 10 in. Woven wire
screens are used with apertures of 1/10 in. to
1/12 in., the latter for ore richer in molybdenite.
The stamp duty varies from 5'5 to 5-8 tons per
head per 24 hours. The mortar boxes are set on
concrete foundations with a f in. rubber sheet
between the box and concrete. The pulp, passing
from the stamper boxes, is automatically sampled
before passing to hydraulic classifiers (No. 1 group),
one classifier for each 5 heads of stamps. The
spigot (J in. diameter) from each classifier passes to
its settler (B), the overflow from each classifier
joining up and passing to settler (C), the overflow
of settler (C) being divided and passing to two
settlers (CA). The spigot (Jin. diameter) from
each settler (B) passes to Wilfley and Buss tables,
one table to each settler. The overflow from
settlers (B) joins up and passes to a large settler
(D), the ."ipigot (I in. diameter) of which passes to
a Wilfley table. The overflo-wJ of settler (D) passes
to a still larger settler (E), the spigot (J in. diameter)
of which is sent to classifier No. 2 group, the over-
flow being sent to the tailings launder of the group
of Wilfle)' and Buss tables, assisting to flush out
this launder. Three products are made on the
concentrating tables : bismuth-wolfram con-
centrates, middlings, and tailings. The bismuth-
wolfram concentrates assay 30% to 45% WO;, and
5% to 7% Bi. The middlings as.say approximately
8% to 10% WO3 and 5% M0S2, and contain a fair
percentage of pyrites. The taiUngs contain 0-1%
to 0-13% WO.,, the percentage of MoS.^ varying,
depending on the degree of fineness of stamping.
The concentrates are sent to the drying and
magnetic separation room.
The middlings pass to Wheeler pans, thence to
IS I
TH1£ MIXING MAi.AZlNE
liyiirauUc classifiers (N"o. 2 £;roupl. Tlio spigot of
these classifiers (J in. iliaineter) pass to Krupp
tables, producing bisn\uth-\voHrani concentrates,
middlings, and tailings. The hisnmth-wolfraiu
concentrates assay 25% to 40% WO„ and 3% to
5% Bi, and are sent to the drying and magnetic
separation room. The middlings from the Kriip]'
tables are elevated back to the Wilfley table dealing
with the spigot from settler (D). The overtlow
from each classifier joins up and passes to a settler
(F). The spigot (Jin. diameter) of this settler
passes to an Isbell vannor, producing bismuth-
wolfram concentrates and tailings. The con-
centrates, containing 15% to 25% WO3 and 3%
to 4% Bi, are sent to the drying and magnetic
separation room. The overflow passes to two
settlers (G). The spigot and overflow of settlers
(C and CA) also pass to two classifiers (No. 2
group), the spigots (Jin. diameter) of which join
up and pass to an Isbel! vanner, the overflow of the
classifiers passing to settlers (G).
The tailings from the Wilfley and Buss tables
are passed to two settlers (CB), the spigots of which
join up and are sent to the molybdenite flotation
plant (No. 1) sub-unit, the overflow being pumped
back to the mill reservoir.
The tailings from the Krupp and vanner tables
are passed to a settler (H), the spigot (J in.
diameter) of which is passed to the molybdenite
flotation plant (No. 2 sub-unit), the overflow going
to the creek dam.
The spigot of settler (G) is run to slime frames,
producing a low-grade concentrate and tailings,
the overflow going to the waste settler (L). Tlie
tailings join up with the spigot of settler (H) and
pass to the molybdenite flotation plant (No. 2
sub-unit). The spigot of settler (K) (see later),
together with No. 2 head of the slime frame con-
centrates, is sent to a buddle (No. 1), the overflow
going to waste. No. 1 head of this buddle, together
with No. 1 head of the slime frame concentrates,
is re-treated in No. 2 buddle. No. 2 head of No. 1
buddle is re-treated in No. 1 buddle, and No. 3
head is sent to waste. No. I head of No. 2 buddle
is treated on a Luhrig vanner, producing bismuth-
wolfram concentrates, middlings, and tailmgs. The
concentrates are sent to the drying and magnetic
separation room. The middlings are returned to
the vanners, and the tailings sent to waste. No. 2
head of No. 2 buddle is re-treated in No. 1 buddle
and No. 3 head sent to waste.
The bismuth-wolfram concentrates are dried,
sampled, weighed, and assayed. They are then
sized into three grades (through 30 mesh, through
16 mesh, and through 12 mesh) and magnetically
separated. Any oversize is crushed and re-sized.
Two magnetic separators of the Dalbouze bracket
type are employed at work, the current used being
II amperes at 110 volts. The product from the
separators consists of clean wolfram concentrates
and a bismuth concentrate containing the bismuth,
together with a little wolfram. A small amount of
iron residue is also obtained, which contains a small
percentage of wolfram. These residues are dressed
on a Wilfley table, producing a fairly high-grade
wolfram concentrate, which is shipped with the
concentrate above. The wolfram and bismuth
concentrates from the separators are then ready for
shipment.
The molybdenite flotation plant (see Fig. 2)
consists of t\%-o sub-units. No. 1 dealing with the
tailings from the Wilfley and Buss tables, and No. 2
dealing with the t.ulmgs from Krupp l.iblcs, Isbell
vanners, and slime frames.
In No. 1 sub-unit the spigots from settlers (CV)
are passed to two settlers of the cone type in order
to be dewatcred as much as possible. The de-
watered pulp is passed to a mixer, the stirring
blades revolving 175 r.p.m., the necessary oil
required being added in this mixer. From the
mixer the pulp is fed to distributors on No. 1 set
of four flotation vessels. The flotation vessel is of
the cone type, with an approximate diameter of
4 ft. 9 in. and depth 3 ft. 3 in. The distributor
occupies 1 ft. 11 in. of the centre of the vessel,
leaving 1 ft. 5 in. of the outer diameter of the vessel
as flotation area. The spigots of No. 1 set of
flotation vessel pass to distributors on No. 2 set,
l!ie concentrates passing to a dcwaterer. The
spigots of No. 2 set are sent to two large settlers
(I), the liquor overflowing to the storage reservoir.
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Molybdenite Flotation Plant,
and the tails passing to waste, the various overflows
joining up at this point and providing the necessary
flushing water. The concentrates from No. 2 set
of flotation vessels join up with those produced
from No. 1 set and pass to the dewaterer. The
overflow from the two cone settlers is passed to
a large settler (J), the spigot f.V in. diameter) of
which is sent to No. 2 sub-unit, the overflow
passing to a still larger settler (K). This pre-
caution is taken in case of the overflowing of the
two cone settlers, in addition to obtaining a better
settlement of the fine material.
In No, 2 sub-unit, the tailings from the Krupp
tables, Isbell vanners, slime frames, and spigot of
settler (J) are sent to a large settler (L). The spigot
I f in. diameter) is passed to two cone settlers, the
overflow going to waste. The dewatered pulj)
from the cone settlers is then dealt with as in No. 1
sub-unit, the feed from the mixer passing to dis-
tributors on No. 1 set of three flotation vessels and
concentrates to the dewaterer. The sjiigot cJ
No. 1 set of flotation vessels passes distributors on
No. 2 set, the concentrates joining up and passing
to the dewatered. The spigots of No. 2 set of
flotation vessels join up with the spigots of No. 2
set of No. 1 unit, and pass to the settlers (I).
SEPTEMBER, 1921
185
The molybdenite concentrates also join up with
that produced from No. 1 sub-unit, and together
pass to the dewaterer. The molybdenite dewaterer
is a rectangular box approximately 3 ft. long by
2 ft. wide and 6 in. deep. On the bottom of the
box is placed 80 mesh screening. The liquor
carrying the concentrates is led on to the box,
the latter being given a shaking movement. The
dewatered concentrate is periodically removed
from the screen, the liquor and fine molybdenite
passing through the screen into a large 3-compart-
ment box. The fine molybdenite settles in this
box, and the liquor overflows to the storage
reservoir. The fine molybdenite in No. 1 compart-
ment of this box is periodically removed and dressed
in kieves to a marketable concentrate. The fine
molybdenite in Nos. 2 and 3 compartments,
together with the skimmings from the kieves, are
periodically returned to the mixers. As much as
possible of the liquor is saved and pumped from the
storage reservoir to tanks above the mixers, thus
providing liquor for the mixers and overflow of the
flotation vessels. Loss in liquor is provided for
by adding water when necessary to these tanks.
The dewatered molybdenite concentrate is dried
and is then ready for market. The concentrate
obtained from the screen assays 85% to 94%
MoSj. The dressed concentrate from ISFo. 1 com-
partment of the box assays 80% to 85% M0S2,
depending on the cleanliness of the water used in the
flotation plant and the nature of the ore milled.
CORNISH GEOLOGY
At a meeting of the Royal Cornwall Polytechnic
Society held on July 6, E. H. Davison read a paper
entitled : " Some Recent Additions to our Know-
edge of Cornish Geology." This consisted of a
series of notes on new facts regarding the geologv
of Cornwall, both on the purely scientific side and
as regards the economic side of the science, which
have come to the author's knowledge during the
last eighteen months. In most cases the original
observations were made by one or another of his
students at Camborne Mining School, sometimes as
the result of suggestions made by others, at other
times entirely original.
The occurrences described in the paper are as
follows : —
(1) A new type of basic igneous rock from Porth-
glaze Cove, Gurnard's Head.
(2) A type of tourmalinized granite not previously
described from Wheal Providence, Carbis Bay.
(3) An unusual form of altered elvan from Carn
Menellis district.
(4) The occurrence of platinum in the alluvial
gravels of the Lizard.
(5) The occurrence of gold in the Carn Menellis
district.
(6) Green Clay on Goonhilly Downs.
(7) Fuller's Larth at Treamble.
(1) In August, 1920, Mr. Castier, who was then
a student at the Mining School, and has since
gone to the Ouro Preto mine, Brazil, noticed a
strange rock at Porthglaze Cove, just to the north-
east of Gurnard's Head. The author visited the
cove and found in its western corner a basic igneous
rock, with patches and lenticular areas of pale
coloured more acid material, forming the cliff to
a height of about 120 ft. above sea-level and for
a distance of about 40 yards to the west. The
rock has a black and pink foliated appearance, the
black part being composed of hornblende, iron ore,
and a little felspar, while the pink part is composed
of altered orthoclase felspar with some sphene and
apatite. The specific gravity is 2-82, and the general
character of the rock reminds one of the Kennack
gneiss of the Lizard, and it seems to have originated
similarly from a magma composed of imperfectly
mixed acid and basic material. The rocks in the
immediate neighbourhood of this mixed rock are
intruded by granite veins, the granite-slate contact
being visible in the cliff 50 yards to the east. It
has been suggested that the mixed rock originated
as a result of the absorption of the •' greenstone "
by the granite, but the field relations of the two
rocks do not support this view. The author is at
present engaged m a thorough examination of the
mixed rock, which should throw light on its origin.
He has since seen a similar type of greenstone in
the Botallack cliffs.
A microscopic study of the rock shows that the
coarsely foliated character which is a common
feature was the result of movement while the
magma was still fluid and not of pressure sub-
sequent to solidification.
(2) Early this )-ear Mr. Simmonds brought the
author a specimen of tourmalinized granite from
Wheal Providence dumps, Carbis Bay, which has
unusual characters. The rock occurred in the dump
material, there being several blocks exposed when
the dump was being shifted for road material.
The rock shows pink orthoclase and quartz with
coarsely crystallized prisms of tourmaline and nests
of yellowish muscovite with some chlorite. At first
sight it appears similar to tourmalinized granite of
the luxuhanite type, but the tourmaline occurs in
groups of well-developed prisms arranged parallel
to one another and not in radiating needles of small
size, as is the case in luxulyanite. The presence of
the muscovite is another point of difference. The
quartz and felspar frequently show pegmatitic
intergrowth. The tourmaline also is seen to pene-
trate the felspar, and all four minerals (quartz,
felspar, tourmaline, and mica) seem to have
crystallized simultaneously to form a pegmatite.
(3) On a visit to Carn Menellis district last April
the author came across a type of altered elvan
which has unusual characters. The dyke of elvan
(quartz-porphyry) is worked on the hillside just
above Carn Menellis church, and is seen in the
quarry to be a fine-grained rock of a pale buff
colour composed of occasional phenocrysts of
quartz and felspar in a fine grained felsitic ground-
mass. Scattered through the rock here and there
are cubic crystals of pyrite which are oxidizing to
limonite and are surrounded by a ring of red-brown
iron stain. The altered type is of a pale yellowish-
green colour which has been brecciated and re-
cemented by quartz showing comb structure.
Under the microscope the ground-mass is seen to be
composed of an extremely fine-grained mosaic of
quartz, chlorite, muscovite, and secondary silica.
The original felspar phenocrysts have been entirely
removed by sihcification, and mth the sihca lithia
liiicas have been introduced.
KSl)
THE MINING M.\(,AZINE
(4) When Or. K. H. Rastall read his paper on
" Oro Deposits of Igneous Origin" before the
Cornish Institute of F.nsiiioerslast April lie siiRgosted
that according to the character of the Lizard rocks
they would very probably contain platinum, and he
considered that the best place to hunt for the metal
would be in the alluvial gravels of thi serpentine
area. As the outcome of this suggestion two of
the students (Messrs. MacPherson and Lamb)
visited several localities on the Lizard and collected
samples of the river gravels. The concentrate
obtained by panning the samples from one locality
was assayed ami it proved to contain a very small
quantity of platinum. They then obtained a
prospecting licence and made a more thorough
examination of the area, but unfortunately with no
satisfactory results. It appears then that platinum
undoubtedly occurs in the Lizard district associated
with the ultrabasic rocks there, but not in quantities
of economic importance. This is what one would
expect considering the small amount of real alluvial
material in the district.
(5) Another interesting occurrence (but not one
which can be claimed as new) was confirmed by
Messrs. Kitto and Linne, who, during the study of
an alluvial area in the Carn Menellis district, found
that the alluvial sands contained gold. This metal
has been recorded from the district before, so that
this cannot be considered a discovery, but it is
interesting as confirming a previous report and as
indicative of the wide-spread distribution of small
quantities of gold in the county.
(6) Other economic products which are now being
worked in the county and which can be considered
as additions to the list of Cornish products, are : —
{a) The green clay worked in the Mullion district,
•which can be seen by the side of the high road on
Goonhilly Downs to occur near the junction of the
ancient Lizard granite and the serpentine.
(b) The St. Agnes Pliocene sand, which is now
being dug for core sand.
(7) A clay deposit at Treamble, near IVrran-
porth, was discovered by Stephen Clark, of
Treamble, about 12 months ago. The clay occurs
alongside the Great I'erran iron lode in the clay
slate on the eastern side of the Treamble valley,
its analysis (communicated by Mr. Clark) being :—
Fuller's Earth. Clay Slate.
O' o/
Si0.j S6°:il SS-OO
A10„ 24-20 2308
Fe-jOa 0-42 816
Cao 0-31 .s-se
MgO 0-29 2-52
Na.jO, K.jO . . . . 1-38 300
TiOj trace
SO;, trace
HjO free 124
H.jO combined 4"58
99-94 97-12
The clay has been classified as a fuller's earth of
exceptionally good qu.ility. It seems to be con-
nected with the branching of the iron lode at
Treamble and with the intersection of the lode by
a north and south fault. At the time of the author's
visit, however, the deposit was not sufficiently well
exposed to show its relations clearly. It is un-
doubtedly an alteration product of the clay slate,
and the comparison of its analysis with that of the
clay slate is of interest. This shows that in the
change to the fuller's earth the .slate has lost
FeO. CaO, MgO, and some alkalies, silica, and
alumina, giving a gross loss of solid constituent? of
H-S^Q. which seems to indicate that leaching by
water or solutions was the cause of the alteration.
THE GOUDREAU GOLD DISCOVERY. ONTARIO
A discovery of gold was made by Thomas Murphy
in April last at a point 3J miles south-west of
Goudreau station on the Algoma Central Railway,
which is 17 miles south of Franz, a station at the
crossing of the Algoma Central and the Canadian
Pacific Railway. "This region is in the Michipicoten
area, bordering on Lake Superior, an area which
has hitherto been known chiefly for its iron deposits,
although the existence of gold was recorded in
W. H. Collins' report for the Geological Survey of
Canada issued in 1918. A. G. Burrows, of the
Geological Survey, was sent promptly to examine
the locale of the new discovery, and his preliminary
report has just been received. At the time of his
visit C. G. Daimpre was inspecting the Murphy
claims, and on the latter's recommendation A. R.
Porter, of Toronto, took an option on them. We
quote from Mr. Burrows' report herewith.
The area is most conveniently reached from
Franz, a station at the crossing of the Canadian
Pacific and Algoma Central Railways. Goudreau,
which is the nearest railway station to the gold
discovery, is 17 miles southward from Franz ; the
Murphy claims are about 3| miles south-west from
Goudreau. The camp is reached by a good canoe
route, which starts J mile south of the station, and
follows by way of Jackson, Long, Doherty, Aitken,
and Murphy lakes. The longest portage is about
1 mile. The find is located near the north shore of
Murphy lake.
The rocks in the area to the south-west of
Goudreau are dominantly basic volcanics of
Keewatin age. Rocks of this character were
observed from Goudreau all along the portage route
to Murphy Lake. The ellipsoidal structure, along
with araygdules so characteristic of much of the
Keewatin, is frequently seen. In places the basic
lava contains considerable carbonate and is lighter-
coloured than the normal dark-coloured rock.
Most of the lavas are altered to schist, which has
a general strike nearly east and west. With the
lavas there is a small amount of banded iron
formation, magnetite and silica. In the vicinity
of Goudreau the main iron formation zone is
prominent. Two of the large iron pyrites properties,
the Goudreau mine of the Nichols Chemical Com-
pany and the liand Consolidated Mines, are near
Goudreau ; neither of these is in operation at the
present time. With the basic volcanics in the
vicinity of Murphy Lake there are several intrusions
of quartz-porphyry of quartz-felspar-porphyry ;
these acid rocks are generally schistose like the
darker lavas. Some of the quartz-porphyry
occurs as dykes cross-cutting the strike of the lava
flows. -A mass of grey granite, gneissic in places,
occurs on several claims to the west of the gold
discovery. Several narrow dykes of diabase with a
north-west strike cut the older formation. One of
these is an olivine diabase.
The first discovery of gold was made iii a quartz
SEPTEMBER, 1921
187
vein in the south-oast part of claim 408, where,
for a distance of about 20 ft. along the hanging-
wall side of the vein, there are a number of showings
of quite coarse gold in the quartz. The quartz
vein has been traced by trenching and outcrops
for about 800 ft. on claim 408. It strikes
appro.-^imately N. 30° W., and the dip, where
observable, is from 60° to 80° S. It varies in width
from 7 in. to 3 ft. .\long the quartz vein the wall-
rock has been altered in places to a rusty schist
containing ankerite and sericite and carrying
quartz veinlets together with sulphides at different
pomts. The width of the altered rock appears to
vary greatly, but, owing to the small amount of
cross-trenching, the width of the possible mineralized
wall-rock could not be determined. The hanging-
wall contact of the quartz and schist is more
definite than the foot-wall. At the location of the
gold showings, the vein, including the wall-rock,
is about 3 ft. in width, while 15 ft. to the north is
Map showing position of Goudreau.
a subsidiary quartz vein a foot in width, to the north
of which is a band of ankerite. Twenty feet to
the west this smaller vein is only 3 ft. from the
main vein. The quartz vein in places is well
mineralized with sulphides, pyrites, copper pyrites,
and pyrrhotite ; 15() ft. south-east from the above
showing the quartz vein is about 7 in. in width and,
in a thin band of sugary quartz and schist on the
hanging wall, visible gold was seen.
Work has also been done on claim 407 to the
east. At the west line, 200 ft. north of Murphy
Lake, a narrow quartz vein about a foot in width
has been traced 65 ft. ; it strikes S. 80° E. The
wall-rock for a few inches is quite rusty and carries
sulphides. Visible gold was observed at two points
along the vein. About 200 ft. east from the west
line work has been done on a wide ankerite-schist
band up to 20 ft. in width, which carries quartz
veins roughly parallel with the ankerite band.
It has been traced for 170 ft. in a direction S. 70" E.
No visible gold was observed in this vein, but at one
point an assay of $6-00 in gold was obtained over
a width of 2 ft. 9 in. of quartz and 84'00 in gold over
a width of 5J ft. of the schist and carbonate,
carrying quartz, lying to the north. Owing to the
highly altered character of the schist by oxidation,
the latter assay is only indicative of the presence
of gold which may be concentrated. The quartz
vein carries pyrite, copper pyrites, pyrrhotite, and
a little zinc-blende. It is possible tliat this easterly
vein is the faulted part of the vein exposed on
claim 408. h. number of assays of samples obtained
at points along the veins showed gold values
ranging from a few cents to $2800 per ton. In
addition, two assays were made of specimens of
quartz carrying a high percentage of sulphides
from a pit a few feet west of the rich gold showings,
which gave $31-20 and ?48-80 in gold. The
property, however, was not in condition for any
thorough sampling since few cross trenches had
been made exposing the walls of the vein and none
below the superficial oxidation. The main vein
shows high-grade ore for at least 40 ft. near the
discovery, but extensive work will be required to
determine the possible ore-shoots along the veins,
since large portions of the vein are concealed by
drift.
Mr. Burrows also gives an account of gold depo.sits
north-east from Goudreau. Gold has been dis-
covered on a number of claims between Goudreau
station and Goden Lake.
The McCarthy-Webb group of claims near Iron
Lake has been described by W. H. CoUins in his
report on the Magpie-Hawk area as already
mentioned. Briefly, the rock is a schistose porphyry,
which in places is a quartz-porphyry, with a strike
N. 84' E. Shear zones occur in the porphyry, and
these are indicated by a rusty surface containing
vague quartz veinlets, which is in marked contrast
to the white porphyry. The rusty streaks are very
irregular in length and breadth, being from a few
inches to a few feet in width, containing fine-
grained iron pyrites. Gold in a very fine state has
been found in the rusty zones. In addition, there
are widely separated transverse veinlets of quartz
carrying much tourmaline, in which coarse gold has
been discovered. These veins are more definite
than those running with the schist. The property
has been sampled several times, particularly in one
place for a length of 100 feet, where the rusty
condition is most pronounced.
The Morrison claim on the north shore of
Goudreau Lake is similar to the McCarthy in
structure. However, the rusty zones running with
the schist are less pronounced, while there are more
of the transverse quartz-tourmaline veins. Visible
gold has been found in a number of the narrow veins
which are parallel to the schist and also in the
transverse veins.
The Cline claims about IJ miles north-east of
Pine Lake were also visited. Visible gold was
seen on two of the claims. The rocks are Keewatin
schist in which narrow quartz veins have been
formed. A shaft was sunk 25 ft. in a quartz vein
from 1 J in. to 6 in. in width, in which there is a high
percentage of sulphides and visible gold. The
extension of the vem to the west, where it was cut
by a diabase dyke, has not been found. On
another claim there is one narrow rich quartz
vein about 5 in. wide in which gold has been found
over a length of 20 ft. A second vein from 8 in.
to 3 ft. wide occurs on the claim. It consists of
quartz and schist on which a 5 ft. pit has been
sunk. Material from this vein showed much gold
on panning. Owing to the heavy drift covering it
188
Tin: MINING MAC.AZINIC
is difticult to trace the veins any distance. Some
rusty shear zones were also observed on another
chxiiii. In one trench the rusty zone is 15 (I. in
width, which diminishes rapidly to the west. Some
visible gold is reported near the north wall.
SuHicient work has not been done on any of these
clain>s to doternune their value.
Tin Concentration.— British Patents 3,809 and
3I.'J-4'2 of 1920, con:binod as No. 165,892, describe
the invention of H. S. Hatlield for electrostatically
separating materials when suspended in liquid
mediums." This process has been mentioned in the
reports of the Department for Scientilic and
Industrial Research as applied to the treatment of
slime tin, but details of its nature have not hitherto
been published. The specification is a long one,
and we merely give brief extracts.
According to this invention the powder whose
constituents are to be separated one from another
is suspended in a liquid the dielectric capacity of
which lies between that of the constituents of the
said powder. Electrodes in the liquid are con-
nected to an electric supply of considerable
potential, preferably alternating ; an electrostatic
field between the electrodes is thereby produced.
Those susjiended particles of greater dielectric
Hatfield's Electrostatic Process.
constant than the liquid will then be found to'move
so as to place themselves along the shortest lines
between the electrodes ; that is, in the strongest
part of the electrostatic field. On the other hand,
those particles of less dielectric capacity than the
liquid will move out of the electrostatic field
between the electrodes. As an example of the
separations to which this invention may be applied,
the cassiterite in tin ore when suspended in aniline
is strongly attracted, while the gangue is _ not
affected. The conductors used may be 0-25 to
1 millimetre apart, and be charged with alternating
current of 200 volts. For the separation of
cassiterite, and for separation generally, a mixture
of nitrobenzene and paraffin oil, which may be
adjusted to any desired dielectric constant between
2 and 36, is very useful. With fine suspensions it
is necessary sometimes to add an agent which
produces deflocculation of the suspension. In
carr\'ing the invention into effect in one form as
shown in the figure, a vessel a is provided containing
in its lower part a quantity of water, acid, alkali,
or salt solution, or other electrically conducting
liquid b. Upon this liquid floats another liquid c
which is that used as the medium of suspension
and chosen so as to have a dielectric constant
intermediate between those of the particles which
are to be separated from one another. In this
liquid c, and as close as practicable to the boundary
of the two liquids, is a perforated electrode d
connected to one of the poles of an alternating
electric supply c the other pole of which is led to the
electrically conducting lluid in the bottom of the
vessel (/. The solid to be separated is then fed
either dry or mixed with a little of the suspension
medium into the top of the vessel. It then passes
through the perforated electrode tl and that part of
it having a dielectric constant greater than that of
the suspension medium comes to rest upon the
boundary between the two liquids, while that part
of it having a dielectric constant less than that of
the suspension medium is immediately forced
through the boundary between the two liquids
into the lower liquid b. Pure capillary forces act
upon the .solid at the boundary between the two
liquids, which either o])pose or assist it to pass into
the lower liquid 6, and the success of this method
in any given rase will therefore depend to some
extent upon these forces, and can only be
determined by trial. It is found that if aniyl
alcohol be used for the liquid r, and water for the
liquid h, cassilente may be separated from gangue,
the gangue passing into the water and the cassiterite
remaining behind.
Geological Investigations in Rhodesia.- — In the
Report of the Rliodosian Geological Survey for
1921, H. B. Maufe, the director, gives an account
of investigations in the I.omagundi district. He
made three traverses into the outlying districts,
one of which included a visit to the recently opened
mica field. The number of mica deposits and
quality of the mica (muscovite) are favourable to
the establishment of a mica-mining industry-. On
this and on another traverse westwards into the
Sebungwe district the beds of the Lomagundi
system were shown to have a far wider extension
than was previously known, and some observations
were made on the varying degree of m.etamorphism
of the beds. In this connexion it was pointed out
that if the graphitic slates of the Lomagundi
system were found to extend into the areas of
higher crystallization, it was probable that workable
deposits of flake graphite might he found. Since
then some very promising flake graphite has been
discovered. Among the minerals identified on
the mica field is beryl, often in greenish and bluish
green tints, which render it probable that aqua-
marine of gem quality may be found. Other
minerals discovered in place on the mica field com-
prise a few known previously in the Somabula
diamondiferous gravels and include the indicator
staurolite. The source of these minerals had been
a puzzle hitherto.
.\ third traverse included an examination of the
chrome deposits in the Umvukwe hills. The chrome
iron ore occurs in seams generally less than one foot
thick in the central portion of the Great Dyke.
The occurrence of the chrome ore has been aptly
compared by A. H. .\ckerman to that of a series of
coal seam? lying one above the other in a basin.
The seams dip towards the median fine of the dyke
at moderate angles, which diminish towards the
centre, and there is good reason for believing that
the seams extend across from the outcrop on one side
to that on the other. The country rock of the seams
is usually an enstatite rock partially or wholly
altered to serpentine, but on some claims a chromite
SEPTEMBER, 1921
189
seam has a floor of enstatile rock and a roof of
serpentine, which appeals to be derived either from
a dunite or a saxonite. The synclinal structure of
the dyke is similar to that already described in
other portions, notably by Dr. VVagner in the
BeUngwe district. The origin of the structure,
formerly a purely scientific question, has now
become of importance to the chrome miner, and will
require elucidation. The occurrence of the chrome
iron ore in the Great Dyke is thus quite different
from that of the chrome in the well-known deposits
at Selukwe. The chrome iron ore in the Great
Dyke can, it appears, be picked clean to assay over
50% chromic oxide, and the resources of the Great
Dyke in this m.ineral must amount to many milhons
of tons.
The chrysotile asbestos now being worked in the
Great Dyke is situated near the western edge of the
dyke, where the northern continuation of the
dyke offsets to the east nearly a mile. The offset
appears to be due not to a fault, but to the presence
of a large quartz reef in the granite country rock.
That the line is one of weakness is shown by the
presence of a later dolerite penetrating the Great
Dyke close to the line of the offset. The asbestos
seams are vertical, of a high average width, and
trend in a general east and west direction, being
spaced irregularly through the country rock as in
the older asbestos deposits. The country rock
is serpentine derived so far as could be ascertained
by eye partly from an enstatite rock and partly
from a saxonite. It is not yet generally realized
that the chrome and asbestos deposits occurring in
the Great Dyke are very much younger in geological
age than the Selukwe chrome, and the Mashaba and
Shabani asbestos deposits.
Distribution of Gold in Banket. — At the
|une meeting of the Chemical, Jletallurgical, and
Mining Society of South Africa, the new President,
F. Wartenweiler, presented a paper on the
distribution of gold in banket ore. The constituents
of the banket and of the associated quartzite,
shale, and dyke rocks, which constitute the ore
treated, have been described by a number of
investigators ; the most familiar description is
perhaps that bv R. Young, in the book entitled
The Banket. Both \. F. Crosse and W. A. Caldecott
dealt with the constituents of the milled ore many
years ago (see Journal of Chem. Mel. ait.i Mng.
Soc. of S..4., vol. iv, 1903-04, pp. 104 and 110;
and Transactions of Inst, of Mining anJ MctaH-irgy,
vol. xiv, 1904-05, The Finer Crushing of Banket
Ore, by W. A. Caldecott). lack of detailed
information and the necessity for knowledge on
the subject being brought abreast of current
practice led to an investigation, the main features
of which are given herewith. It was begun several
years ago at the Rand Mines laboratory, with the
primary object of ascertaining the gold distribution
in the ore constituents of the products into which
the comminuted ore is classified after amalgamation.
Since then the information gained by the method,
when applied on samples from different mines, has
been found to be of considerable use in controlling
reduction works operations. For the purpose
in view, it was thought that if a clean separation
were made between the pyritic and the gangue
portions and their relative gold value determined,
the information sought would be acquired. After
preliminaries \vith Sonstadt solution and with
flotation, the latter method was decided on as
preferable. Tests were begun, using a motor-
operated laboratory flotation machine, supple-
mented by panning of the tailing to separate any
coarse pyrite and gold which had not been lifted
with the froth. .Ml samples for flotation were
ground to pass a 1.50 mesh linear screen. Various
flotation oils were given a trial, the combination
finally adopted as the most effective being wood
tar oil and turpentine, in a circuit acidified with
sulphuric acid. It was found necessary to vary the
amount of acid with the class of product treated.
A final washing effect in respect to pyrite was
secured by the addition of a fractional quantity
of wood tar oil toward the end of the flotation
agitation. The separation of the pyritic portion was,
by observation, clean, this being confirmed by
.sulphur determination in the tailing, which gave
such low sulphur content in terms of pyrite as
0-16% FeS.2 and 0-08% FeS.^. .Vs free gold, not
encased, will float in the frothing process, the pyrite,
unless otherwise noted, also includes this floated
gold. Its incidence was ascertained in several
tests. No distinction was made between the
argillaceous and the siliceous portion of the gangue.
It" is known that the truly argillaceous portion is
small at the mines of the central district, but is
increased at the extreme eastern mines by the
inclusion of much shale.
The first data (series A and B) were derived from
tests on samples from the Ferreira Deep reduction
plant. These tests were carried out in two series,
one in which the agitation and frothing Avas con-
tinued to an extreme extent with the object of
ensuring a clean pyrite-free tailing, and the other
in which flotation was carried on only to the limit of
the clean mineral froth stage, the object being to
obtain a clean gangue-free pyrite. The results are
given in tabular form by the author, and from them
it is seen that the argillaceous and siliceous portion
of the slime residue contains the greater part of the
gold ((iO-l%), while the gold in the cyanide pulp
is found to the extent of 87- 5 "i, in the pyrite
portion. In Series B the percentage of pyrite by
weight, separated by the flotation method, plus
panning, corresponds closely with the FeSo
calculated from sulphur determinations. From a
study of this record it is evident that the gold in
the pyrite portion of the slime charge dissolves
readily in cyanide solution.
Further tests (Series C) were conducted on a.
sample of cvanide pulp, and on a sample of sand
charge, and the corresponding residue from the
Village Deep plant. The results showed that the
gold in the cyanide pulp is distributed 37-5°p,
51-4%, and 11-!% respectively, as free gold, in
pyrite, and in gangue. When investigating the
sand charge and residue, gold encased in the siliceous
matrix was determined by the aqua regia method.
It does not appear to play much of a part in the
residue. If the seal of accuracy be attached to this
method of determination, one would accept as
established that the cyanide solution penetrates
the ore particles and dissolves encased gold. The
amount of gold amalgamable in cyanide pulp
and in the sand charge, 37-5% and 19-4''o
respectively, varies with the grinding. It is a
revelation, and confirms the general tendency
in practice to throw more responsibility for gold
recovery on the cyanide section of the plant and less
on amalgamation. In considering the distribution
of free gold, pvrite, and gangue, it is observed that
the first two comprise 90-3°o oi all the gold inthe
charge.
190
THK M1MN(. M \(,AZ1N1-:
.\ comprehensive series of tests (Series O) were
carried out on a (?ity Peep sand charge aivl the
corresponding resiiiue. Free sold was not deter-
mined in this series, and is, therefore, iucludod in
tlie pyrite vahie. Under pyrite content the per-
centage of gold content is found to increase con-
siderably in the gangue portion of the residue,
evidently due to encased gold. Grading analysis
discloses the increase in gold percentage content
in the coarser gradings, comparing the charge with
the residue. The large amount of pyrite by weight
and the importance of gold content in the minus
*J00 mesh grading of the charge is significant,
especially when viewed in the light of improvement
to extraction on this fine p> rite. ,\11 the information
in the author's tables under " distribution of gold
extraction " and " extraction on pyritic portion "
points to the great importance of grinding the
maximum amount of pyrite and gold as fine as
possible to pass the 200 mesh at least, in order to
obtain the highest extraction. .Mthough this has
been accepted as an axiom by many workers in this
field, it is the aim of this paper to so illustrate and
visualize it that it will become forcible to all those
interested. I'"rom a practical metallurgical stand-
point this investigation points to this one significant
fact of the need for comminution of the pyrite.
The importance of careful classification and tube-
milling follows. If the classifiers do not return the
plus 200 mesh pyrite and free gold to the tube-
mills for further grinding, then the plant is indeed
handicapped. On the ores of the extreme eastern
district the application of this maxim is of the
greatest importance.
Mining Efficiency. — The question of improving
the standard of efficiency and introducing methods
for securing economy of working is prominently
before the whole mining community in the Trans-
vaal at present, the universal feeling being that
something must be done to prevent the untimely
closing of most of the low-grade mines. The genera!
question is in the main political, and second.irily it
centres round the rule of the men's unions. i3ut
apart from these considerations there are many
points of detail that can be discussed by the
managers and taken into account by both white
and black labour. The South African Mining and
Engineering Journal recently offered a prize for the
best essay on " How to Reduce Working Costs and
Improve Efficiency in and on the Mines of the
\\'itwatersrand." The prize has been awarded to
John Moore, of the Crown Mines The essay is
brief but full of good sense, and we reproduce it
here. We would mention also that a paper has
been read before the South African Institution of
Engineers by F. C. W. Ingle covering the same
subject. Copies have not yet arrived in this
country, so publication of extracts must be post-
poned until a later issue.
We quote Mr. Moore in full as follows ; —
There is no one thing that will cut the cost of
production sufficiently ifor the low-grade mines to
resume w"ork at once. However, a lot of small
reductions will cut the costs of the mines at present
working and the mines now closed down will be able
to resume work, slowly at first, and later on to open
up on their former scale.
Firstly, considering surface conditions : —
(I) There is an immense amount of scrap iron
and steel that could be remelted to produce pig
iron, cither for mine consumption or for sale. One
blast-furnace for the group would probably be
sullicient. That it is possible for a group to make
all their own castings, including special alloys for
stamp shoes, etc., has been proved by the Calumet
and Hecla.
(2) Overlapping authority and jictty foremen
must be got rid of.
(3) There are mines to-day with a comparatively
small tonnage with surface costs of 4s. per ton.
Others with large tonnage and surface costs of 7s.
per ton. This disparity of costs is startling.
Secondly, underground : —
(1) The repair of worn tools should be undertaken
to a greater extent than is at present practised.
Shovels, for instance, could have the blades
patcheil when worn, and broken handles replaced by
J in. or 1 in. pipe. One end lA the pipe can be
split and a rivet put in to form the usual D grip.
For actual shovelling these are not as good as a new
shovel, but for the scraping that is usually done
they are just as good. Pipes to be cut and threaded
and old taps and valves to be brought to surface,
cleaned up. and repaired. New issue should be
given only in special cases unless old gear is turned
in with the order for new.
(2) .-\xes and saws, etc., should be exchanged for
sharp ones as soon as dulled. This should be done
at an underground store, as the delay is often
several days before tools left on a station are
brought to surface. In the meantime they are
rusting and there is a chance of them getting
lost. One saw at the present price would pay
for a boy tvvo hours per day for a month, to say
nothing of the inconvenience caused.
(3) Timber is one of the heaviest costs, especially
on the Central Rand. This may be cut down,
especially in low slopes, in hammer and reclamation
work, by the use of old heavy-section rails in place
of sticks as foundations for waste packs. They
must be well hitched into the foot and have head
boards. .\ platelayer can cut them to the timber-
man's measurements in a very few minutes.
(4) Instead of the universal lagging, old pipes
may be used across the rails in place of a backwall.
(5) When travelling ways must be kept open,
especially when the ground is very heavy and the
height not more than 6 ft., waste packs may be
b'jilt as follows : A layer of stones carefully packed
about one foot thick, then across this old hauling
rope unravelled and the strands cut to such a length
that they_ reach twice across the pack with the
ends away from the travelling way. These are
placed about one foot apart, .\nother layer of
stone, and this time the strands are laid at right
angles to the first. These so bind the pack that it
will crush to about two-thirds of its original height
without bulging. The ordinary pack will crush
very little before bulging.
(6) There are many other ways of saving timber,
reclaiming some distance from the faces, etc., that
are used everywhere, but the two above are not in
common use on the Rand.
(7) At present the native labourer spends on an
average of two hours per day in a prescribed
waiting place till his boss takes him to his working
place. In bad ground it is admitted that a white
man should always be present, but in the average
stope a tiraberman or trammer could inspect the
working place, start the boys, and then go to the
more dangerous places where constant supervision
was necessary. These men would go down, say,
two hours before the ordinary shift. This would
allow about two hours e.xtra working time for the
SEPTEMBER, 1921
191
natives at no additional cost to the mine. It would
also solve the native labour shortage. In the case
of hammer and machine boys, they would not be
allowed to drill, but could lash benches, set up, and
generally get ready for the day's work. [These
conditions have since been improved. — Editor.]
(8) The items discussed above all influence the
cost of production, but the most important of all is
to give the day's pay man an added incentive to
put his head and back into the work. This alone
will restart every low-grade mine on the Rand.
A man working for himself will do twice as much
as a man on day's pay, and do it easier. To cut
the day's pay man's wage, no matter what the
excuse, most certainly will not do it, and, on the
other hand, a glance over the cost sheets of
American and Canadian mines will show that,
conditions being equal, the mines that pay the best
wages have the lowest labour costs per ton.
The following bonus scheme is working success
fully in a number of places. The usual guarantee or
day's pay is given, and a bonus is given for points
above a certain set standard, and debits for below
that standard. The standard would be set for
each mine captain's section, or, if possible to keep
the tonnage separate, for each shift-boss's section,
and would be based upon tonnage (skip or haulage),
grade (sample office), native and white efficiency.
The tonnage and native and white efficiencies could
be taken as an average per day for, say, the three
months previous to the adoption of the scheme.
The unit of tonnage might be taken as 1,000 tons,
the efficiency unit as one ton, and the grade unit
as one dwt. This would require some slight
modification in exceptional cases, such as in a section
which was just being opened up or where several
stopes were stopped simultaneously. This only
applies to the day's pay man ; the contractor would
not benefit by it in any way. The day's pay man
would get his bonus cheque some time after the
first of the month. By making every man virtually
a contractor his best work would be secured and
no man would see another loaf if his own bonus
cheque was imperilled, no matter what the union
said about it.
(9) Another change that would make a difference
on the right side is to give the shift- boss his old
control' over his men. The Chamber of Mines did
a bad thing when they took the power out of the
shift-boss's hands, .\dmittedly it was abused at
times, but if members of the Chamber had to go
underground as shift-bosses to-day and keep up
the standard they expect shift-bosses to keep up,
there would be a change before night to the old
way. Increase or decrease of working costs and
native and white efficiencies are the true indications
of success or otherwise, and a glance, especially at
the latter, will show it has not been a success.
Operation of Mine Fans in Combination, —
.•\t a meeting of the Mining Institute of Scotland
held last month, a paper by David Penman was
presented, dealing with a new method of measuring
ventilation resistances, with special reference to
the operation of mine fans in combination. Kis
general conclusions with regard to fans in com-
bination were as follows : (1) The advant?,ge to be
gained by two or more fans in series or in parallel
depends chiefly on the relation existing between
the resistance of the fans and that of the mine,
(2) Unless the resistance of the fan is small coni'.
pared with that of the mine, the operation of two
fans in series will result in a greatlv lowered
efficiency, C?) Unless the resistance of the fan is
at lea-t one-third of the resistance of the mine, the
advantage of running two fans in parallel is sm?.ll.
(4) If the resistance of the fan is small compared with
that of the mine, not only will the increase of
quantity by parallel operation be small, but a
slight reduction or increase in the speed of one of
the fans over the other will result in the air being
reversed in that fan which runs at the slower speed.
(5) If increase of quantity is the sole desideratum,
better results will in most cases be obtained by
combining the fans in series than by running them
in parallel, (6) The increase of quantity obtained
bv running two similar fans in series at the same
speed at which they would run singly would in most
cases be approximately 35%. (7) The increase of
quantity obtained by running two similar fans in
parallel would range from 5 to 15% in the majority
of mines in Great Britain. (8) The satisfactory
running of two fans in parallel can best be accom-
plished through the medium of synchronous
electric motors. (9) . If two fans are running in
parallel and the speed of one should fall to any
extent, the other fan may become dangerously
overloaded, unless there is a large margin of power
available in the motor or engine driving it.
Moisture in Furnace Blasts. — In the
Engineering and Mining Journal for August 13,
T, H. Gillis gives a record of observations with
regard to the effect of moisture in the air delivered
as blast in a copper-nickel blast-furnace.
In March, 1920, an exhaust pipe was so placed
that the small amount of steam escaping was
being drawn into the intake of a certain blast-
furnace blower. Some days elapsed before this
was corrected, and the incident was soon all but
forgotten. Some weeks later, when the author
was making investigation as to certain operating
conditions, it was noticed that there was a
particularly favourable period extending over a
few days, with no corresponding favourable con-
ditions to account entirely for it. After eUminating
other factors to determine the cause of these
conditions, he came to the conclusion that, as it
corresponded with the period in which the steam
was being drawn into the intake, possibly the extra
moisture was the factor sought. The data, however,
were not conclusive ; they were affected by other
conditions and could not be taken as definitely
establishing much basis for future investigation.
A search of the available literature on the subject,
and discussions with the local metallurgists, failed to
explain the results observed, and it was October
before further experiments could be made. A
test was then determined upon, and a s in. pipe
was connected between the air main and a steam
pipe carrying 180 lb. of steam with 100^ F. of super-
heat. A decided change in the operation of the
furnace resulted, but here, again, the results were
confused by other factors. 'The experiments were
continued, and larger quantities of steam were
added, but the results after the first few days
were negative. The steam would be turned on and
gradually increased, with the result that at fir
the furnace would speed up, and crusts
accretions would be eliminated, and then '.' 260
effects would disappear. No bad e'" ^-^
observed, however, until sufficient st^ • • • • ""
so that the water froni the cond^' 261
blast began to give trouble aro'
No accurate methods of measuri j^g -^61
were available, but deductions f ' liolidated Main
■■' '^'^"'■'.[odderfontein ;
192
Till'; M1M\*. M \(',A/1N1-:
the temperature of the blast and its moisture-
carrying capacity. The experiments were
temporarily discontinued owing to inability to get
delinito results.
After study of the various operating curves
covering the period of the experiments, the author
came to the conclusion that he h.id been using
too much steam, and decided to make another
trial as soon as a favourable opportunity presented
itself. About the end of January, 1921, after two
weeks of uniform furnace operation, the steam was
again connected, and a very small amount used.
The temperature of the air outside ranged between
?ero and freezing, and the air in the blast main about
70° F. above that. SuHicient steam was added
so that the air was just saturated ; that is, some
condensation showed in the valves and beds of
the pipe. Rough calculations indicated that about
300 lb. of steam was used per hour, or 7,200 lb.
per day, which at the cost of evaporation (which
was high that month), amounted to $7-20 per day
for steam. The tabulated results show an increased
tonnage of 147% for the two days of the test over
the average of the five days' previous, and at no
time, even with the use of extra coke, had it been
possible to make the same record without steam,
although in the previous experiments it had been
nearly equalled on several occasions. There was
no change in any other operating condition during
the period and no material change in the weather.
The lirst day's run does not comcide exactly with
the period for which steam was on, as the statistical
day started at 7.30 a.m. and steam was connected
about 9.30 a.m. On the third day the furnace was
down a few hours to change the spout, and the
author had no opportunity of making further
tests. Although the results given show increased
capacity only, there are reasons to believe that
corresponding savings in operation costs could
be made through saving in coke and P.ux and in
smooth operation.
Furnace Performance before and during the Test
Per cent Per rent
of Coke of Coke
Ore FIu.x Coke on Ore on Charge
(Sll-20 327-fiO 119-00 147 10-4
c- J ■ 811-20 327-GO 116-60 14-4 10-2
Five days previous I -(.^.g^j jyg.gg J^^.3Q J^.^ 1(,.„
"''='' 712-S5 269-00 99-83 14-0 100
'.713-60 306-70 110-70 14-3 104
First dav of test . . 896-40 315-40 l'25-44 140 10-4
Second day of test 899-10 316-35 127-45 14-2 10-3
The furnace was 50 in, by 30 ft., of ordinary
water-jacketed type, and was smelting raw
pyrrhotite ore with converter slag as flux. The
results obtained indicate an advantage to be gained
by the use of steam in !;melting sulphide ores, and
tests could be conducted at little expense in
almost any jilant, which would tend to increase
the available information on the subject and perhaps
make a material saving on operating costs. The
author is desirous that other metallurgists should
contribute to this discussion.
Coal Mining by Steam Shovel.- At the meeting
of ihe lustitutiDU of Mmmg l-jigineers held mi
Seineuiber 14. (.'iciirgu Sheppard n-ad a paper on
coal mining by steam shovel in Alberta.
Grinding Problems. — In Chemical and
AU'Uilli(r!;util l^>ii;uu-c-niig for August 10, I-t. W.
llardiuge reviews the modern problems of grinding,
wet anti dry, to various stages of comminution.
Flotation. — • The ^}il•.il>f! a'ld Si.iculific I'rcss
for I Illy 30 gives particulars of the Luckenbach
tlotatiuii process, in 'Ahich a frothing and selecting
agent consisting of pine-pitch in an alkaline solution
is cniplove.l.
■ Nodulizing. — In the Engineering and Mining
Jotiintil for August 13, C. L. Colbert describes the
latest nodulizing practice for due dust and fine
concentrates at the United States Metal Refining
Co.'s works at Chrome, New Jersey.
Chloride Volatilization. — The Mining and
Scitntific Press for July 30 publishes an account
by T. Varlev and C. C. Stevenson of investigations
into the chloride volatilization process. Articles
on this subject by Ben Howe and S. Croasdale
were published in the Magazine for December,
1913. and March, 1914, respectively.
Geological Sections.— At the meeting of the
Institution of Mining lingineers held on
September 14, Harry Ro.scoe read a paper entitled :
Suggestions for the Standardization of Geological
Sections of Strata proved by Bore-holes, Shafts, etc.
Spitsbergen. — The Geographical Journal for July
contains an illustrated paper by J. M. Wordie on
present-day conditions in Spitsbergen. The author
is one of the geologists connected with the ex-
ploration of Spitsbergen.
Engels Copper Mine.— In the Mining and
Scientific Press for July 30, A. B. Parsons commences
an article on the Hngels copper mine, California.
Graphite. — In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for August 6, B. L. Miller reviews the
graphite industry of the United States and Canada,
giving an account of modern methods of
concentration.
Copper Deposits in Arizona.— In the Engineering
and Muung Journal for .-Vugust 13, G. J. Mitchell
describes replacement copper deposits in the Warren
district. Bisbee, .Arizona.
Pulverized Coal.— The Engineer for August 19
contains a description of the Bettington boiler,
using pulverized coal as fuel, made by the Eraser
and Chalmers Engineering Works, Erith,
Oil and Pulverized Coal.— In Chemical ami
Metalhir'^tcal Engineering for August 3, G, S, Perrott
and S, '^P. Kinney describe the Trent process,
according to which powdered coal in water is
treated with comparatively large volumes of oil,
the pure coal and the oil forming a plastic fuel,
while the ash remains in the water.
:. SHORT NOTICES
^^'•^'•■-entralion Problems. —.\t the meeting of
to resuii-.^j^j Institute of Mining, Civil, and
up on the Engineers held at Sheffield on
Firstly, co. ^j^y jy-pttigton read a paper entitled
(1) There IS -^j^,). ^^ Minerals, indicating a new
and steel that ^■^^^n^ minerals. We intend to
iron, cither for m ^.j^j^ ^^^^ comment, in the next
blast-furnace for
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED
W^~ ■^ ^opv of Ike specificatwn of any of thr patents mentioned in
this column can if obtained by sending Is. to the J'aten! Office,
Southampton Bu:Idtni;s, Chancery Lane, London, W'.C. % with
a note of the number and year of the patent.
5,224 of 1920(139,216). J. E. Kennedy, New
York. Iniprovements in gyratory crushers.
7, 848of 1919(165,822). W,M..Morde Y.London.
Electro-magnetic separators for the treatment of
minerals, consisting of inclined launders with an
alternate current multiphase magnet underneath
which diverts the ma,enetic material to one side of
the launders,
11,185 of 1919(126,626). P. Des.achy, Paris.
SEPTEMBER, 1021
193
Improved apparatus for making lithopone, that is,
a mixture of barium sulphate and zinc sulphide.
17,745 of 1919 (165,465). F. Calvert, Man-
chester. Improved practice in adding fluor-spar
in steel purification.
l,375of 1920(166,292). Ropeways, Ltd., and
E. Roe, London. Improved raising and lowering
tackle for aerial ropeways.
5,561 and 35,632 of 1920 (166,929). J. J-
Collins, Southport, In the treatment of zmc-lead
and like su Iphide ores and concentrates for the separa-
tion of the zinc from the lead, subjecting the crushed
ore or concentrate while in a solution of a lower
chloride of a metal to the action of gaseous chlorine,
whereby the lead is converted from the suljihide to
the chloride which precipitates on cooling, while
the zinc sulphide remains substantially unattacked,
drawing off the solution of the lower chloride of a
metal from the zinc sulphide, lead chloride, and
sulphur, and dissolving the lead chloride in a hot
saturated solution of sodium chloride, leaving the
zinc sulphide and sulphur.
9,149 of 1920 (141,044). Amalgamated Zinc
(De B.way's), Ltd., Melbourne. Improvements in
patent 135,968, dealing with the separation of
mixed chlorides bv brine solution for the recovery
of lead and silver from complex ores.
9,445 of 1920 (141,688). Electrolytic Zinc
Co. OF Australasia, Ltd., Melbourne. Method of
recovering cadmium in the course of the electrolytic
process for producing zinc.
9.846 of 1920(166,647). A. M. Mackilligin,
London. .\ machine consisting of a number of
jumpers for drilling holes in a row and operated
in much the same manner as stamps.
10,959 of 1920 (166,595). J. J. Collins, South-
port. A process of purifying tin, consisting in
producing pure stannous chloride from the impure
metal bv the action of stannic chloride on the
latter in the presence of an excess of tin,
dehydrating, fusing, and electrolysing the stannous
chloride, whereby pure metallic tin and stannic
chloride are formed.
11.116 of 1920(142,122). H. Mehner, Char-
lottenburg. A process for the manufacture of
cyanogen by reaction between carbon, nitrogen, and
the vapour of an alkali metal, in which the free alkali
metal is introduced in the reaction space, together
with a combined alkali metal of such nature that
no reaction between the free and the combined
alkali metal can occur during the process.
13,775 of 1920(166,409). C. Langer, Wool-
hampton. Method of separating metals such as
copper and nickel electrolytically and depositing
them simultaneously by employing two electric
currents of different potentials.
14,625 of 1920 (143,920). Elektro-Osmose
Graf Schwerin Gesellschaft, Berlin. A process
for concentrating by the flotation method finely
comminuted ores containing electro-positive and
electro-negative particles, wherein there is caused
to act on the finely comminuted ore in aqueous
suspension, for the purpose of separating one set of
particles from the mixture, an electrolyte having
an electric charge of the same character as that of
the set of particles to be separated, and wherein
for the simultaneous or subsequent flotation con-
centration there is used as floating agent a substance
which does not prevent or destroy the sol-condition.
15,901 of 1920 (167.048). H. Walker. Christ-
church, New Zealand. In order to provide oxygen
and moisture at the same time as firing shots in
mines, using a cartridge containing permanganate
of potash, chlorate of potash, and gum arable,
in association with the blasting cartridge.
16,701 of 1920 (165,655). SkinningroveIron
Co., Ltd., and T. R. Smith, Saltburn, Yorkshire.
A negative electrode for use in an electrostatic dust-
depositing plant, consisting of chain-mail or the
like supported at the top on a stationary bar and
with a heavy bar attached to the bottom edge
thereof, in combination with mechanism for lifting
the heavy bar at intervals and allowing it to fall
in order to impart a jerking action to the electrode.
17,062 of 1920 (146,133). SocieTe Electro-
METALLURGipaE Francaise, Paris. Method of
preparing aluminate of lime for the manufacture
of pure alumina, which consists in dividing the
operation into two phases and making use ot two
.apparatus ; in the first phase crushed bauxite mixed
with lim.e is heated in a rotary furnace constituting
the first apparatus, which is heated by waste
heat from the second apparatus, and in the second
phase the mixture is discharged from the rotary
furnace into the second apparatus which is a
furnace heated and arranged for eilecting the fusion
of the mixture, which on being discharged may be
cooled and granulated in water.
19,014 of 1920 (161,104). F. Milliken.
Lawrence, New York. An alloy capable of resisting
high temperatures consisting of chromium, copper,
nickel, manganese, and 16 to 20% iron.
20,253 of 1920(153,560). S. Steinmetz, Berlin.
Improvement in disc crushers.
23.238 of 1920 (161.491). Dwight & Lloyd
Metalu'rgical Company, New York. Improve-
ment in the inventors' apparatus for continuous
ore-sintering.
32,585 of 1920 (161,130). Svenska Diamant-
berg-borrnungs Aktiebolaget, Stockholm. In
ascertaining the inclination of bore-holss, the
employment of a solution from which a etallic
deposit can be precipitated electrolytically by
making connexion when desired, instead of the
etching solution hitherto employed.
32,715 of 1920 (165,708). T. G. Nyborg,
Hexham, and M. F. Higgins, Sheffield. Method of
fi.xing the tube bringing clearing fluid to the points
of percussive drills.
35,794 of 1920 (166,490). S. Dawson Ware,
London. A jig having one or more power-moved
screens or screen-trays covering praci'cally the
whole area of the tank or hutch, suspended from
an overhead framework, vibrated or reciprocated
both vertically and horizontally by two independent
positive quick-return motions.
36,492 of 1920 (164,681). E. Cudney, Stege,
California. Improved electric blasting fuse.
801 of 1921 (156,739). F. Krupp, Magdeburg-
Buckau. Improved form of plates used in filter-
presses.
4,518 of 1921 (165,719). G. H. T. Rayner and
P. R.\YNER, Shefiield. Valve apparatus for rock-
drills and similar tools, comprising a three-collar
valve, said collars being of equal diameters,
characterized in that the central collar controls t"^
main fluid supply and diverts it alterr' r,/>Q
each side of the piston, the piston of ' ' ' ~
closing valve-throwing ports from the c 260
covering and uncovering exhaust por
cylinder to the atmosphere during the -"1
return strokes. 9gj
6,987 of 1921 (160,464). J. E. Ke ' ; ; " ' " .
York. Improvements in gyratory cru3l;°^;f;^'^fJ^=J",
101
THi: MIXINC, MACAZINK
NEW BOOKS, PAMIMILKTS, Etc.
►^'Copirt o( Ihc b<H>ks, etc., nu'ntioncd below cnn be obtained
throutjh the Technical Hookshop of The AtmiHg ^t^isa:tnf,
7lM. Sabsbuiy House, l.oiulon Wall. K.C. 'J.
Quin's Metal Trades Directory of the United
Kingdom, 1921. Cloth, octavci. :f()ll jiagcs. rncc
lOs. M. net. London : The Metal Information
Bureau. Ltd., 7, East India Avenue. E.C. 3. This
is the first issue of a book which gives classified
information relating to the non-ferrous metals
business I'f this country.
South African Engineers Electrical and Allied
Trades Directory. 1921-1922. Cloth, octavo. 49(1
pages. Price 3(ls. net. Johannesburg : The Soulh
A/ticati Milling ai:d Jliigineiriiii; Journa! ; London
Office : 8--5. I'lcct Strict. I'.C. 4.
First Aid and Rescue Work in Mining. I^V
Dr. L. G. Irvine. Flexible covers, pocket size,
370 pages, illustrated, rrice8s.6d.net. Johannes-
burg : The South African Ked Cross Society.
London : The Mining Magazine.
Talc : Fluor-Spar. — Published by the Imperial
.Miiicial Kfsourcos liurc.iu. Price 9d. each.
Income Tax Guide. 1921.— By H. W. Palmer.
Price Is. net. London : Tlic Financial Tiiiiis.
Mineral Industry of the British Empire and
Foreign Countries.^Statistical Summarj' of Pro-
duction, ENports, and Imports, 1913 to 1920.
Published by the Imperial Mineral Resources
Bureau. Price 3s. net.
Concentration by Flotation. — By T. A. Rickard.
Cloth, octavo. 690 pages, illustrated. Price 42s.
net. Kew York : John Wiley & Sons ; London :
Chapman & Hall, Ltd. This book is a compilation
of articles appearing in the Mining and Scientific
Press during the years 19)5 to 1920.
Mining Law of West Africa. — Price 15s. net.
Published by the Imperial Mineral Resources
Bureau.
Sir John Cass Technical Institute. — Syllabus
of Classes for Session 1921-2. Issued by the
Institute. Jewry Street, Aldgate, London, E.C. 3.
Lead, Zinc, Copper, and Nickel Ores of Scotland.
By G. \'. Wilson, with contributions by Dr. J. S.
Flett. Paper boards, octavo, 160 pages, illustrated.
Price 7s. 6d. net. Published by the Geological
Survey of Scotland. Reference is made to this
book in an editorial in this issue on copper in the
Shetland Isles.
The Mutue Fides-Stavoren Tinfields. By Dr.
P. A. Wagner. Paper covers, octavo, 200 pages,
illustrated. Price 7s. 6d. net. Memoir No. 16 of
the Geological Survey of the Union of South Africa.
The Mining Geology of Kookynie, Niagara, and
Tampa, in the North Coolgardie Goldfield. By
J. T. juTSON. Paper covers, octavo, 100 pages,
illustrated. Bulletin No. 78 of the Geological
Survev of West Australia.
COMPANY REPORTS
Leeuwpoort Tin Mines. — This company is con-
trolled by the South African Townships Mining
.and Finance Corporation, and has worked tin mines
woi- W'aterberg district of the Transvaal since
to res'ifi"'' ^rvine Jampson is the manager. The
up on tl?"'"920 shows that 61,982 tons of ore was
Firstly, cohat, after the removal of waste, 55,335
(1) There .it to the stamps. The yield of tin
and steel th^as 985 tons, averaging 62% metallic
iron, cither fee of concentrate brought an income
blast-furnace The mining costs were /88,35S,
ation charges /23,484. The allowance
for development and de|)reciation written ort was
-14.990, anil the taxes, etc., ;(6,021. The share-
liolder-- received /;41,250, being at the rate of 15%.
llie ore reserve is calculated at 64,488 tons,
averaging 2'4"„ nu-tallic tin, figures not much
ditferent from those the year before.
Ropp Tin.— This is the largest producer of tin
concentrate on the Bauchi plateau, Nigeria.
ICdmund Davis is chairman of the company, and the
Consolidated Gold Fields of South Africa are the
consulting and superintending engineers. The
report for 1920 shows that the output of concentrate
was 1,017 tons, of which 619 tons was obtained liy
dredging, 162 tons by ground sluicing, 150 tons by
tributing, and 86 tons from other sources. The
proceeds from concentrates sold were ;<;52,900, and
there are credits of ^59,064 for concentrates on hand
and in transit. There was a loss on the year's work
of /7,595, this position being entirely due to the fall
in the price of tin. The proved ground is estimated
to contain 10,006 tons of cassiterite. No new-
ground has been tested during the year. The
output during the first half of the current year was
561 tons.
Waihi Grand Junction. — This company has
worked a gold mine in the north island of New
Zealand, adjoining the Waihi mine, since 1895.
Dividends were [laid from 1910 to 1918. The
report for 1920 shows that 57,450 tons of ore was
raised and treated, yielding gold and silver valued
at /109,506. The working cost was (130,463, and
provision for income tax ,(4,238. There was in
addition an income of /8,005, arising chiefly from
interest on investments. The result of the year's
work was a loss of /21,0I6, which, added to the
adverse balance of /T 0,550 brought in from the
previous year, makes a total debit balance of
j'3 1,566. The ore reserve is estimated at 120.500
tons, as compared with 90,450 tons the year before,
but assay-values are not given. The directors do
not now publish the mine manager's report, nor
do they give details of gold and silver production
and the premium received on the gold sold.
Broken Hill Block 14. — The report of this
company now issued covers the half-year ended
March .31. The mine was reopened at the con-
clusion of the strike on November 22, but operations
were suspended again at the end of December,
owing to the unsatisfactory condition of the metal
markets. During the short time the mine was
being worked 405 tons of carbonate ore, averaging
24-3°'(, lead and 13-8 oz. silver per ton, was mined
and delivered to the Associated Smelters at Port
Pirie. and 1,201 tons of sulphide ore was raised and
sent to the Block 10 joint plant. The accounts
show a loEs for the half-year of £17,671.
Broken Hill Block 10. — The report now issued
covers the half-year ended March 31. The long
strike terminated on November 10, and from that
date until the end of December some mining was
done, while the concentration plant, treating Block
10. Block 14, and Junction ore, ran from November
15 to January 31. The joint treatment of ore
from the three mines named included 3,386 tons
from Block 10, and 6,234 tons from Block 14 and
Junction, making a total of 9,620 tons, averaging
11-5% lead, 9-34% zinc, and 8-89 oz. silver per ton.
The lead concentrate won was 1,508 tons, averaging
61'3% lead, 6-5% zinc, and 36'6 oz. silver, and
the zinc concentrate 1,718 tons, averaging 45'7%
zinc, 7'26% lead, and 13'9 oz. silver. The accounts
show a loss for the half-year of £18,800.
Hi'
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director.
Edward Walker, M.Sc, F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House, London Wall, London, E.C. 2.
Telephone : Loiirfon It'aJi 8938. Telegraphic Address : Oiigoc/ns^. Codes : AfcAViH, both EditioDS.
r, '420, Market Street, San Francisco. Subscripto.v ' ^^^- P^"^ annum (Single Copy l5. 6d. , including
Branch Offices - J-JJ' pj^^^^ gjg _ Chicago. bUBSCRiPio.v ^ p^^j^^^ j^ ^^y ^^^^ „; j^^ ^yorld.
Vol. XXV. No. 4. LONDON, OCTOBER, 1921,
Price Is. 6d.
C O N T E N r S
PAGE
Editorial
Notes 196
Explosion at Oppau ; Lectures on Petroleum ;
Characteristics of Cassiterite ; Politicians and
Science ; Sir Thomas Holland's Resignation ;
Shipping, Engineering, and Machiner>' Exhibition ;
Shaft-sinking Records.
British Coal-mining 197
Reference is made to addresses by Sir John Cadman
and Dr. J. S. Haldane, who attribute the present
stagnation of the coal-mining industry to the
over-legislation of the past twenty years.
Arizona Copper 198
An outline is given of the questions involved in the
sale of the properties of the Arizona Copper
Company to the Phelps-Dodge Corporation.
The Cornish Crisis 199
Another appeal is issued for help for the tin miners
of Comwal'.
The British Association 201
The Editor gives his impressions of some of the most
interesting features in the discussions at the
Edinburgh meeting of the British Association.
Review of Mining 202
Articles
Trinidad : A Review of its Geology
and Oil Resources . . Henry B. Milner 205
In this article the author summarizes our present
knowledge of the geolog>' of the Island of
Trinidad, with special reference to the mode of
occurrence and storage of its oil. An account is
given of the progress of development of the
petroleum resources, and some of the more
important technical difficulties encountered during
oil exploration in the Island are discussed.
Mine Models at South Kensington . . 214
This article contains an account of models explana-
tory of mining operations, designed and made by
Mr. G. W. Leech, and recently added to the
Science Museum, South Kensington.
The Characteristics of Cassiterite
E, H. Davison 218
Many minerals are easily mistaken for cassiterite.
The author of this article gives a concise state-
ment dealing with the subject, intended for the
guidance of workers in the field.
The Gyro Compass for Surveyors . . . 220
Letters to the Editor
The Origin of Primary Ore Deposits
.'./. D. Kendall 222
The Real Value of Gold .H.C. Baxldon 223
PAGE
Book Reviews
Bulman and Mills' " Mine Rescue Work and
Organization " Stanley Neitleton 223
Davies' " Problems in Land and Mine
Surveying " Alex. Richardson 226
V.'arner's " Field Mapping for the Oil
Geologist " H. B. Milner 227
Jagger's " Mechanical Drawing " 228
Ivens' " Pumping by Compressed Air " .... 228
News Letters
Toronto 229
Metallic Production of Ontario ; Porcupine ; Kirk-
land Lake : Cobalt ; Sudbury.
Vancouver, B.C 230
Complex Lead-Zinc Ores ; The Salmon River District.
Person.^l 232
Trade Paragraphs 233
Metal Markets 235
Statistics of Production 238
Prices of Chemicals 241
Share Quotations 242
The Mining Digest
studies of Transvaal Tin Deposits
Dr. P. A. Wagner 243
The Northampton Lead District
F. R. Feldtmann 249
Iron Ores of Normandy P. Nicou 251
Blast-Roasting Gilbert Rigg 254
Anodes for Copper Deposition . Colin G. Fink 256
The Separation of Minerals . Stanley Netileton 258
Hyde's Welding Process 259
Determination of Vanadium. . .R. B. Scltaa' 259
Short Notices 260
Recent P.atents Published 260
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 261
Company Reports 261
.\nantapur Gold Field ; .\rizona Copper ; Consolidated .Main
Reef ; Mount .Morgan , Modderfontein East ; New Modderfoiitein ;
Nourse Mines.
EDITORIAL
T^lIE great explosion at the Badisclic
JL AniMn & Soda Fabrik's works at
Oppau points to tlic danger of the explosives
ccntaining anniioniinn nitrate or of the
process by which it is made, and the
niaiuifacturers of mining explosives will
investigate accordinglj'. The information
available at present is, however, not sufficient
to warrant any expression of opinion.
OX (October 10 a lecture on the geology
of petroleum was given by Sir Frederick
Black, president of the Institution of Petro-
leum Technologists, at the Sir John Cass
Technical Institute, Jewry Street, Aldgate.
This lecture constituted an introduction to
the course on petroleum technology which
has this year been added to the curriculum
of the Institute. We are glad to sec the
continual expansion of the Sir John Cass
Technical Institute. The lectures and in-
struction are eminently suited to the require-
ments of men engaged during the day time,
and both technical and non-technical men
find the courses of study extremely helpful.
ELSEWHERE in this issue we print
an article on the " Characteristics of
Cassiterite," by Mr. E. H. Da\'ison, lecturer
on economic geology and mineralogy in the
Camborne School of Mines. This article
may appear to some readers to be rather
elementary for a paper like The Mining
Mag.^zine. The fact is, however, that many
minerals are continually being mistaken for
cassiterite, and vice-versa, so that a concise
statement giving the characteristics of all
these minerals should prove useful in many
quarters. The identification of cassiterite
is a subject on which much could be written,
and we hope some of our readers will send
contributions to our pages giving details of
their particular experiences in the field.
THE contempt displayed by politicians
and the public for scientists and
mining men forms the theme for many
paragraphs in this issue. One of those to
utter a protest against this treatment is
Mr. T. G. Trevor, the Inspector of Mines for
the Pretoria District, who in the South
African Journal of Industries for August
appeals to the public to put more faith in
the value of the services of the scientific
man. As this appeal takes the form of an
article appearing in a monthly magazine
publishcil by authority of th.e Minister of
Mines and Industries, it is clear that the
appeal stands a good chance of being read
by the jioliticians.
Wl'- note with pleasure that Nature
takes up the cudgels on behalf of
Sir Thomas Holland, who has been obliged
to resign from the Council of the Viceroy
of India under circumstances already known
to our readers. Lord Reading's assertion
that the Minister of Commerce should have
been a lawyer instead of a man of science
is one of those legal generalities which create
so much havoc in the world of common sense,
and the men of science resent it in a body.
No doubt the dismissal of Sir Thomas
Holland will be brought before Parliament
in due course, for this degradation of a com-
petent and sympathiSic Minister was a most
ill-advised action, especially at the present
time, when the future of India is in the
balance.
MINING engineers found much to
interest them at the Shipping,
Engineering, and Machinery Exhibition held
at Olympia last month, as will be seen from
the brief description printed elsewhere in
this issue. One of the features of the
Exhibition was the holding of special
receptions for various classes of engineers,
on which occasions lectures were delivered
on the subjects of greatest novelty in each
particular line. One evening was set apart
to the Institution of Mining Engineers and
the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy,
and the social intercourse and the
opportunity for inspecting the exhibits in
congenial company were greatly appreciated.
A lecture and demonstration was given by
Professor Edwin Edser, who explained the
principles of froth flotation as applied more
especially to the saving of waste coal. When
future exhibitions of this class are held we
hope to see the makers of machinery used
at mines more widely represented. As a
matter of fact we believe that at the next
exhibition efforts will be made to secure a
representative show of modern types of
mining machinery of all kinds.
196
OCTOBER, 1921
197
PARTICULARS are to hand of another
shaft-sinking record. At the Chief
ConsoUdatcd mine, in the Tintic district,
Utah, the Water Lily vertical shaft was
sunk 427^ ft. during the 31 days from
July 15 to August 15. The first 367 ft.
passed through a porphyry formation, and
the last 60 ft. through a moderately hard
close-grained limestone. The shaft has three
compartments, each measuring 4 ft. 4 in. by
4 ft. 6 in. The surface equipment consists of
two small hoists and two air-compressors
operated electrically. Hoisting was done
through two compartments. Timbering was
done as the work proceeded by means of a
suspended steel bulkhead hung from each last
set, so that drilling and hoisting could be-
done continuously. The drill employed was
the Waugh Clipper, and the average number
of holes drilled each round was 23-9. The
particulars supplied do not include the depths
below surface of the start and finish of this
trial. The previous 31 days' record was the
310 ft. sunk at the Crown Mines No. 15
circular shaft in July, 1919. Here the shaft
was 21 i ft. in diameter, and the hoisting
depth averaged 2,150 ft., while the rock was
hard Rand quartzitc and the drills employed
were Holman sinkers. These shaft-sinking
competitions are not oiftcial, and there is
no handicapping as regards rock, energy of
the crew, or capability of the drills employed,
so all we can do is to congratulate the
respective crews for getting a move on.
British Coal-Mining
There are signs that all sections of the
community are now taking a more reasonable
attitude with regard to coal-mining, the
industry on which the prosperity of this
country depends. Both the owners and the
workers are listening more readily to the
advice of well-informed men of independent
position. Perhaps the most notable pro-
nouncements of this sort were made by
Sir John Cadman and Dr. J. S. Haldane
at the recent meeting of the Institution of
Mining Engineers. Sir John, in his
presidential address, spoke in frank and
unmistakable language of the causes of the
present unsatisfactory condition of the
industry. He showed that, whereas in 1900
the output of coal was 291 tons per man
employed, the figure had fallen to 183 tons
in 1920. There are several factors which may
have contributed to this fall. The thicker
and more accessible seams are gradually
being exhausted, and thinner seams and
seams at greater distances from the shafts
are being worked. Some people also maintain
that the mines are overmanned, and that the
surplus force does not add to the productive
capacity of the colUeries. It may be, as
Sir John said, that all British industry has
been passing through one of those lazy fits
that recur from time to time. But all these
are held by him as not affording the real
reason. In his view over-legislation is the
cause which operates the most effectively in
restricting output. During the last twenty
years coal-mining has been subjected to a
degree of political and legislative inter-
ference without parallel in any other
industry. These enactments have so circum-
scribed the initiative of both masters and
men in matters that might have been much
better left to their own discretion, and have
so fettered their freedom of action and
choice as to stifle their natural spirit of energy
and enterprise. The restrictions and
regulations were mostly imposed by outside
authorities little conversant with the matters
in hand, and the legislation has been fussy
and ill-conceived ; the result of the
regulations has been the virtual abolition of
personal responsibility and of co-operation
between managers and men. In fact, hasty
and inappropiiate laws have diminished the
output, and at the same time have not
increased the safety of working. There are
really so many regulations that the time
of the managers and men is taken up chiefly
in following them and signing forms, and
personal initiative in mining practice has
been stifled. In Sir John's words, what coal-
mining in Great Britain most needs is a
respite from the well-meant but bungling
attentions of Parliament.
In the speeches following the delivery
of Sir John Cadman's address, Dr. J. S.
Haldane spoke in his capacity as adviser
on improvements in underground conditions,
and he voiced the general complaint of
scientific men that their advice is often
ignored, and that if it is accepted it is usually
applied by people who have no knowledge
of the subject. His contention is that, if
certain recommendations of a scientific
committee are agreed to, the advice of that
committee as to the methods of carrying
them out in practice should also be taken.
He showed that in many cases scientific
recommendations have been quite wrongly
applied. Even if the committee particularly
requested that no legislation should be under-
108
Tin: MINING MAdAZINE
taken without further reference to tluiu,
tlic Government ofTicials continue in their
usual course. Dr. Haldanc instanced cases
where his own reconinieiidations hud been
applied in such a way that little good has
ensued : in fact, the regulations founded on
them only served to tie the men uj) in such
a way that they did not know which way to
move. It is to be hoped that the protests
uttered by two such high authorities as
Sir John Cadman and Dr. Haldane will have
some effect on the Government ; they will
certainly be accepted by the coal industry
and all associated with or dependent on it.
Arizona Copper
For two years or more the directors of
the Arizona Copper Company have been
in negotiation with the Phelps-Dodge Cor-
poration with a view to the sale of the
properties to the latter. After much delay
terms have been agreed and placed before
shareholders. It may be said at once
that the terms have been considered dis-
appointing, and that the shares have suffered
considerably on the market accordingly.
We believe, however, that this dissatisfaction
is not well founded, and that shareholders
will eventually find they have a sound and
satisfactory investment. Briefly, the
purchase price paid by the Corporation is
50,000 shares of SlOO each, to rank equally
with shares that have received an average
return of lS°o per annum during the last
twelve vears. The present issued capital
of the Corporation is 450,000 shares of SlOO
each, so that the Arizona Copper Company
will hold just one-tenth of the shares of
the Corporation. The issued capital of the
Arizona Copper Company is £703,984, of
which rather more than half is represented
by ordinary shares. During the last dozen
years the dividends on the ordinary shares
have averaged 50%, but owing to the severe
collapse of the copper market no profit was
made in 1920, and the mine was closed in
^lay of this year, along with many other
American copper mines. At first sight
the times may not appear auspicious for
a sale of the properties, and that a companj'
which has to find means for financing its
present losses and also has a prospect of
having to raise further capital for the
exploitation of the lower grade ore is not
exactly a free agent in the deal. But the
Phelps-Dodge Corporation is not an
organization that relies on the big stick
policy, or holds a pistol to the parties with
whom it negotiates ; moreover, it docs
not keep an eye and a half on the Stock
E.xchange, and only hall on its projier
business. The Corporation and its pre-
decessor, Phelps, Dodge & Co., have a
line record for technical ability and business
probity, and any agreement to which it
sets its seal is likel}' to prove a fair one.
Its commanding position in the copper
world was largely built up by the late
Dr. James Douglas, whose high character
was proverbial. The shares are almost
entirely held privately by people who value
thcni for the income they yield, and they
seldom change hands. Shareholders in the
Arizona Copper Company must learn to
adopt the same attitude. It is clear, on the
'otlier hand, that some means of valuing or
selling holdings on this side is desirable,
and for this reason the Phelps-Dodge shares
will not be distributed among Arizona
Copper Company shareholders, but will be
held by the latter company, which will thus
become a holding instead of an operating
company.
The two companies began active work
in Arizona at about the same time, the
Arizona Copper Company in the Clifton-
Morenci district, which was the first copper-
mining region to be developed in the South-
western States. The discoveries leading to
the commencement of a new industry
happened about 1875, but it was not until
the early eighties that active work was taken
in hand. In those days rich oxidized ores
in a limestone gangue were treated, and the
smelting experiences on this class of ores
formed an interesting incident in the history
of the metallurgy of copper. The Corporation
began work at Bisbee, and later acquired
the Detroit property at ]\Iorenci, the Globe
and Old Dominion at Globe, the Moctezuma
group over the border in Sonora, and the
Bunker Hill at Tombstone, while smelting
operations have been conducted at Bisbee,
Douglas, Globe, and Morenci. The ores
treated in the Chfton-Morenci district have
gradually become of lower and lower grade,
and the methods of mining, concentration,
and smelting have had to be continually
modified. To the Arizona Copper Com-
pany belongs the credit of having first
treated the .so-called " disseminated " or
" porphyry " type of deposit, long before
Utah Consolidated and Miami were heard
of. The Arizona Copper was also the first
company to establish leaching plants for
the oxidized ores. It is worthy of record
OCTOBER, 1921
199
that a substantial proportion of the ore-
minerals now mined are oxidized, consisting
of malachite, with smaller amounts of
cuprite, chrysocolla, and other compounds,
but the chief mineral of the ores is chalcocite.
At the present time the Arizona Copper
mines and the Detroit mine are showing
signs that another entire rearrangement of
the mining and concentration methods will
have to be undertaken so as to treat the
vast reserves of ore of a still lower grade.
The capital sum involved will probably
come to millions of pounds, and the Cor-
poration is better able to provide the funds.
Another point in favour of the Corporation
undertaking this work is that if the money
were provided in this country a considerable
loss would be incurred in sending it to the
United States with the dollar exchange in
its present position. The Corporation's
interests in the Clifton-Morenci district are
far from being the most important of
its possessions. The Copper Queen and the
Moctezuma are big producers of copper,
the Tombstone mines yield lead, silver,
and gold, and the Corporation also operates
coal mines at Stag Canon. The Arizona
Copper shareholders may therefore be con-
gratulated on securing a permanent interest
in a company which has such a wide
ramification of possessions. We cannot do
better for a peroration than quote the Copper
Handbook, which says : " Phelps Dodge
is one of the few new companies in the
copper-mining industry that is under-
capitalized rather than over-capitalized, and
this is but a detail in a general business
policy that, while thoroughly progressive
and "abreast with the times, retains the
fundamentally sound and conservative
policies developed by the old firm in nearly
a century of honourable and markedly
successful business life."
The Cornish Crisis
Two months ago we made an appeal for the
Cornish tin-miner, workless and threatened
with starvation owing to the stoppage of the
industry on which he depends for a living.
Unfortunately the position is rapidly
becoming more acute, and the outlook for
the winter is undoubtedly very serious.
The unemployment dole has automatically
ceased, and the distressed are oflicially
thrown on the rates, which are entirely
inadequate. Cornishmen are earnestly
seeking some satisfactory solution of the
difficulty. Thej' are generously raising
funds to afford temporary' relief, but it is
miiversally held that charity cannot be
elfective for long, as the purses of the givers
are not bottomless in these days, and also that
it is of little use to wait for the market in
tin to revive. Thus the Cornishmen 's
endeavours are twofold, one dealing with the
raising of funds to afford temporary relief,
and the other to find the men some work
that will benefit themselves and the county.
As we mentioned in the previous article,
the Distress Fund for the Camborne-Redruth
Area is doing excellent work. Mr. F. D.
Bain, the tin-smelter, is the treasurer of
the fund, and the Reverend W. A. Bryant
is the active organizer. Mention should also
be made of the valuable assistance given to
the committee by Mr. Herbert Thomas,
of the Cornish Post, who has obtained many
subscriptions from Cornishmen abroad. There
is a separate Distress Fund at St. Just, of
which Mr. Richard Nicholas is treasurer,
and substantial sums have been contributed
to it by the residents of Penzance. Many
people are desirous that St. Just should be
included in the other area, and that the Lord
Lieutenant should be thus enabled to con-
stitute a county fund. Such a rearrangement
would greatly add to the influence of the
Cornish appeals.
The police, too, are taking an active part
in the relief of distress. The Chief Con-
stable of Cornwall, Lieut. -Col. H. B.
Protheroe Smith, has issued an appeal for
his " Cornish Tin Miners' Relief Fund,"
and as it clearl}' reflects the present position
and the pressing necessity for help we quote
the appeal herewith. Writing from the Chief
Constable's oflice at Bodmin, he says : —
" Owing to the high price of coal during
the past few months and previously, and the
low price of tin, all the tin mines in Cornwall
have been closed down for several months.
Of the many men out there are 3,000 who,
from the end of September, receive no un-
employment dole at all, and it is estimated
that they have about 9,000 dependents.
About 600 of the younger men emigrated,
until emigration opportunities for tin miners
ceased. These men and their forefathers have
always been miners. Many of them are men
of 43 to 55 years of age, with large families.
Of the amount which has been raised for
them by means of this fund, and is
now almost expended, as much as possible
has been spent in payment for relief work,
and as little as possible in doles. At present
we have only sufficient to last until the middle
200
111£ MIXING .MAGAZlMi
of October, i-'ood depots liavo been oiniud
and hundreds of parcels have been given away
weekly. The men want work and nut doles,
and the object of the fund is to keep the
men employed on relief work until the
mines reopen, and to proctne food for the
women and children, and also coal. There
is a tremendous amount of privation. I
will only quote the most recent case which
was reported to me last w^eek, and is a
tvpical case of where help is needed. ,\
man, his wife, and nine children, no un-
emplovmcnt pay, sole income 15s. a week
from the eldest son, aged 16, except what
thej- get from the Relief Fund.
" I am trying to get all the financial
assistance I can for the miners, because : (1)
these men never lost a single day's work
through being on strike ; (2) while the mines
were working, in some mines the\- \'oluntarily
gave up 20% of their pay to trj* and keep
them going ; (3) the mines received no
subsidy, and no int^ated bonus was ever
asked for or received by the men during the
war ; (4) their ma.ximum pay (except the
contract men) was 50s., minimum 37s.
per week ; (5) their conduct up to the present
has been exemplary, in fact, wonderful.
" The Cornish Police have voluntarily sub-
scribed /270 (an average of £l per head)
during the last four months, and are still
subscribing, and I am collecting clothing
through the poHce all over the county.
The Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall,
has given £300 to the Relief Fund.
" I know the great distress all over the
country-, but in view of the foregoing,
especially where so many women and children
are concerned, who have no means of support
for the present, very little food, poor clothing,
and no coaJ, I should be very grateful if you
could help me with a donation to the fund
I am trying to raise, and could mention it to
any of your friends."
We endorse this appeal, and have already
sent a contribution to the fund. Perhaps
.some of our readers will follow this example.
Colonel Protheroe Smith is a kind-hearted
man, a.s are also Deputy' Chief Banfield and
Superintendent Smale, w'ho are associated
with him in this work. The count}- police
are deservedh' popular, for they are tactful
and sympathetic and do ever\'thing to help
the miners and to keep them in good temper
and in a reasonable frame of mind. In fact
the police in Cornwall and throughout the
kingdom are the sincere and discriminating
friends of the poor and of those in trouble.
So much for present relief, but the
greater (piestion emerges as to l;ow to jirovide
these men w-ith permanent work. In the
lust place it may be asked whether there is
any chance of the niines bting reopened.
Under ordinary circiunstances the answer
would be that economic conditions offer
little hope for any immediate resmnption
of work. By those desirous of adopting a
more active policy it has been suggested
that the mining companies should follow the
example of some of the iron-masters and
resume operations without any ho])e of a
profit, trusting that the imjirovenunt in
trade so confidently expected will put them
right in the long run. Most of the tin-mining
companies, however, are too poor to stand
the hnancial strain involved by such a
policy, and the two companies most likely
to be able to adopt the policy arc at present
worried with water and shaft troubles.
Another suggestion would be to ask the
Government to guarantee to the companies
sufficient financial aid to meet their working
costs. This proposal is on the same lines as
that brought forward a year or more ago
to the effect that doles should be diverted to
the mines with this desirable object in view.
Though the Government refused to listen
then, there is reason to hope that with the
altered financial condition of the country
some such arrangement might receive con-
sideration. On the other hand, some of the
mining companies would not take kindly to
Government interference, for such co-
partnership has proved expensive and
irritating in other quarters. If the miners
cannot be helped by the reopening of the
mines, the only alternative appears to be to
start works of public utility. There are at
present many such schemes suggested for
Cornwall. One that has recently been
promulgated seeks to provide for a new
drainage system at St. Just. But here,
again, the question of finance introduces
difficulties, for the Government, the counties,
and the boroughs are already so saddled with
debts and financial commitments that the
raising of the necessary funds will not be
an easy matter. Nevertheless, it is the
scheme that is most likely to obtain the
support of the Government, and before long
it is probable that soine public announce-
ment will be made on the subject on these
lines. Works of this character can, of course,
only be considered as temporary expedients
and palliatives, and Cornishmen will have to
continue to discuss the ways and means of
OCTOBER, 1921
201
reopening the mines, or in other ways of
providing profitable industrial occupation
for those at present deprived of their means
of livehhood.
The British Association
After passing through a diflicult period
of its existence owing to scientists having
devoted themselves to the study of war
problems and laying on one side for the time
the pul)lic exposition of new truths and
theories, the British Association has gained
its old footing this year, and the meeting
held in Edinburgh last month was one of the
most successful recorded during its existence
of ninety years. Being free from war worries
the scientists were able to devote thought
to the reorganization of the methods of
conducting the meetings and to the intro-
duction of improvements in the means of
presenting information and raising useful
discussion. Those who attended the
Edinburgh meeting are unanimous in their
praise of the executive, and in expressing
the opinion that the British Association is
itself again.
In the midst of the prodigal spread of
lectures, papers, and discussions, there stood
out three which drew general attention and
constituted the important features of the
meeting. These were concerned with the
release of atomic energy, the age of the earth,
and isotopes, three subjects which are
intimately connected. Readers of the
M.^GAZiNE are fairly familiar with the first
two subjects, but probably know little or
nothing of isotopes. This word was coined
to represent elements possessing the same
chemical characteristics and inseparable by
chemical means, but having different atomic
weights. The name is derived from the fact
that they occupy the " same place " in the
periodic series of Mendeleeff. From the
researches of a number of chemists, of whom
Professor F. W. Aston is the chief, it is
believed that many elements as known
to-day are a mixture of isotopes, a supposition
which explains why their atomic weights are
not whole numbers. Thus chlorine, whose
atomic weight is 3.5-46, is held to be a mixture
of two elements having the atomic weights
of 3.5 and 37. The isotopes making up an
element as we know it are quite insepaiable
by any chemical means, and their existence
would only be based on supposition if there
were no evidence of the existence of one by
itself and freed from its fellow isotopes. It
is here that the subject of the release of
4—3
atomic energy and the breakdown of the
atom is connected with that of isotopes, as
mentioned above. It has been found in the
course of study of radio-activity that when
thorium and uranium undergo radio-active
disintegration they assume the chemical
characteristics of lead and its position in the
periodic series, but differ from it in atomic
weight. Lead prepared by any chemical
method is taken to be a mixture of isotopes
that travel together through all current
reactions, while lead obtained by the
destruction of the uranium atom is a new
creation and consists of only one of the
isotopes of lead.
As regards the i^reakdown of the atom
and the resulting release of atomic energy,
the scientists concerned have not got further
than demonstiating this phy.sical fact in the
case of radium, and no means of generation of
power on a greater scale has as yet been
found, so for the present this ultimate
source of power need not be considered in
these pages. But mining men must keep
this future possibilit\- at the back of their
heads and thus be aware of the progress of
science as it ma}' affect them.
The other subject discussed at Edinburgh
to which we have made reference relates to
the age of the earth. Lord Kelvin, before
the days of radio-activity, had estimated the
period during which life could have existed
on the earth at a maximum of twenty million
years, basing his calculation on the rate of
cooling. During recent years it has been
discovered that the disintegration of uranium
has provided an internal source of heat which
has caused this rate of cooling to be far
slower than was known to Lord Kelvin.
Calculations based on the change of uraniuin
to lead indicate that the figure would be
more' nearlj^ a thousand million years.
There is considerable difference of opinion
as to whether the unit of uranium time has
been constant or not, and in particular
Professor SoUas has shown from a stud}'
of bombardment rings in the mica of granite
that the disintegration of uranium must
have been more rapid in the earlier stages
of the world's history.
In all the three branches of the subjects
here described the speculations are daring
in their conception, but as they are based
on undisputed evidence they deserve
recognition and consideration. The only
point of reservation is how far the reasoning
is aftected by other factors known or
unknown to us at present.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction. — Tlu' state of tr.uk' in tliis
country contiiURS to be Ixul.and the j;eneial
position is now being seriously considered bv
the Government. EvaMybody knows by now
that the remedy Hcs in liarder work for
smaller pay, diminution of profiteering on
the part of distributors, and a drastic re-
duction of public expenditure. The only
difficulty is to get people to act on this
principle. In the meantime mining of all
sorts is in a very depressed condition.
Transvaal. — The loading houses continue
to discuss the economic situation, more
particular!}^ w-ith regard to the management
of labour. Consideration is also being given
to the engineering side of the problem, for
it is generally felt that many improve-
ments could be introduced in mining and
metallurgical practice independently of the
labour question. It can hardly be denied
that the Rand has lagged behind in technical
progress. One cause of this backwardness
is undoubtedly due to the fact that the
control in these matters is far too tightly
held by the boards of directors, and that the
engineers do not have the free hand they
should.
Considerable interest has been aroused
by the publication of a cable to the effect that
Springs Mines is adopting an all-sliming
process. The cable says : " Directors have
decided in extending reduction plant to
discard stamp battery and plate amal-
gamation, and adopt all-sliming of ore and
direct cyanide treatment. Decision come
to as a result of metallurgical experiments,
and will result in reduced capital expenditure,
probably saving operating costs, increased
extraction gold contents." As far as any
written communication on the subject is
concerned, the only information we have
received relates to the elimination of stamps.
During recent years it has been the tendency
to send coarser material to the tube-mills
than formerly, and the openings in the battery
screens have been gradually made larger.
They are so large nowadays as to make
stamping almost supererogatory, seeing that
the modern crushers will supply a product
suitable for the tube-mill. Thus it is now
proposed to eliminate the stamp-mill and the
battery amalgamating plates. The other
two questions remaining for consideration
are, first, the elimination also of amal-
gamation below the tube-mills, and, second,
the abandonment of classification into
sand and slinir, the enniininnticiii of all the
ore to slinu'. and the treatment of the whole
in agitators. In this all-sliming method tiie
cyanide solutions would be introduced in
tlie tube-mills. Presumably the cable
means that amalgamation is entirely
eliminated, and that there is to be only one
protluct for cyaniding. We postpone further
discussion until complete information arrives.
The reports of those companies of the
Central Mining-Rand Mines group whose
linaneial years end with June 30 have been
issued this month. Of these. New Moilder-
fontein is the most important. Here the
tonnagemilled and the profit are both highest
on record, the figures being 1,083,000 tons,
as compared with 968,500 tons the year
before, and £l,69i),{)o2, as compared with
/1,1'.)3,S15. Of the profit no less than
£7.51,427 accrued from premium. The grade
of the ore milled was half a pennyweight
lower than the previous year, and the cost per
ton was up Is. 6d. An important feature of
the development work was the discovery
of ore averaging 97 dwt. over a large
stoping width, 82 inches, in the area west of
No. 2 shaft between the 12th and 13th levels.
No ore of this character has hitherto been
discovered in this section of the mine.
The Custodian of Ex-Enemy Property
is visiting London again in connexion with
the disposal of the shares under his control
in the gold mining and other companies
in South .-\frica, and it is hoped that a scheme
will be settled before long between the British
and Union Governments.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during
August was returned at 53,200 oz., as com-
pared with 51,561 oz. in July and 48,740 oz.
in August last year. The other returns from
Southern Rhodesia for .\ugust were : Silver,
14,609 oz. ; coal, 51,088 tons; chrome ore,
2,676 tons ; copper, 263 tons ; asbestos,
1,212 tons ; arsenic, 10 tons ; mica, 3 tons ;
diamonds, 9 carats.
It will be remembered that the Planct-
.\rcturus group of gold mines was reopened
a short time ago by the parent company,
the Gold Fields Rhodesian Development
Co., with the object of repaying the cash
advances previously made. It turns out
now that the costs are higher than expected,
so the Gold Fields company has determined
to work the higher grade ore only. The
reserve at June 30 was 251,034 tons,
averaging about 11'8 dwt., but a large
202
OCTOBER, 1921
203
amount of lower-grade ore has now been
omitted from the estimate, and the new
figures are 139,600 tons, averaging 13-27 dwt.
Only this higher-grade ore is now being worked.
Kenya. — The IMagadi Soda venture is still
hampered in its progress bj' various economic
factors, and the financial result for 1920
was a debit of £159,326, bringing the total
adverse balance to £357, 000. At first sight
it might be thought easy to market these
vast deposits of natural soda, but their
development was blocked during the war
in many ways, and then the trade opposition
is powerful. Those who are acquainted with
the chemical business know how hard it is
for a new-comer to secure a market even
for a commodity in universal demand. The
Magadi enterprise is in the hands of strong
people, the Shell and the Central Mining
groups, and they will surely win through
eventually. Production and sales started
last year, and have increased slowly and
steadily since.
Nigeria. — In June last it was mentioned
that the Xaraguta Tin ilines was developing
alluvial gold prospects in the Birnin Gwari
and Kano regions. The necessary pumping
and crushing plants have since been acquired,
and we are informed that ^Ir. Clyde Allen
is leaving London for Nigeria about the
middle of ne.xt month for the purpose of
organizing a comprehensive campaign of
exploration and development.
Australia.— It is announced that the
Electrolytic Zinc Company of Australasia,
whose works are at Risdon, Tasmania, has
made a contract with the British Govern-
ment to take 750,000 tons of zinc concentrates
over a period of years. Presumably this
contract will help to relieve the British
Government of part of its burden, but further
details are necessary before the exact
influence of the contract can be ascertained.
In the meantime the stocks of this product
are accumulating at an increasing rate, and
in addition the Broken Hill Proprietary has
decided to resume production of this article.
The following table gives in actual cash
the Government disbursements to the mines
during the live months April to August : —
Tons
i
April .
11,943
53,743
:\Iay .
14,085
63,382
June .
16,677
75,046
July .
17,758
79,911
August
22,418
100,881
Totals
82,881
372,963
The Gold Producers' Association of
Australia report that during July 89,888 oz.
of standard gold was sold, realizing an
average net price of 101s. 9d. per oz., which
is equal to 112s. 9d. per oz. fine. The net
premium received during the months
January to June was £444,636, which repre-
sents 21s. lOd. per oz. fine on the gold sold.
Of this amount £144,544 was distributed
among members of the association on May 30,
and the balance on August 25.
At the Sons of Gwalia mine the plant for
the re-treatment of sand and slime was
started on September 20. It will be
remembered that the mill was destroyed by
fire early this year. The present announce-
ment indicates a resumption of gold pro-
duction. The new main plant will be ready
later.
A cable message announces the closing-
down of the Mount Bischoff tin mine in
Tasmania, owing to the unfavourable con-
ditions in the tin market. For some time this
celebrated mine has been yielding only low-
grade ores, but there is no reason to think
that the closing is final, for the last fortnightly
reports to hand by mail refer to increased
provision for roasting the pyritic ores.
A serious explosion occurred last month at
the Mount ilulligan colliery. North Queens-
land, operated by the Chillagoe Company,
when over fifty men lost their lives. The
disaster is all the more to be deplored because
the coal and coke are relied on for many
metallurgical operations in this region.
Particulars of this coalfield were given in
our issue of February, 1918.
India. — The scheme for raising further
capital for Champion Reef has now been
put before shareholders. The capital of the
present company is £260,000, in shares of
2s. 6d. each ; a new company is to be formed
with the same nominal capital, but divided
into shares of 10s. each, of which one will be
given credited as 4s. paid for every four in the
old company. This may seem a very drastic
reconstruction, but it must be remembered
that most of the shares in the company were
issued at high premiums, and that holders
have paid far above par for their shares
and have received big dividends for many
years. The output of gold has fallen con-
siderabl}^ lately, so that it has been necessary
to draw on the reserve fund for expenditure
on capital account, usually met out of
revenue, and also restrict the amount of
development. The funds now raised are
required for further development, and for
201
Till' MI\IN(, MACAZIXE
additional expenditure to provide for deeper
operations.
At the Balaghat mine the lode lias been
intersected on the 4,200 ft. level south,
where the assaj'-value of the ore is l.')d\vf.
gold per ton over a width of 4 ft. This is
the lowest level in the mine.
The Indo-Burma ttilfulds, Ltd., has made
an issue of £2.')0,()oo debentures for the
purpose of developing its properties. The
company was formed last year for the
purpose of acquiring property in the
Yenangyaung oiltield, particularly at
Yenanma, Padaukpin. and Okpon.
Col. H. H. John.son and Mr. S. C. Sampson
are the engineers in charge. Co-o]5erative
arrangements have been made with the
Yomah Oil Company, of which Dr. Arthur
Holmes is the manager, for drilling and also
for refining.
Cornwall. — A second appeal for aid for
the out-of-work tin miners is made in another
part of this issue. This appeal is now being
actively backed by many of the leading
London dailv papers. We do not hear of
any likelihood of mining being resumed
anj'where at present.
No further news is to hand with regard to
the position at East Pool and South Croity,
but there appears to be some prospect that
the two companies will not go their own ways
independently, as might be inferred from the
announcement by East Pool, recorded in
our last issue. It would not be advisable
for us to say more than this at present.
Lead and Zinc in Britain. — A more
reasonable attitude is now being shown by
the unions who control the doings of the lead
miners, and it may be possible to resume work
here and there. At Wanlockhead, in
Dumfries, the men have signified their
willingness to try the owners' terms. It is not
likely that any zinc will be mined anywhere
in Britain, for the demand for British con-
centrates has vanished. As regards the
reopening of zinc smelters, the Villiers works
at Swansea is being started on half capacity
as a trial, but none of the other companies
shows any inclination for resumption.
Canada. — A circular has been issued by
the Kirkland Lake Proprietarj- Company,
which announces that the continuation of the
faulted No. 2 lode on the Tough Oakes has
been found in a cross-cut from the .500 ft.
level ; also that a cross-cut driven since on
the 300 ft. level has intersected the upthrown
lode. This part of the lode is in the Burnside
propert}-, and future development will be
done from the Burnside No. H shaft.
Mr. W. H. (ioodchiUl is now making a
geological examination.
Colombia. — Tin- Colombian Mining antl
]-I\pliMaiic'n Ci^nipany has issued a statement
to the effect that the new mill for the treat-
ment of the Marmato gold ores, as outlined
in September of last 3'ear, is in course of
construction. It is hoped to have the first
unit, which wiU be of a capacity of 3.000 tons
per month, ready by the end of January, and
the remainder, bringing the capacity to
! 0.0(11) tons, by the end of March.
Bolivia. — As already recorded in these
columns, the Aramayo Francke Mines, Ltd.,
has changed its domicile to Switzerland,
where the company is now known as the
Compagnie .Xramayo de Mines en Bolivic.
The completion of the transfer of the property
was effected on December 23, 1920. The
Swiss company now issues a report for 1920,
and the accounts are in Swiss francs. The
market here converts the figures into poimds
at 22'50 francs per pound. Thus the profits
are given at /234,500, as against £663,900
for the previous period, 19 months ended
December 31, 1919. The dividends dis-
tributed were /119,440, being at the rate of
20%, as compared with £179,127, or 30%
for the previous period. The balance, which
is a large one, is kept in hand, so that the
company shall preserve its strong position
in these doubtful times.
Portugal. — The directors of Mason &
Barry, Ltd., the company which has worked
the San Domingos pyrites mines at Mcrtola
for fifty years, announce that negotiations
are in hand that may lead to the sale
of the properties, but no details of any
sort are given.
Czecho-Slovakia. — The Imperial and
Foreign Corporation, of which Mr. Herbert
Guedalla is the head, has become interested
in the Joachimsthal uranium-radium mines,
in so far as the marketing of the products is
concerned. For the purpose of conducting
the business the corporation and the Czecho-
slovak Government have formed a company
called the Czecho-Slovak Company for the
Exploitation of Radium. A large consign-
ment of radium bromide has already arrived
in this country, and the best way of deriving
an income from it is now being devised.
We have not yet heard of any pressman
alleging that the presence of this radium
accounts for the abnormally hot weather
now being enjoj-ed in London.
TRINIDAD:
A REVIEW OF ITS GEOLOGY AND OIL RESOURCES
By HENRY B. MILNER, M.A., D.I.C., F.G.S.
Lecturer in Oil Technoloey. Royal School of Mines
In the (ollowing article the author summarizes our present knowledge of the geology of the Island of Trinidad, with
special reference to the mode of occurrence and storage of its ojl. An account is given of the progress of development of
the petroleum resources, and some of the more important technical difficulties encountered during oil exploration in the
Island are discussed.
(Concluded from September issue, p. 14S.)
Economics.
The geological history of Trinidad during
Tertiary times embraces three quite distinct
phases of sedimentation with which the
occurrence of petroleum in the island is
intimately related. It has been found that
for the main oil-producing region in the
south, two petroliferous groups of strata
are recognizable, a lower and an upper ;
the lower corresponds to the Eocene-
Oligocene (in part) phase, the two together
sometimes known as Paljeogene, and repre-
sents a period of marine transgression in
which essentially marine sediments were
laid down in the north (Naparima area), and
shallower water deposits in the south (Siparia,
Erin, etc.). The upper group corresponds
to the late Oligocene and Miocene (in part)
phase, during which the pre-existing ocean
basin was rapidly filled up by excessive
sedimentation, producing abundant
arenaceous material and a marked absence
of calcareous facies, characteristic of the
lower group in the Naparima area. The
third phase constituted by the late Miocene
and Pliocene epoch was a period of erogenic
movement, and the uplift occasioned a
still further shallowing of the sea, with
concomitant production of estuarine and
even terrestrial deposits, now represented
by the Moruga series ; a certain amount of
oil occurs in association with this series,
but it has probably all migrated across
the unconformity from the underlying
Naparima beds, the uppermost beds of
which constitute the main oil horizons now
being tapped. The lower oil-bearing group
is not so well known on account of the great
depths at which the oil-sands often lie ;
further reference will be made to this
ultimately. With regard to oil production
from the Moruga beds, it is important to
remember that we are here dealing with beds
laid down subsequent to the main Tertiary
folding of the region (Middle Miocene), and
whose relationship to the underlying series
is one of marked unconformability ; in
consequence, production from wells put
down entirely in Moruga beds may be, and
often is, of a sporadic nature.
The surface indications of petroleum are
extremely numerous in the island ; these
include the usual oil and gas seeps, mud-
volcanoes, asphaltic deposits such as the
famous Pitch Lake, and manjak veins. Oil
seeps occur very frequently, as for example
at Lizard Springs, La Brea, along the Vance
River, and at Point Ligoure. Mud-
volcanoes are also widely distributed, and
they often have a special significance. As
in other countries, two main types exist,
the simple and the compound ; the former
consists of a single cone commonly attaining
as much as 20 ft. or more in diameter at
the base ; an exceptional example of this
type is seen in Columbia Estate, ward of
Cedros, and is known as the " Columbia
Chimney," in which the crater alone is
150 yards in diameter, according to
Cunningham Craig.'-^ The compound type
is made up of a series of overlapping smaller
cones, varying from a few inches to two
or three feet in diameter, these often initiated
on the slopes of a much larger simple cone ;
an example of this is the " Devil's Wood-
3?ard " near Princes Town. Other well-
known examples of mud-volcanoes in
Trinidad are the " Chemin de Diable,"
south coast of the island, and those at
Galfa Point and Islot Point. Their dis-
tribution is frequently in a definite direction,
corresponding to the trend of important
fracture lines ; such lines are developed as
a result of antichnal flawing and faulting,
particularly in pitching structures. On this
account the existence of mud-volcanoes
is to many a warning not to drill rather
than a good indication, since it pre-supposes
fracture and escape of oil, rather than
subterranean storage.
Of the solid or semi-solid asphaltic
indications, no finer example exists than the
famous Pitch Lake at La Brea (Fig. 4a). This
has an area of about 137 acres and consists
of an emulsion of bitumen, sand, and water,
solid at the surface, but becoming soft and
205
206
THK MlXINi; MAt.AZlNl-:
viscous in depth, and also in the central
parts of the lake. Its maximum thickness
is 135 ft., but it sliallows considerably
towards the margin ; the estimated amount
of asphalt present is about nine million
tons, and notwithstanding the quantity
of material already removed, the level of
the lake has onlj- sunk about 8 ft., due to
the fact that the rate of influx of lluid
asphalt beneath tends to counterbalance
the amount removed from the surface.
Superficially the deposit exhibits the forma-
tion of broad folds on a large scale, due to
constant motion of material from centre to
periphery (Fig. 4b) ; water collects in the
troughs of these folds and gas is frequently
L* eBSA P'
Plan of Pitch Lake.LaBrea.
( Bdsc<3 on Abraham. Wail 3l Sawktns.& Orher$ )
seen bubbling through it, which on analysis
proves to be a mixture of methane, carbon
dioxide, hydrogen, and water.-- Several
'■ islands " composed of sandy cover rock
occur in the lake, on which shrubs and
small trees thrive ; these islands are in
slow but continual movement from point
to point over the surface .of the asphalt,
dependent on the motion of the latter.
The methods employed in mining the
deposit are quite simple ; the asphalt is
hand dug, loaded on to trolleys actuated
by cable along a rail track (which can
be easily shifted as work progresses and
=' E. H. Cunningham Craig. Oil Finding. 1917,
p. 105.
■- H. Abraham, Asphalti and Allied Substances,
1918, pp. 108-15.
also when sinkage occurs), carried by inclined
cable for nearly a mile to the wharf, where
it i-; tijiped into steamers for export. In
1010, 131,090 long tons of this lake asphalt
were exported, of which 13,380 tons went
to Europe and 117,719 tons to the United
States. Shipments in 1918 and 1919
amounted to 71,.">0 1 and 93, 951 tons
respectively.
Abraham gives the following analj'sis of
the crude material from the centre of the
lake":—
of
Water and Gas volatilized at 100° C 29-0
.\sphalt soluble in carbon bisulphide . . . .39'0
.'\sphalt absorbed by mineral matter 0'3
Mineral matter on ignition 27 '2
Water of hydration in mineral matter 4'3
Total 99-8
Further, after pulverizing and drying to
constant weight, analysis gave the following
results : —
o/
/o
.\sphalt soluble in carbon bisulphide 55 "0
l*'ree mineral matter 3r)'S
Water of hydration, etc 9'7
Total 100-2
Refining the crude material consists in
heating it to 160° C. to drive off water and
small amount of volatile constituents ; thus
purified, the asphalt has a jet-black colour,
a somewhat dull lustre, marked conchoidal
fracture, and a specific gravity of r41
(varies slightly).
The constant motion of this lake asphalt
referred to above tends to cause its move-
ment downhill towards the sea, the lake
being 138 ft. above sea-level ; this results
in the production of a large stream of " land
asphalt " (Fig. 4a), different in composition
from the lake deposit and varying with
duration of exposure to atmospheric weather-
ing. This land asphalt is also typically
solid at the surface and three varieties are
known locally, " cheese pitch," "iron pitch,"
and "cokeypitch" ; the first is characterized
b}' the development of gas cavities, giving
it a gruyere-like appearance ; the iron
pitch is exceedingly hard as a result of
continual weathering, and the cokey facies
is the product due to carbonization by local
=j H. Abraham, op. cit., and references there quoted.
See also Clifford Richardson, Proc. Am. .Soc. Testing
Materials, 1906^. 6. p. 509, also Modern Asphalt
Pavement, 1908. p. 176. Analyses were also given by
P. Carmody in his paper on " Trinidad as a Key to the
Origin of Petroleum." See footnote (1).
OCTOBER, 1921
207
shrub fires, etc. This land asphalt differs
from the lake asphalt in containing no gas
or water, a higher percentage of mineral
matter, and a lesser percentage of volatile
constituents.
Besides these lake and land asphalts
just described, there are deposits of manjak
in the island, mainly found as veins and
fissures in the Tertiary rocks of the San
Fernando area, and elsewhere ; it occurs in
sufficient quantity in Trinidad to make its
exploitation worth while, and is mined
especially at the Marabella and Vista Bella
mines. Carmody has given the results of
several analyses made on this material, and
these show a fluctuation of between 84%
and 95% of pure bitumen. ^^
Thus the lake asphalt and the manjak
constitute the principal solid forms of
petroleum in the island ; ozokerite, the
natural paraffin wax, though reported from
Trinidad, seems to be of very doubtful
occurrence there.
Geohgieal Age.
4. Pliocene (Up.
Tertiary).
..V Miocene (Mid.
Tertiary).
2. Palaeogene (Lr.
Tertiary).
'' Cretaceous.
Horizon.
Moruga .Series,
" La Brea
Oil-sand."
Naparima
Series,
"Rio Blanco
Oil-sand" or
Upper Oil
Group.
Galeota sands.
Lizard sands
or LowerOil
group ; divi-
sible into
two, an
upper and a
lower Oil-
sand.
(Tabaquite
Oil-field,
Central
Kange).
Remarks.
/-Migrated oil.
Heavy, Asphaltic
I base.
I Sulphurous.
S.G., 0-950,
^ average.
/Asphaltic oil.
Low sulphur
content.
- S.G., 0-908,
average.
Chief producing
^ horizon.
High grade light
oil.
S.G., 0-840,
average.
Paraffin base oil.
S.G., 0-796.
Horizonl-a/ Scale of Mi/es
0 I 2 3 ■»- 5
Vertical Scsle of Feet
0 500 1000 I50O
SANPY SHALES '
? MIOCENE F<Uil(
Fig 4. (A) Section across Pitch Lake, La Brea
( Ba5ed on Wall and Sawkms. anci Others.)
Passing now to the oil itself, reference
has already been made to the principal
stratigraphical horizons from which it is
obtainable ; we may summarize these as
follows : —
•* p. Carmody, " Trinidad as a Key to the Origin of
Petroleum," a paper read before the Inst. Pet. Tech..
May 10, 1921, as .vet unpublished, but a resume
occurs in the Petroleum Times, May 21, 1921. p. 585,
including analvses of oils. For Manjak see also E. H.
Cunningham Craig, " San Fernando Manjak Field,"
Council Paper No." 3 of 1905, Trinidad, 1905.
Generally speaking, a heavy asphaltic fuel-oil
is characteristic of the island, and is obtained
chiefly from the Upper Oil group ; paraffin
and mixed base oils also occur. Carmody
has given details of several analyses of
liquid and semi-hquid oils from Trinidad,
in which the specific gravities of various
samples range from 0-796 as at Tabaquite,
to 0-977 as at Fyzabad."
With regard to the above horizons, the
Tabaquite oil is usually supposed to be
from a pre-Tertiary formation, that is.
20S
iiil; .mix int. magazine
Cretaceous sandstone, but geologists are
not all agreed on this point, some suggesting
that it is a pre-Crotaceous oil, others that
it is a Cretaceous oil, and yet others that
it is a Tertiary oil. A more recently favoured
theory suggests that the oil has accumulated
in its present position by downward
migration from overlying Tcrtiaries, now-
removed by denudation, a theory currying
favour in somewhat anomalous oil occur-
rences in other countries besides Trinidatl.
The Lower Oil group or Galcota Sand
horizon produces, as at Lizard Spring, a
very high-grade oil with large percentages
of petrol and kerosene. The Upper Oil
group (Rio Blanco Oil-sand of Cunningham
Craig) is the most important producing
horizon at present, and the oil is of a heavy
asphaltic type with varying specific gravity ;
in the Point Fortin fields for example the
S.G. varies from ()-907 to 0-945, while at
Fyzabad it is as much as 0-977. The La
Brea Oil-sand, as already stated, is essentially
a horizon of migrated oil, characterized
by its high specific gravity (0-950), and its
sulphurous content.
A ^ striking feature of the petroleum
produced in Trinidad is the marked variation
shown in composition, as evidenced by the
great differences in specific gravities, per-
centages of petrol, kerosene, lubricating
oil, sulphur, and solid residues as a result of
refining ; the occurrence of such a variety
of oils suggests either formation originally
under constantly changing conditions of
deposition, or subsequent alteration in
character as a result of inspissation and
allied natural processes. Very probably
both factors have been at work in the
present instance, for we have already seen
how the physical conditions altered with
the growth of the Tertiary epoch, and
furthermore observed cases of natural
filtration are quite common in the island ;
in this connexion Cunningham Craig has
described an interesting example at Lizard
Spring, to which account the reader is
referred for further information.'' Obviously
a consideration of these facts throws us
back to the question of the origin of Trinidad
oil, and unfortunately this still remains
an unsolved problem for most people ; it
is not as though w-e were dealing with a
definite oil horizon as well individualized
as the Monterey Shales of Californian
fields, for instance, where an associated
'' E. H. Cunningham Craig, Oil Finding, 1917.
pp. 91-2.
tliatomaceous fauna is indicative of the
origin of the oil, thus indigenous to these
rocks ; in Trinidad the evidence is much
more obscure, and apart from the problems
of the relationship of one oil horizon to
another, in themselves formidable enough
to solve, so far no generally accepted theory
has been propounded to explain the
phenomena observed. The recent paper
by Professor Carmody is mildly constructive
in suggesting " Trinidad as a key to the
origin of petroleum," but it lacks com-
prehensiveness in narrowing down the
question to a vegetable origin which, while
capable of explaining the occurrence of
certain oil-pools in the island, is inadequate
to all cases both here and in other parts
of the world, as for instance in the Californian
example cited above. A special plea of
that author's work, however, that of close
collaboration between geologist and chemist,
is certainly sound, and this combination,
if not initially successful in solving the
local problems of Trinidad oil, may ultim-
ately be expected to provide a solution to
the question of the origin of petroleum
in a broad sense, from which suitable deduc-
tions may be drawn to meet the special
circumstances of cases such as the one
under discussion.
It remains to mention in this economic
section coals and lignites occurring in the
island ; these may be dismissed briefly as
they are of little commercial value. The
coal deposits are not extensive, and the
material is of poor quality ; they occur
particularly at Cunapo and Montserrat,
the coals of the latter locality being decidedly
bituminous. Lignites, also of poor quality,
occur at Chaguanas and Brasso Caparo.
It is noteworthy that the above occurrences
are not located in the main petroliferous
region of the island.
Production of Petrolf.um.
One of the most characteristic features
of the oil reservoirs in Trinidad is their
strong tendency to exhibit lenticular dis-
position, particularly in the case of the
upper oil horizon ; these reservoirs usually
consist of sand lenses intercalated with
argillaceous strata, and their occurrence is
determined primarily as afunction of estuarine
and deltaic deposition, subsequently modified
by the nature and degree of deformation
undergone by the enclosing strata. We
have already seen that on the whole the
varying phases of deposition of the Tertiary
OCTOBER, 1921
209
rocks of the island are indicative of shallow
water conditions, and the presence of these
lenticular sand masses is clearly incompatible
with deep-water sedimentation, a factor
receiving support from the marked lateral
variation in lithology of the deposits,
previously remarked. The usual textbook
diagrams of lenticular oil-pools, however,
can hardly be accepted as truly illustrative
of actual conditions, and the contrasted
behaviour of wells often in close proximity
is not so easily explainable on the assumption
of the existence of several small lenses, as
on this factor of lateral variation with its
attendant differences of porosity of
sediment. The accurate Tocation of these
structures is one of the most difficult tasks
facing the geologist, and in regions of
extensive folding of strata, as in Trinidad,
.such difficult}' is doubly accentuated ; it
obviously implies a fundamental knowledge
of the mode of origin of the sediments, their
lithology, variation, and mutual relationships,
supplemented by a careful study of the
records of existent wells and by all the
power that modern field and laboratory
methods may bring to bear on the questions
concerned. Then with a clear idea of the
attitude of these oil-pools in depth, the
subsequent location of well sites becomes
a comparatively straightforward matter, and
it may be safely said that the failure of many
wells put down in Trinidad, as in other
countries, is due largely to insufficient
" ground work " in minimizing risk, quite
apart from failure due to adverse circum-
stances over which the geologist has no
control. There is a further element to be
considered in this respect and that is the
frequent antipathy shown by drillers to the
geological staff ; the gulf between them is
unfortunately often a wide one, not only
in some cases in Trinidad, but also in other
oilfields. That it can be successfully breached
by tact and collaboration of both parties
is the opinion of more than one field manager
known to the writer. The point is not
by any means irrelevant to prosperous oil
production.
Drilling is not easy in Trinidad for many
reasons, chiefly owing to the rapidly changing
characters of the .strata, and also on account
of the high gas pressure frequently met
with ; in many cases the sands cave badly,
and this, coupled with the fact that the
rocks are often dipping at fairly high angles,
tends to cause delay. Water again some-
times gives trouble, and in such instances
prolonged bailing has to be resorted to
before production can be obtained. In
areas of excessive gas pressure the buckling
of casing previously lowered into the hole
is of frequent occurrence ; where this cannot
be overcome by temporary expedient, the
well has to be sealed off, and an " offset "
put down at a more pertinent location.
Gushers are common in some fields, and that
of Ape.x No. 3 in November last is still
fresh in the public mind ; in this case a
gross flow of at least 100,000 barrels of oil
in eighteen hours occurred, a dam capable
of holding back 50,000 barrels being washed
away, the well ultimately catching fire and
causing much damage. Happily, disasters
on this scale are the exception rather than
the rule, and usually, thanks to the ability
of the drilling engineers in charge, there are
comparati\'elv few wells which come in with
a " blow " that are not ultimately brought
in satisfactorily, with little, if any, loss of oil.
Generally speaking, the wells are from 600
to 2,000 ft. deep, though there is no specific
reason why deeper wells should not be
drilled if, ceteris paribus, prospects suggest
the advisability of so doing. Both standard
percussion and rotary flush systems are
employed, and latterly the combination
of the two has been favoured, that is,
starting with percussion and changing over
to rotary usually at about 500 to 700 ft.,
though this may vary according to circum-
stances. As in other oilfields, however,
there is no rigid rule as regards method,
and each well put down is drilled according
to the system best befitting the conditions
obtaining in the particular area selected.
Oilfield Development.
It is not surprising, in view of the
potentialities of Trinidad as an oil-producing
colony, that development of its petroleum
resources has been rapid, largely owing to
the enterprise of British companies. The
following table of the annual production
of oil from 1905 gives some indication of
the course of events : —
Imp. Gallons.
1905-1909-10 368,934
1910-11 4.378,942
1911-12 9,985,748
1912-13 17.626,563
1913-14 22,523,060
1914-15 36,753.931
9 months ending Dec. 1915 23,489,362
1916 32,475,695
1917 56,080.914
1918 72,872,398
1919 64,436,632
1920 72,905,947
210
Tin: .MINING MAGAZINE
OCTOBER, 1921
211
From the above statistics it will be seen
that, on the whole, the production of oil
has been steadily on the increase ; the
dropping off in output in 1916, and again
in 1919, was due to a variety of circumstances
connected with the war, though in the latter
case, apart from general financial depression,
shortage of material, and increased costs
of production prevalent, this falling off
was not wholly without natural cause, a
marked decline in output being noted from
several of the best wells put down. While
certain people were at once pessimistic
enough in predicting a gradual future
decrease in production thence onwards,
the consensus of opinion of geologists and
others best qualified to judge the trend
of events in the island showed little belief
in such prognostication, and the official
returns for 1920 completely justify the
more favourable view. We revert to the
question of decreased output of oil from
natural causes subsequently.
At the present time the development
of the petroleum industry in Trinidad is
in the hands of some thirty or more com-
panies, some of them long established,
others comparatively newcomers ; by far
the largest producing company is the
Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd., which has an
average monthlj^ output of some 15,000
barrels. The greatest activity from the
standpoint of actual production is in the
south-western portion of the island, from
San Fernando to Cedros, while considerable
developments are in progress in the Fort
George, Piparo, Williamsville, ]\Iontserrat,
and Tabaquite districts of central Trinidad.
In the following description of the various
oilfields it is convenient to deal with them
geographically under three regions, (n) South-
western Peninsula, (b) South Coast and
South-Eastern Trinidad, and (c) Central
Trinidad.^''
{a) South-Weslern Peninsula. — This in-
cludes the region to the west of a line drawn
from San Fernando through Princestown
to Moruga, and comprises some of the
most important oilfields as yet developed
in the island. In the vicinity of San
Fernando itself, several interests are repre-
sented, including the Naparima Oilfields
-'' For reasons both of expediency and space, it is
impossible to do more than mention briefly the chief
companies and their properties in the Island ; for
further information, reference must be made to the
various company reports published and to the well
known " Oil and Petroleum Manual," 1921, by Walter
R. Skinner.
of Trinidad, Ltd., which are developing
the oil resources of the Ste. Madeleine
Sugar Co's. estates, comprising over 16,000
acres. To the south, the Trinidad Lease-
holds, Ltd., are operating at Barrackpore,
an area of 1,000 acres acqtiired from the
Trinidad Oil and Transport Co., Ltd., in
1918 ; a 6 in. pipe-line has been laid connecting
up with the company's main pipe-line
from Forest Reserve to the shipping port
at La Carriere IJPoint-a-Pierre). To the
south of this property the Trinidad Central
Oilfields, Ltd., hold prospecting rights over
about 800 acres. West of the Oropuche
Lagoon, the Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd.,
are operating their Forest Reserve field
in the Fyzabad district, with a subsidiary
field at Santa Cecilia to the east ; in the
former field forty-six wells are now producing,
and a 6 in. pipe-line exists thence through
Santa Cecilia to La Carriere, a distance
of 26 miles. Development of the Santa
Cecilia field is in progress. In this Fyzabad
district, the Apex (Trinidad) Oilfields, Ltd.,
have their properties, covering an area of
some 800 acres ; it was here that the gusher
struck at well No. 3 occurred last year, to
which reference has already been made ;
this well is now producing again. Further
to the west the United British Oilfields of
Trinidad, Ltd., have properties in the
Guapo and La Brea districts, while the
Trinidad Dominion Oil Co., besides other
properties in the south-east of the island,
holds some 530 acres under lease at
Point Rouge. The Trinidad Central
Oilfields, Ltd., also have 483 acres in the
Guapo district, and other smaller companies
are operating in the vicinity, which includes
the Crown Lands in the Morne L'Enfcr
Reserve, over which the Petroleum Develop-
ment Co. have prospecting rights. To the
north the Pitch Lake is in the hands of the
New Trinidad Lake Asphalt Co., Ltd.,
while the Trinidad Lake Petroleum Co., Ltd.,
have the oil rights on this property ; there
is a refinery and shipping wharf at Brighton,
just west of La Brea, from which both oil
and asphalt are exported. The United
British Oilfields of Trinidad, Ltd., control
altogether some 38,000 acres in the island,
of which part is located in this peninsular
region. Several properties bordering the
south coast and extending eastwards towards
Moruga await future development by the
companies concerned.
(6) South Coast and South-Eastern Trinidad.
— This region is embraced by a line drawn
in; MlMNc. MAc.AZJXli
212
from Moniga Point northwards tliroui;h
the Fort George area, thence east to Mayaro
Point. The greater part of this cHstriet is
undeveloped as yet, four companies having
the chief interests therein. Trinidad Lease-
holds, Ltd., hold under lease from the
Government about -10,000 acres to the west
and north of Guayaguayare Bay, just west
of Galcota Point ; circumstances of war, and
inadequate storage capacity and transport
facilities have retarded "development of
this property, but considerable geological
sur\Ty work has already been carried out.
Trinitlad Central Oilfields, Ltd., also have
properties here, 97-J acres at Lizard Springs
and -12,216 acres at JLayaro, part held on
lease and part on exploration licence ; the
other two companies concerned arc the
United British Oilfields of Trinidad, Ltd.,
and the Trinidad Dominion Oil, Ltd.,
the latter property bf)rdering Guayaguayare
Bav and adjoining the Trinidad Leaseholds
field.
(c) Central Trinidad. — In the central part
of the island, the Trinidad Central Oilfields,
Ltd., have had their enterprise rewarded
by the development of the well-known field
at Tabaquite, being part of a property
covering some 25,730 acres, of which over
1,000 acres are held on lease ; the port of
shipment is at Claxton Bay, a little to the
north of Point-a-Pierre, where the company
has a small refinery connected to the field
at Tabaquite by a pipe-line, the distance
being 18 miles. Trinidad Leaseholds, Ltd.,
also have oil rights over certain smaller
areas in this region, as at Piparo, where
developments are in progress. Following
on the success achieved by the Trinidad
Central Oilfields, Ltd., in this part of the
island, proving the existence of valuable
high-grade light oil, considerable attention
is being focussed on this region, previously
regarded as an unlikely area of commercial
oil production. In the map (Fig. 5) the
distribution of the proved petroliferous areas
is shown, together with the main lines of
anticlinal fle.xure previously described.
CONXLt'SIOX.
The logical sequence to a descriptive
article such as this is naturally a reference
to the future oil prospects of the island,
possibly almost as elusive a .subject as much
of its internal geology ! ]\Iany different
opinions are expressed on this point, and
one constantly hears the remark that
" Trinidad is being overdone," at least
on this side, for it is seUlom made by those
who have had long expeiience in the island.
Mention has already been made of the
noticeable decline in production of 1019 ;
this now requires a little niorr detailed
explanation.
The bulk of the producing wells in Trinidad
have hitherto tapped the resources of the
upper oil horizons, the lower in many cases
lying at great depths, though not outside
ultimate drilling range. This is particularly
the feature of the .south-western part of
the island, where, although the lower sands
have been proved to exist, test wells put
down for the purpose of exploring the
deeper oil-pools have frequently met with
trouble in the shape of excessive gas pressure
or strong oil-flows from overlying members
of tln' upper oil series ; a case in point is
that of a certain well put down with the
intention of tapping the lower series,
thought to be about 1,800 ft. below the
surface, which instead struck a strong
gas and oil zone at less than half this
depth ; production has since been main-
tained from this upper horizon, and so
far it has been found quite impossible to
deepen the well. An instance such as this
is not of isolated occurrence, and it clearly
points to the persistence of as yet untapped
resources nearer the surface. While there
may be a tendency towards decline in
production from these upper sands taking
the region as a whole, one can hardly see
grounds for pessimism on this account,
since obviously as the upper horizons get
further drained, so the gas pressure and
strength of oil-flow will tend to be lessened,
thus making it possible to sink deeper wells
in order to tap the lower resources. And
from the little we already know of these
lower sands, they bid fair to be equally as
important ultimately as the upper horizons
have been hitherto. Further than this,
there are the developments referred to in
the central parts of the island, where com-
paratively little is known of the geological
conditions ; if Tabaquite is an3'thing to
judge the future of this region by, we perceive
even greater possibilities here than in the
south. Add to this the potentialities of
much of the undeveloped land in the south
and eastern parts of the island, and it is
abundantly clear that the petroleum
resources of Trinidad are by no means
exhausted.
Lastly, the writer may perhaps be per-
mitted to voice the plea for greater publicity
213
OCTOBER. 1921
of geological data accumulated by the
geologists of the several companies concerned
in oil exploration in Trinidad, and this for
the benefit of both science and commerce.
It is not too much to say that of no oilfield
in the world of the importance of Trinidad
is so httle known to the general pu1)lic
as in this case, and it is extremely difficult
to understand the traditional iron-clad
secrecy prevailing among the various opera-
tive interests in this colony. Once a
company has established itself on a definite
property, is producing from this property,
and has thus proved its economic value,
what possible advantage can be served by
withholding the details of the scientific
evidence by wliich such results were achieved ?
We have only to study the admirable reports
and technical literature extant in the
United States, where every oilfield has
adequate publicity in the bulletins and
memoirs of the various State surveys and
mining bureaus, to be regretful at the lack
of similar descriptions of our own fields, and
although it may be argued that no official
geological survey now exists for Trinidad,
that in itself is no reason for the deficiency
in this case. Collaboration of the several
experts professionally engaged on oil explor-
ation and the pooling .of that scientific
knowledge obtained in the course of their
work for both mutual and public benefit,
can scarcely be detrimental to commercial
interests in the long run ; on the contrary,
by such co-ordination future developments
would tend to be carried out on a much
sounder basis, that of a wider geological
knowledge, and increased efficiency both
in exploration and production would
necessarily follow. Professor Carmody's
vindication of " team work," alluded to in
the introduction, maj' be again emphasized
here, and it deserves well of those in whose
hands the future of the petroleum industry
of Trinidad lies.
(Concluded. )
Mining in Devonshire
In the Summary of Progress of the Geo-
logical Survey of Great Britain for 1920,
Donald A. MacAlister gives tables of output
of various minerals in Devonshire in years
gone by.
Outputs of Lead, Silver, Pyrites, Arsenic,
AND Iron.
Lead Ore, IS45 to 1913 Tons 59,422
Lead, Metallic, extracted from above
ore Tons 38,423
Silver extracted from the above lead,
lS52tol913 Oz. 948,291
Pyrites, Iron and Arsenical, 1853 to
1913 Tons 101,266
Arsenic, Soot and White, in addition
to the Arsenical Pyrites, 1853
to 1913 ." Tons 98,067
Iron Oxides, 1853 to 1913 Tons 344,584
Of the lead ore produced the largest
amounts came from the parishes of Beer
Ferris, 25,670 tons, and Christow, 22,550 tons.
The parish producing the largest amount of
pyrites was Tavistock, 72,000 tons, of which
50,393 tons was arsenical. The iron oxides
were partly magnetite, hematite, limonite,
and shining micaceous ore. The last-named
has been a feature of iron mining in Devon-
shire, and it has been worked from time to
time at several places, being employed in the
manufacture of protective paints. In the
following table relating to tin and copper
we give the details of output of each parish.
Outputs of Tin and Copper by Parishes.
Copper
derived from
the Ore in
Tin Copper previous
Concentrate. Ore. column.
Tons. Tons. Tons.
Ashburton 804 421 17
■ Beer Ferris 10 205 13
Belstone 1 4,036 375
Bovev Tracey — 2.300 86
Buckfastlei£»h — 29,680 1.965
Buckland Monachorum 12 24.250 1.400
Chagford 60 — —
Dartington 56 — —
Holme 6 — —
Ilsington 91 — —
Lamerton 61 22,600 1.285
Lydford 295 — —
Manaton 203 — —
Marytavy (including
Peter Tavey) .' 408 43,250 4.015
Meavy 400 — —
Holland — 1,180 75
North Bovey 1,314 — —
North Molton — 4,515 638
Okehampton — 2,656 186
Plvmpton St. Mary.. 1,300 240 12
South Tawton — 6,285 34 !
Sydenham Damarel. . — SO 5
Tavistock 300 933,210 59,682
Walkhampton 220 280 2 1
Whitchurch 515 20,6:30 1,538
Others 10 1,150 80
Totals 6,066 1,096,968 71,737
MINING MODELS AT SOUTH KENSINGTON
This arlicle contains an account of models expla
Mr. G. W. Leech. M.Inst. M.M.. and recently
The Science Museum at South Kinsington
is not so well known as it should be, nor
docs it receive the support from the Govern-
ment that teachers and students would
desire. The collection of plant, models,
etc., relating to mining shows considerable
uncvcnness, and there arc breaks in the
historical connexion. This condition is
caused by variations in the interest taken
b\" those in chargi'. Fortunately for the
mining profession, the director of the
Museum from 1911 to 1918, Sir Francis G.
OgilvY, was much interested in these subjects,
and his services in helping the Royal School
of I^Iines as w^ell as the Science Museum
are well known. During his regime a great
many new models and apparatus were added,
so that the collection and also the new
catalogue are now of much heightened value.
During the years 1915 to 1917 and 1918 to 1920
Mr. G. W. Leech, M.Inst.JI.I\I., was engaged
in designing and building models illustrating
mmmg methods.
Altogether about forty
of these models have been added to the
collection, and we take this opportunity
of thanking Sir Francis and Mr. Leech, on
behalf of the minine profession, for the
nalory oF mining operations, designed and made by
added to the Science Museum, South Kensington.
excellent services they have rendered in
tlir cause of tichnical education.
To give readers an idea of tiie nature of
the new work, we reproduce in this article
descriptions of five models, together with
photographs, the descriptions being taken
from the oiihcial guide-book to the collection.
It will be seen that this guide-book con-
stitutrs quite a useful exposition of modern
methods of mining.
(1) Flat-Back Sloping, Overhand System. —
In this method of stoping the ore is broken
out in a series of slices of more or less regular
shape extending the whole length and width
of the vein between the winzes and walls,
keeping the back (roof) as uniform and
level as the nature of the ore will permit.
The model represents a contact ore deposit
between a granite foot-wall and a schist
hanging wall (that is, a good foot-wall but
a weak hanging wall) ; the ore is supposed to
stand well. As the ore is removed it is
necessary to fill the stopes with waste
rock ; this filling is distributed by a light
car on a portable track, and is carried up
to within 5 to 8 ft. of the roof. Ore chutes
or passes are built up by cross-logging through
i-ii;. 1. — Fi.ai-Back SToriN(
214
OCTOBER. 1921
215
Fig. 2. — Ru.i, Stopinc.
Fig. 3. — Oilman Cut-a.nd-Fii.i, System.
the waste filling. \\Tien waste rock is
cheap the method is economical, not more
than a% of the ore being left in the mine.
Prospecting work_ can be carried out from
the stopes by means of cross-cuts, etc., and
other development work can be carried out
more conveniently than from a rill or
shrinkage stope. Another advantage of
the system is that the rich ore can be
sorted out and the ore too poor to pay
for treatment can be left behind. The
disadvantage of the method, particularly
in large stopes, is the cost of transport
of the ore to the passes, owing to the
shovelling and trucking involved. In
some case.s this is reduced by the use of
wheelbarrows. A corresponding drawback
occurs when the stope is being filled, as much
shovelling is necessary to distribute the
waste rock.
(2) Rill Sloping. — This sectional model
represents the rill method of stoping-out
ore from a vein, a method that is often
employed in veins of narrow to medium
width, and where filling is needed to support
the walls. The name is given to it because
the ore gravitates or " rills " in the ore-passes
or chutes. Under favourable conditions the
ore-body is divided into blocks by levels
about 100 ft. apart, and by winzes 50 to 60 ft.
distant from one another, but these dimensions
will vary according to the character of the
deposit. In the model, a section of a portion
only of the mine is shown, comprising one of
the waste shafts connected with the surface
for filling the stoped-out ground. The stopes
are worked at angles with the horizontal
between 35^ and 45°. The flatter angle is
that shown in the model. At the steeper
angle, should the width of the vein increase,
the miner has to exercise considerable caution
in moving from the working face. After a
slice of ore from 10 to 15 ft. in height has
been worked out and taken away, waste
rock filling is let down the winze, and if the
ore is of high grade, a mat of boards, as
shown, is laid on the waste filling to receive
the next slice of ore. In the lower stopes
the ore is supposed to be of low grade and
no timber mat is used. This stope is in the
process of being filled with waste rock.
(3) Gilman Cut-and-Fill System.— This
model shows a method of mining used exten-
sively in Arizona, and, with various adapta-
tions, in stoping the large sulphide ore-bodies
found in this and other mining districts of
the United States. The method is said to
have been named after an American engineer
who introduced it. The system consists in
blocking out the ore in sections of 40 to 50 ft.,
with cross-cuts driven from the main drive
to the limits of the ore-body on the hanging
and foot-wall sides. A section of the stope
on the foot-wall side of the drive is represented.
Vertical rises are driven upwards from the
cross-cuts connected with winzes sunk from
the upper level ; later these provide a means
of filling the stope with waste rock and serve
MO
Tin: MlXIXr, M.\(;.\71N1£
for ore chutes and passes. These cross-cuts
are the first step in sloping, and the next
step consists in widening the ground a Uttle
at the side of the cross-cut to permit the
temporary timbers to be placed in position.
Flooring is laid so as to allow the ore to
fall, b}- removing the short planks, into the
trucks" below. \Vhen sufficient ground has
been broken out these temporary sets are
replaced by regular timber sets of posts,
inclined caps, and vertical sills, with planks
to form a mat between the gob of waste
rock and the ore below and along cither
side. After each successive ore -cut from
10 to 12 ft. above the floor, the ore is
drawn off, the floors taken up. and the waste
rock run in to the desired height. The floor
is then relaid to receive the next cut. In the
eariicr stages of sloping all the ore is not
removed as soon as broken down, but is
allowed to accumulate as a floor for the
miner to stand on. The work at successive
stages, numbered 1, 2, 3, and 4, and the
method of timbering the workings are shown
in the model.
(4) Top Slicing. — This sectional model re-
presents a method of extraction used
principally in mining large soft ore-bodies.
The system is a moditication of the long-wall
retreating method worked under an artificial
roof of timber called a mat. The top of the
ore-body is removed either by open stoping
or sub-level caving, and a double floor of
plank 2 in. thick is laid down. The over-
burden is then caved-in on top of the mat. A
car level is laid out at about 50 ft. below the
mat, and the ore is divided by drifts, winzes,
and rises into blocks 30 to 40 ft. wide. Com-
mencing at the boundary' or walls of the ore,
slices 11 ft. in height by 30 to 40 ft. wide
are mined beneath the mat, which is supported
meanwhile by posts and round unframed caps.
As the slicing advances, the timber mat is
caved by blasting the posts behind the
working face. This method allows a larger
and more regular output from the working
faces than if square-set timbering is used,
but, owing to the rough floor and other
conditions, the breaking and shovelling of
the ore is not done so economically ; the
amount of timber used, however, as compared
with square sets, is small.
(5) Ore in Sight. — This model represents
the blocking out of ore in a mine, and
illustrates some of the difficulties met with
in estimating the quantity of ore in situ.
One of the purposes of blocking out the ore
in a mine by drifts, winzes, and rises — in
addition to the primary one of the work of
extraction — is to exjiose the boundaries of
the ore deposit in three dimensions for tlie
jiurpose of estimating (luantities and values
contained in the deposit. Owing to the
. irregular way in which ore deposits occur,
such estimates may vary considerably. The
Institutiiin of Mining and Metallurgy', recog-
nizing the importance to the mining industry
and to the public generally of delining the
terms " Ore in Sight," appointed a committee
to consider what steps might be taken in
the matter. After report and consideration,
the Institution made the following
recommendations : —
(1) That members of the Institution
should not make use of the term " Ore in
Sight " in their reports without indicating
in the most explicit manner the data upon
which the estimate is based ; and that it is
most desirable that estimates should be
illustrated by drawings.
(2) That as the term " Ore in Sight "
is frequently used to indicate two separate
factors in an estimate, namely : [a) Ore
blocked out, that is, ore exposed on at
least three sides within reasonable
distance of each other ; and [b) ore
which may be reasonably assumed to
exist though not actually blocked out ;
these two factors should in all cases be kept
distinct, as [a] is governed by fixed rules,
while [b) is dependent upon individual
judgment and local experience.
(3) That in making use of the term " Ore
in Sight " an engineer should demonstrate
that the ore so denominated is capable of
being profitably extracted under the working
conditions obtaining in the district.
The model illustrates these recommenda-
tions. At B B the ore is blocked out on
four sides into 50 ft. blocks. At C the
ore is blocked out on three sides, but as
the top drift is partly in barren ground,
owing to the lode not outcropping to the
surface, the difficulty of estimation is
increased. At D the ore is blocked out
on four sides into 100 ft. blocks ; at L and T
indications of intrusions of barren rock
of unknown extent occur. In the case
represented, on extraction of the ore, the
barren mass was found to be of the shape
shown by the dotted line. At E the ore
is blocked out on three sides, but no winze
has been sunk at Z ; the character of the
ore at this point, however, may reasonably
be assumed from the data supplied by the
drifts above and below. The same remark
OCTOBER, 1921
217
Fic. 4. — Top Slicim;.
Fig. 5. — Ore in Sight.
applies to G G. Blue lines on the model
every 5 to 10 ft. indicate the points where
samples for assaying are taken.
As we have already mentioned, the
models described in the foregoing para-
graphs are only five out of over thirty
made by Mr. Leech. To give an idea of
the full scope of his work, we give herewith
a list of titles of the others, at the same
time expressing regret that space prevents
us giving the descriptions and illustrations :
Shrinkage stoping ; sub-level caving system ;
milling system of mining ; block slicing ;
mine head frame ; prospector's shaft ;
Australian spaced-box mine shaft ; Rand
shaft timbering ; main adit or level timbering;
four-piece level set timbering ; four-piece
level set for side pressure ; stuU timbering ;
angle setting ; stuU timbering with varying
angles of walls ; three-piece stull timbering ;
stuU and false stull ; stull and saddleback
timbering ; saddleback stulls with ore chute ;
reinforced stulls ; Chinaman ore chute ;
timbering level sets with stoping beneath ;
square-set timbering for stopes on Eureka
sj'stem ; square-set timbering for stopes
on Bingham system ; square-set timbering
for stopes on Burlingame system ; square-set
timbering with round timber ; rock - drill
staging ; end tipping truck ; all-round tipping
truck ; froth flotation plant ;
separator ; cyanide plant ; etc., etc.
1—4
The Institute of Metals
The autumn meeting of the Institute of
Metals was held at Birmingham on
September 21 and 22. The following papers
were read and discussed : The Properties
of some Nickel-Aluminium-Copper Alloys,
by A. A. Read and R. H. Greaves ; The
Effect of Increasing Proportions of Lead in
the Properties of Admiralty Gun-metal,
by R. T. Rolfe ; The Casting of Brass
Ingots, by R. Genders ; The Density of
the Zinc-Copper Alloys, by T. G. Bamford ;
Experiments in the Working and Annealing
of Copper, by Dr. F. Johnson ; The Effects
of Progressive Cold Drawing upon some of
the Physical Properties of Low-Tin Bronze,
by W. E. Atkins and W. Cartwright ; The
Extrusion Defect, by R. Genders ; The
Use of the Scleroscope on Light Specimens
of Metals, bv F. S. Tritton ; The Annealing
of Rolled Zinc, by D. H. Ingall ; The Con-
stitution and Age-Hardening of the Alloys
of Aluminium with Magnesium and Silicon,
by D. Hanson and M. L. V. Gayler ; The
Electrolytic Etching of Metals, by F. Adcock ;
Electron, the High-Magnesium Alloy, by
S. Beckingsale. A number of visits were paid
to metallurgical works in the neighbourhood,
and there was also an interesting visit to the
Birmingham University, where the courses
of instruction were intimately studied.
THE CHARACTERISTICS OF CASSITERITE
By E. H. DAVISON. B.Sc. F.G.S.
Many minerals are easily mistaken (or cassilerile. The aullior gives a corciic sinlemcnl dealing willi this subject,
intended for the guidance o( workers in llic field.
Cassitcrite is a mineral wliicli, owing to its
vaiiation in colour and texture, is by no
means eas\^ to recognize with certainty. It
has, to the writer's knowledge, happened that
such minerals as blende, axinitc, and zircon,
have been mistaken for it by observer? with
considerable experience. Though ils
characters are given in detail in Dana's
System of Mineralo£:y, and more or less com-
pletely in other textbooks (e.specially well in
Collins' Mi)icralos,y of Cormcall and Devon),
it is felt that the following summary of its
physical and optical characters and its
chief characteristic chemical reactions may
be of use to those who have to deal with tin
ores and alluvials. Special reference is made
in connexion with other minerals often
mistaken for it.
Physical Characteristics. — Cassiterite has
a hardness of from 6 to 7 on ilohs' scale ;
it therefore cannot be scratched by a knife.
Its specific gravity varies from 6-8 to ~r\. It
has imperfect cleavage, which is often not
to be observed, with uneven or subconchoidal
fracture, brittle character, and adamantine
lustre. Its streak is w'hite to pale buff, and
it may be nearly transparent or opaque.
The colour varies from black through
brown, red, and j'ellow, to pale buff or white.
The powdered mineral is of a pale buff
colour, unless coloured by admixture with
iron oxide.
The following varieties are recognized : —
Crystalline cassiterite, " diamond tin," in
fair-sized tetragonal crystals in low pyramids
or short prisms.
" Sparable tin," in small acute almost
acicular tetragonal crystals.
" Rosin tin," reddish or yellowish in colour
and translucent.
" Ruby tin," ruby red and nearly trans-
parent.
" Wood tin," brown to buff in colour with
a concentric fibrous structure.
" Toad's eye tin," a variety of cassiterite
occurring in small spherical masses, with
radiating texture, embedded in massive
cassiterite of a darker or paler tint.
" Stream tin," in more or less rounded
grains or pebbles.
218
" Black tin " is the minci's term used to
indicate tin as tin oxide in whatever form it
occurs.
Optical Characteristics. — It is often useful
to examine a sample under the microscope in
the form of fine powder or as a constituent of
a micro-section of a rock or veinstone. When
this method is used several minerals are
likely to be confused with cassiteiitc which
would be readily detected in the hand
specimen.
Colour in transmitted light varies from
deep red-brown through pale brown or
yellow to colourless.
Cleavage (only occasionally seen) parallel.
Refractive index 1'99 to 2'09, very high
relief.
Zoning common and well shown.
Plcochroism none or very feeble.
Polarization colours very high, simple
twins common.
Colour in reflected light pale buff or white.
" Wood tin " shows concentric radiating
fibres which give a black cross between
crossed nicols.
" Wood tin " is seen under the micro-
scope to consist of concentrically arranged
crystalline prisms which give the usual
birefringence colours between crossed nicols
and is in no sense noncrystalline, each
individual prism being readily distinguished.
" Toad's eye tin " consists in come cases of
quartz crystals zoned by included granules of
cassiterite, which are often of extremely
minute size.
The characteristic buff colour of cassiterite
in reflected light is one of the most distinctive
characters under the microscope and of great
help in distinguishing cassiterite from
minerals with characters otherwise similar.
Blowpipe Reactions. — Heated on charcoal
gives a white incrustation which turns blue
or blue-green on moistening with cobalt
nitrate and reheating. Fused on, charcoal
with soda yields a bead of metaUic tin as
well as incrustation. Potassium cyanide
may be used instead of " soda " with
advantage.
Chemical Test. — When cassiterite is placed
in contact with zinc and hydrochloric acid it
OCTOBER, 1921
219
Table showing Characters of Cassiterite and of Minerals likelv to be Mistaken for it.
Blowpipe and Chemical Tests. Optical Characters.
Mineral.
Sp.Gr. Hardness.
Crystal Form.
Cassiterite.
6-S-7-1 6-7
Tetragonal
SnOo.
pyramids or
prisms.
Metallic bead with soda
or potass, cyanide on
charcoa!.
Incrus+ration on charcoal
which eives blue-green
with cobalt nitrate.
Fleochroism
none.
feeble or
Birefringence very high.
Vjwfi or white in re-
flected light.
Zinc Blende.
ZnS.
4-0
3-5
Cubic often in
tetrahedrons.
Incrustation on charcoal
which gives grass green
with cobalt nitrate.
Isotropic. Buff or
in reflected light.
;rey
Ilmenite. 47 5 .S Tabular Yellow solution with
FeOTiOo. trigonal. potass, bisulphate turns
violet when reduced by
tin.
Opaque in transmitted
light. Black usually
with buff patches of
leucoxene in reflected
light.
Wolfram.
(FeJInjWOj
Rutile.
TiO.2.
7-5 5-5
4-2 6-5
Tabular
crystals
monoclinic.
Crystals like
cassiterite,
often genicu-
late twins.
Zircon.
ZrO-iSiOo.
4-7
7'5
Prisms with
pyramid caps
tetragonal.
Tourmaline,
Borosilicate of
Al, etc.
31
7-5
Prisms with
pyramid top
trigonal.
Garnet.
3R'0,R/"03,3Si0.2
3-7-4
7-5
Dodecahedra.
Cubic.
Axinite.
Borosilicate of
Ca, etc.
3-3
6-5
Flat crystals
tri clinic.
Microcosmic bead is deep
red. Decomposed by
HCl, the solution
giving a blue colour
when reduced by zinc.
Streak, red brown.
Microcosmic bead violet
in reducing flame.
Fused with potass,
bisulphate gives a solu-
tion which yields violet
colour when reduced
by tin.
On heating in bunsen
flame brown varieties
change to red and
smoky varieties to pale
green or colourless.
Gives a transient green
flame when heated on
Ft. wire with potass,
bisulphate, and fluor.
Black, or dark red if
very thin. Parallel
cleavage. Lath-shaped
sections.
Brown, red, yellow, or
grey. Refractive index
2'9. Birefringence very
high. Slightly pleo-
chroic.
Pleochroism none. Bire-
fringence very high.
Black in reflected light.
Strongly pleochroic.
Maximum absorption
when vertical. Bire-
fringence very high.
Isotropic.
Intumesces in blowpipe Strongly pleochroic.
flame. Birefringence weak.
becomes coated with a film of metallic tin,
and this serves as a very useful test for the
mineral, especially in testing alluvial gravels.
Place the specimen in a zinc dish and pour on
dilute hydrochloric acid. After a few minutes'
action remove and wash the specimen. The
cassiterite grains or crystals will be coated
with grey metallic tin. This reaction gives
good results with all varieties of cassiterite,
except " wood tin," which requires extra
long treatment and must be crushed to a
coarse sand.
Minerals likely to he mistaken for Cassiterite.
— In the veinstone cassiterite is most likely
to be confused, with tourmaline, zinc-blende,
wolfram, and garnet ; in the alluvial gravel
with zircon, ilmenite, garnet, rutile, and
tourmaline ; and under the microscope with
tourmaline and zircon.
The table above gives the characteristics
of each of these minerals so that they may
be readily compared and identified. By
use of this table it should be possible to
differentiate between the various minerals
which on first sight may be taken for
cassiterite, and confusion between this
mineral and ilmenite and garnet, for instance,
should be avoided.
THE GYRO COMPASS FOR SURVEYORS
In the August issue British Patent 18,:il('.
of H120 was quoted, giving particulars of the
gyroscopic compass for surveyors made by
Anschiitz & Co., of Kiel. Since then the
following descriptive article has been sent
us bv this lirni.
It is known to every mining engineer that
the needle underground, especially in rock
containing ore, is exposed to so many and
complicated disturbances that it becomes
almost impossible to get even an approximate
indication of the magnetic meridian. The
difficulty is so much the greater as there is no
means of checking a deviation underground,
which above ground can be done by com-
paring the reading of the compass with the
meridian hne found by taking terrestrical or
or astronomical bearings.
P'or navigation the unreliable magnetic
compass has already given place to a perfect
substitute in the non-magnetic gj'ro compass.
This apparatus is an invention of
Dr. Ansciiutz-Kaempfe, of Munich. .After
more than ten years of persevering investiga-
tions and experiments he succeeded in 1908
in designing an apparatus fit for use on board
ship, and brought it soon to a high degree of
perfection. Others have since appeared on
the market employing the same principle.
The design of the gyro compass is founded
exclusively on dynamical laws, and the
instrument is free from all deficiencies of the
magnetic compass without introducing others
in their place.
It was desirable to employ this new
indicator of direction also for tunnelling and
mining purposes, as there really was a great
need for a non-magnetic compass in this
branch of industry. This idea has long been
followed b}' Anschiitz & Co., of Kiel-
Xeumiihlen, and it is due to the technical
head of this firm, Dr. Max Schuler, that the
investigations in this line were finally
crowned by success. A surveying gyro
compass has been designed showing true
north with such exactness that it fully
satisfies the demands of the surveying
engineer. The apparatus as built indicates
the meridian with an exactness of a half-
minute of arc. This exactness may perhaps
even be surpassed in future.
Those who are not well acquainted with the
latest nautical developments will appreciate
a short explanation of the principle of the
new compass. In
needle is replaced
the gyro compass the
by a rapidly rotating
gyrostat as directive element. This gyrostat
spins about a horizontal axis and is suspended
in such a manner that the metacentre lies
a small distance below_the point of suspension.
Gravity keeps the axle of such gyrostat
horizontal. The earth's rotation acts upon
Vertical Section of Gyro Compass.
this gjTO-pendulum and imparts a couple
to the axle, causing a gyro-precession, which
continues until the axle stands in the plane
of the meridian.
The suspension of the gyrostat in the
Anschiitz compass is practically frictionless,
being attached to a globular float immersed in
a mercurv bath. .\s there is no friction to
220
OCTOBER, 1921
221
reduce the oscillations of the axle while
settling into the meridian plane, it does not
come to rest, but continues to swing to and
fro about the meridian with very slowly
decreasing amplitudes. In the case of the
gjTO compass for navigation it is necessary
to fit the gyro system with a damping device
to reduce these oscillations. The surveying
compass does not require such attachment,
as it would only diminish its exactness, and
there is no difficult}' in reading the true
it during the
casing can be raised in such a manner that
the floating system is fixed rigidly to the
supporting bracket (s), whereby the upper
opening of the mercury cup is closed, and no
mercury can spill out of ^
transport.
The fly-wheel with the axle is turned out of
one piece of high-class chrome-nickel steel.
This is necessary because of the enormous
centrifugal force developed, as the gyro spins
at a speed of 20,000 revolutions per minute.
Transformer for Generating Current for Gyro Compass.
meridian by taking the average of a few
oscillations.
The vertical section indicates the construc-
tion of the instrument. The fly-wheel (i) is
pivoted horizontally in the gyro-casing (2),
which by a bracket (,3), is rigidlj' attached to
the hollow globular steel float (4) immersed
in mercury contained in the mercury cup (5) .
By a centre-pin («), playing in a sharp-edged
neck-ring (;), the floating system is kept in the
middle of the suspension, supported by a
bracket (,S).
In order to make the instrument rcadilv
portable the bracket (3) with float and gyro-
The axle is designed according to the Laval
principle, and is pivoted in high-precision ball-
bearings, which are lubricated by oil wicks.
The gyrostat is designed as a three-phase
motor with short-circuited rotor. The rotor
is fixed in the bell-shaped fly-wheel. The
stator is fixed to the gyro-casing, and
encloses the gyro-axle. It is enclosed by the
rotor, with very little space between them.
The fly-wheel is at the same time the ring
of the rotor, which, otherwise, could not
resist the enormous centrifugal forces.
The three-phase current driving the gyro-
stat is generated by a transformer from con-
Tiir MIXING :\r.\r,AZixE
tinvious to throo-phase. The exactness of
indication requires a perfectly constant
periodicity of the 333-cj'cle three-phase
current ; the generator, therefore, must be
designed and constructed with special care.
For use in mining and tunnelling the
generator can be fitted on a cart as shown,
which also carries the switches, regulators,
fuses, and electric measuring instruments.
This carriage can remain in the main gallery,
while the compass, connected to it by a cable,
is used in a narrow side-gallery.
The three phases of the current are con-
ducted without friction to the gyrostat.
Phase 1 passes through centre-pin (6')
dipping into a few drops of mercury con-
tained in a steel vessel below neck-ring (r).
Phase 2 goes in the same way through a
contact-pin and a second contact-vessel, not
shown on the drawing. Phase 3 is in short-
circuit with the mercury-cup (5) and passes
through the mercury to the float (4), where
it is taken up by an insulated wire.
The whole g3'ro compass is contained in
an air-tight binnacle (9) filled with hydrogen.
In this way the compass is protected against
all disturbances by incompetent or incautious
handling, the friction is reduced to a
minimum, the consumption of current is
considerably diminished, and the rotating
parts last longer. The oil greasing the ball-
bearings cannot get thick, which, of course,
is of great advantage to the security of
working. The mercury in the contact-
vessels cannot oxidize, because of the com-
plete absence of oxygen. I\Ioreover, dirt
and vapour cannot enter the binnacle, which
is of importance, as they could become fatal
to the inner parts of the apparatus worked
with such mathematical precision, especially
because in an air-binnacle it would be
necessary to cool the gyro by a continuous
draught.
The reading of the indication is done
through a window {10) in the gas-binnacle.
For this purpose a mirror reading of the
Poggendorf type is employed. The curve of
oscillation is traced on millimetre-paper.
The average of these oscillations gives a read-
ing of the true meridian with an exactness
of half a minute of arc. The mirror is fixed
to the gyro-casing in front of the inspection
window {10). The gyro-casing with mirror
can be turned about the axis of the gyro,
that is, the centre of the mirror. Without
turning the mirror 180° at ever}^ reading it
would be impossible to test the proper
position, if it is desired to keep the errors
within the limits of one minute of arc or less.
The securing of the mirror to the gyro-
casing presents the advantage that any
changes of shape of the supporting bracket
(.;) and of the float (■/) do not affect the
reading. This disposition also makes it
l)ermissiblo to leave a little more space
between the centre-jiin and neck-ring, with
the result of reducing friction about the
vertical axis.
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
The Origin of Primary Ore Deposits
The l-;(lit()r :
Sir — Dr. Morrow Campbell's letter in
the September number of the M.\g.\zine
needs a few observations from me, if you will
kindly grant me a little space.
Dr. Campbell saj^s he made no attempt at
explaining the well-known features of the
different classes of ore-bodies. From the
title of his paper alone I submit that most
readers would conclude that was the
intention. I do not see how the inquiries
referred to in the second paragraph of his
letter can explain the origin of primary
ore deposits if they cannot explain the
various forms in which such bodies occur.
It is largely in that way that the sufficiency
of an idea or a combination of ideas regarding
genesis can be tested. Any number of
suggestions may be made in the laboratory,
but it is only such as fit the facts observed
in the mine that can be accepted. It is
because Dr. Campbell's suggestions will not
explain those facts as put forward in the
May number of the IMagazixe that I say
they fail.
As Dr. Campbell has not before him the
work of Carl Barus on " Igneous Fusion and
Ebullition " (United States Geographical
Survey Bulletin 103), I maj' perhaps be
allowed to introduce here a few remarks from
that author. On p. 41 he says : " I also made
special experiments on the floating of solid
rocks on the molten magma. To my surprise,
such flotation always occurs, notwithstanding
the fact that originally the cold rock must
be 10°„ more dense than the molten rock.
It soon appeared, however, that the cause
of such flotation is crudely mechanical,
since the rock, in virtue of its weight,
simultaneoush^ hollows out a cavity and
chills it, thus forming a little solid boat on
which it floats on the viscous slag below."
I think the viscosity of the magma combined
OCTOBER, 1921
223
with the reduced density of the ncwl}^ formed
sohd are sufficient to account for the flotation
of the latter. Barus shows that the molten
magma was sufficiently sticky to be drawn
out in threads when the temperature of the
magma was 250' C. higher than that at which
it became solid.
In paragraph 3 of his letter Dr. Campbell
says : " That an aqueous mother-liquor is
given off by magmas, which, on consolidation,
yield granite, is so widely accepted that it
seems unreasonable to regard it as anything
but a fact." Wide acceptance of ideas does
not prove them to be true, or many of the
so-called explanations in geology, now dis-
credited, would be still in fuU favour.
In paragraph 8 Dr. Campbell says :
" Mr. Kendall asserts that the basic rocks
do not contain free bases with which the
free silica in granite could have combined
originally." My statement with reference
to this matter was the following : " The
same sort of argument leads to the con-
clusion that the basic rocks did not come
from a substance having the mineral con-
stitution of diorite. If the free silica of
granite was previously combined, what has
become of the bases with which it was
united. They are not found in the more basic
rocks." This is a very different statement
from that attributed to me by Dr. Campbell.
Later, in this connexion. Dr. Campbell
says : " If Mr. Kendall realizes that the
bases in calcium carbonate and sodium
chloride, as well as magnetite, were originally
combined with silica, he will probably admit
that the conclusion he has arrived at on this
subject is not at all a safe one." I do realize
that the bases of the first two of these sub-
stances were originally combined with silica,
but I also realize that their separation from
that mineral was not effected until long after
the differentiation and consolidation of the
magma from which the silicates originated.
That subsequent to the formation of the
various plutonic rocks, and their appeai'ance
at the earth's surface, the felspars,
amphiboles, and pyroxenes — largely com-
posing those rocks — were subjected to decom-
position and severe denudation. It was then
that the calcium and .sodium Dr. Campbell
refers to were liberated, as well as the
substances forming the argillaceous and
siliceous rocks, which form such a large part
of the earth's crust. But neither the salt
in the oceans, nor the lime in the calcareous
rocks have anything to do with the
appearance of free silica in the granite.
I need not further remark on the difference
between Dr. Campbell's definition of a
primary ore and that suggested by me,
beyond saying that Dr. Campbell bases on
a highly disputable hypothesis, while I
follow the results of visual and other direct
observations.
Dr. Campbell's remarks about the Lead-
ville ores are too general to deal with, but it
maybe stated that there are both primary and
secondary ores in those mines. It would be
interesting if Dr. Campbell would describe
in detail the most important of the " many
galena and other sulphide ores that he
regards as not primary but secondary,"
and explain how they were derived from
primary ores.
J. D. Kexd.\ll.
London, September 23.
The Real Value of Gold
The Editor :
Sir — I read with interest Mr. Speak's
article on this all-important question. He
approaches and discusses the question of the
real value of gold partly from the point of
view of the gold-producer and partly from
what we may call the view of the wire-puller.
I am desirous of making some observations
on this subject from the point of view of the
relation of the productive effort of human
beings, as expressed in goods, commodities, and
things, to the purchasing value of currency.
Firstly, the real value of gold is what we
human beings make it, either considered
in the sense of it being a commodity or in
the sense of its function as currency ; this
self-evident fact I expect all admit.
Secondly, gold is, for the purposes of
currency, given a standard or fixed value,
which, among other things, enables \'ariations
in the efficiency methods and productive
effort of us human beings, considered either
collectively or individually, to be noted,
regulated, and controlled.
For instance, making gold some fixed
standard value, and issuing currency tokens
based on this fixed value, serves the same
purpose in one sphere of human activity in
exchange of goods, commodities, things, and
services as does the fixing of a standard
lb. weight for measuring quantities or a
standard foot for measuring lengths or
distances.
air. Speak suggests that the value of gold
should be increased approximately 50%,
as the best solution for overcoming our
present troubles and the general state of
Till' MIX INC. M\r,\ZINI'
depression and unrest now existing. It seems
to me he overlooks several important factors
and their real significance and influence on
controlling and regulating the actual pur-
chasing value of currency either in goods and
commodities or in determining the amount
that can be paid for services rendered in the
performance of particular classes of work.
What is implied in this statement will be
better miderstood from an appreciation of
the remarks that follow.
If the real value, or a new standard value
for gold, is fixed at, say, S0% above the pre-
war gold standard, the resultant effect will
be that the amount of gold that is supposed
to represent the value of a one-pound
currency note will be 50% less than before.
The purchasing value of a pound note will
fall iust by this amount, simply because its
purchasing value is ultimately determined
by the goods, commodities, and things we
human beings are able to obtain in exchange
for the pound sterling.
Human beings determine the exchange
value of commodities, not monev, in actual
fact.
Money or currency, after all, if we work
right back to first causes, is only the lubricant
whereby human effort and human activity
is scientifically directed to produce goods,
commodities, and things at maximum
capacity with least inconvenience, so that
the individual secures the results of his effort
in producing goods and in services rendered
in the easiest and most convenient way.
Next, if the standard value of gold
is increased 50% artificially by a Govern-
ment decree, through pressure brought to
bear by wire-pullers, then what will happen
will be that American wheat will advance
in price in terms of our currency 50%.
Our quartern loaf of bread, instead of costing
us as now Is., would cost Is. 6d. ; an ounce
of tobacco would cost not Is. as now, but
Is. Cd. ; meat and everything else would
go up in proportion ; and the only remedy
for us would be to raise wages of workmen
50°'o in harmony, and likewise salaries and
emoluments of all other workers. In other
words the ball of inflation would be set
rolling full force all over again.
Does Mr. Speak really believe the copper
producer will be content to sell his copper
for, say, -{70 per ton as at present when the
standard value of gold is increased in price
50°o. and the fractional part of an ounce of
gold that is taken to represent a pound
sterhng is reduced b\' oO% ?
The producer will probably agree to
exchange the same amount of copjier for
the same equivalent amount of gold as at
present, but not for the same equivalent
number of currency notes as at present ; that
is where the rub comes in ! Producers of
all other connnodities would do exactly the
same. If this much is not conceded, then
why not change the standard lb. weight
and call the new standard lb. that weight
which is represented by lilb. to-day?
Of course, everyone knows what the
resultant effect would be if this were done.
It would first of all create chaotic conditions,
and secondly it would make absolutely no
difference to the actual quantity of wheat,
meat, tobacco, or anything else, we could
obtain from producers in exchange for
currency. That is, it would not improve the
purchasing value of currency. What would
apply if the standard lb. weight were altered
would apply equally if the amount of gold
that represents a pound note were altered.
No, it is the law of supply and demand
that is at work and in operation which is
causing prices for goods and commodities
and wages paid for services to gradually fall
and tumble, or, in other words, deflation is
being forced upon us as a nation, because
other nations are producing the same goods
and commodities we produce and export
at less cost and paj'ing lower wages for
services than we are.
In order to compete and retain our foreign
trade and markets w-e are being forced to
scale down our prices.
If England is to meet the new conditions
that confront her we as a nation of people
must : (1) Reduce the burdens of taxation
falling on the people and on industr3^ that
is. State expenditure and extravagance should
be curtailed ; (2) improve our efficiency
methods in all spheres of human activity ;
(3) Increase the amount of our productive
effort while at work. The coal miner should
strive to increase the output of coal per
month per man employed, and the same
applies to the working man in all other
trades and industries.
If all three of the above factors are made to
work in harmony, then the purchasing value
of a pound sterling will increase, and a state
of prosperity return to trade and the people
of England.
It seems to me to be the duty of our
Government to adopt every legitimate means
in their power to try and bring about
deflation, because the real cause of our trade
OCTOBER, 1921
225
slump and the depression that exists in the
country is due to external pressure ; that is,
other nations are encroaching on, and
entering our markets at home and abroad,
underselHng and outbidding us as traders.
The index whereby we are able to judge
of the actual position of affairs is by noting
what the purchasing value of our pound
sterling is now, compared with its purchasing
value in pre-war days.
What real difference will it make to a pro-
ducer of goods if, say, to-day he produces
10,000 things for ^1,000, and owing to falling
prices he is only able to realize /800 on them,
if he is still able to produce a like number of
the same things to-morrow for the £800
received for the others ?
Again, if £500 will purchase in five years
time what £1,000 purchases to-day, what
difference does it make to any person then
if they only receive £500 in exchange for
their £1,000 ? The purchasing value of
both are equal, everyone loses nothing in
reality, the only difference being that £1
in five years would go as far in purchasing
goods, commodities, and services as £2
to-day.
This, then, gives another side of the picture
approached from a different point of view
on the subject of the real value of gold, and
rather points to the fact that deflation would
if carried to its logical practical conclusion
establish a stable currency which would
enable the trade and commerce of the country
to revive rapidly.
Gold considered as a commodity is not
discussed here, as it would make this reply
too long, but stated shortly, fluctuating
exchange rates between nations, due to
fluctuating trade balances, automatically
determine the real value of gold as a com-
modity ; or, stated in other words, markets
(the supply and demand for gold) prove in
practice stronger than legislation.
It has, as a matter of fact, always seemed
to me in thinking about the real function of
money or currency that the Jews under-
stand the significance and meaning of the
elementary truths enumerated above better
than we do, and I advance it as a probable
reason why they are the world's greatest
financiers and likewise why so man 3' of them
are numbered among the world's greatest
philanthropists.
H. C. Bayldon.
London,
September 16.
BOOK REVIEWS
Mine Rescue Work and Organization.
By H. F. BuLMAX and Trederick P. Mills.
Cloth, octavo, 182 pages, illustrated.
Price 12s. net. London : Crosby Lock-
wood & Son.
There are employed in mining operations
throughout the world over six million persons,
and of these there are engaged in the working
of coal more than the combined totals of all
those engaged in other classes of mining, such
as exploitation of ores of iron, copper, gold,
non-metallic minerals, etc. The value of
rescue apparatus at collieries has become so
generally recognized that in the principal
coal-mining areas Government regulations
demand that self-contained breathing
appliances be available for use if required at
the mine. Accidental ignitions of timber or
explosives in metalliferous mines may pro-
duce conditions akin to those which exist
when an explosion or underground fire occurs
at a colHery, and it may be said that the
useful application of mine-rescue apparatus is
likely to extend far beyond the circles for
which it was primarily designed. A committee
appointed on the suggestion of the Home
Office to investigate the types of breathing
apparatus used in coal mines under the
chairmanship of Mr. William Walker, the
Chief Inspector of Mines, suggested in 1918
that the question of applying the rescue
regulations to mines under the Metalliferous
Mines Regulation Act should be taken into
consideration when any new legislation
relating to these mines is introduced. On
two occasions the Cumberland rescue station
has been called upon for assistance at iron ore
mines, and a colliery brigade saved the Hfe of
one man gassed by carbon monoxide. For
nearly ten years at the examinations for
certificates of competency as coUiery
managers there have been always placed
before the candidates questions on rescue
work, a subject of growing importance.
Students and others who have to deal
with the subject mider discussion will find
the work of Messrs. Bulman and Mills a
helpful pubhcation. The Government regula-
tions on the provision of apparatus at mines
and at rescue stations and the course of
training for rescue brigades are explained in
detail.
It is useful for central rescue stations in the
British coalfields to serve a number of
collieries situated at a distance of not more
than 10 miles in direct line from each station.
221'.
Tin; MINI. NT, .MAi.AZINE
At these centres there arc provided spteial
facilities for the training of teams from each
colliery, which has thus available, in case of
accident, men well acquainted with under-
ground conditions at the mine. Their efforts
in dealing with an accident would be supjile-
mented by assistance from the central
station which is organized on the prineipks
of a fue brigade for prompt turn out when
required.
The course of training suggested by the
authors is apparently based on practical
experience and has doubtless given excellent
results, but in the course of fourteen lessons
for teams sent from collieries for training
there seem to be several points open to
criticism. The men arc asked to see that
provision is made at their collieries for
telephonic communications, suitable road for
motor hre engine, and good foundation for
engine, etc. Details are giv'en of weight and
dimensions of motor pump, and it is pointed
out that hj'drants and hose should be in-
spected weekl\^ \\'ould not an official
communication from the central mine rescue
and fire brigade station direct to the manager
of the mine be a better method of dealing with
matters of this character, than placing them
in the hands of half a dozen men whose
primar\- object in attending the course of
instruction is to make them capable of
acting efficiently in an irrespirable
atmosphere ?
The various t^-pcs of respiratory apparatus
and accessory appliances are well described,
but no information is given of the JMeco
apparatus, and the geophone, of which there is
a detailed account, does not appear to be of
the t5'pe familiar to a large number of
mining engineers who had experience with
Tunnelhng Companies of the Royal Engineers
during the late war. This instrument,
described by Major Standish Ball in the
Proceedings of the Institution of ^lining and
Metallurg}-, 1919, not only magnified any
sound passing through solid rock but
indicated with great accurac}' the direction
of point of origin. A brief account of the
method of utilizing the geophone under-
ground would add to the value of the book
ruider review.
That aeroplanes will be utilized " sooner or
later " for the transport of men and apparatus
from rescue station to a mine on occasion of
disaster, as suggested by the authors, appears
to be very doubtful. The cUfficulty of
obtaining a suitable landing place, " an
area of 75 acres " near to the mine as
mentioni.tl, is not the only factor to be con-
sidered under present requirements. When
there is an urgent call for assistance a motor-
car would be far superior to an aerojilane in
quickly reaching a mine within Ui iniKs cit
a rescue station.
The authors show a sound and practical
knowledge of their subject, and as a text-
book. Mine Rescue Wurk and Oriianization
may be reconunended to the attention of the
mining community.
St.\kley Nettleton.
Problems in Land and Mine Surveying.
J'.y D.wiEL D.vviES. Second edition.
Cloth, octavo, 355 pages, illustrated.
Price 12s. 6d. net. London : Charles
Griffin & Co., Ltd.
Civil engineers are fairly well supplied with
manuals on surveying applicable to their
work ; mining engineers are not. The really
good all-round book on mine surveying has
still to be written ; it will be received with
open arms when it is. While awaiting its
tardy arrival we must be grateful to those
authors who present us with treatises
covering some of the ground in a helpful
way, as is the case here. The first edition,
reviewed in these columns in July, 1918, had
276 pages, 145 diagrams, and 400 questions,
of which 291 were worked out. The second
edition has 355 pages, 195 diagrams, and
550 questions, of which 350 are worked out.
Several minor corrections have been made,
and the scope of the book has been
advantageously extended. Many of the
problems and diagrams were originally
published in The Science and Art of Mining,
a periodical well known to students of coal
mining ; and the book is intended principally
to assist the young colliery engineer. The
most numerous problems given are those
involving calculation of areas, use of
trigonometrical ratios, and mensuration,
with many others dealing with amount and
direction of dip, co-ordinates, errors, faults,
levelling, scales, etc. Noticeable additions
are : loose needle surveying in the presence
of iron, azimuth by solar observation,
conventional signs in plan-making, operation
of levelling with a dumpy level, methods
of booking levelUng notes, and a dial survey
of a steeply inclined shaft and drift with
plan and section plotted therefrom.
For obtaining areas by co-ordinates the
author uses the rule: multiply the total
latitude of each station by the algebraic
sum of the departure of that traverse or
OCTOBER, 1921
227
draft and the one following ; the sum of these
products divided by two is equal to the area
of the closed traverse. From the pro-
fessional standpoint a better rule is :
multiply the algebraic sums of the total
latitudes (or departures) of every two
adjoining stations by the algebraic differences
of the total departures (or latitudes) of the
same stations ; the algebraic sum of the
products is double the area. The solar
observation example has no explanation
appended to it, making it difficult of com-
prehension by a student ; moreover,
decimals of seconds are quite superfluous
in an observation which usually is not
expected to give the true azimuth at best
nearer than to 1 minute, and the inadvertent
insertion of the declination instead of the
codeclination value in one part of the
calculation makes it puzzling to the un-
initiated.
Approval must be accorded to the in-
struction that " bordering should be neat,
but not unduly elaborate ; otherwise
appreciation of a well-executed plan may be
lost in admiration of the border." Still,
students like to spread themselves a bit in
the matter of embellishments when it comes
to titles, north points, and borders ; and
enthusiasm for artistic draughtsmanship,
even of a rather florid type, is not a bad
sign, and should not be too severely repressed.
The book is pleasantly produced, and,
within its scope, should be most helpful to
students ; it should also be of assistance
to teachers in furnishing them with a
collection of worked and unworked problems
suitable for class exercises.
Alex. Rich.^rdsox.
Field Mapping for the Oil Geologist. By
C. A. Warner. Cloth, octavo, 145 pages,
illustrated. Price 13s. 6d. net. New
York : John \\'iley & Sons. London :
Chapman & Hall, Ltd.
The rapid growth of the petroleum
industry has brought with it a corresponding
increase in the amount of technical literature
dealing with all matters pertaining to oil
finding, and the last nine months especially
have seen the production of many useful
volumes in this connexion, mainly from
America. As not unfrequently happens,
however, such a literary boom brings with it
certain publications which are neither up to
the standard of excellence nor of the specific
value of contemporary works, and at the
outset we are bound to say that this little
volum suffeers in these respects.
Firstly, it is somewhat overshadowed by
the recent volume by Cox, Dake, and Muilen-
burg on " Field Methods in Petroleum
Geology," reviewed in the June number of
the Mag.-^zixe, which covers practically the
same ground, though in much more detail ;
secondly, as an exposition of field methods,
even simply as an outline of first principles,
it is sadly inadequate, since much that is
of fundamental importance in geological
mapping and subsequent interpretation of
structures is omitted. Further, the general
foundation of the subject which the author
sets out to construct is unfortunately made
unsafe by exti'eme brevity of treatment, and
without some previous knowledge and
experience by way of supplement, it is rather
doubtful whether a mere perusal of this work
would afford the reader the requisite
theoretical grounding in his subject.
The text consists of 145 pages, of which
roughly 63 are taken up with tables of
constants, geological fundamentals, and
index, thus leaving only 82 pages in which to
dispose of the subject matter ; the latter is
dealt with under five chapters, the first being
a study of field conditions, the second
dealing with maps, their value and inter-
pretation, the third discussing field-mapping
and methods, the fourth, mapping instru-
ments, and the last containing details of
meridian determination and the tables above
referred to. With regard to the first chapter
there is little to remark beyond the fact that
a discussion of such a broad phase of the
subject, when limited to seven pages,
cannot po.ssibly be more than the barest
summary ; for instance, the author might
well have extended his remarks on oil-seeps
and their examination ; far too great
importance is, we fear, paid to surface
indications of petroleum, so frequently
suggesting escape of oil rather than storage
in subterranean pools. In Chapter II the
study of geological and topographical maps is
somewhat stereotyped, as are the illustrations
which include the inevitable landscape and
contour map reproduced from the inside
cover of the United States Geological Survey
folios ; this particular illustration seems to be
a sine qua noii in American literature of
structural geologj^ as is the case with several
other illustrations repeated from time to time
in different volumes ; such reiteration
suggests lack of imagination and does not tend
to the creation of a well individualized work.
22S
Tin- MixiX(~. :\i.\(-,.\zi\F,
In the third chapter on fuld nKi]i]-)ing and
nuthoiis, the author embodies the results of
personal experience in geological surveying,
and although brief, much useful information
is offered. The remarks on correlation of
unfossiliferous strata, however, arc mi-
fortunate, since the use of vertical sections,
implj'ing uniformity of conditions ovtr wide
areas, must be extremely limitetl, uniformity
being the exception rather than the rule in
most countries. No mention is made of
petrographic methods of correlation under
such circumstances, methods which are far
safer than those dependent on mere lithology
and whicli might well be applied to the Red
Beds mentioned by the author. The chapter
also includes an abstract of Griswold and
JIunn's paper on certain oilfields which
illustrate the working of isochore maps
(U.S.G.S., Bull. 318), and concludes with
a few hints on writing geological reports ;
we are glad to note in the latter connexion
that the author insists on a degree of brevity
commensurate with the amount and
importance of the information to be sub-
mitted ; professional reports so frequently
present the appearance of small textbooks
that the advice is particularly apposite.
The remainder of the volume is devoted to
a discussion of certain instruments used
during preliminary survey, and includes
information on the telescopic alidade,
Brunton pocket transit, and aneroid
barometer, followed by notes on meridian
determination and various reference tables.
The book will, we think, probably make its
greatest appeal to American geologists and
others engaged in oil-production in that
country, since its teaching is based almost
entirely on American practice ; even if its
scope were wider, it is doubtful whether in its
present size and form it would command a
ready sale in this country at the prohibitive
price at which it is published.
H. B. MiLNER.
Mechanical Drawing. By John E. J.\gger.
Third edition, cloth, quarto, 251 pages,
illustrated. Price 15s. net. London ;
Charles Griffin & Co., Ltd.
The object of this book, the result of many
years of practice and study, is to provide
notes, observations, and examples to enable
a student to learn how to read drawings,
make a simple working drawing, and apply
the knowledge gained in his future work.
It is intended for students who have not the
opportunity to serve in a drawing office,
but who siiiiuld know something of oflficc
processes and methods. The ability to
read a machine drawing correctly, and to
infer considerations not artnallv expressed
in line and curve, is for ihi mcciianical
engineer just as imjiortant as the ability
to analyse a mine j)lan is for the mining
engineer, and no pains .should be spared to
ac(]uire such facility.
Beginning with instructions on draughts-
manship, the author goes on to tracing,
])hoto-copying, and principles of projection.
Then follow a series of dimensioned designs,
ranging from a .simple cast-iron bracket to
a tool-holder for a planing machine, and a
chapter on materials used in mechanical
engineering. In addition to the numerous
illustrations, the book contains much textual
information, comprising formulae, tables,
descriptions, and examples for working.
It is, therefore, a great deal more than a
book on drawing only ; and one which
engineering students will undoubtedly find
useful. By way of suggestion, it might be an
increase to utility to include an example of
a small la3'-out, say, a motor driving a
line-shaft from which power was taken off
for a few machine tools, for the purpose of
leading the student up to the important
field of general planning and organization.
Pumping by Compressed Air. By
Edmund M. Ivens. Second edition. Cloth,
octavo, 266 pages, illustrated. Price 22s.
New York : John Wiley & Son ; London :
Chapman & Hall, Ltd.
Mr. Ivens undertook the study of this
subject in the first instance with a view to
obtaining information for his own needs.
He had the opportunity to install and test
a number of air-hfts operating under varied
conditions, and thought the data he had
gathered as the outcome of his experience
and reading were of sufficient interest to
conden.se and publish. To the first edition
have been added some thirty pages of text,
and several illustrations, formula;, and
tables ; the added matter consisting chiefly
of operative results.
The first of the fourteen chapters deals with
pumping by the action of pistons ; the
second, with the displacement pump ; the
third, with the return air system ; the
next five with the air-lift ; the following
four with compression generalities, com-
pressor efficiency, compressors, and flow
of air in pipes ; the thirteenth with the flow
of water in pipes ; and the last with a
OCTOBER, 1921
229
description of a water-works pumping
installation. As will be seen, the air-lift,
which is by far the most common method
of pumping by compressed air, comes in
for extended notice. Mining men will be
interested in the system of working sulphur
deposits developed by IMr. Herman Frasch.
The sulphur is liquefied either by melting
or by dissolving, and pumped up into
settling tanks. The well is cased to a short
distance below the junction of the over-
lying strata with the sulphur bed, and
through this the air-lift piping is carried down
well into the bed. Steam is admitted into
the casing, and melts the sulphur. The
mixture of molten sulphur, hot water, and
steam is then pumped to the surface. With
regard to air-lifts in general, it might be well
to bear in mind the author's opinion that
" an air lift improperly designed and
installed is one of the most criminally waste-
ful means of pumping known."
The book is well supphed with illustrations,
and data, both theoretical and practical,
valuable to anyone desiring information
on the subject of pumping by compressed air.
l^^ Copies of the books, etc., mentioned under the heading
" Book Reviews " can be obtained through the Technical Book-
shop of The .l/tnins Magazint, 724, Salisbury House, London
Wall, London, E.C. 2.
NEWS LETTERS
TORONTO
September 12.
Metallic Production of Ontario. —
The returns of the Ontario Department of
Mines for the first six months of 1921 show
a marked decline in the value of the
metalliferous output of the province, with the
exception of gold and lead. The total
value was $11,363,652, as compared with
522,101,580 during the corresponding period
of the previous year. In common with other
industries mining is experiencing the effects
of a poor market, and the general lowering
of commodity prices. The output of gold
shows a slight increase, being valued at
$5,761,504, as compared with $5,690,504,
while the production of silver has declined
in quantity from 4,474,322 oz. of the value
of $5,077,028 to 4,277,762 oz. valued at
$2,552,125. The production of the precious
metals was much curtailed during the first
quarter of the year by the shortage of electric
power, and the output of gold for the full
j'ear now that conditions are more favourable
promises to establish a new high record.
Porcupine. — An interim report of the
Hollingcr Consolidated, covering the first
seven months of the year, presents a highly
satisfactory showing. The net profit for
the period was $2,339,921, as compared with
$2,074,025 for the corresponding period of
1920. The total income was $5,125,050, as
against $4,012,242, and the total expenditure
$2,785,129, as compared with $1,938,218.
The average tonnage milled per day was
2,406 tons, as compared with 1,906, and the
number of men employed had increased
from 1,103 to 1,369.
The Dome Mines is carrying out an
extensive plan of exploration to ascertain
the extent of the large ore-body encountered
on the 10th level, which has been found to
continue downwards for more than 300 ft.
The workings are being deepened, but it has
not been decided how far the shaft will be
put down. A new ore-body has been found
on the 7th level, but whether it is an upward
extension of the deposit on the lower levels
has not been determined. According to an
official statement the Dome is now treating
an average of 840 tons daily, with an
approximate recovery of $6'17 per ton.
The assets of the Davidson Consolidated
have been taken over by a new company,
known as the Porcupine Davidson Gold
Mines, in which British capital represented
by Sir Archibald Mitchelson and John
Hambly, is largely interested, capitalized at
£1,000,000 sterling. The amount paid was
^175,000 preferred stock and ;/;450,000
common stock, in the new company, and
£50,000 cash, shareholders of the old com-
pany retaining their securities. A sum of
£"200,000 is set apart for working capital
and the mine is now being unwatered
preliminary to the resumption of operations.
The annual report of the ficlntyre
Porcupine for the year ended June 30
shows total net earnings amounting to
$1,088,513, as compared with $1,280,232,
and a net profit transferred to surplus of
$815,530, as compared with $818,020. The
ore produced was 171,916 tons, of a gross
value of $2,005,672, averaging $11-67 per
ton, as compared with 188,835 tons of
$2,175,891 gross value, and $11-52 average
value for the preceding year. The ore
reserves were estimated at 624,422 tons, of
the value of $6,392,394, an increase of nearly
$800,000.
At the Beaumont, formerly the North
Davidson, the ore-body cut on the 150 ft.
level has been tapped by a cross-cut at the
300 ft. level, and is being opened up.
230
THE MIXING MAr.AZIXIC
The Porcupine area is being considerably
extended by operations wliicli are bi'int;
actively carried on in the outlying districts
where many new properties are being
developed. These include the Union Mining
Corporation and Daly claims lying w-est of the
producing area ; the Big Dyke, Ankerite
Extension, Porcupine Paymaster, and March
Gold toward the south ; Allied Porcupine
and Porcupinc-Keora to the north-east ;
Gold Island Ij'ing east and the Triplex in a
south-easterly direction.
KiRKL.AND L.A.KE. — This camp is rapidly
increasing in extent and importance, and
has recently experienced a considerable
growth in population. The production of the
Lake Shore for Jul}' amounted to §49,155
from the treatment of 1,967 tons of ore, with
an average recovery of $2199 per ton.
President Harry Oakes states that the
physical condition of the mine is stronger
than ever, and that the capacity of the mill
has been increased to nearly 70 tons per day.
Structural work on the new mill of the
Ontario-Kirkland of 100 ton capacity is
nearly completed, and it is hoped to have it
in operation by the end of the year. A
considerable quantity of ore averaging about
$15 is in readiness for milling. At the
King Kirkland another new vein has been
opened up with a pay-streak from 1 to 2 ft.
wide, which shows commercial ore on the
surface for 200 ft. Camp buildings are being
erected on the Queen Lebel, and a plan of
exploration and development has been
arranged. A vein system of some importance
has been found on the surface at the Lcbel
Lode yielding high assays. Exploration is
being undertaken to ascertain the zone of
greatest enrichment before putting down
a shaft.
CoB.ALT. — The silver-mining industry con-
tinues quiet. Economic conditions have
improved, though not sufficiently to induce
the producing mines which closed down last
year to resume work. Production by the
Nipissing mine, however, shows a steady
increase, a noticeable feature being the
amount of cobalt produced as a by-product.
During July ore was mined of an estimated
net value of $166,363, including cobalt
valued at $25,380, and bullion from Nipissing
and customs ore was shipped of an estimated
net value of $223,057. At the Violet property
of the La Rose Consolidated a vein 9 in.
wide, carrjdng high-grade ore, was struck
on the 570 ft. level. On being followed it was
found to widen out considerably, and to
show greater enrichment. A rich vein
has been encoinitered on the O'Brien
adjoining, heading towards the Violet. A
A vein opened up on the 4th sub-level of the
Bailey Cobalt shows 2 to 4 in. of high-grade
ore, with good silver contents in the wall-
rock. The report of the Timiskaming for a
period of 18 months ended June 30 shows
net jiroduction of the value of $179,294,
ajid other income of $51,479, makinf^ a total
of $220,773. Oj)erating costs and other
charges were $366,539, making a deficit of
$135,765.
Sudbury. — The mines and smelter of the
International Nickel Co., in the Sudbury
district, as well as the refinery at Port
Col borne, Ontario, were closed down for an
indefinite period on September 1. Operations
had been greatly curtailed for some months,
and the suspension was not unexpected.
The reason assigned was general business
depression, and the accumulation of heavy
stocks for which a market could not be found.
During the war upwards of 2,500 men found
employment at the mines and works, but
the pay-roll has since been gradually reduced
to about 600. The Mond Nickel Co. is now
the only one in operation, and it is only
working on a very limited scale.
VANCOUVER. B.C.
Complex Lead-Zinc Ores. — What is
likely to be the most far-reaching event of the
month is the bonding of the Stemwinder
mine and the Ontario group, at Kimbcrley,
from the !MacKenzie & Mann interests by
the Federal Mining & Smelting Co., a sub-
sidiary of the American Smelting & Refining
Co. No details of the terms of the bond have
been announced e.xccpt that ample time has
been given to explore the deposits with a
diamond-drill. The Federal company had
the Stemwinder property under option in
1918, but rehnquished the option after doing
considerable drilling. It is easy to see that
there are a number of conditions that may
have attracted the Federal back to the
property. In the first place, with lead and
zinc prices about half of what they were in
1918, and with money considerably tighter,
it is likely that the company has been able
to make better terms with the MacKenzie &
Mann interests, a concern that has the
reputation in this province as being rather
grasping ; but what may have weighed
more than this with the Federal is the
splendid development of the Consohdated
Mining Cc Smelting Co.'s Sullivan mine, which
OCTOBER, 1921
231
adjoins the Stcmwinder, and the fact that
the Consohdated company, after spending
some three-quarters of a million dollars in
experiments, has solved the metallurgical
difficulties in connexion with the exceedingly
complex ores found in the Sullivan and
Stemwinder mines. This ore is a compact
sulphide containing galena, zinc-blende,
marmatite, pyrrhotite, pyrite, and small
quantities of several other minerals and not
more than 6% of gangue. The lead and zinc
contents vary in different parts of the mines,
but at the Sullivan they average in the
neighbourhood of 18% zinc and 12% lead,
with a low silver content, probably less than
4 oz. per ton. Besides numerous laboratory
plants, the Consolidated built and dismantled
several commercial plants — the largest had
a daily capacity of 600 tons — before a satis-
factory process was devised. The following
is a bare outline of the process finally adopted
and now in use. The ore is ground to about
20 mesh and tabled to remove some of the
galena and some of the gangue ; the tailing
from the tables is slimed to 200 mesh, and
treated in ^linerals Separation cells, a mixture
of pine oil and creosote being used as a
frothing agent. This gives a concentrate
containing the bulk of the lead and zinc
sulphides, together with a considerable
proportion of iron sulphides and small
quantities of other sulphides. The taihng
from this process consists essentially of
pyrrhotite and pyrite and gangue. The
concentrate is roasted, and the calcine is
subjected to an exceedingly clever, though
very complicated process, in which the zinc
oxide is dissolved by acid zinc sulphate
solution, and the solution is neutralized and
the iron, arsenic, and antimony salts pre-
cipitated by zinc oxide in a fresh portion of
calcine. The solution is then separated from
the residue, and is further purified by
agitation with atomized zinc, which removes
copper and cadmium, and is then passed
through a series of electrolysing vats, where
about 60% of the zinc is precipitated on the
cathodes. The solution, which has become
acid once again, is used to dissolve zinc from
a fresh portion of calcine. Thus a continuous
circuit is maintained, a little chloride being
kept in the circuit to precipitate any silver
that may have gone into solution. The
residue from this process, which consists
essentially of lead sulphate, ferric oxide,
and undissolved zinc in a complicated form,
largely ferrate, goes to the lead smelter,
where the lead and silver are recovered.
The Consolidated company will give out no
details either as to cost or recovery, but one
can make a shrewd guess at the latter from
the quantity of ore treated and the zinc
produced, and it is doubtful if a great deal
more than 60°/',-, of the zinc content of the ore
is being recovered. The lead recovery is
much higher. Low as the zinc recovery would
seem to be, there is little doubt about the
process being a financial success, as last year
the Sullivan mine produced more than 00%
of the zinc and nearly 70° ^ of the lead out-
puts of Canada. Improvements are being
made to the process from time to time and
undoubtedly a much better extraction
ultimately will be obtained.
To return to the Federal company, how-
ever, the proving up of several million tons
of this class of ore in the Sullivan mine and
the development of a process to treat it
has probably been the principal drawing
card to induce the company to re-enter the
East Kootenay field. The opportunities
of the Canadian lead and zinc market, which
at the present time is almost entirely in the
hands of the Consolidated company, probably
also has added weight to the Federal com-
pany's decision. It is stated that if it receives
encouragement in its exploratory work the
Federal company is prepared to spend
53,000,000 in the development of the
property. Drilling has been started and will
be carried on until a definite conclusion
as to the value of the ore deposit is reached.
S.^LMON River District. — An event of
considerable importance has been the fhip-
ment of the first consignment of concentrate
from the Premier mine, in the Salmon
River district. The concentrate was obtaihed
mainly from the treatment of cullings of oie
that already had been shipped. The con-
signment consisted of 160 tons, valued at
51,750 per ton in gold and silver, giving it
a total value of about 5280,000. This
practically establishes the Premier as the
biggest gold and silver mine in the Province.
A large body of ore has been developed, and
it is stated that the ore-body has been proved
by diamond-driUing to a depth of 600 ft. below
the lowest workings. Shipments of both
high-grade ore and concentrate will be made
continuously as soon as the aerial tramway,
now in course of construction, from the mine
to tide-water, a distance of 11 J miles, has
been completed. In the meantime, con-
centrate will be shipped by road, as in the
present instance, and it is probable that the
high-grade will be sacked and held ; though
232
Till' MIX IXC, MACA/IXE
it is possible, if the tramway is not liiiished
and the travel is i;ood, some high-yrade will
be shipped over the snow during the winter.
The Salmon Kiver distriet seems likely to
fulfil its early promises. At least two, and
possibly three, other mines will be shippini;
fri>m the distriet durint; this winter. The l"i--h
Creek Mining Co., whieh has been developing
a jMomising lode on Fish Creek, a tributary
of the Salmon Kiver on the .\laskan side
of the international boundar\-, already has
made a shipment of some 20 tons of high-
grade ore, which it is expected will give a
return of betw.ecn five and six hmidred
dollars per ton, and the company has some
100 tons of similar ore mined. This ore is
being held until better shipping facilities
arc available. The Alaskan Government is
building a good trail to the mine, and by the
time this has been completed it is expected
that the property w'ill be sufficiently
developed to be in a position to make regular
shipments. Up to the present all the ore
that has been taken out has been mined from
open-cuts, but a tunnel is being driven to cut
the ore-body at a depth of 50 ft. below the
outcrop, and this will give cover for operations
during the winter. A permanent camp has
been established, and work will be continued
steadily through the winter.
The Silverado group, which has recently
been purchased by a Vancouver sj'ndicate
headed by J. J. Coughlan, the ship-builder,
is situated on a mountain across the river
from the town of Stewart. A narrow vein
heavily impregnated with freibergite has
been traced bv open-cuts betw-een elevations
of 2,000 and 4,200 ft. Some 20 tons of ore
has been taken out and sacked. A sampling
of this ore by the present owners just before
the purchase w-as made gave an assay
return of 1,566 oz. in silver and S2-40 in
gold per ton and 14-S°o of copper. A tunnel
is being driven at the 2,000 ft. level, and a
camp is being established at this point.
The trails are being improved and brush is
being cut. The syndicate will endeavour to
construct a light tramway between the
mine and tide-water, a distance of 8,000 ft.
before the winter sets in, so that operations
and shipping may be continued through the
winter. Some 500 ft. of snow-shedding is
being buUt. Should this w'ork be completed
in time it is expected that small shipments
will be made regularly.
The Outland Silver Bar Co., which is
developing the Outland group, 25 miles up
the Salmon River, is taking out a trial
shipment of 50 sacks on pack-horses. This
jiroperty is 1 1 miles farther up the river than
the Premier, and until a considerable outlay
has been made to connect it with existing
roads shipping on anything but a small
scale is impossible. There arc a number of
promising prospects in the vicinity, and it is
probable that the Provincial Governnunt
will construct a trail to serve all, leaving the
individual owners to make trails from it to
their respective properties.
Besides the foregoing, there are a number
of properties in a less advanced stage, while
there are many others, such as the Big
Missouri and the Forty-nine, on which a
considerable amount of work has been done,
and in some instances on which considerable
ore-bodies have been demonstrated, but on
which nothing more is likely to be done until
transportation or metallurgical difficulties,
or both, have been solved. Taken altogether,
the Salmon River district is one of great
promise, and there seems to be every likeli-
hood that several mines of importance will
be developed.
PERSONAL
John Ballot is, we are pleased to hear, recovering
from the serious illness from which he has been
suffering recently.
B. V. Barton has gone from Victoria to Rhodesia
to become assistant general manager of the Rhodesia
Broken Hill mines.
Dr. J. CoGGiN Brown is returning to India
shortly, and his place at the Department of
Commerce and Industry of the Indian Government
at Winchester House, London, is now filled by
Cyril S. Fox, also of the Indian Geological Survey.
A. G. Campbell has been appointed manager of
Broken Hill Block 10 mine.
F. G. CoTTRELL is On his way back to the United
States from Europe.
Charles Fremont was presented with the
Bessemer Medal of the Iron and Steel Institute at
the recent meeting in Paris.
R. T. Hancock has joined the staff at the
Keeley silver mines. Cobalt.
Dr. J. A. L. Henderson has gone to Canada.
E. G. I.AWFORD has joined the staff of the Santa
Gertrudis company at Pachuca, Mexico.
George Macfarlane has returned from
Australia.
H. F. Marriott has left for South Africa.
E. P. Mathevvson was here from the United
States last month, and has since left for Burma.
Arthur Mort is returning to Baluchistan.
R. E. Palmer is paying a short visit to Canada
and the United States.
C.R. Pinder is back from Mexico.
.\lex. Richardson has returned to Camborne
from a tour in the United States and Canada.
Francis Samuelson is the president-elect of the
Iron and Steel Institute.
William Selkirk, of 4, Broad Street ' Place,
London, E.C. 2, has taken G. W. Gray into
OCTOBER, 1921
233
partnership. The firm will be known as W. Selkirk
and Gray. Mr. Gray has been chief mining engineer
at Rio Tinto for the past eight years, and latterly
he was assistant general manager for the company.
Charles E. Stearns has joined the metallurgical
staff of the Union Miniere du Haut Katanga.
J. W. Teale and H. Blackman, of Bainbridge,
Seymour & Co., Ltd., have gone to South .\merica.
A. W. Wincey, manager of Broken Hill Block 10
mine, has gone to Papua to take charge of the
Misima gold mine.
Major Ci.EM Webb, founder of the Soiilh Africa:!
Milling Jonniil, died last month.
Sir W. E. Garforth, one of the best known
English coal-mining engineers, died on October 1.
He was a past president of the Institution of Mining
Engineers. He did much research work in connexion
with colliery explosions, and was to the forefront in
devising rescue apparatus.
Dr. Henry Woodward died on September 6, in
his 89th year. He was for many years keeper of
the Geological Department at the Briti.sh Museum,
but probably an even greater service to science was
done by him as editor of the Geological Magazine
from its commencement in 1864 until 1918. He was
an ideal editor, patient and kindly, and helpful to
the author.s as regards the presentation of facts
and arguments in comprehensible and proper
manner.
John Pearce Roe, chairman and managing
director of Ropeways, Ltd., of Eldon Street House,
London, E.C. 2, died on September 2. He was the
son of the late John P. Roe, M.Inst.C.E., of Consett,
Durham. He was born in 1852, and he commenced
his career early in his father's works at Cardiff.
In 1870 he went to the Dowlais Iron Company,
and was engaged under the late William Menelaus
and Lewis Richards, first in the drawing office, and
subsequently as one of the general assistant
engineers at the company's iron and steel works
and collieries. In 1879, at the request of
Mr. Menelaus, then chairman of the Orconera Iron
Ore Company, he went to Bilbao to report progress
and install provisional appliances for getting the
output of the mines on board ship ; on completion
of this work he was appointed resident engineer
of the company, and in that capacity designed and
carried out a large amount of work in connexion
with the railways, shipping appliances, loading
staithes, dredging, and feeder- transport arrange-
ments to the main line, including heavy inclined-
plane work. In 1889 he commenced practice as a
consulting engineer at Cardiff, and undertook
contracts for transporting minerals by means of
aerial ropeways in the Bilbao district. In the
following year he opened offices in London, and
devoted himself particularly to the development of
what is now known as the Roe system of ropeways
for transporting material in mountainous countries.
He eventually formed a company under the name
of Ropeways, Limited, of which he was managing
director. TT his company has, both as regards design
and erection, carried out a great number of the most
important installations in all parts of the world.
In addition to supervising the entire work of the
company he practised as a consulting engineer,
advising on various engineering matters, and
particularly in connexion with the handling and
transport of minerals and the like. His biggest
piece of ropeway engineering work was the Dorada
ropeway, which is by far the longest in the world,
4—5
that is, 47 miles. It was largely due to his invention.?
and improvements that the single type of ropeway
has reached its present state of perfection. He
had recently brought out a couple of inventions
which will mark a further important advance in
ropeway construction. Apart from the work with
his firm, he recently invented a new type of rope
conveyor, which has just been put on the market,
and up to the last carried out consulting work for
various projects, generally in connexion with the
mechanical handling of materials. Owing to his
undoubted genius in engineering and to his magnetic
personality the chief members of the administrative
and technical staff have been with his firm for
periods of from eighteen to thirty years. This
shows the high esteem in which he was held by
those in close contact with him.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
The Metropoi.itan-Vickers Electrical Co.,
Ltd., of Trafford Park, Manchester, and 4, Central
Buildings, Westminster, send us their circular
No. 1440/1, dealing with their water-wheel
alternators.
W. T. Glover &- Co., Ltd., of Trafford Park,
jManchester, send ns their descriptive catalogue
of the Glo-Clad electric wiring system. This system
is useful in mines and in similar places where it is
desirable that the wiring shall be water-tight,
gas-light, and acid-proof.
R. B. Hodgson & Co (Sheffield), Ltd., of the
Sentinel Steel Works, Sheffield, send us an elaborate
catalogue of their special steels, containing
descriptions of the steels and instructions for use.
The firm's " Pinnacle " brands of drill steel are
well known among mining engineers.
The British Griffin Chilled Iron and Steel
Co., Ltd., of Barrow-in-Furncss, and Temple
House, Tallis Street, London, E.C. 4, send us their
leaflet No. 6, giving particulars of their " Boultcn "
self-oiling wheel, which is specially adapted to mine-
cars and where there are sharp curves in the haulage.
The Westinghouse Brake & Saxbv Signal
Co., Ltd., of 82, York Road, King's Cross, London,
N. 1, send us their catalogue dealing with their
system of electro-pneumatic control and safety
appliances for mines. The appliances described
embody the principles adopted in automatic
signalling on railways, and they are already in
extensive use in mines in connexion with hoisting
plant.
Edgar Allen & Co., Ltd., of the Imperial
Steel Works, Sheffield (London Office : 1, Victoria
Street, S.W.), send us the October issue of the
Edgay Allen News. It contains articles on modern
electric furnaces, as applied in heat treatment,
the application of nickel-chrome steel to the
manufacture of dredge-bucket pins, and the uses
and treatment of special alloy steels in Canada.
There is also a description of the largest gyratory
crusher made in this country, which was made for
the Humber Portland Cement Co., Ltd.
The Genf.ral Electric Co., Ltd., of Magnet
House, Kingsway, London, W.C. 2, send us their
leaflet X2574, dealing with their flame-proof
switchgear. They also send us their leaflet OS2569,
describing the Osghm electric lamp. In this
lamp no filament as used in the ordinary type of
electric lamp is employed. It consists of a glass
bulb similar in shape and dimensions to the ordinary
231
Till'; MI.NlXr. MAGAZIXK
ini-an<lcscont electric lamp and contains the rare ga?
Neon. In the bulb are lixoil two metallic electrodes
placed at a short distance from each other, and
known as the anode and cathode, the anode being
connected to the lamp contact by which the current.
enters, and the cathode to the contact by which it
leaves. When an electric current is apjilied to the
terminals an electric discharge or " ionic bom-
bardment " takes place between the two metallic
electrodes from the anode to the cathode. This is
visible to the human eye, as light of a characteristic
orange colour appearing as a luminous haze over
and about the cathode. The lij^ht is particularly
rich in red and yellow ravs, and therefore very
visible at a distance. In addition it is pleasant and
soft to the eye, owing to the large area of light
emission.
F. E. Becker & Co. (Proprietors, W. and J.
George, Limited), of 17-29 Hatton Wall, London,
E.G. 1, are putting on the market a pros-
Grimley's Prospector's Balance.
pecting balance for use in connexion with alluvial
tin estimations, invented by Philip Grimley,
Assoc. Inst.lI.M. This balance, which is on the
lines of a steelyard, is designed so that if the
concentrates resulting from washing J cu. ft. of
ground be weighed on it, the value of that sample in
pounds per cubic yard can be read from the beam,
which is divided into 10 units, each of which is
subdivided into tenths. In addition, the weight of
the concentrates can be easily ascertained. Two
large and three small sliding weights are supplied.
Each of the small weights has a value of 4-2 grams.
That is, if concentrates w-eighing 4-2 grams are
placed in the pan, the beam will be horizontal
when one of the small weights is at 1, or, if the
weight of the concentrates be 42'0 grams, the licam
will be horizontal when the weight is at 10. One
quarter of a cubic foot = 1'108 cubic yard, and
4-201 grams = 1/108 lb. So, for example, if
J cu. ft. of ground be washed up and when the
resulting concentrates are put in the jian the beam
is horizontal with one of the small weights at, say,
3-2, the value of the sample is 3-2 lb. per cu. yd.,
and the weight of the concentrates is 3-2 >: 4'2
grams. If only one of the small weights be used,
concentrates of a higher value than 10 lb. per cu.
yd. have to be weighed in two or more portions,
and the beam readings must be added together.
But with, for example, one small weight at the
mark 10 on the beam, and another of the small
weights at 4, a value of 10 plus 4 = 14 lb. per cu.
yd. can be read. Similarly, with the medium weight
(which is twice as heavy as one of the small weights)
at 10, and a small weight at 3 (as illustrated), a
value of 2 ■• 10 plus 3 = 23 lb. per cu. yd. can be
read ; or with the largest weight at 10 and one of the
small weights at 3, a value of 3 • 10 plus 3 = 33 lb.
per cu. yd. can be read. In all the above cases the
value in lb. per cu. yd. x 4'2 = weight of con-
centrates in grams. Further, should it, at times, be
desirable to wash samples of i cu. ft., then the
medium sized weight, at say, the mark 7, would
indicate a value of 7 lb. per cu. yd. (Should any
of the small weights be used when samples of J cu.
ft. are washed its beam reading must be halved.)
When \ cu. ft. samples are taken, the weight of
concentrates in grains = value in lb. per cu. yd. x
8'4. The apparatus is simple and not likely to
get out of order when taken on a prospecting
expedition. It weighs, in its wooden box, only
li lb., and the dimensions of the box are 15 in. by
4| in. by IJin. One advantage of the instrument
is that it can be carried while prospecting so that
the samples can be immediately tested, thus
obviating error and misadventure, and giving the
required information promptly.
SHIPPING. ENGINEERING, AND
MACHINERY EXHIBITION
The Shipping, Engineering, and Machinery
Exhibition was held at Olympia during the three
weeks from September 7 to September 28. A few
notes are given here of the exhibits of interest to
raining engineers.
Edwin "Ei.lis & Co., Ltd., ol Alpha Road,
Millwall, London, E. 14, showed specimens of their
" World Brand " wire ropes for shipping, engineering
and mining purposes.
The Empire Roller Bearings Co., Ltd., of
13, Victoria Street. Westminster, had an exhibit
of their " Empire " roller bearings, with a model
truck on rails fitted with them.
G. A. Harvey & Co. (London), Ltd., of Woolwich
Road, London, S.F.. 7, had a comprehensive show
of their galvanized tanks, perforated metal, and
woven wire-screens.
Worthington-Simpson, Ltd., of Queen's House,
Kingsway, London, W.C, showed a number of
pumps, including high- and low-lift centrifugal
pumps, and also air-compressors.
J. & E. Hall, Ltd., of Dartford, Kent, had on
exhibit characteristic plants for refrigerating and pre-
serving food and for ice-making and cooling water.
The Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co.,
Ltd., of JIanchester, and Central Buildings,
OCTOBER, 1921
235
Westminster, showed a great variety of their
products from electric winders to lamps and bell-
pushes.
Hyatt, Ltd., of Thurloe Place. South Kensing-
ton, had a stall displaying their flexible roller
bearings.
Reaveli. & Co., Ltd., of Ipswich, showed a
number of their air-compressors.
The Unchokeable Pump, Ltd., of 3, St. Helen's
Place, London, E.C. 3, showed their centrifugal
pump in action. This pump is used for handling
soft materials in water, and also hard materials,
such as gravel and tailings.
The Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd., of 35, Surrey Street,
London, W.C. 2, exhibited a number of their
specialities : a crude-oil engine, air-compressor,
rock-drills, and coal pick-hammers.
Ferodo, Ltd., of Chapel-en-le-Frith, showed their
stair-treads and their friction linings for breaks and
clutches.
CowLiSHAW, Walker & Co., Ltd., of Stoke-on-
Trent, had a representative exhibit of the coal-
cutting machinery, and their haulage plant for
mines.
Geoge Kent, Ltd., of 199-201, High Holborn,
London, W.C. 1, showed a great number of
measuring instruments, including the Venturi
meter for measuring the flow of water or gas.
John Kirkaldv, LTD.,of 101, Leadenhall .Street,
London, E.C. 3, showed many applications of their
cooling and distilling plants, which are nowadays
used extensively at mines for a variety of purposes.
W. H. Dorman & Co., Ltd., of Stafford, made a
special show of " Flexstel " piping, the universal
joints of which will withstand very high pressures,
.^t the same stand \ ISLOK, Ltd., demonstrated
their well-known lock-nut.
The De Laval Steam Turbine Co., of 150,
Southampton Row, London, W.C. 2, showed
centrifugal pumps, steam turbine, centrifugal
blower, etc.
John & Edwin Wright, Ltd., of the Universe
Rope Works, Birmingham, and Salisbury House,
London, E.C. 2, had a com.prehensive exhibit of
hemp and wire ropes. These ropes have a large
application in mining.
The Palnut Co., Ltd., of 6, Great St. Helens,
London, E.C. 3, showed their safety lock-washer,
which was described and illustrated in the Magazine
for June last.
SozOL, Ltd., of 20, Copthall Avenue, London,
E.C. 2 (which is associated with Minerals Separation,
Ltd.), exhibited their anti-rust and anti-corrosion
preparations.
The CoNSOLiD.\TED Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd.,
of 170, Piccadilly, London, W. 1, showed the
Hummer rock-drills, the Boyer riveting hammers,
and the Little Giant pneumatic and electric drills
and grinders.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The standard copper market in London
presented quite a steady appearance during
September, and fluctuations were within narrow
limits. At the beginning of the month prices
tended to harden as the result of support believed
to emanate chiefly from America, but the upward
spurt was not maintained, and subsequent advances
were also short-lived. The fact was pretty plainly
evident that sentiment was, if anything, pessimistic
rather than optimistic, and that conditions were not
ripe for any substantial rise in values. The close of
the month, however, witnessed a slight revival, and
the -American quotation also began to harden. The
demand from English consumers continued rather
unsatisfactory during the month, and although at
times the Continent bought moderately, the deprecia-
tion in European exchanges tended to restrict the
volume of demand from that quarter. Germany,
in particular, has been hard hit by the rapid fall in
the mark, and reports from the United States
would indicate that her purchases there are smaller
than recently. In face of the diminished European
demand it is rather surprising that the American
quotation should have kept firm, especially as
consumers there are also taking metal on a small
scale only ; this, however, is accounted for by the
stiff attitude of producers, who seem always eager
to push up the quotation at the first sign of improved
demand. In the meantime, .on both sides of the
Atlantic the existence of large quantities of scrap
copper and brass continues to have a restraining
influence on the demand for virgin metal. Some
large deals, however, have recently taken place
in British war-scrap, and it looks as if the point of
absorption has been brought appreciably nearer.
The quarterly reports of the Chino Copper Com-
pany, Nevada Consolidated, Ray Consolidated,
Utah Copper, and Anaconda Copper Co., all of
which are shut down, indicate that they are finding
the suspension of operations quite an expensive
procedure, and it is to be imagined that most of
the mines will reopen immediately the situation
looks favourable. In the meantime, however,
the large stocks of unabsorbed copper in the United
States act as a deterrent.
Average price of cash standard copper :
September, 1921, /68 Os. lid.; August, 1921,
£68 12s. Sd. : September, 1920, ;£96 13s. 4d. ;
August, 1920, £94 Is.
Tin. — The chief feature of the standard tin
market in London during the past month was the
upward rise of values during the first few days as
a result of the publication of the statistics tor
August, which indicated a decrease in the visible
supplies. This had the effect of infusing an
appreciable amount of optimism into the market,
and prices rose in consequence. The main factor
contributing to this decrease was an e.xpansion in
American deliveries, but it was overlooked in some
quarters that since American consumption had
shown no appreciable improvement, the bulk of
the extra metal taken must necessarily have been put
into stock ; this view, of course, gave the situation
a less favourable aspect. In any case, however,
the rise in values was not maintained, and by the
middle of the month values were back on the level
ruling at the opening. It may be mentioned that the
United States did not follow the advance here to
any extent. Towards the end of the month
sentiment again took a more optimistic turn,
and, thanks to reports of an improvement in the
tinplate industries of South Wales and Pittsburgh,
values rose again, but more steadily and slowly.
.\s regards the Continent, Italy, France, and
Germany were occasional buyers, but naturally the
adverse position of their respective exchanges
tended to restrict their takings. During the month
the E.ast made fair sales, though sellers there were
inclined to hold aloof whenever the market in
London was firm. Shipments from the Straits
were, however, fairly big during the month. China
for various reasons did not feature as a seller.
236
THF MIXIXG ^UGAZINR
Daily London Metal Prices : Official Closing
Copper, Lcail, Zinc, and Tin per I-oiin Ton
CorrxR
oS'
Stand.-ird Clsta
Standard (3 mos.)
1
Elwtrolytlc
Wire Bars
Dest Selected
^,f-~
t.
d.
C s.
d.
f s. d.
£ s.
dTi I
s.
d. C s.
d.
C s. d.
c ».
d.
C 8.
d.
( %. d.
6
0
lo 117 7
6
OS 5 0
to OS 10
0 1 71
10
0 to 7;i 10
0
72 10 0
to 73 0
0
08 5
0
to
70 5 0
13
«7
17
6
to OS 0
0
OS 17 0
to 09 0
0 ■ 72
0
0 to 7:1 10
0
72 10 0
to 73 0
0
09 10
0
to
71 10 0
14
U7
17
0
to OS (1
0
IW 1" 0
to 09 0
0 1 72
10
0 to 74 0
0
73 0 0
lo 73 10
0
Ii9 10
0
to
71 10 0
lo
07
12
0
to 07 1j
0
08 10 0
to OS 12
6 72
10
0 to 74 0
0
73 0 0
to 73 10
0
69 111
0
to
71 HI 0
IG
67
13
0
to 07 17
0
68 12 0
to OS 15
0 1 72
10
0 to 71 0
0
73 B 0
lo 73 15
0
09 0
0
to
71 0 0
la
63
2
6
to OS 5
0
6S 17 0
to O'J 0
0 72
10
0 to 74 10
0
73 10 0
lo 74 10
0
69 0
0
to
71 0 0
20
07
15
0
to 68 0
0
68 10 0
to OS 12
0 72
0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0 0
to 74 0
0
OS 10
0
to
70 10 0
21
67
12
0
to 67 17
6
OS 10 0
to OS 12
0 72
0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0 0
lo 74 0
0
lis 10
0
to
70 10 0
22
67
12
8
to 67 17
0
OS 111 (1
to OS 15
0 1 72
0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0 0
to 74 0
0
6N 10
0
to
70 111 0
23
67
15
0
to 67 17
0
OS lu 0
to OS 12
0 72
0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0 0
lo 74 0
0
OS 10
0
to
70 10 0
20
6S
0
0
to 63 2
6
OS 15 0
to OS 17
6 72
10
0 lo 71 10
0
73 10 0
to 74 10
0
OS 10
0
to
70 10 0
27
6S
0
0
to 68 2
0
68 15 0
to 09 9
0 1 72
10
0 lo 74 ID
0
73 10 0
to 74 10
0
09 0
0
lo
71 0 0
28
6S
7
6
to 68 10
0
69 5 U
to 6!) 7
6 72
10
0 lo 74 10
0
73 10 0
lo 74 10
0
69 0
0
lo
71 0 0
29
6S
5
0
to 68 7
6
69 5 0
to 39 7
0 72
10
0 to 74 10
0
73 10 0
to 74 10
0
69 0
0
to
71 0 0
30
Oct.
3
68
7
6
to 68 10
0
69 7 0
to 09 10
0 i 72
10
0 to 74 10
0
73 10 0
to 74 10
0
89 10
0
to
71 10 0
6S
7
0
to 68 12
0
69 7 0
to 09 10
0 ) 72
10
0 to 74 10
0
73 10 0
to 74 10
0
on 111
0
to
71 10 0
4
68 12
0
to 68 15
0
69 10 0
to 09 12
0 . 73
0
0 In 71 10
0
74 0 0
to 74 10
0
09 10
0
to
71 111 0
5
09
7
C.
to 09 10
0
70 5 0
to 70 7
0 1 7:i
10
0 lo 7.") 10
0
74 10 0
to 7.-, 10
0
69 111
0
to
71 111 0
G
69
0
0
to 6!) 2
6
70 0 0
to 70 2
6 1 74
0
0 lo 70 0
0
75 0 0
to 70 0
0
09 10
0
lo
71 10 0
7
69
7
0
to C!) IC
0
70 7 0
to 70 10
0 74 10
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0
to 70 10
0
70 0
0
to
71 10 0
10
09
5
0
to 6!1 7
0
70 5 0
to 70 7
0
75
10
0 to 77 10
0
75 10 0
to 77 10
0
70 0
0
to
71 10 0
Average price of cash standard tin : September,
1921, £156 17s. 6d. ; August, 1921, £155 8s. 4d. ;
September, 1920, £270 7s. 3d. ; August, 1920,
£274 5s. lOd.
Lead. — Price movements on the London lead
market during September were within a com-
paratively small compass, the general tendency
being slightly downwards. A moderate recoverj'
towards the end of the month seemed to be due to
covering by bears. On the whole, supplies of lead
were less tightly held than previously, and holders of
spot in particular relaxed their firm attitude. In
consequence, the backwardation, or discount on
forward delivery, gradually diminished. It must
be admitted that as a result of this the position of
the market looks somewhat less artificial than
formerly, although, relatively, lead is dearer than
either copper, tin, or spelter ; and as demand from
consumers has latterly shown a declining tendency,
it would. not be surprising if values were to sutler
further. Arrivals of metal from Spain were on a
comparatively small scale during the month,
probably owing to labour troubles and the
diminution of stocks, but this shortage was com-
pensated by shipments from America and even
Australia. There was at times quite a good demand
from the Continent, but British dealers encountered
considerable competition in European markets
by American interests. Towards the end of the
month, however, the price in New York hardened
appreciably to 4-70 cents, and offerings to this
country tended to decrease. Germany has been
displaying activity as a lead consumer, and in
addition to her domestic output finds it necessary
to import. It is understood that a syndicate has
been formed with a view to reopening some of the
Derbyshire lead mines, which were worked during
the war, but have since been abandoned.
Average price of soft pig lead : September, 1921,
£22 19s. od. ; August, 1921, /2.3 5s. Id. ; September,
1920, £35 7s. 6d. ; August,''l920, £36 83. lOd.
Spelter. — Values on the London spelter market
showed a net gain on the month. The opposite
might have been anticipated with some reason,
as the marked weakness which set in during
September in both the Belgian and German
exchanges was a possible cause of offerings from
those countries. A little metal was certainly
forthcoming occasionally from Belgium, but
Germany held practically aloof, despite the
temptation to realize in London which the mark
at 400 must have presented. It would appear
that stocks in Germany must be now of quite
moderate dimensions, and that domestic con-
sumption can look after a good part of present
output, especially as the Silcsian .smelters cannot
be working at full pressure. Further firmness
was instilled into the market by the announcement
that the stocks in the United States had been
reduced during Augu.=t by some 6,000 tons, which
was regarded favourably in view of the fact that
stocks there had been piling up for some time
past. It is interesting to note that the Belgian
output during .\ugust was slightly in excess of the
July figure, namely, 5,000 tons compared with
4,950 tons. As regards the works in the north of
France it is stated that these are working at half
pre-war capacity, and do not appear likely to
increase their output for some considerable time.
A welcome development during the month was
an im.provement in the galvanizing industry, which
brought out more consuming demand for spelter
and helped to give the market a healthier tone
In the United States, also, consumers are reported
to be taking rather more interest, and the price
advanced there also. It looks as if Australasia
will be a big producer of spelter in the near future.
The Risdon electrolytic zinc works, which were
commenced during the war, and have a potential
output of 42,500 tons of electrolytic zinc, have
purchased some 750.000 tons of concentrates and
slimes from the British Board of Trade tor
treatment. Some Swansea works are contemplating
resuming operations.
Average price of spelter: September. 1921,
£26 lOs. 8d. ; August, 1921, /25 8s. ; September,
1920, £40 5s. 6d. ; August, 1920, £41 193. 6d.
Zinc Dust. — ■ Prices are lower ; high-grade
Australian £50 ; English and American 92 to
94% about £48 per ton.
OCTOBER, 1021
237
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Le\d
Stak
DARD Tin
Silver
Zisc
(Spelter)
Gold
Soit Foreign
F.n
gli-
h
Casb
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
i s. d. / s.
d.
£
s.
d.
£
?.d. i
s.
d.
C
s.
i. £ s.
d.
£ 5.
d. £ s. d.
d.
d.
s. d.
Sept.
23 I'J 6 to 23 0
0
24
10
0
24 15 0 to 25
10
0
156
0
0 to 156 5
0
15S 3
0 to 158 10 0
39
38g
110 2
12
'23 3 0 to 22 15
0
24
5
0
25
1) 0 to 25
10
0
156
12
0 to 150 17
0
158 15
0 to 159 0 0
393
39i
110 3
13
23 5 0 to 22 15
0
24
5
0
25
2 0 to 25
12
6
155
15
0 to 150 0
0
138 (.1
0 to 138 5 0
393
39i
110 4
14
23 5 0 to 22 15
u
24
5
0
25
0 0 to 25
10
0
155
n
0 to 155 5
0
157 3
0 to 157 10 0
395
39J
39
111 6
15
23 2 0 to 22 15
0
24
5
0
24 17 6 to 23
7
6
154
3
0 to 154 10
0
156 10
0 to 156 15 0
39i
110 10
16
22 17 6 to 22 12
G
24
0
0
25
0 0 to 25
10
0
154
7
0 to 154 12
6
1.56 12
0 to 156 15 0
39!
39*
110 3
19
22 15 0 to 22 12
0
24
n
0
25
0 0 to 23
lU
0
155
10
0 to 155 15
0
157 15
0 to 158 0 0
395
39:5
110 6
20
23 11 ti to 22 15
0
24
0
0
25
5 0 to 25
12
6
150
0
0 to 150 5
0
15S 0
0 to 158 5 0
40
39}
110 7
21
22 15 0 to 22 12
6
23 15
0
25
5 Oto25
12
0
150
2
6 to 150 7
G
15S 2
0 to 158 7 6
41S
m
11011
23
22 15 U to 22 10
0
23
15
0
25
7 6 to 25
15
0
156
5
0 to 130 7
6
158 5
0 to 158 7 6
41i
4U
110 9
28
23 5 0 to 23 0
0
24
5
n
25
12 6 to 20
9
6
157
10
0 to 157 13
0
15U 15
0 to lOll 0 0
411
4U
lion
23
23 2 6 to 22 17
6
24
5
0
26
U U to 20
10
0
157
0
0 to 137 7
0
15'J 5
0 to 159 10 0
43S
43S
11011
27
23 U 0 to 23 0
0
24
5
0
20
7 6 to 20
15
0
130
10
0 to 150 15
0
15S lu
0 to 138 15 0
43J
421
11011
28
23 2 6 to 23 0
0
24
5
0
2(3
7 6 to 20
15
0
150
5
0 to 150 10
0
158 10
0 to 158 13 0
m
43
111 4
29
23 2 0 to 22 17
t)
24
5
0
2G
7 0 to 2i;
15
0
150
10
0 to 156 15
0
158 7
6 to 158 10 0
m
421
111 0
30
Oct.
3
23 5 0 to 23 2
6
24
5
0
2r,
7 6 to 26
17
6
157
5
0 to 157 10
0 1 139 111
0 to 1,39 15 0
42J
41 S
23 5 0 to 23 2
6
24
5
0
23
1" Oto27
0
0
156
10
0 to 156 13
0
158 111
0 to 15S 13 0
-m
42|
411
110 6
4
23 5 0 to 23 2
fi
24
5
0
2il
15 0 to 27
5
0
155
15
0 to 150 0
0
157 15
0 to 15s 0 0
42J
1(I9 8
5
23 5 1.1 to 23 2
ij
24
5
0
2(1
12 6 to 27
2
Tj
155 10
0 to 155 15
0
137 15
0 to 158 0 0
41}
41
108 7
6
23 2 0 to 22 17
6
24
5
0
26 12 6 to 27
2
6
155
0
0 to 155 5
0
137 10
0 to 137 15 0
41 S
41S
108 8
7
23 2 0 to 22 17
6
24
5
0
26
12 6 to 27
2
0
155
15
0 to 156 0
0
157 15
0 to 158 0 0
42)
42
107 5
10
Antimony. — Values have kept very steady as
follow : English regulus ordinary brands, £37 to
£40 ; special brands. £38 5s. to £A2 ; and 98 to
OfiOg /29 to £'32. Foreign in warehouse is about
/24 10s. to £25 10s. per ton.
Arsenic. — Towards the end of the month
consumers entered the market fairly freely, in
anticipation of the effects of the Key Industries
Act, and the price of Cornish white rose from
£32 7s. to £43 per ton, delivered London.
Bismuth. — The o,uotation is unchanged at
7 s. 6d. per lb.
Cadmium. — Business is quiet at about 6s. per lb.
.\luminium. — \'alue3 have remained practically
unaltered. Domestic producers quote £120 for
home and £125 for export, while foreign metal
is apparently still obtainable around £100 f.o.b.
Continent.
Nickel. — The tendency has been a little easier,
the quotation being £185 to £190 per ton.
Cobalt Metal. — The price has weakened slightly
to 1 4s. per lb.
Cobalt O.xide. — Quotations are lower on the
month, black being priced at 10s. 9d. and grey
at 12s. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — Platinum has been
rather firmer, manufactured metal being quoted
at £20 10s., and raw at £19. Palladium is steady,
with manufactured material priced at £18 to £20
per oz., and raw at £14 to £15.
Quicksilver. — Values are lower en the month,
the leading interests having reduced their quotation
to £9 10s. per bottle. At the moment the market
is steady.
Selenium. — The price is steady at 10s. 6d. to
13s per lb.
Tellurium. — Sellers still quote 80s. to 90s,
per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — The price is unchanged
on the month at £30 to £32 per ton for both home
and e.xpcrt.
Manganese Ore. — There has recently been a
firmer tendency in the market for Indian grades,
owing to the rise in the rupee, and the present
quotation is Is. 4Jd. per unit c.i.f.
Tungsten Ore. — The market is very quiet,
with the quotation for 65% WOs none too well
maintained at 12s. 6d. to i3s. c.i.f.
Molybdenite.— Sellers of 85% molybdenite
continue to quote 37s. 6d. to 42s. 6d. c.i.f.
Chrome Ores. — ■ The present price is about
£4 7s. 6d. c.i.f.
Silver. — The market was quiet at the beginning
of the month, but later Chinese and Indian buying
caused prices to advance. The quotation for spot
bars opened on September 1 at 37|d., rose to 39Jd.
on the 6th, reacted to 38^d. on the 8th, advanced
again to 39gd. on the 13th, and after weakening
to 39Jd. on the 15th, took a definitely upward
turn till 43 ^d. was reached on the 27th. The price
closed at 42gd. on the 30th.
Graphite. — Quotations are rather nominal, and
there is no change to report, Madagascar 80 to 90%
being still £20 to £25 per ton c.i.f.
Iron and Steel. — It cannot be said that much
progress is being made in getting the pig iron trade
into full swing again. Of course, the old stumbling-
block is the high price of fuel, which in turn prevents
ironmasters from bringing prices of pig iron down
to more reasonable levels. True, the price of
Cleveland fciundry is now down to 120s., which was
the official minimum price ii.xed some time ago,
but even this figure consumers show little dis-
position to pay, especially seeing that they can
obtain supplies from the Continent at much lower
levels. The total number of furnaces blowing in
the Cleveland district at the present time is only
seventeen out of seventy-two. A welcome feature
of the serai-finished steel business is the elimination
of Continental competition, British makers now
being able to book orders at prices below those
asked by the makers across the water. In finished
steel, however, British producers have a long way
to go before they can compete, but the tendency
is downwards, and further drops are anticipated
before long. Of course, if fuel — and consequently
pig iron — came down, we should no doubt see
substantial reductions in steel prices. As regards
e.xport, makers have been cutting prices to get
business, but, with the e.xception of the far East,
few markets are showing much interest.
238
Till' MINING M.U;.\Z1N1':
STATISTICS
Prodvciion op Gold in thi Tkansvaal.
R,ind
Else-
where
Tot.il
Ot.
Price ot
Oz, Gold per or..
Au/iiist. l'.)20 633,604
September 605. 4S6
October 645.819
November 618.525
December 617,549
s.
d.
18,470
702,083
112
6
16.687
682,173
115
0
16,653
662,472
117
1!
15,212
633,737
117
6
14,666
632,215
115
0
Total, 1920
.7,949,038 , 204,587 ,8,153,625
January, 1921 . . . 637,425 14,168 651,593 ; 105 0
February 543,767 , 14,370 , 588,137 , 103 9
March 656,572 ' 14,551 ' 671,123 I 103 9
April 665,309 16,073 681,382 103 9
May 671,7.50 16,026 I 687,770 , 103 9
June 663,383 15,107 I 678,490 ' 107 G
July 673.475 , 16,080 089,!J55 112 6
August 695.230 i 16.296 ! 711,526 111 6
Natives Employed in the Tkansvaal Mines.
Gold
mines
Coal
mines
Diamond
mines
Total
August 31, 1920 i 169,263
September 30 163,132
October 31 1.59,426
November 30 i 1.58,773
December 31 159,671
January 31, 1921 . . . 165,287
February 28 171,518
March 31 174,364
April 30 172,826
May 31 170,595
June 30 1 108,152
July 31 166,999
AugustSl I 169,003
13,535
4,244
187,042
13,716
4,323
181,171
13,858
4,214
177,408
14,245
3,504
176,522
14,263
3,340
177,274
14,541
a,319
lKi,147
14.697
1,612
' 187,827
14,906
1,364
! 100,634
14,908
1,316
189,050
14,510
1,302
1 186,407
14,704
1,317
1 184,173
14,688
1,246
182,933
14,446
1,207
1 184,601
s. d.
s.
d.
s. d.
£
36 11
25
0
U 11
1,226,900
38 11
25
0
13 5
1,276,369
39 9
26
1
13 8
1,278,385
40 2
20
3
13 1
1,255,749
39 11
20
8
13 3
1.193,672
35 3
35 10
37 2
26 3
28 6
26 1
25 10 I
26 2 I
25 10 1
25 7
8 9
7 0
8 4
8 7
9 1
10 0
11 7
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1920
1921
January . .
February .
March . . .
April . . . .
May
June
July
August . . .
September
October . .
November
December
211,917
220,835
225,808
213,160
218,057
214,215
214,919
207,339
223,719
204,184
180,462
158,835
oz.
43,423
44,237
45,779
47,090
46,266
45,054
46,208
48,740
45,471
47,343
46,782
46,190
40,9.56
40,810
31,993
47,858
48,744
49,466
51,564
5Vi.2lJM
COST AND Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines.
I , rWork'g Work'g Total
Tons Yield cost profit working
milled per ton per ton per ton ' profit
August, 1920 . 2,0.57,500
September ... ] ,9.50,410
October 1,871,149
November . . . 1,799,710
December ... 1,797,970
January, 1921 1,895,235
February .... 1,575,320
March 1,958,730
April 1,991.815
May 1,955,357
June I 1,966,349
July 1 2,010,236
829,436
5.'S0,974
813,636
854,533
889,520
979,769
1,163,565
Transvaal Gold Outputs.
^July r~
August
Treated i
Tons I
Yield
Oi.
Treated
i Tons
Aurora West 10,080
Hrakpan 58,000
City beep 84,000
Cons. Langlaagte 42,300
Cons. M.nin Reef 50,700
Crown Mines 201,000 i
D'rb'nRoodcpoortDeep 27,409
Ivist Kand P.M 127,000 |
Fcrrcira Deep , 82,800
Geduld 45,300
Geldenhnis Deep 51,387
Glynn's Lydcnburg .. .' 3,030
Goch 1 17,000
Government G.M. Areas 140,000
Klcinfontoin 50,100
Knii;ht Central 28,600
Langlaaqtc F.statc 40,300 I
Luipaard's Vlci 22,560
Meyer & Charlton 13,500
Modderfontein 96,000
Modderfontcin B , 59,000
Modderlontein Deep . . 42,500
Modderfontcin East i 26,350
New Unified 11,500
Nourse 43,400
Primrose , 22,000
Randfontein Central . . 127,000
Robinson 38,000
Robinson Deep i 60,200
Roodepoort United . . . ' 22,000
Rose Deep 54,400
Simmer & Jack 57,500
Sorings I 40,000
Siib Nigel 10,000
Transvaal G.M. Estates. 16,010
Van Ryn 33,400
Van Rvn Deep I 49,300
Village Deep .50,000
West Rand Consolidated 32,000
Witw'tersr'nd (Knights) 37,700
Witwatersrand Deep . . 31,759
Wolhuter 33,500 i
£15,823t
21,909
85,578
£71,673t
17,060
59,092
0,448
84,252
10,022
15,655
13,324
£7,1535
£20,441 1
£297,622t
13,743
0,761
£69,991t
£31,484t
£42,71 5t
46,454
33,047
23,078
10,172
£13,536t
13,501
£26,315t
£211,792t
7,571
17,759
£25,514t
13,292
13,251
18,572
5,461
£25,8781
£50,730t
£148,5881
10,152
;£49,712t
£52,862t
9,178
8,278
• Gold at £5 1 Is. 6d. per oz. t £5 125. 6d. per oz. } £5 9s. 9d. per oz.
§£5 Us. per oz.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
July
August
Tons Oz.
Ton.s 1 Oz.
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planet-.\rcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G..M. & I. . .
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian
12,800
15,718
3,704
6,079
1.500
2,4119
5,400
5,340
5,850
338
54,150
1,5.50
4,060
3,425*
1,242
5,892
483
£3,170
5,1»5
2,689
2,582
316
£41,500§
£4,400t
13,000
16,024
3,788
6,208
1,580
2,473
.5,170
5,600
5,800
307
53,750
1,4-50
4,355
3,340i|
1,323
5,817
470
£3,054
4,901
2,495
2,650
355
£42,fiOn§
£4,041 +
• Also 243 tons copper. t At par. || Also 270 tons copper.
§ Gold at £5 10s. per oz.
West African Gold Outpuis.
July
August
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Abbontiakoon
Abosso
Akoko
Ashanti Goldftelds ....
Eastern .\kkim
Tons
7,200
.5,767
7,o77
901
8,093
3,1 ITO
Oz.
£12,470»
2,278
6,085
85
£2,574t
£13,006*
1,823
Tons
8,0CO
0,239
7,356
Too
8,094
3.340
Oz.
£13,8.53'
2,490
7,760
£3,440t
Prestea Block A
Taquah
£15,507«
2,065
Total
2.499,408
552.498
-90
• At par. t Including premium.
OCTOBER, 1921
239
West Ausirahak Gold Statistics. — Par Values.
Indian Gold Outputs.
Reported
for Export
Or.
Delivered
to Mint
Oz.
Total
Oz.
Total
Value £
December, 1920 . . .
January, 1921
February
March
321
523
684
10
607
474
153
1,641
110
380
53,595
50,934
26,872
47,875
46,602
47,638
28,194
44,917
51,731
50,728
.53,916
.51,457
27,556
47,885
47,209
51,503
28,347
46,558
51,841
51,108
229,057
218,574
117,050
203,401
200,635
217,495
120,410
197,774
220,205
217,092
April
May
July
September
.Australian Gold Outputs.
West
Australia
Victoria
Queensland
Kew South
Wales
1921
oz.
oz.
oz.
(.
January .
61,458
4,587
4,582
20,403
February.
27,557
10,940
9,046
21,575
March . . .
47,880
12,383
6,690
24,344
April ....
47,273
6,954
2,591
34,101
May ....
48,113
10,280
2,077
15,356
June
28,347
10,431
1,602
ll,6-!0
July
—
—
—
16,416
August.. .
—
—
—
15,946
September
—
—
—
—
October .
—
—
—
—
November
—
—
. —
December
—
—
—
—
Total . .
250,034
1 54,577
26,588
160,041
Australasian Gold Outputs,
July
August
Tons
Value i
Tons
Value I
Associated G.M. (W.A.)
5,962
8,32911
6,217
8,31311
Blackwater (N.Z.)
2,809
5,176'
2,805
5.405*
Bullfinch (W.A.)
—
—
—
—
Gold'n Horseshoe (W.A)
10,224
5,332t
10,512
6,483{
Grt Boulder Pro. (W.A.)
9,188
2S,712i:
9,438
29,4941!
Ivanboe (W.A.)
15,100
5,634:
16,126
6,185t
KalgurU (W.A.)
2,370
4,298;i
—
Lake View & Star (W.A.)
6,582
14,625111
6,765
15,701tll
Menzies Con. (W.A.) . .
1,070
5,511
—
—
Mount Boppy (N.S.W.)
2,404
932;
4,405
1,111J
Oroya Links (W.A.) . . .
1,330
7,113tll
1,633
8,146tll
Progress (N.Z.)
—
—
—
Sons of Gwalia (W.A.) .
— ■
—
.^
—
South KalgurU (W.A.) .
7,857
12,48811
7,862
12,70011
Waihi (N.Z.i
13,950 j
4,03.i;
42,384§
14,197 {
4,480t
14,820§
„ Grand Junc'n (N.Z.)
6,570 1
^.'iss;
4,541§
6,380 ]
l,499t
3,344§
Yuanmi (W.A.)
—
—
—
—
' Including premium ; t Including royalties ; J Oz. gold I
§ Oz. silver ; || At par.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs.
July
August
Tons
Value £
Tons
Value (
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia)
512§n
254§
Cascalho (Brazil)
—
32tt
—
19c
Chuquitambo (Peru)
1,400
1,000'
l.SOO
1,250*
El Oro (Mexico)
34,750
19S,C00t
34.roo
196,000t
Esperanza (Mexico)
—
698tt
—
3u0tt
Frcntino & Bolivia (C'lbia
2,150
10,106'
2,1G0
8,608'
Keeley Silver (Canada) . .
5,551
32,987
—
— .
Mexico El Oro (Mexico).,
—
—
—
—
Mining Corp. of Canada .
8,435
125,915
—
—
Oriental Cons. (Korea) .,.
1 19,297
86,234t
—
75,500t
Ouro Preto (Brazil)
7,500
2,50311
7,100
2,37011
Plym'tb Cons. (Calif'mia
7,200
8,704'
8,200
6,913*
St. John del Rey (Brazil)
—
40,009*
—
43,000*
Santa Gertnidis (Mexico
38,250
13,938}
29,762
16,227}
Tolima (Colombia)
—
—
—
Tomboy (Colorado)
16,000
64,CX)0t
18,000
6n,ooot
• At par. t U.S. Dollars. J Profit, gold and silver. |l Oz. gold.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. •• Production of silver ore. ft Oz. gold,
also 155 carats of diamonds. %* ;Eight weeks to August 13.
§§ Oz. silver, c Oz. gold, also 131 carats of diamonds.
Nechi (Colombia) : lij days to September 1, $21,014 from 79.485
cu. yd. ; a days to September U, 531,050 from 58,311 cu. yd.
Pato (Colombia) : 2U days to September 13, 527,334 from luO,03S
cu. yd.
J
jly
August
Tons
Treated
Fins
Ounces
Tons
Treated
Fine
Ounces
Balaghat
3,300
12,250
17,090
700
9,048
12,000
2,364
4,713
10,517
908
6,337
8,439
3,300
12,127
17,313
700
9,100
12,900
2 301
Champion Reef
4,822
10,498
904
6 370
North Anantapur
Ooregum
8.543
Production of Gold in India.
1917 j 1918 1 1919
1920
1921
January ....
February . . .
March
April
May
June
July
August
September . .
October ....
November . .
December . .
Oz.
44,718
42,560
44,617
43,726
42,901
42,924
42,273
42,591
43,207
43,041
42,915
44,883
Oz.
41,420
40,787
41,719
41,504
40,889
41,264
40,229
40,496
40,088
39,472
36,984
40,149
Oz.
38,184
36,384
38,317
38,248
38,608
38,359
38,549
37,850
36,813
37,138
39.628
42,643
Oz.
39,073
38,872
38,760
37,307
38,191
37,864
37,129
37,375
3.5,497
35,023
34,522
34,919
Oz.
34,028
32,529
32,576
32,363
32,656
32,207
32,278
32,498
Total ..
.520,362 1 485,236 1 461,171
444,532
261,145
Base Metal Outputs.
July August
Arizona Copper Short tons copper . . .
( Tons lead cone. . . .
British Broken Hill ... - Tons zinc cone
( Tons carbonate ore
Broken Hill Prop ' 1^^^ ^^^^ *^°"^- • " "
I 1 ons zmc cone
Broken Hill South ,
Burma Corporation.
Hampden Cloncurry . . ■
. . .Tons lead cone.
j Tons refined lead
I Oz. refined silver
Tons copper . . . .
"l Oz. gold
( Tons copper . . . .
Mount Lyell J Oz. silver
I Oz. gold
Mount Morgan \lT\oT" .W:.:
Pilbara Tons copper ore . . . .
, „ , ,,.„ ' Tons lead cone. .. .
North Broken Hill - j^^^ ^^^^ eonc, . .
Rhodesia Broken Hill Tons lead .
Sulphide Corporation .
Tanganyika
Zinc Corporation ....
Tons lead cone.
' 'i Tons zinc cone .
.Tons copper
[ Tons zinc cone. .
"( Tons lead cone.
4,709
3,239
302,499
446
14,479
385
111
1,200
1,170
1,575
2,183
3,671
3,189
9,195
925
2,935
2,598
200,900
470
14,056
342
90
1,200
1,170
1,569
2,089
3,739
2,952
9,805
967
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc., into United Kingdom.
July
Coal Tons . 1,389,981
Iron Ore Tons . 14,857
Manganese Ore Tons . 4,789
Copper and Iron PjTitcs Tons . 2,933
Copper Ore, Matte, and Free Tons . 689
Copper Metal Tons . 2,554
Tin Concentrate Tons . 1.002
Tin Metal Tons . 2,188
Lead, Pig and Sheet Tons . 12,718
Zinc (Spelter) Tons . 2,743
Quicksilver Lb. . 343,176
Zin:G.xide Tons . 350
White Lead Cwt. . 7,8&i
Biu-ytes, ground Cwt. . 20,490
Phosphate Tons . 8,561
Sulphur Tons .; —
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. .! 23,130
Petroleum 1
Crude Gallons 13,271,705
Lamp Oil Gallons 12,940,684
Motor Spirit Gallons 13,952,940
Lubricating Oil Gallons 3,545,107
Gas Oil Gallons 12,666,828
Fuel Oil Gallons 64,079,318
.\ugust
167,133
36,997
6,039
16,375
1,074
8,317
1,231
2.086
10,845
3,907
112
.509
2,705
28,714
15,697
19,197
9,501,804
9,784,203
21,140.'.147
2,17ij,i)31
U.601,765
52,422.202
210
THE MINING magazim:
Oi'TriTS Of Tim Mining CourANiR«.
Id Tod9 o( Cnoccnunif.
Ki(!eria :
Assocj.itcd Nigerian
Bisichi
Hont^wclli
Champii.m (Nijjsha) ... ...
Dm
Ex'Laods
Filani
Gold Coast Consolidated . . .
Gurum River
JaDtar
Jos
Kadana
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Kctli Consolidated
Lower Hisichi
Lucky Chance
Minaa
Mongu
Nara^ta
Naraguta Extended
Nigerian Consolidated
N.N. Bauchi
Offin River
Rayfield
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Yarde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang
Gopeng
Idns Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamunting
Kinta
Labat
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Rambutan
Sungei Besi
Tekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
South Crofty
Other Countries ;
Aramayo Mines (Bolivia)
Berengiiela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook Ronpibon (Siam) . .
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal)
Macready (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rnoiberg Minerals(Transvaal)
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam) . . .
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
June
Tons
33
4
1]
10
101
10
35
SS
20
9
64
li
9i
C9*
SUi
13*
5}
82*
35J
62
86'
240
15
33
30
2U
2'5'
165
28
9
32
71*
19*
91
55
124
98
10
1
July
Tons
S5
20
li
13
Ij
ISi
23
3i
37
50
20
8
65
89
171
22
353
53}
865
214
14
47
37
20
32
180
28
23
50
134i
123
August
Tons
30
2J
13
'%
*i
50
24
9
82S
31
37
26
104
118
128
3
4
u
16
16 .
1-4
—
89
19|
353
433
83J
216
l.T
48
37
36
30
174
28
10
21J
111
50
121
113
• Three months. t Tributers.
Nigerian Tin Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unspecified content.
Note, — These fit^urts are taken from the monthly returvs made ty
individual companies reporting in London, and probably represent
S^°'U of the actual outputs.
1916 1917
1918
1919 1920 1921
Tons
Januar\* 531
February ; ,528
March , ,547
April 486
May 536
June 510
July 506
August 498
September .... 5.35
October 584 I
November .... 679
December 654
Total : 6,594
Tons
667
646
655
555
509
473
479
551
538
578
621
6,55
Tons
678
OGS
707
584
525
492
545
.571
520
491
472
518
Tons
613
623
606
546
483
484
481
616
561
625
536
5U
Tons
.547
477
605
467
383
435
484
447
528
628
644
577
Tons
438
370
445
394
337
423
494
377
Frodvction op Tin in Fidrrated Malay States.
Estimatt-d at 70% of Concentrate shipped to Snidtci'S
Lon2 Too^
1017
Tons
January 3,558
Febniarv 2,755
March .' 8,280
April • 3,251
May ; 3,-113
June I 3,4HU
July , 3,253
August.., 3,413
September I 8,154
October ' 8,4.36
November ' 3,300
December 3,525
1018
Tons
8,030
8,197
2,600
8,308
3,332
3.070
3,373
3,250
8,167
2,870
3,132
8,022
39.833 37,370
1019
Tons
3,765
2,734
2,810
2,858
8,407
2.877
8.75C
2,9.56
8,161
8.221
2,972
2.409
1920
Tons
4.265
8.014
2,770
2,606
2,741
2,940
2.824
2,786
2.734
2.837
2.573
2.638
1R2I
Tons
8.208
8.111
2.190
2,092
2.884
2,752
8.750
2.g5(«
30.935 131,928 25.172
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co.
Long Tons.
July 31 Aug. 31
Straits and .\ustrali.in Spot
Ditto, Landing and in Transit . . .
Other Standard, Spot and Landing
Straits, Afloat
Australian. Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto, Afloat
Billiton, Spot
Billiton, Afloat
Straits, Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto, Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States ...
Stock in America
1,930
2.''U
4,388
1,355
135
4,244
351
423
38
305
3,906
2,521
Sept. SO
1,811
1,748
590
510
3,994
4.226
1,025
2.000
190
190
4,003
3,934
897
954
327
241
100
130
650 '
425
3,689
4,663
1,761
1.756
Total I 19.852 I 19.037 ! 20,777
Shipments, Imports, Supply, and Consumption op Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
July
August
Sept.
Shipments from :
Straits to U.K
1,340
2,420
215
325
150
975
221
995
1,580
690
950
75
490
687
1,870
3 OCO
430
Straits to other places
Australia to U.K
U.K. to America
615
25
390
Imports of Bohvian Tin into
Europe
324
Supply :
Straits
3,975
150
55
1,254
1,228
6,692
3,165
75
275
96S
928
5 sro
Billiton
ino
1,085
811
Standard
Total
5,409
7,3:i
Consumption ;
U.K. Deliveries
Dutch „
American .,
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
tinental Ports, etc
6.927 6.771 6.085 G,':22 3.258
Total
1,224
2,004
331
889
1.525
3.320
713
511
3 793
6 224
1,707
329
2,605
940
5,581
OCTOBER, 1921
241
Outputs Reported by Oil-producing Companies.
Tons. .
June
July
August
Anglo-Egyptian
13,529
14,682
14,321
AiigJo-Uuited
Barrels
9,660
0,90J
9,350
Aoex Trinidad
. . . Barrels
16,985
22,223
94,398
Astr.i Romana
. . .Tons. .
22,358
22,234
27,013
British Burmah
Barrels
69,020
79,569
S1,40J
Caltei
Tons..
13,340
Dacia Romana
. . ..Tons .
236
236
Kem River
Barrels
91,157
93,421
66,061
Lcbitos
....Tons..
S,S43
9,323
9, too
Roumanian Consol
Tons. .
1,115
2,053
?,-m
Santa Maria
. ...Tons. .
1,228
1.371
1,2S6
Steaua Romana
. ...Tons. .
17,704
18,730
22.760
Trinidad Leaseholds . .
Tons .
11.300
18,892
11,800
United ol Trinidad . . .
....Tons. .
3,402
2,983
4,291
Quotations of Oil Companies' Shares.
Denominatioo of Shares £1 unless otherwise noted.
Anglo-American
AngIo-Eg>'ptian B
Anglo-Persiao 1st Pref
Angio-United, Wyoming
Apex Trinidad ,
British Borneo flOs.) ,
British Burmah (Ss.)
Burmah Oil
Caltex(?l)
Dacia Romano
Kem River, Cal. (10s.) ,
Lobitos, Peru ,
Mexican Eagle, Ord. ( S5)
„ „ Pref. ($5) ,
North Caucasian (10s.) ,
Pbcenix, Roumania ,
Roumanian Con^oUdated , . . ,
Royal Dutch (100 gulden) 40
Scottish American
Shell Transport, Ord ,
» Pref. (£10)
Trinidad Ceo tral
Trinidad Leaseholds ,
United British of Trinidad
Ural Caspian
UrozOi'hpIds flOs.)
Sept. 6
Oct. 6
1921
1921
i s.
d.
£ s.
d.
4 0
0
4 0
0
1 10
0
1 2
6
1 1
K
1 1
H
3
H
3
9
2 0
0
1 13
H
11
3
8
9
1 0
0
17
6
5 15
0
4 17
6
3
9
6
1 1
3
17
6
18
6
19
3
3 17
6
4 0
1)
5 2
6
3 10
()
4 17
6
3 7
6
16
3
13
9
8
9
8
3
11
0
8
6
40 0
II
35 5
0
2
6
9
9
4 17
H
4 5
0
8 2
6
8 2
6
3 2
6
2 10
0
1 18
9
1 15
!l
16
3
13
9
le
3
12
6
5
3
6
0
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
Company
Amount of
Dividend
Sept. 15 .
Sept. 14 .
Sept. 16 .
Sept. le .
Sept. 17 .
Sept. 17 .
Sept. 20 .
Sept. 22 .
Sept. 2^^ .
Oct. 5 .
Oct. C .
Oct. 8 .
, Globe and Phcenix..
, j British Aluminium. ,
, I Shamva
, I Knight's Deep
. ■ Kramat Pulai
Ivanhoe Gold
Gopeng Consolidated
Ferreira Deep
Talisman
Ooregum Gold
Borax Consolidated.
Mexico of El Oro . . .
Is. tax paid.
5% less tax.
7\% less tax
4s.*
Is. less tax.
Is. 6d. less tax.
9d. less tax.
7h% less tax.
" os.t
Is. 9d. less tax.
9d. less tax.
6% less tax.
2s. 6d. tax paid.
• Second di:-tribution on liquidation,
liquidation.
t First distribution on
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. October 7.
These quotations are not absalute ; they vAiy according tn
quantities required and contracts running.
£ s. d.
Acetic Acid, 40% per cwt. 1 2 'J
80% „ 2 5 II
„ Glacial per ton 4G 0 C
Alnm „ 16 0 0
Alumina, Sulphate . . „ 14 10 0
Ammonia, Anhydrous per lb. 2 2
„ 0-880 solution per ton 23 0 0
,, Carbonate per lb. 4
,, Chloride, grey per ton 37 0 0
„ ,, pure per cwt. 3 5 0
Nitrate per ton 45 0 0
Phosphate ,. 75 0 0
Sulphate „ 13 10 0
Antimony, Tartar Emetic per lb. 1 6
,, Sulphide, Golden , „ 15
Arsenic, Whit*? per ton 38 U 0
Barium Carbonate ,, 10 0 0
,, Chlorate per lb. 11
„ Chloride per ton l(i 0 0
Sulphate 8 0 0
Benzol, 00% per gal. 3 0
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton 56 0 0
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI „ 16 0 0
,, Liquor, 7'^^, ,, 6 0 0
Borax , 31 0 0
Boric Acid Crystals ,, 65 0 0
Calcium Chloride ,, 10 0 0
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% per gal. 1 7
,, „ crystallized, 40 per lb. 6i
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton 4 10 0
Citric Acid , per lb. 2 5
Copper, Sulphate per ton 30 0 C
Cyanide of Sodium, 100% per lb. Hi
Hydrofluoric Acid „ 7i
Iodine per oz. 1 0
Iron, Nitrate per ton 8 0 0
„ Sulphate „ 4 0 0
Lead, Acetate, white ,, 45 0 0
„ Nitrate „ 47 0 0
„ Oxide, Litharge \i^ 0 0
„ White „ 44 0 0
Lime, Acetate, brown ,, 8 0 0
„ gTevS0% „ U 0 0
Majnesite, Calcined ,, 21 0 0
Magnesium, Chloride ,, 14 0 0
Sulphate „ 8 0 0
Methylated Spirit 04Mndustrial per gai. 5 3
Nitric Acid, 80" Tw. per ton 31 0 0
OxaUc Acid per lb. 9
Phosphoric Acid per ton 40 0 0
Potassium Bichromate per lb. 10
,, Carbonate per ton 26 0 0
„ Chlorate per lb. 6
Chloride 80% per ton 17 0 0
„ Hydrate (Caustic) 90% „ 31 0 0
„ Nitrate ,, 4'J 0 0
„ Permanganate per lb. 1 3
Prussiate, Yellow , 1 3
Red 2 3
Sulphate, 90% per ton 10 0 0
Sodium Metal per lb. I 4
„ Acetate per ton 30 0 0
„ Arsenate 45% , , 44 0 0
Bicarbonate ,, 12 0 0
,, Bichromate per lb. 7
,, Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton 15 0 0
„ „ (Crystals) „ 7 0 0
, , Chlorate per lb. 4
Hydrate, 76% per ten 26 15 0
Hvposuiphite „ 16 0 0
„ Nitrate, 96% IS 0 0
„ Phosphate 22 0 0
,, Prussiate per lb. "
,, Sihcate per too 1115 0
„ Sulphate (Salt-cake) „ 6 10 0
„ ., (Glauber's Salts) „ 5 0 0
„ Sulphide „ 22 0 0
„ Sulphite „ 12 10 0
Sulphur, Roll 13 0 0
Flowers „ 13 0 0
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65- ,, 24 0 0
,, ,, free from Arsenic, 144 . .. ,. 6 5 0
Superphosphate of Lime, 30% .. 610 0
Tartaric Acid per lb. 1 6
Turpentine per cwt, 3 9 0
Tin Cn,'stals , per lb. 1 5
Titanous Chloride ,, 1 0
Zinc Chloride per ion 52 10 0
Zinc Oxide „ 41 0 0
Zinc Sulphate „ 17 0 0
212
THE MINING MAGAZINE
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shores arc £1 pur value except where otherwise noted.
GOLD, SILVER.
DIAMONDS :
Rand :
Brakp.in
CcDtral Mining ((;S)
City & Suburban (t4)
City D«p
Consolid.ittxi Gold Fields
Con-iolKl.itcd L.inn!.i.igtc
Cousolidatcvi M.iin Ueef
Consolidated Mines Selection (10s.) .
Crown Mines (10s.)
Daggafonteiu
Durban Koodcpoort Deep
E.ast Kand Proprietary-
Ferreira Deep '.
Geduld
Geldenhnis Detp
Govcmmeut Gold Mining Areas . . .
Johannesbiu-g Consolidated
Kleinfonlcin
Knipht Central
Knit,'hts Deep
Lan^laagte Kstate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein (10s.)
Modderfontein B (5s.)
Modderfontein Deep (5s.)
Modderfonteiu East
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central
Robinson (/o)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub-Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. Gd.)
Van R>-n
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolbuter
Other Tr.vnsv.aal Gold Mi.ves :
Gh-nn's l.ydeoburg
Sheba (5s.)
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates .
DuMOXDS IS' South .Africa :
De Beers Deferred ({2 10s.)
Jagersfonteio
Premier Deferred (2s. Gd.)
Rhodesia :
Cam tS: Motor
Chartered British South Africa .
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & PbceaLx (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Sbamva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa :
Abbontiakooa (10s.)
Abosso
.^shanti (4s.)..
Prestea Block A
Taquah
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
B.illfincb
GokiPn Hor^;e-Shoe (/5)
Great B.iuldi-r Proprietary (2s.) ,
Grsat Finqsll (lOs.)
Hamoton Properties
Ivanhoe G£5)
Kal^iirli
Lake View Investment (10s.) . . .
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurli (10s.)
l>t. 7,
IWJO
f. s. d.
2 IG 3
8 2
7
2 15
1 G
IG
U
1 1
2 113
10 0
5 0
9 0
11 6
1 IG 3
S
3
0
6 6
C 9
4
6
IG 0
4 10 0
3 IG 3
1 13
2 3
1 3
1 8
10
2 15
2 17
14
7
13 y
IS G
3
2 0
17
17 0
IG 3
3 17 6
10 G
IG 3
13 9
9 0
13 9
1 9
10 0
17 0 0
4 5 0
10 0 0
12 0
15 9
13 0
IG 0
17 G
2 IG 3
2 15 0
1 13 9
5 G
?. 0
11 0
17 0
2 0
13 G
3
3
3
16
7
1
10
5
16
15
7
6
Oct. 6,
1921
C s. d.
2 15 0
G 15 0
2 9
2 8 9
IS 9
15 0
10 0
15
2 0
12 9
4 0 0
3 15 0
16 3
2 5 0
10 G
13 9
9 6
2 6 3
2 12 6
11 0
9 0
10 0
13 3
2 9
2 2 6
12 6
14 6
11 9
3 15 0
8 3
11 3
12
G
4 3
7 6
1 G
8 6
11 0 0
2 7 0
5 15 0
9 6
11 0 ,
9 6
13 6
2 7 6
3 10 0
1 11 3
4 3
3
8
15
2
2
2
1
11
5
1
R
18
13
0
9
6
9
6
3
3
0
3
6
6
0
9
3
8 9
3 n
6 G
Gold, Silvbk, conl.
OriiKKS in Australasia :
Blackwater, New Zealand
Consolidated G.F. of New Zealand...
Mount Boppy, N.S.W. (10s.)
Progress, New Zealand
Waihi, New Zealand
Waihi Grand Junction, New Z'lnd.,
America :
Buena Tierra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
EI Oro, Mexico
Hsperanza, Mexico
Frontino & Bolivia, Colombia
Le Koi No. 2 ((5), British Columbia
Mexico Mines of EI Oro, Mexico ....
Ncchi (Pref. 10s.), Colombia
Orovillc Dredging, Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California. .
St. John del Key, Brazil
Santa Gcrtrudis, Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia :
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority I
India : j
Balaghat (10s.) [
Champion Reef (2f. Cd.)
MysoredOs.) I
Nortli .\Tiantapur I
Nundydroog (10s.)
Ooregum (10s.)
COPPER:
Arizona Copper (5s.), Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India... i
Esperanza, Spain ;
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland . ..
Mason & Barry, Portugal :
Messina (5s.), Transvaal
Mount Elhott (£5), Queensland
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Namaqua (£2), Cape Province
Rio Tinto (£5), Spain
Russo-Asiatic Consd., Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia i
Tanganyika, Congo and Rhodesia . .
LEAD-ZINX :
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary i
Broken Hill Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia : j
Burma Corporation (10 rupees) I
Russian Mining
Rhodesia ;
Rhodesia Broken Hill (os.)
TIN : i
Oct. 7,
1020
£ «. d.
8 0
3 9
G 8
1 9
1 12 G
10 0
10 0
13 0
17 6
2 5 0
8
9
5
0
7
B
s
9
/
(!
0
0
1
1
15 0
1 1 6
10 0
1 n 0
10 0
8 c
2 6
15 6
4 6
7 C
13 9
2 3 9
1 0 0
5 0
13 9
1 10 0
5 6
1 5 0
1 2 0
18 6
1 10 0
29 10 0
12 0
11 3
17 6
1 12 0
1 G 3
1 15 0
10 0
1 1
2 6
2 6
16
16
Aramayo Francke, Bolivia
Bisichi (10s.), Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania
Dolcoath, Cornwall
East Pool (5s.}, Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria {2s.). Nigeria . .
Geevor (10s.), Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredgini;, Malay
Kamuating, ilalay
Kinta, Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay . . .
MooKU (10s.). Nigeria
Naragutq, Nigeria
N. N- Bauchi. Nigeria (10s.) ....
Pahang Consolidated (5s.), Malay.
Rayfseld. Nigf^ria
Renone DreH,iing. Siam
RoDP (4s 1. Nl^tria
Siamese Tin, Siam
South Crofty (5s.). Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals. Cornwall
Tekka, Malay
Tekka-Taipiiig, .Malay
Tronoh, Malay .,..'.
12 fi
10 0
U 0
3 2 6
10 0
4 3
3 0
8 9
2 9
10 0
t 17 6
15 0
2 10 0
2 0 0
1 15 0
17 6
11 3
3 0
10 6
8 0
2 3 9
8 «
3 5 0
12 0
15 0
I 2 !■■
1 1 3
1 11 3
Oct. 6,
1921
£ 1. d.
2 tl
2 U
2 0
1 9
1 2 G
B 9
1 9
4 3
9 6
17 e
6 3
2 6
4 7 6
4 0
1 2 6
10 0
16 0
7 6
5 0
0
G
3
0
9
13 0
12
5
17 6
12 6
5 0
6 3
2 0 0
3 6
11 3
12 6
12 6
15 0
28 10 0
7 6
5 0
8 9
loo
10 3
18 9
1 13 9
10 0
1 8 9
1 5 0
11 0
17 G
6 0
5 0
1 12 6
5 0
2 6
9
3 0
1 3
2 G
1 12 6
10 0
1 3 9
1 12 6
1 1 3
10 0
12 6
2 0
2
1 .^
6
9
6 0
1 17 6
3 a
5 0
17 G
1 0 0
1 5 0
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY. AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
STUDIES OF TRANSVAAL TIN DEPOSITS
Memoir No. 16 of the Geological Survey of the
Union of South Africa deals with the tin-mining
district between Warmbaths and Lydenburg in the
Northern Transvaal. The deposits are just north
of the junction of the Elands and Olifants rivers,
and are some distance away from the better known
tin-mining district north-west of Warmbaths.
The Memoir is written by Dr. Percy A. Wagner, who
was appointed three years ago by the Geological
Survey to make special investigations. The tin-
mining district, which is the subject of this report,
contains producing mines, operated by the Mutue
Fides (Transvaal) Consolidated Land and Explora-
tion Co., the Stavoren Tin Mines Co., the Olifants
Tin Mines Co., and the Union Tin Mines Co. The
particulars of the deposits are not of great interest
from the point of view of production, but
Dr. Wagner's studies afford him an opportunity of
joining in the discussion of the problem of the origin
of tin ores. He says the district gives a grand
chance to the mineralogist to collect specimens of
a great variety of minerals, but this chance is
shared by students of Cornish mines. .As we have
often remarked, the reports on Cornish and other
mines seldom make reference to the existence of any
but the leading economic minerals, and the
mineralogist desirous of discussing origins is usually
unable to make any useful deduction until he makes
a personal visit. Mineralogists will therefore
welcome Dr. Wagner's voluminous report on these
deposits. We make quotations from the report, not
for the object of giving a description of the deposits,
but for the purpose of publishing Dr. Wagner's
views as to the origin of the ores.
The mineral deposits are not restricted to any
definite horizon or formation occurring in the red
granite, the granophyric granite above the normal
granite, the granophyre, the granitic rocks above the
granophyre, and in the basal quartzites of the Water-
berg System. The deposits are all essentially replace-
ment deposits connected with more or less well-defined
fractures and joint-planes, cavity filling having
played a quite subordinate role in their formation.
It should be stated that the mineralizing fractures,
as a rule, are mere cracks that do not themselves
carry ore. The occurrences are as numerous as they
are varied, and present such an extraordinary
diversity of type that it is difficult to arrive at
a satisfactory basis of classification. It is found,
however, that the deposits in each of the geological
divisions enumerated have more or less well-
marked characteristics, particularly in regard to the
assemblages of metallic minerals present and the
character of the .alteration of the wall-rocks. It is
proposed to classify them according to the nature
of the rock in which they occur, as follows :
(I) Deposits in granite ; (2) deposits in granophyric
granite ; (3) deposits in granophyre ; (4) deposits
in the zone of granitic rocks above the granophyre ;
(.S) deposits in quartzite. It is not to be inferred
from this classification that the nature of the wall-
rock has been the principal factor in determining
the characteristics of the several types of deposit,
though it undoubtedly has had some influence.
The main cause of the observed differences lies in
the fact that, since the various rocks named are
regularly super-imposed and the metalliferous
vapours and solutions that gave rise to the formation
of the deposits undoubtedly travelled upward, each
of the divisions represents a certain thickness of
rock that had to be traversed before the solutions
(gaseous and liquid) could deposit their load. The
kind of country rock is thus correlated with the
conditions of temperature and pressure under which
the mineralization took place. The deposits in
granite, which are the lowest topographically as
well as geologically, were evidently formed at the
highest temperature and pressure, and those in the
quartzite at the lowest temperature and pressure,
while the deposits in the other rocks were formed at
temperatures and pressures intermediate between
those obtaining in the case of the deposits in granite
and quartzites. These conclusions are in consonance
with what is known in regard to the relative
temperatures of formation of the principal ore
minerals present in the different occurrences,
recent investigations having proved that cassiterite
is a higher temperature mineral than wolframite or
scbeelite, and that these in turn are deposited at
higher temperatures than chalcopyrite. Thus, the
deposits in granite are essentially tin deposits,
cassiterite being tlie only mineral recovered.
Wolframite and chalcopyrite are also present, but
only in subordinate quantities. The deposits in
granophyric granite are cassiterite-scheelite deposits,
both minerals occurring in workable quantity. The
deposits in granophyre are cassiterite-scheelite-
chalcopyrite deposits, scheclite being often more
abundant than cassiterite, while in some occurrences
chalcopyrite is in excess of both. The deposits also
carry bismuth minerals which were not noted in the
other classes of deposit. The deposits so far opened
up in the granitic rocks above the granophyre yield
cassiterite, copper ores, and wolframite. The
deposits in the quartzite are also cassiterite-
chalcopyrite-wolframite deposits characterized by
containing considerable quantities of specularite,
which almost without exception is greatly in excess
of the economic minerals present. It remains to be
stated that, as regards their ore content, the deposits
are extraordinarily erratic and, in consequence,
difficult and expensive to work, their exploitation
having, on the whole, been attended with dis-
appointing results.
The ore occurrences of the area yield a rich and
varied assortment of minerals. In all fifty minerals
were identified, some of them for the first time in
South Africa. For convenience in description the
author divides them into primary ore-minerals,
secondary ore-minerals, and gangue minerals
243
211
Tin- MIX INT, MA(,.\ZINE
Cnssitcritc is the most important of the ore-
minorals. The cn-stals ranpe in size from micro-
scopic flimcnsions to a iliametcr of 1 1 incli, very
large crj-stals occurrinK in some of the pegmatite
ileposits on the farm Aliitue Fiiles and in certain
of the occurrences on tlie farm Stavorcn. The
mineral is also found in irregular masses. The
colour cf the crystals varies considerably, the
prevailing tints being yellowish-brown and brown.
On tlie farm Stavoren the cassilerile of the Siniiit
working is of a pale resin colour, that of the Hdlsidc
Quarry is redd'sh-brown. and that of the " C "
and " D " occurrences dark-brown or chocolate
coloured. The Joe's Luck working on Koodewal
yields translucent crystals of pale-purplish colour
of the variety known as " ruby tin."
The presence of stannine in the pyritic ore of the
wolfram pipe on Stavoren is inferred from the fact
that, whereas the ore can be shown by analysis to
contain small amounts of tin. no cassiteritc is to
be detected in it either in the pan or undor the
microscope.
Primary scheelite is, after cassiterite. the most
important ore-mineral. It is confined to the
occurrences in granophyrc and in the immediately
underlying granophyric granite. It occurs in well-
formed square bipyramids resembling octahedra.and
also in irregular grains and masses. The crystals
often attain large dimensions ranging up to 3J in.
across, while crystals from 1 in. to 1 J in. across are
quite common. The scheelite taken from and near
the outcrops of the ore-bodies sometimes shows
alteration to tungstite. More usually, however, the
crystals and grains present a curiously etched and
corroded appearance, and there can be no question
that the mineral is susceptible to alteration under
the influence of the atmospheric agencies. The
occurrence of secondary scheelite may here be
referred to, since the mineral is not secondary in
the sense that tungstite and certain copper minerals
are secondary'. It occurs in narrow veinlets and
stringers, and also in well-formed crystals in the
wolframite of certain of the deposits on the farm
Mutue Fides, having been derived from the altera-
tion of that mineral, probably through the agency
of heated magmatic waters holding calcium in
solution. The scheelite differs from the primary
scheelite in being of grey or greyish-white colour,
whereas the latter ranges in colour from yellowish-
grey to yellowish-brown.
Iron-rich wolfram is sparingly present in some of
the deposits in granite on the farm Mutue Fides,
■where it occurs in masses, some of which are as
large as a man's fist. The crystal faces, where
present, are generally striated in characteristic
fashion. The wolframite from most of these
occurrences presents a greyish appearance owing to
the presence of numerous minute veinlets of
secondary scheelite, which follow the cleavage
planes of the mineral and occupy irregular cracks.
In the wolframite pipe situated in the upper zone
of granitic rocks on the farm Stavoren the mineral
occurs in blackish-brown masses up to J in. across.
In outcrop specimens of wolframite ore the mineral
is generally found to be covered with a rough
blackish-brown cellular crust, proving that it
also is susceptible to atmospheric weathering.
Occasionally the crv'stals are completely replaced by
a dark-coloured porous cindery mass composed
entirely of iron and manganese oxides. This form
of alteration implies the removal in solution of the
tungstic oxide originally present. It has been
recorded in the Tavoy deposits of Lower Burnui by
Morrow Campbell, who attributes it to tlir
simultaneous action of alkaline water and oxygen.
Chalcopyrite is the only primary copjier mineral
hitherto identified in the deposits. It has a very
wide distribution, and is present in practically all
the important occurrences so far opened up.
It is most abnndant in the deposits in qranophyre,
in which it is frequently present in sulticicnt
quantity to repay extraction. 'J'here is also an
important occurrence of chalcopyrite in quartzitc on
the farm Roodewal. The oxidation of the chalco-
pyrite occurring in the superficial portions of many
of the deposits, and the downward migration of
solutions derived from its decomposition, have
given rise to a large and' interesting assemblage of
secondary copper minerals.
Pyrite is abundant in the deposits in granite,
pyritization having next to sericitization been the
most important metasomatic process involved in
their formation. It is less abundant in the deposits
in granophyre, where it is subordinate to arseno-
pyrite, but is also apparently abundant in the
deposits in quartzite, judging by the amount of
secondary martite and limonite present in the
gos.sans of these deposits. In the pyritic
stanniferous greisen of the Mutue Fides mine the
mineral is found in crystals of octahedral habit,
while in the chlontic ore of the same occurrence it is
present in bright pentagonal dedocahedrons of brass-
yellow colour. In the lower levels of the IJnion tin
mines pyrite occurs in fine-grained aggregates
composed of small interlocking masses.
Aisenopyrite has a wide distribution in the
deposits m granite and granophyre, but has not so
far been recorded from any of the occurrences in
quartzite. It occurs in well-formed crystals, in
irregular prismatic individuals, and finally massive.
The arsenopyrite of the arsenic working on the
farm Stavoren contains small amounts of cobalt,
which is probably present as glaucodote (FcCo)AsS.
In some of the Stavoren deposits arsenopj'rite is so
abundant that it was found practicable to erect a
plant for the recovery of arsenious oxide, which was
successfully operated during the war. The mineral
is also very a.bundant in the lower levels of the Mutue
Fides mme.
-Molvbdenite is fairly common in the occurrences
in granophyre and was also noted in one of the
workings in granite on the farm Mutue Fides. It
occurs in bright bluish metallic flakes, in aggregates
of such flakes, and also in lamellar masses. It is
particularlv abundant in the aureoles of raven-mica
surrounding some of the pipes and eyes on the farm
Stavoren. From one of tlie workings several tons
of picked molybdenite ore were actually recovered.
Specularite is fairly abundant in some sections of
the Mutue Fides mine and very abundant in many
of the workings in quartzite on the farms Roodewal
and Stavoren. In the Mutue Fides mine and
certain sections of the Union tin mine it occurs in
the form of ordinary lustrous micaceous hematite,
but most of the occurr'^nces in quartzite yield a dull
black variety of the mineral.
Galena occurs in minor quantities in the pyritic tin
ore of the Mutue Fides mine in association with zinc-
blende, chlorite, fluor-spar, and calcite. It is the pro-
duct of a later period of metallization than the
cassiterite and associated minerals. It is also found
in several of the occurrences on Stavoren. Here the
mineral occurs partly in large well-formed crystals —
combinations of the cube and octahedron — and
OCTOBER, l'J21
245
partlv in irregular masses associated with beautifully
colou'red violet and bluish-violet fluor-spar. The
galena at one of the workings on Stavoren contains
up to 50 oz. of silver per ton.
Other primary minerals mentioned by Dr. Wagner
in his paper are zircon, magnetite, bismuthinite,
galcno - bismutite, blende, and graphite. The
secondary ore-minerals mentioned are tungstite,
cuprotungstite, scorodite, bismutite, chalcocite,
covellite, bornite, native copper, malachite, azurite,
cuprite, tenorite, chrysocoUa, chalcanthite, olivenite,
cerussite, martite, and limonite. The gangue
minerals are quartz, chalcedony, felspar, raven-
mica, tourmaline, fluor-apatitc, sericite, kaolin,
lithomarge, chlorite, fluor-spar, calcite, and ankerite.
Raven-inica is the rabenglimmer of Saxony, and it
is found also at St. Just, Cornwall ; it is a lithium-
potassium-iron mica.
One of the most noticeable features of the various
occurrences is the constant and intimate association
of cassiterite with quartz. The mineral is almost
invariably found enclosed or partially embedded in
the earher quartz where 'it has not completely
replaced it, and though often found replacing felspar
there can be no question that in a great majority of
cases the cassiterite has selectively replaced the
quartz in preference to felspar. This is very notice-
able in certain of the occurrences in granite, in
which the original quartz of the rock has been almost
completely replaced by cassiterite, whereas the
felspar, except where partially scricitized, is
unaltered. It was also observed frequently in the
deposits in granophyre and in the deposits in
quartzite. In explanation of the phenomenon it
may be pointed out that tin and silicon are very
closely allied, both belonging to the carbon group in
the periodic classification, so that one would expect
the compounds of the tv.-o elements to be intimately
associated in nature. Even more important, how-
ever, is the fact that cassiterite and quartz have
practically the same molecular volume, 21 '9 in the
case of the former as against 22-8 in the case of the
latter. The replacement of quartz by cassiterite in
preference to felspar would thus involve a minimum
expenditure of energy.
Emphasis is laid by Dr. Wagner on the important
role played in the formation of the mineral deposits
by fissures and joint planes. No distinction is
made between these, as the more pronounced
fissures appear to be of the nature of master joints.
Fissures trending in all directions are met with in
the several types of country rock, but only those
trending in certain directions are ore-bringers, the
productive fissures being clearly those that were
accessible to the metalliferous vapours and solutions
at the time of mineralization. A knowledge of what
directions of Assuring are favourable and what
directions are unfavourable is thus of the utmost
importance to those engaged in the search for new
deposits in the area, whether in virgin ground or in
the workings of the existing mines. The author gives
the results of his observations in this connexion.
Dr. Wagner then discusses the origin of the
mineral deposits. The first point relates to the
source of the metalliferous vapours and solutions
that gave rise to the deposits. In regard to this
point it is evident that the deposits are connected
genetically with the intrusion of the main mass of
the Bushveld granite, and since some of them pass
without interruption from the granite into the
overlying rocks and in the deposits in granite all the
evidence points to the prevalent direction of move-
ment of the mineralizing solutions (gaseous and
liquid) having been upward, the source of these is
clearly to be sought in some deep-seated and
probably at the time incompletely consolidated
zone of the granite underlying the mineralized area.
Whether the metals contained in the solutions were
extracted from the granite by the agency of
mineralizers, as has been suggested for certain tm
deposits by V'ogt, or whether they represent primarj'
constituents of the mother liquor of that rock, is not
relevant to the question at issue, since, as Taber
has pointed out, there is no essential difference
between (1) the transfer of ore-minerals through
the agency of mineralizers set free during the final
stages of the consolidation of an igneous magma
and (2) the solution and transportation by
mineralizers of the metallic minerals originally
dispersed through a rock-mass. The N.N.E.-S.S.W.
and N.E.-S.W. fissures in the granite appear to have
been the only channels that had direct access to this
deep-seated zone in the granite. From them the
solutions were fed into the W.N.W.-E.S.E. and
X. bv W. fissures in the overlying rocks in which all
four sets were ore-bringers.
The formation of the pegmatites, in which some
of the ore-bodies occur, and the deposition of the
various ore and gangue minerals clearly represent
successive stages in the final phase of consolida-
tion of the Red Granite, the progressive change in
the chemical nature of the magmatic emanations
having been clearly coincident with a progressive
decrease in their temperature. It is now generally
recognized that the crystallization of pegmatites
involves the co-operation of water and other
mineralizers, and takes place at temperatures not
far rem.oved irom 575'' C. the crystallographic
inversion-point of quartz. This m.ay be taken to
represent the upper temperature limit in so far as
the mineral deposits are concerned, since it is
improbable that the temperature at any subsequent
stage exceeded that prevailing during the formation
of the pegmatites ; an inference that would agree
with the conclusion tentatively reached in regard to
the quartz of the second generation in the deposits
in the granophyre, namely, that it is o quartz
which crystallized below 575'. Of the earlier-
formed ore-minerals specularite — the only metallic
mineral present that has been proved in any of the
deposits to be older than cassiterite — cassiterite,
wolframite, molybdenite, and scheelite, are all
characteristic of deposits formed at high
temperatures. It may be safely concluded, there-
fore, that the temperature during the deposition of
these minerals was well above the critical
temperature of water, namely, 358° C. They must
thus have been deposited from gaseous solutions,
or, in other words, under pneumatolytic con-
ditions, using the term " pneumatolytic " in its
strictest sense. Following Iddings and McDonald
this period of mineralization may be referred to as
the secondary pneumatolytic phase to distinguish
it from the primiary pneumatolytic or pegmatitic
phase during which the pegmatites were formed.
Raven-mica, tourm.aline, and quartz (second
generation) are also assigned to the secondary
pneumatolytic phase, but to an earlier stage than
the ore-minerals
The next phase of mineralization, during v.-hicli
chlorite, sericite, quartz, pyrite, and chalcopyrite
were deposited, has all the characteristics of
hydrothermal metasomatism at moderate
temperatures. It is not known whether the
2-16
THE MIXINT. MACAZINl'
temperature diirinf; this period exceeded tlic critical
temperature of water. It is possible, however, that
the temperature may have been above 358" at the
beginning of the period anil below 358" at the end
of the period, which would imply a change in the
state of the solutions from gaseous to liquid. To
this phase the designation '" early hyilrolhermal "
may be applied. It corresponds with the propylitic
phase which McDonald has distinguished in the
case of tlic Leeuwpoort lodes. During the fourth
phase of primary' mineralization, in which galena,
bismuthinite, blende, fluor-spar, calcitc, and
chalcedony were deposited by heated aqueous
solutions, fairly !ow temperatures — probably not
far removed from- 150° C— must have prevailed.
It may be referred to as the " late hydrothernial
phase " and corresponds with JIcDonald's phase of
cirhonitization.
Through being brought by denudation into the
zone of weathering all the deposits have suffered
secondary alteration by o.xygenatcd surface waters,
with the resultant formation of o.\-ides, carbonates,
secondar^' sulphides, kaolin, and chlorite. In
certain of the deposits these changes, which are in
progress at the present day. have been attended with
very important results. This final phase will be
referred to as the " phase of alteration " by cold
descending meteoric waters.
Correlating the successions of the ore and gangue
minerals in the several types of deposit with what
has been stated in regard to the physical conditions
prevailing during the different periods of mineraliza-
tion, the histori,- of the deposits may be summarized
as given in the accompanying table : —
Pegmatitic or Primarj' f Deposition of pegmatitic
Pneumatolytic Phase. \ pegmatitic felspar alone.
be found to have much the same history as those
under review, but it will j>robably rarely be so easily
and completely decipherable. The confusion that
has arisen in the past in regard to the respective
nMes of pueumalolysis and hydatogenesis in the
formation of such depot;its has been due to failure
to recognize that in a great majority of cases there
have been successive periods or phases of ore
deposition, each characterized by certain assem-
blages of minerals, the different phases probably
corresponding with definite ranges of temperature.
While there can be little doubt that the later-
formed ore-minerals (pyrite, chalcopyrite,
bismuthinite. galena, and blende) were deposited by
the agency of heated magmatic waters, there is
considerable uncertainty in regard to the nature of
the vehicle or carrier that was responsible for the
introduction of cassiterite, scheclite, and wolframite.
The intimate association of cassiterite witli fluo-
and boro-silicates in many of the classical tin
deposits of the world, coupled with the experimental
proof by Daubree and DeviUe and Carron that at
red heat the vapours- of stannic chloride and
stannic fluoride can be decomposed by steam with
the deposition of cassiterite, led to the development
of the well-known pneumatolytic theory, according
to which cassiterite is generally introduced in the
form of volatile stannic fluoride. It must be
admitted that where fluorine and boron minerals
are abundantly present this theory accords
admirably with all the observed facts. Of recent
years, however, a number of important tin-tungsten
deposits have engaged the attention of geologists,
in which topaz, tourmaline, and allied minerals are
Prevailing
Temperature,
felspar and quartz, or About 575° C.
Secondary
Pneumatolytic Phase.
Early
Hydrothermal Phase.
iSta^e I. — Deposition of raven-mica, quartz, and <575° C. > 358° C.
probably tourmaline.
-, Stase II. — Deposition of specularite, cassiterite,
wolframite, molybdenite, scheelite, arsenopyrite,
^ and fluor-apatite.
fDeposition of chlorite, sericite, quartz, pyrite, chalco-
( pyrite, some fluor-spar, and probably bismuthinite.
f Deposition of galena, zinc-blende, .^uor-spar, ankerite.
Late calcite, quartz, chlorite, and probably secondary
Hydrothermal Phase. ( scheelite.
Phase of Alteration by
cold descending
Meteoric M'aters.
/■Formation of chalcocite, covellite, copper oxides,
bismutite, tungstite, cerussite, martite, limonite,
[ kaolin, and secondary chlorite.
About 150° C.
Ordinary
atmospheric
temperature.
It is of great interest to record that the first four
phases, which, as indicated, are practically the same
as those made out by McDonald in the lodes of the
Leeuwpoort tin mine, also correspond verv' closely
with the four periods of crystallization thatBrogger
discriminates in the pegmatite dykes of the
Christiana region, namely :—
(1) The phase of magm.atic consolidation during
■which the essential minerals oi the
pegmatites crystallized.
(2) The principal pneumatolytic phase.
(3) The phase of zeolite formation.
(4) The phase of carbonate and fluo-carbonate
deposition.
It appears not improbable that on further in-
vestigation most tin-tungsten-copper deposits will
conspicuous by their entire absence or their extreme
rarity. The Mutue Fides-Stavcren deposits belong
to this category.
Coggin Brown and \V. R. Jones, in discussing the
origin of the deposits of Tavoy in Lower Burma,
which in their more typical development contain
neither topaz nor tourmaline, have independently
suggested that the place of fluorine may have been
taken by sulphur and arsenic. More recently
Morrow Campbell has suggested in respect of the
same deposits that highly siliceous heated water (he
speaks of a quartz-water mixture) was the carrier
of both wolframite and cassiterite. In support of
this contention he quotes Verbeeck, who refers to
a hot spring in Malacca that deposits siliceous
sinter containing 0-5% SnOi ; and also points to
OCTOBER, 1921
247
■the existence of a compound known as silicotungstic
acid (SiO,. 4HoO, I2WO3) which is readily soluble
in water." Campbell brings forward no absolutely
conclusive evidence in support of nis views. He
assumes, for example, that the same agencies that
brought about the greisenization of the granite
surrounding the Tavoy veins introduced the
cassiterite and wolframite, but gives no reasons for
believing such to have been the case. This is the
very point in regard to which uncertainty prevails
in the case of the Mutue Fides-Stavoren deposits.
Extensive greisenization or sericitization has here
taken place, presumably through the agency of
heated water, but the main period of sericitization
post-dated the introduction of the earlier ore-
minerals, and there is, as already pointed out, no
evidence to show that the deposition of cassiterite
was accompanied by sericitization. The only
fluorine minerals present in the Mutue Fides-
Stavoren are fiuor-apatite and fluor-spar. The
latter was onlv introduced at a comparatively late
stage in the formation of the deposits and may thus
be ruled out. Fluor-apatite, on the other hand,
which is sparingly present in some of the deposits,
appears to have been formed contemporaneously
with the earlier minerals, proving that fluorine
compounds were active at this stage in the forma-
tion of the deposits, and incidentally affording
evidence in support of the commonly accepted
pneumatolytic theory. Then, again, specularite,
which occurs in several of the deposits in granite and
is very abundant in the deposits in quartzite, is
kno\vn to be readily formed by the interaction
between ferric chloride in the vapour state with
steam, whereas the direct replacement of quartz
by specularite which is frequently observed would
be very difticult to explain on the supposition that
the iron had originally been in aqueous solution.
To the absence of tourmaUne the author attaches
little importance, for in his experience the associa-
tion of cassiterite and tourmaline, as a rule, is
purelv accidental, the latter mineral being generally
of earlier introduction. In some deposits, however,
boron appears to have been the active agent. Thus,
in the remarkable tin occurrences of the Seward
Peninsula, Alaska, described by Knopf, boron is
actually combined with tin in the rare minerals
paigeite and hulsite, while boro-sihcates and other
boron minerals are abundantly present.
Whatever the nature of the vehicle, it is quite
clear that it was capable of reacting very readily
and vigorously with quartz and felspar, since even
where, as appears frequently to have happened,
cassiterite was deposited in crystals of quartz and
felspar in drusy cavities, it is never merely found
encrusting these minerals, but is alwaj'S partially
embedded in them, and in numberless instances
there is evidence of its having replaced them. The
cassiterite was thus evidently deposited as a result
of mutual chemical reaction between the com-
pound in which the tin was contained and quartz
and felspar. It is quite possible that the com-
pound was stannic tetrafluoride and that the
cassiterite was deposited by the direct action
between it and quartz according to the equation —
SnFj + SiO-i = SnOa -I- SiF„
since Daubree was able to synthesize cassiterite by
the action of stannic chloride (SnClj) vapour on
heated lime. If this reaction was responsible for
the deposition of the cassiterite, it is remarkable
that no topaz was formed in the case of the felspar,
and that the stanniferous greisen of the Mutue Fides
mine contains not a trace of fluorine. It may have
been, however, that the physical conditions pre-
vailing may not have been suitable to the formation
of topaz or other fluo-silicatcs and that the silicon
tetrafluoride, which is a gas, passed upward,
together with any other gaseous fluorides that may
have been formed, and gave rise in the originally
overlying rocks at a higher level and at a much lower
temperature to the formation of fluor-spar. Much
the same reasoning would apply to the scheelite
and wolframite, for tungsten also forms a fluoride
WFg with a boiling point of only 19° C, so that it
is a gas at ordinary temperatures. The theory out-
lined appears, at any rate, to be quite as plausible
as that of Campbell, which would make a heated
aqueous solution of silica the carrier, for if cassiterite
had been deposited by a solution of this nature
it would be very difiicult to explain the occurrence of
the mineral embedded in absolutely fresh and
unaltered orthoclase, when it is well known that the
latter is very readily attacked by solutions of the
nature postulated. Further work will doubtless
throw more light on this vexed question, which in
the present state of our knowledge it would be idle
to pursue.
Dr. Wagner passes to the consideration of
vertical ranges of the economic minerals and the
prospects of their persisting at depth. The lowest
deposits geologically are those in granite on the
farm Tygerpad No. 2,300, and the highest
geologically as well as topographically those in
quartzite on the farm Kwarriehoek No. 1,818.
Assuming that the quartzite-granite contact
originally extended northward to a point vertically
above the Tygerpad workings at the same inclina-
tion at which it is seen to dip southw3.rd below the
Makeckaan plateau, an assumption the propriety of
which is open to serious question, then the deposits
at present known would represent a vertical range
of about 2,700 ft. Of the various ore-minerals
present, cassiterite, wolframite, chalcopyrite, pyrite,
and specularite have the greatest vertical range,
being found throughout the whole series of deposits
from those in granite to those in quartzite. The
vertical range oi the primary scheelite, on the other
hand, is limited. It has not been observed in any
of the deposits in granite, quartzite, or the upper
zone of granitic rocks, and appears to be confined
to those in granophyre and granophyric granite.
The lowest deposits in which the mineral occurs are
those in the .'Vcre Patch workings on GaTSterland,
and the highest are the " B. 1 " pipes on Stavoren,
the difference in level between the outcrops of
these deposits being 415 ft. The actual vertical
extent of the scheelite, which is evidently very
much greater, unfortunately cannot be calculated
owing to the uncertainty as to the angle at which
the granophyric-granite granophyre contact
origin,any extended northward, and the fact that
nothing is known in regard to the downward limit
of the scheelite in the granophyric-granite.
Arsenopyrite has so far not been recorded from
aui' of the deposits in quartzite and the same
apphes to galena and blende. In how far this
is due to the fact that only one deposit in quartzite
has been worked to even a moderate depth is not
clear. Had any of the minerals named been
present in considerable quantities in the deposit sO'
far opened up it could, however, hardly have
escaped detection.
Avery important problem relates to the depth
to which the cassiterite is likely to persist. la
2 IS
THE MlNlNt. .MAC.AZINK
rcRanl to this paint Ihep- is very little to go upon.
The investigations of Malcolm Maclarcn in the
tin mines of Cornwall have placed it beyond
reasonable doubt that temperature is the governing
factor in the deposition of the mineral, which is
cvitlently only formed within certain definite
limits of temperature. These limits correspond in
each area witli a definite vertical range, which
would clearly be determined in turn by the
temperature gradient in the enclosing rocks at the
time of deposition ; so that the temperature
gradient really determines the limits within which
cassiterite is precipitated from ascending gaseous
solutions. [This view has been put forward
independently by Morrow Campbell in the paper
entitled " The Origin of Primary Ore Deposits,"
read before the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
in October, 1920. Chapter \l of the present
Memoir wa.s written in May, 1920.1 In some of
the Cornish mines the vertical ranges of cassiterite
and the other ore-minerals present have been
fairly accurately determined. In the area with
which we arc dealing the only mineral concerning
which anything is known in this respect is srhcelite,
and even as to its vertical extent there is complete
uncertainty. In regard to the range of the
cassiterite nothing is known. It may safely be
assumed, however, since the metalliferous solutions
travelled upward and the temperature gradient
was probably fairly uniform throughout, that within
the limits previously indicated, the higher a deposit
is situated geologically the greater is the depth
below its outcrop to which cassiterite is likely to
extend. In other words, as regards their persistence
at depth, the deposits in the rocks above the Red
Granite are more favourably placed than those
in that rock. This does not, of course, imply or
postulate that a deposit opened up, say in the upper
portion of the granophyre, will be found to carry
ore continuously all the way to the underlying
granite, and then extend downward in that rock, but
refers merely to the vertical range of the mineraliza-
tion. Even in the granite, however, prospects of
the tin persisting at depth are favourable, if one
may argue by analogy with the only tin-tungsten-
copper deposits that have so far been worked to
.considerable depths, namely, those of Cornwall. In
the Cornish deposits it has been established
definitely that primary depth zones exist. In the
East Pool mine, , for example, the downward
succession of the economic minerals is roughly as
follows: copper ores from the surface to 140 fathoms;
wolframite from 140 fathoms to 200 fathoms ; and
cassiterite from 140 fathoms to 340 fathoms in
the south-dipping lodes and possibly to 450 fathoms
in the north-dipping lodes. The copper zone is
thus succeeded by a tungsten-tin zone and this by
a tin zone. In a more recent report on the central
mines of the Camborne-Redruth area Maclaren.
summarizing his views on the limits in depth of
profitable tin-working in that district, points out
that in most instances there is a marked falling off
in tin-content at an average depth below the
granite-killas contact of about 200 fathoms, or
some 360 fathoms below the surface ; only in one
case, the well-known Dolcoath ore-body, did
productive ore extend much below this ; even this
has failed at about the 500 fathom level.
If the same zones exist in the area under review,
then it is clear that the Mutue Fides-T\-gerpad
deposits are near the bottom of the tin-tungsten
zone and have not even entered the tin zone proper.
It is also relevant to observe that the Zaaiplaats
deposits of the northern Waterberg tinfields, which
appear to be situated at an even lower horizon
with regard to thesource of the metalliferous vapours
than the Mutue Fides deposits, have been worked
to a vertical depth of over 400 ft. As the greatest
vertical depth so far attained in any of the workings
in granite in the Mutue Fides area is only 135 ft.,
there is thus every likelihood of the cassiterite
l)ersisting far below the limits so far reached.
Here again, however, there is absolutely no
a.ssurance as to the continuity or workability of
any particular occurrence at depth, for the de])osits
in granite are quite as erratic as those in the over-
lying rocks. The extraordinary patchine.ss of
deposits of this type is to be attributed to the fact
that the principal ore-minerals were introduced by
gaseous solutions that travelled along narrow joints
and fissures under high pressure and apparently
rushed from point to point where favourable con-
ditions to deposition oftered, leaving the intervening
stretches absolutely barren. The conception of
the deposition having taken place from gaseous
solutions under high pressure will also serve to
explain how very considerable quantities of
cassiterite could have been introduced from what in
many instances are mere cracks.
As regards depth at which the mineralization
took place, the present topography of the tinfields
probably bears no relationship whatsoever to that in
existence u-hen the deposits were formed. .•Vt that
time the area was covered with a considerable thick-
ness of sedimentary and igneous rocks belonging to the
lower division o; the Waterberg System. What the
thickness of these rocks may have been there is no
means of ascertaining. The thickness of the
basal or Rooiberg series in the Makeckaan plateau
is about 1,200 ft., and that of the overlying volcanic
series of the Waterberg System about 800 ft. This,
however, jirobably only represents a small part of
the original thickness of the volcanic scries, which
in the Middelburg District of the Transvaal, where
it attains its maximum development, has a thickness
of 8.000 ft. It appears unlikely for various
reasons that the volcanic beds were ever anything
like so thick in the area with which we are dealing,
but there is no positive evidence that they were
not. All that can thus be said in regard to the
depth of cover at tlie time of mineralization is that
it was not more and in all orobability considerably
less than 9,000 ft.
It has been shown that the mineral deposits are
later than the quartzites and conglomerates of the
Makeckaan plateau, which have been correlated
with the Rooiberg series, the lowest member of the
Waterberg System. The evidence available in the
area under review does not enable one to assign
more accurate limits to the period in which they
were formed. There can be no question, however,
that the deposits are products of the epoch of wide-
spread mineralization, following the intrusion of the
main mass of the Bushveld granite.
It remains to inquire why the mineral deposits
should be situated where they are in a zone about
Smiles wide striking in an N.N.W.-S.S.E. direction.
In regard to this question there is nothing definite to
go upon and it would be idle to discuss it. The fact
that tin-tungsten deposits the world over are
connected with anticlinal and domal structures
suggests, however, that the position of the mineral
belt may have been determined by an anticline in
the originally overlying Waterberg beds.
OCTOBER, 1921
249
THE NORTHAMPTON LEAD DISTRICT. W.A.
On several occasions the lead-mining operations
in the Northampton district. West Australia, have
been the subject of articles or notices in our pages,
the last occasion being in March, 1919. The pro-
perties have been worked for many years by the
Fremantle Trading Company, which is allied to the
Golden Horse-shoe Company, of Kalgoorlie, but
o\ving to the comparatively low grade of the ore and
its irregular occurrence, adverse economic conditions
often cause stoppages. Last year F. R. Feldtmann,
one of the members of the West Australian
Geological Survey, made an examination of this
district, and his preliminary report is issued in the
Annual Progress Report of the Survey just
published. We quote Mr. Feldtmann herewith.
Northampton township, the centre of the
mining district, is situated 27 miles direct north of
Geraldton, or 34 miles by rail. The new township
of Galena is situated immediately south of
Murchison River, about 31 miles (45 miles by road)
north of Northampton and about 8i miles (12 miles
by road) N.N.E. of Ajana, the terminus of the
railway from Geraldton.
The metalliferous district consists of an elevated
tract of country, the present surface of which is
strongly undulating, where the removal of the
overlying Jurassic strata has exposed the crystalline
rocks. The southern portion of this area of
crystalline rocks, which consists largely of garnet-
iferous gneiss or gncissic granite, has been surveyed
by W. D. Campbell, whose map, pubhshed in a
Bulletin published in 1910, shows the southern end
of the main belt to be about seven miles due east of
Geraldton. The northern extension of this belt has
not yet been determined, and in view of the
economic importance of these rocks a broad survey
of this portion of the gneissic belt is highly desirable.
From hasty observations made on the road from
Northampton to Galena, it appears probable that
the gneissic rocks extend without a break to and
beyond the Murchison River, with the possible
exception of the high Binnu sand plain. How far
they extend eastward along Murchison River has
not been determined, but thev are known to occur
at the 10 .Alile Pool. The length of the metalliferous
belt, if continuous, is therefore at least 70 miles,
the maximum width being probably about 15 miles.
The belt, however, is very irregular and the average
width is probably considerably less.
The gneiss is cut by a number of basic (green-
stone) dykes, striking nearly north-north-east, and
by a greater number of pegmatite dykes or veins,
with, so far as could be determined, similar strike, as
have also the lodes. The lodes are closely associated
with these dykes, but their relationship to the basic
dykes is purely structural, the lines of fracture along
many of which these dykes made their way forming
lines of weakness during subsequent periods of
shearing. On the other hand, the formation of the
ore-bodies appears to be closely connected with the
introduction of the pegmatites, which probably
extended over a considerable period, the earlier
stages of which were marked by high temperatures,
as shown by the wide development of garnet in the
gneiss and also, though but sparsely, in some of the
pegmatites and the formation of tourmaline in
a few of the pegmatites and their ultra-acid varieties,
such as certain of the quartz reefs. The formation
of the ore-bodies took place during the final stages
of igneous activity, under lower temperature
4—6
conditions. The occurrence of lead, zinc, and
copper deposits as the final products of granitic
magmas is by no means uncommon in other
countries. In prospecting for new lodes it is
advisable to examine closely the immediate neigh-
bourhood of the greenstone and pegmatite dykes.
The gneissic rocks are pale to fairly dark greyish
rocks, usually fine in grain, which proved to
be gametiferous wherever examined. The ferro-
magnesian appears to be chiefly biotite, possibly
chloritized in places. Pegmatitic facies of these
rocks, with large felspars and garnets, occur. In
some places the gneissic structure of the rocks is
well marked, in others the rocks are compact and
massive, the only traces of a gneissic structure
being a slight parallelism of the composing
minerals. Occasional zones of sheeted or laminated
rock occur in the gneiss, marking lines of intense
shearing and probably corresponding to the lami-
nated jaspers so commonly associated with the gold-
fields greenstones and, in places, with the Pre-
Cambrian sediments. The general strike of these
sheeted zones is nearly north-west ; they were
apparently formed prior to the introduction of the
basic dykes and the pegmatites.
The basic dykes are for the most part coarse
to tine-grained massive epidiorites, from dolerites,
but they probably range from intermediate-basic to
ultra-basic in composition. Their most remarkable
feature is the general uniformity of their strike,
which round Northampton averages about N. 32°
E. ; they appear to be nearly vei*cal. They are
of great length, and, on the average, of considerable
width, several of those examined being 60 or 70 ft.
wide in places, and Gregory mentions some as
attaining a width of 180 ft. Being harder than the
surrounding gneiss they usually form prominent
outcrops, a rounded outline being characteristic of
the weathered outcrops and boulders. Among
those lodes, which for a part of their length at
least occur along the margins of basic dykes, are
the Wheal Ellen, Gwalia" (south lode), Unaring.
Derby Syndicate (Loc. 325), Wheal Beta, and
Yandanooka at Northampton, and the Surprise at
Galena.
The pegmatites are of great variety. The
occurrence of pegmatitic veins apparently as a
facies of the gneissic rocks has already been
mentioned, but most of the pegmatites undoubtedly
belong to the stages of igneous activity immediately
preceding ore deposition, and are intrusive into the
gneiss. No direct evidence was obtained as to the
relative age of these rocks and the basic dykes, but
from their composition and close relationship to the
lodes thcj' appear to be younger than the basic rocks.
The pegmatite dykes are much more numerous and
much smaller, as a rule, than the epidiorites, their
width usually ranging from a few inches to a few
feet, but it is probable that much larger dykes,
particularly of the more acid varieties, occur. Their
dip appears to be very similar to that of the lodes.
One of the commonest types of pegmatite is a
coarse-grained rock, consisting chiefly of felspar and
quartz, mainly in graphic intergrowths, with some
large and small flakes of a silvery greenish-grey
mineral, probably vermiculite ; flakes of graphite are
common in some specimens and are probably con-
temporaneous with the other minerals composing the
rock. In some localities the felspars are white, in
others, such as the Baddera and N'lctoria mines, they
250
Till- :\IIX1XG :\IAGAZINE
are of a dark red colour. Avilitic facics of these
rocks arc common. Specimens of pegmatite of this
tvpe. from the Wheal .Upha mine, contain malachite
and aznrite, deposited in thin films throughout the
rock, as well as in one specimen, in a v\ighy veinlet,
probab!.\' on the wall of the dyke. A variety from
an outcrop on the Gwalia mine contains large
felspar crystals in a ground-mass consisting largely
of a graphic intergrowth of tourmaline and quartz.
A ditlerent and much more acid aplitic type of
pegmatite occur* in the Baddera and Wheal May
mines. It is composed of greyish glassy quartz, con-
taining numerous small pale salmon-pink felspars.
Another highly acid type from the Baddera is a
rock composed of glassy quartz with fairly numerous
small garnets ; a few minute specks of mica are
also present. Extreme ultra-acid types are repre-
sented by some large quartz reefs, carrying very
sparsely distributed groups of large tourmaline
crystals.
The lodes occupy zones of intense shearing and
brecciation in the gnoissic granite. Where a shear
zone is along the margin of a greenstone or
pegmatite dyke, these rocks may also be sheared
and brecciated. The strike of the lodes is roughly
parallel to that of the greenstone dykes, but is,
however, less regular. A few of the lodes, including
the Uga, tlie Baddera branch lode, and parts of the
Chiverton, Nooka, and Wheal .-Mpha lodes, strike
approximately north. The Surprise lode, at Galena,
strikes nearly north-north-west. The dip is usually
north-west, at a steep angle, but in places the lodes
are vertical, or even have a slight south-easterly
dip. The Surjtfise lode dips west-south-west. In
length the lodes range from about three chains
(Derby Syndicate lode) to about one mile (Waner-
anooka lode), averaging, perhaps, between 30 and 40
chains. The width is ver\- variable, and a distinction
must be drawn between the width of the lode-channel
or zone of shearing and brecciation, and that of the
ore veins or shoots. The lode may contain no ore,
even where the shear zone is of moderate width, and
shearing and brecciation are fairly well marked, or
payable ore may occupy the full width of the
channel. The ore-bodies may range in width from
a fraction of an inch to 30 ft., or even more. In the
Surprise mine sheared rock, carrying vems of galena,
occupies a width of more than 100 ft. at the 110 ft.
level. In most of the lode-channels the shearing
stresses have found relief along one or more planes
in a main zone of intense shearing, with the forma-
tion of a narrow band of crushed clay (flucan) along
the planes ; the remainder of the rock in the main
zone being brecciated. Shear planes, roughly
parallel to the main planes, as well as irregular
joint planes, were also formed in the rock for some
distance outside the main shear zone.
That the ore-bearing solutions \vere introduced
during a period of relief from pressure is indicated
by the numerous vughs, the sugary, or crystalline
and glassy character of the quartz, and the coarsely
crystalline structure of the galena in the larger veins.
In the main body of the lodes, where most affected
by the ore-bearing solutions, the rock breccia has
been recemented b}' silica, the cement now consisting
of very finely crystalline quartz, coloured greyish by
inclusions of partly digested rock, and in places con-
taining minute specks of pyrite. As is usual in
lode formations the boundaries of the cre-bodies are
ill-defined, and the ore is not necessarily confined to
the rock enclosed between two particular planes or
walls ; a shear plane, w-hich forms a convenient
hanging wall at one point in a mine, may be used
as a foot-wall at another point. It is probable
that .shearing also took place along the lode-
channels subsequently to ore-deposition. In
addition to the \-aried directions of the stria; on the
shear planes, which in the Wheal nilcu mine are irk
places vertical, in places liorizontal, thus suggesting
local movement, the main shear planes are in many
places marked by a few inches of crush clay, and by
a band of crushed rod; and clayey material, which
carry no ore even where the lode is rich ; moreover,
bands of barren schist and occasional joint or shear
planes occur in the body of the lode. It is difficult
to explain why these should contain no ore, except
on the assumption that they are subsequent to ore
deposition.
So far as could be judged all the lodes of this
district are similar in structure, and, with the
exception of the Surprise lode, where barite veins
are a conspicuous feature in the ore-shoot, in their
gangue, though differing in their degree of silicifica-
tion. Any classification is therefore necessarily
arbitrary. It is, however, convenient to group
them according to the proportions of economic
minerals present into : —
(3) Galena lodes carrying only negligible quanti-
ties of blende, copper ores, and pyrites ; the
Baddera, Surprise, and Wheal May lodes being of
this type.
{h) Galena blende lodes, carrying galena and
blende in nearly equal proportions with minor
quantities of copper ores (chiefly chalcopyrite).
pyrite, and marcasito ; the Wheal Ellen belonging
to this group.
(r) Copper lodes, in which galena and blende, if
present, occur only in small quantities; in this group,
however, pyrite and marcasite are probably present
in fair quantities; the Wheal Margaret and Victoria
may be taken as representative of this group.
As stated, this classification is purely arbitrary,
the three groups grading into each other through
intermediate types. Detailed observations had,
unfortunately, to be confined to lodes of the first
two groups, as none of the workings on the
Northampton copper lodes were accessible and
practically all the ore hid been removed from the
dumps.
In the lodes of the first group the galena occurs
usually as veins of coarsely crystalline material along
the main shear planes ; as coarse octahedral orcubo-
octahedral crystals lining vughs and in places
associated witJi glassy or sugary quartz ; as veinlets
of more finely crystalline material in the body of the
lode ; or, more rarely, in a fine-grained massive, in
places schistose, form, probably a replacement of the
rock along narrow zones of intense shearing. In the
rich shoot in the Surprise mine groups of coarse
galena, crystals separated by tiny irregular veinlets of
quartz occur over a width of 20 ft. in places. The-
blende and pyrite usually occur as narrow veins or
veinlets filling shear or joint planes outside the main
body or in the poorer portions of the lode.
In those of the second group the galena occurs as
before, but blende is also found in fairly large masses
in the body of the lode as well as occurring as in
the first group. Pyrite occurs as in the first group,
but marcasite is in places associated with galena in
the body of the lode. In addition, finely dissemi-
nated chalcopyrite (altering to malachite in the
oxidized zone) is fairly common in the more
quartzose portions of the lode.
The secondary deposition of galena or blende .on
OCTOBER, 1921
251
a large scale appears to be very doubtful, no deposits
definitely formed in this way being known. As is
suggested by their mode of occurrence, rich shoots
such as those of the Surprise, Gcraldine, and
Baddera mines are most likely due to the primary-
deposition of galena from ascending solutions
under favourable conditions. On the other hand,
the secondary deposition of copper sulphides on
a large scale near water-level is of common
occurrence. Whether this has taken place to any
great extent in the Northampton lodes it is, in the
absence of accessible workings, impossible to say.
That a certain amount of secondary deposition has
taken place is, however, sugge.sted by the presence
of such minerals as covellite and chalcocite, though
even these minerals may be of primary origin.
There is every probability of the lodes extending
to very considerable depths below the limits of the
present workings, and there is no evidence to show
that rich shoots may not occur below those hitherto
discovered. At greater depths, however, the lead
ore may change in character, becoming more com-
pact and finer-grained and containing larger pro-
portions of pyrite and chalcopyrite, and probably,
also, of blende in lodes like the Surprise and Baddera.
In spite of the number of j'ears since mining first
started, the district has not been thoroughly
prospected, and the recent discovery of the Surprise
lode shows that by careful prospecting other rich
lodes may yet be found.
IRON ORES OF NORM.ANDY
At the meeting of the Iron and Steel Institute
held last month at Paris, P. Nicou gave an outline
of the present position of France's iron ore resources.
The restoration of Lorraine to France, and the
elimination of German control from the ore-fields of
Normandy, Brittany, llaine, and Anjou, the old
provinces constituting north-western France, have
put her once more in a strong position metal-
lurgicall; , and the owners of the deposits are seeking
customers in Great Britain. The Lorraine deposits
have been described many times, but those in north-
western France are not so well known.
We quote from Monsieur Nicou's paper herewith
with regard to the Normandy deposits, those in
Anjou, Maine, and Brittany not being of as great
importance at present.
The iron ores of Normandy, Anjou, Maine, and
Brittany are, from many points of view, and
particularly from their geographical situation, the
most suitable of all the French deposits for British
ironworks. All the mines now, or in the future,
to be worked are in close proximity to the sea.
Those of Segre, in the Anjou ore-field, the farthest
from ports of embarkation, are only 85 and 135
kilometres . distant by rail from Nantes and
St. Nazaire respectively, while the Ferriere and
Halouze mines, the farthest south of the Normandy
mines actually in operation, are within 75 and 80
kilometres of Caen. Befoi'e the war a large number
of important German companies had acquired con-
siderable interests in these mines, and a heavy
trade with Westphalia had commenced, which
militated against all attempts to foster an ore
trade with Great Britain. At Caen, more
especially, the exports to Germany, which in 1908
amounted to 131,193 tons, had risen by 1913 to
342,281, whereas for these two years the exports
to Great Britain had only risen from 81,999 to
144,409 tons.
The Normandy deposits spread over the three
Departments of Calvados, La Manche, and I'Orne.
Though the second largest deposits in France, they
contribute only a small proportion of the total out-
put. In 192U the proportion of output had fallen to
3'55°o' This decrease is due to the reopening of
the French mines in recovered Lorraine ; and the
decrease is even less than might have been
expected, owing to the destruction of numerous
works and mines in the east of France. Whatever
the statistics may portend, the production of
ore from the Normandy mines had appreciably
increased during the years which immediately
preceded the war, and the 1913 output would
have justified the hope that in 1914 extraction
would have reached a million tons. Great develop-
ments were in progress at the Soumont mines, and
particularly at St. Andre and at Barberry, and but
for the war the Normandy deposits might well
have amounted to several millions of tons annually.
A considerable proportion of this output would
have been employed at works in the north of
France : Halouze and La Ferriere are mines
belonging to the Acieries de France et de Denain-
Anzin, and the Isbergues and Denain works of the
company would have taken the largest proportion
of their output. The Forges et Acieries du Nord
et de I'Est had large interests in the Larchamp
mine, and would have mixed the ores from this
mine with those from their Piemie concession in
Meurthe-et-Moselle, thus securing a particularly
satisfactory charge for their blast-furnaces. These
three mines, Halouze, La Ferriere, and Larchamp,
all situated on the main syncline of Ferriere, had
in 1913 produced 373,000 tons of ore, that is, 45%
of the whole Normandy production. New
works in Pont-a-Vendin and at Dunkerque were
similarly to have derived a large proportion of
their ore requirements from Normandy. In
addition to the foregoing, blast-furnaces in
the course of construction in Calvados, in the
immediate neighbourhood of Caen, to be provided
with steel works and rolling mills, were to draw
their supplies from the Soumont mines, and having
associated interests in Westphalian works were
to exchange ore for coke with the latter, thus
accomplishing a purpose towards which British
ironmasters ought now to address themselves.
Other concessions in which Germans held the great
bulk of the shares, or in which, through the inter-
vention of Dutch shareholders, they possessed large
interests, were equipped with plant destined to
increase their productive capacity and develop an
extensive trade with their shareholder customers.
Since the war the situation has greatly changed.
The northern works, such as Denain, Isbergues,
Valenciennes, and Pont-a-Vendin, have been com-
pletely destroyed by the Germans, or so vitally
injured that it will ta'ke many years to restore
them. This is one of the reasons for the notable
decrease in the iron-ore production of Normandy.
The Caen works, taken over by a company which
has eliminated the German element, cannot develop
to the extent wished for. Hence the Normandy
mines must look for their development to the
252
Till- MIXING MAGAZINE
export trade, with which they can easily cope wliile
meeting all deniamls likely to be made upon them
(or home consumption
The ore occui-s either as an oolitic carbonate
or a hematite. Hoth may exist simultaneously, as
the hematite always passes into carbonate at a
greater or less depth. Normandy hematites are at
present chiefly mined at St. Ri?my. St. Andni. and
May. The St. Uemy ores arc the richest of all the
Normandv ores, and contain 50 to 5.S"„ of iron,
10 to rio'o of silica. 3"„ of alumina. 2-5°o "f lime
and magnesia, 0-6 to 0'7°o of phosphorus, and
3°o of water. At St. .^ndre and May the iron
percentage is lower, being between 46 ano! SI, with
14 to 16% of silica. The other concessions contain
chiefly or entirely carbonate ores which have to
be calcined. Only 12 to 15 kg. of fuel per ton of
ore is required for calcining them, and the yield
varies from 75 to 79''o. On their withdrawal
from the kilns the ores from the three following
mines contain : Halouze, iron 48 to 49°o- silica
14 to 16% : La Ferriere, iron 47 to 49"o, silica
13 to 15% ; Larchamp, iron 48 to 49°^. silica 14 to
15%. The proportion of alumina varies from
4 to 7% and the lime and magnesia from 3'5 to
4'5, The phosphorus remains between 0-6 and
0'7%. These calcined carbonates are therefore
relatively rich, and the three mines in question are
just those from which export would be the easier.
Soumont ores only yield 45-9"„ of iron after
calcining, the silica being higher than in the ores
just described. The ores of Mortain, Bourberouge,
and Jurques are very similar to those of Soumont.
It will be seen that while the ores are some-
what siliceous, they are, generalh' speaking, high
in iron. Their composition shows that they are
suitable not only for making basic pig iron, but
also for mixing, while without any fluxes they
can make phosphoric foundry pig containing
1-2 to 1'3% of phosphorus, as well as pig iron
suitable for open-hearth furnace working. The
carbonates are usually porous when calcined, as is
shown by their weight per cubic metre. This
varies, after calcination, from 1,600 to 1,650 kg., and
thus presents a distinct advantage when they are
smelted.
Four principal regions may be distinguished, each
corresponding with a particular syncline : May,
Urville, Falaise, and La Ferriere. The most
northerly comprises the concessions of May,
St. Andre, Bully, and Maltot, which were granted
before the war. Only two of these are being
worked. At May the beds have a dip of 45°
and a thickness varying from 4 to 6 metres, but
of which only a thickness of 2-5 metres is being
actually worked, the remainder being too high
in .silica. The sinkings carried out by the
Societe des Mines et Produits Chimiques reach
a depth of over 100 metres below the surface
and extend underground for over 4 kilometres.
A large shaft at Lorguichon, near to the mineral
railway connecting the Soumont mine with Caen,
has been sunk to a depth of 150 metres and will
allow of an annual production of 150,000 tons of
ore. This ore is a hematite containing 46 to
47% of iron. In 1920 production had reached
100,189 tons, and fell, owing to the war, to 45,256
tons in 1919. In 1919 it had increased to 62,051
tons. At St. Andre an almost vertical bed is worked
to a depth of nearly 100 metres, and the ore is
got from a bed of hematite 2-5 metres thick, over-
lain by a bed of carbonate not yet being worked.
The outputs in 1913, 1919, and 1920 respectively
were 89.225, 60,956, and 75,567 tons. The n\illy
and Maltot concessions have hitherto only been
explored by bore-holes. It is along the May syncline
that investigations eastward have been pursued to
ascertain whether the workable beds of May and
St. Andrd extend. The results have been of suliicient
interest to warrant the Government granting, this
year, a series of concessions extending as far as the
railway from .\rgentan to Mezidon. These con-
cessions at Condesur-lfs, Fieville, Garcelles, d'Ouezy,
d'Ouville, and St. I'ierre-sur-Dives cover a greater
area than all the others in Calvados put together.
The second syncline, sometimes known as La
Breche du Diable, but more commonly as Urville,
comprises six older concessions, Soumont, Perricres,
Barberry, F.strees, Gouvix, and Urville.
Investigations made in this instance, westward,
have li-d to the prolongation of the syncline being
established as far as its outcrop, and have led,
since the commencement of the year, to the granting
of the Cinglais concession. Of all the concessions
of this second basin the most important in every
respect is that of Soumont, which supplies the Caen
blast-furnaces of the Society Normande de
Miitallurgie. with which they are linked up by a
private railway. Here there occurs a seam of
carbonate ore having a dip of 30^, which appears
from bore-holes sunk to depths of 400 metres, to
get less steep as it becomes deeper. So far the
seam has been proved for a depth of 200 metres
by slopes and roads which have established its
continuity and constancy. The ore gives, on
calcination, 45-9% of iron, and roads have been
driven for several kilometres. Down to depths
of 60 metres hematite is found, but below these
depths it disappears completely. In 1913 the mine
produced 71,637 tons of ore, of which 9,000 tons
was imported into Germany and the rest put into
stock. Since that date the work done by the new
company owning the Caen furnaces (Societe
Normande de Metallurgie) has been directed to
supplying adequate quantities of ore for the con-
sumption of the blast-furnaces, and to making
calcining tests, which have yielded excellent results.
In 1919 the output of carbonate ore amounted to
40,400 tons, of which 24,042 went into stock and
16,358 was passed through the kilns. By December
the stocks had risen to 219,602 tons of raw ore, and
52,223 tons of calcined ore. These stocks were
heavily drawn upon during 1920 for consumption
at the works. During 1920 Soumont produced
4,339 tons of hematite and 65,322 tons of calcined
carbonate. The Barberry concession, in which the
German Gutehoffnungshiitte held the interest, was
naturally sequestrated during the war, and has
since been completely idle. In 1913 the production
was 16,624 tons of calcined ore from a bed in which
only a thickness of 2-5 to 3 metres was worked, to
avoid getting a too siliceous ore. Arrangements
had been made for the rapid development of this
mine, for an output of 300,000 tons, which shows
the importance attached by German metallurgists
to the Normandy deposits. Soumont, which was
also to supply part of the ore needed at the Thyssen
works in Westphalia, was in 1914 being prepared for
an output of 500,000 to 600,000 tons annually,
beginning with 1915. The war stopped this
development, but the plant is capable, whenever
required, of realizing such outputs. Of the other
concessions on this syncline, only the Gouvix mine
has been restarted by the Societe des Forges et
OCTOBER, 1921
253
Acieries de Firminy, for the purpose of getting readj'
to supply the Dunes \vorl;s near Dunkerquc. The
ore is a carbonate, and calcining kilns have been
installed. Extraction has only been of a preparatory
nature, and the tonnage has hence been small.
The third Normandy syncline, that of Falaise,
is the best known, as it contain.s the St. Remy
concession, the oldest (havina been granted in
September, 1875) and the richest. A bed of
hematite 2-5 metres, of very uniform quality, over-
lain by a thickness of about I metre of carbonate
ore, is worked. The carbonate ore has a purplish
colour, and was not formerly worked, although for
a few years it has been exploited. The hematite
contains 51 to 55 °f, of iron and the raw carbonate
41 to 42°;,, with 12-9°o of siUca. The bed is only
worked to slight depths — 33 metres on an a\'erage —
below the surface. Production, which in 1911
reached 106,852 tons, fell in 1913, as the result of
a long strike, to 77,fi20 tens. In the year 1920 the
output was 78,713 tons, of which 43,218 tons were
the richest. The first-named produces only
carbonate. Throughout 1919 it was only working
part time, and whereas in 1913 its output was
89.89(> tons of calcined ore, in 1920 it only produced
18,275 tons of ore, of which 14,588 tons were
calcined. The seam has a thickness of 5 to 8 metres,
with numerous changes of dip and strike, creating
difticulties in working. One shaft is at work, and
the ores are transported by an aerial ropeway to
the station at ChateHer, 7 kilometres away, on the
line from Pomfront to Flers. Twelve calcining
kilns, with forced draught, have been installed at
the mines. The Halouze concession, along the
immediate prolongation of the latter, has a some-
what narrower seam, 5 to 7S metres in thickness.
It is worked by tw^o shafts, each 180 metres deep,
and by an incline. Actual working is confined to
depths not exceeding 130 metres, but provision has
been made for extraction at greater depths. There
are eight calcining kilns, and a railway 8 kilometres
in length connecting the mine with the station at
50 "OO
5cale ot Kilomefrc5
y., )Cherb(6urg
/Brest
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"^eine /nferieure' ^ - -^^^
Havre^
.R'o'uenJ
0%3 \ '--^ Caen
,-' Fdlalja--.',^ '',-??
-_.'Fleri-'.Arqenri>; ,,---'' \ Pant,
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North-Western France, shoaving Position of Iron Ore Deposits.
hematite and 35,595 tons were carbonate. The
remaining concessions on this syncline, at
Ondefontaine, Jurques, and JMontpincon, produce
only carbonate of much poorer quality, and with
the exception of Jurques, which has been worked
by the Societe Francais des Mines de Fer, have
been little developed. At Jurques there appear
to be three beds, two of which are workable, but
of which only one is at present being worked. It
has a thici;ness of 1-80 metres, and a dip of 55°.
The investigations quite recently made at Mont-
pincon have led to the recognition of only one
seam, much faulted and probably unworkable.
The description of these three synclines completes
the account of the Normandy deposits occurring
in the Department of Calvados.
The fourth syncline spreads over the Departments
of ''Orne and La JIanche, and covers two widely
differing regions ; the eastern in I'Orne, with the
Mont-en-Gerome, La Ferriere, Halouze, and
Larchamp concessions, and the western, containing
the Mortain and Bourberouge concessions,
Larchamn, Halouze, and La Ferriere are at the
present time the three most important mines in
Normandy, and, with the exception of St. Remy,
Chatelier. The output in 1913 was 152,fi56 tons of
ore. In 1920 only 44,559 tons were produced, of
which 40,678 tons were calcined and dispatched.
In some places the concession yields a heniatite ore,
but in small amounts only as compared with the
carbonate ore. The mine belongs to the Compagnie
des Acieries de France. At La Ferriere, which
belongs to the Denain Anzin Company, the seam
is the prolongation of that encountered at Larchamp
and Halouze, and has a dip of between 35° and 40°
south, which becomes steeper northward before
reaching Halouze. Eight kilns are installed for
calcining the carbonate ore, and the mine is con-
nected by rail with the St. Bomer station on the
Flers-Pomfront line. Most of the ore was, before the
war, used at the works of the proprietors, but these
having been destroyed by the Germans the output
has been greatly reduced, and only the requirements
of outside customers have been catered for. While,
in 1913, 121,650 tons of calcined ore were dispatched
from the works, the 1920 output was only 32,500,
while the kilns calcined 50,100 tons, the difference
being taken out of stock.
Of the other concessions on the La Ferriere
syncline, the Mont-en-G6rome mine is not as yet
2:>i
THE MIXING MAGAZIXK
being worUeJ, only trial borings to ascertain the
existence ol the seam, its thickness and quality,
having been carried out. According to the
information yielded by these bores, the seam is less
important than those just describctl. At
Uourberouge there is a workable seam of 2-5 metres
thick, with an average dip of 39", and at Mortain
the thickness reaches 6'5 metres, and the minimum
dip is 54°, which becomes steeper as the depth
increases. Both these mines, which belong to the
Soci6t4 l^rani,aise dcs Mines de Fer, were before the
war worked lor the export trade. They are con-
nected by rail respectively with the Avranches
station on the Domfront line, and Mortain on the
Vire line. Kilns were installed, but by 19Kt pro-
duction had only just bc^un au'l the output was
34,S,S:j tons ot calcined ore at l3ourberouj;e, and
(i,833 tons at .Mortain. The former mine became
flooded during the war up to its adit level ; at
Mortain the same thing occurred to the lower levels.
Blast-roasting. — British Patent 13,9.S8 of 1920
(14(>,936), issued to the Mining an.d Metallurgical
Processes Proprietary, Ltd., of Melbourne, as
assignees of Gilbert Rigg, of the Broken Hill
Associated Smelters, describes an improved
apparatus employed in blast-roasting. Mr. Rigg's
work in this line is w-ell known, for articles have
been published in the Mac..\zine for June, 1918,
and February, 1920, and he read a paper before the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy in May, 1920.
\Ve quote this patent specification in detail.
The invention refers more especially to means
for perforating and thus opening up or breaking the
clinker which normally forms immediately over the
grates in such operations. In metallurgical
operations involving the passage of a blast or current
of air through a body or charge of ore upon a grate,
it has been found that the layer of material
immediately over the grate is usually fused into a
more or less impervious cake or clinker and that
consequently the passage of air is seriously impeded
and frequently rendered irregular and uneven,
involving constant attention in the filling up of
blow-holes to avoid intense local action. In many
cases this results in the limiting of the thickness
of the charge to a comparatively thin layer and
retards the completion of the operation. It has
been found by an examination of the treated charge
that the lower layer has fused into a compact mass
of clinker, although the upper portions of the charge
are not so affected. The object of the present
invention is to pro\'ide means whereby the layer of
clinker or slag formed over the grate is periodically
perforated and thereby broken or opened up for
the passage of the air blast. This object is accom-
plished by providing mechanical means by w-hich the
layer of clinker or slag is intermittently perforated.
These mechanical means preferably comprise a
number or series of proj ecting teeth or spikes adapted
to be intermittently forced through the laj-er of
clinker or slag as the same is formed over the grate,
thereby perforating and opening it up for the passage
of the air current. These projecting teeth or spikes
are preferably adapted to work in conjunction with
the grate, and in practice the same teeth or spikes
are caused to project through the perforations
or interstices of the grate, being mounted upon a
suitable carrier or member which is adapted to be
moved up and down by suitable mechanical means.
.\n apparatus embodying the features described
is illustrated in the accompanying sheets of
explanatory drawings. Fig. I is a view in sectional
side elevation of a pot, as used in the Huntington-
Heberlein process, fitted with mechanical devices
for perforating the clinker formed over the grate
therein. Fig. 2 is a view in plan of Fig. 1, part of
the pot being broken away to show details in the
mechanical means devised for perforating the
clinker. Fig. 3 is a view illustrating two forms of
spikes or teeth for use with the apparatus. Fig. 4
is a view in plan of the spikes or teeth shown in
Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a view in perspective of another
form of spike or tooth. Fig. fi is a view in sectional
elevation of part of a pot showing a modification
in the means employed for perforating the clinker.
Fig. 7 is a view in sectional elevation of part of
Fig. 6, and shows a modified form of tooth or
spike. F'ig. 8 is a view in sectional plan of the tooth
shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a view of part of a
constructional detail shown in Fig. 6. Fig. 10 is a
view similar to Fig. 7, showing another modified
form of tooth or spike.
In these drawings the reference numeral 20
designates a pot having trunnions 21 supported on
a frame 22 provided with transport wheels of
approved form. One of the trunnions 21 is fitted
wiih a worm wheel 23. which gears with a worm
24 carried by a shaft 25 fitted with a hand-wheel
26, which is adapted to be operated to tilt the pot
sufficiently to empty some of its contents as desired.
A grate 27 is supported at an approved point in the
height of the pot, and this grate preferably com-
prises a cast metal plate having a series of holes
28 formed vertically therein. The grate 27
is preferably mounted removably wit'iin the pot
to permit of its being replaced by another when worn
out or damaged. The bottom of the pot is provided
with a centrally disposed hole above which is
mounted a guide member 29 for a spindle 30,
which is adapted to be reciprocated vertically
therein. The upper end of the spindle 30 is formed
with a cap or flange 31 w-hich is bolted to the centre
of a plate 32 which conforms to the shape, and is
somewhat smaller than the interior of the lower
part of the pot. The plate 32 is formed with a series
the threaded holes 33 which are adapted to take the
screwed shanks or stems 34 on the lower ends of
a series of teeth or spikes 35. The teeth or spikes
are preferably pointed or sharpened on their upper
ends and normally project upward into the bottom
of the holes 28 in the grate 27. The teeth or spikes
35 may be made to the same shape as, but slightly
smaller in cross section than the holes in the grate,
or they may be made of such other cross-sectional
shape as will permit of the passage of air through the
holes when the teeth or spikes are thrust upwardly
through. The teeth or spikes may be given a
cruciform shape in cross section, as shown in Fig. 4
of the drawing, or they can be made hollow as
represented partly in sectional elevation in the
right-hand side of the same figure. When the teeth
or spikes are m.ade hollow as shown, the plate 32
is bored right through to permit of the air, forced
under pressure into the bottom of the pot, passing
freel}' upward to and through the holes 36 formed in
the upper end of the said hollow teeth or spikes.
The upper ends of the teeth or spikes can be provided
with chisel points, and when made of round bar
material their sides may be formed with grooves
or tlutings 37 (see Fig. 5 of the drawings). In order
to permit of the uniform distribution of the blast
beneath the grate 27 the plate 32 carrying the teeth
OCTOBER, 1921
255
as-
26,.
1^ " '1. J'^./ ^
Details of Apparatus for forming air-passages during Blast-Roasting.
or spikes 35 is provided with a number of holes 38
through which the blast of air is allowed to pass
directly upward to the bottom of the grate. When
hollow spikes are used the air holes 38 may be
dispensed with. The lower end of the spindle 30
is slotted horizontally to take a pin 39 fitted to the
cheeks of a, jaw -40 formed on the working arm of
a lever 41 which is pivotally mounted on a pin 42
carried by a bracket 43 secured to the bottom of the
pot. The power arm of the lever 41 preferably
is made up of two or more telescopically connected
parts to permit of it being shortened when the pot
is to be tilted to empty it of its contents. The con-
nexions between the parts of the power arm of
the lever 41 can be made in any well-known manner.
The air blast is supplied to the lower part of the
pot through a pipe 44 as shown in dotted lines in
Fig. 1 or in any other approved way. The lower part
of the pot can be cleaned as and when desired by
removing the cover 45 on an opening 46 in the
bottom thereof.
If preferred the teeth or spikes 35 can be made
as shown in Figs. 6 and 7, and means may be
provided for effecting a partial rotation of the teeth
or spikes when they are being thrust upwardly
through the holes in the grate 27. In this last-
mentioned form of apparatus the teeth or spikes
are made of cruciform or other irregular shape in
cross section and twisted into the form of screws.
The twisted teeth or spikes are adapted to pass
through correspondingly shaped holes 47 formed in
a plate 48, which is supported bj^ brackets 49 a
short distance below the bottom of the grate. The
stems 34 of the teeth or spikes 35 in this instance
are free to rotate in the plate 32 when the said
teeth or spikes are thrust upwardly through the
holes 47 in the plate 48. The plate 32 and plate
48 are provided with holes 38 and 50 respectively
to permit of the free passage of the air blast to the
grate.
When the lower parts only of the teeth or spikes
are twisted as show-n in Fig. 10 of the drawings,
the teeth or spikes will be partially rotated when
their screwed or twisted parts are passing through
the holes 47 in the plate 48.
After the charge in the pot has been ignited and
the blast turned on, the formation of dense clinker
or partially slagged material commences to take
place. By moans of the lifting mechanism the teeth
are forced upwards into this dense layer, which they
perforate, thus allowing the blast to pass through.
It will be seen that as these teeth are uniformly
distributed over the low-er surface of the charge,
a uniform distribution of air through the charge
is effected. The operation of raising the teeth and
perforating and opening up the bottom clinker
230
Till-: MINING MAGAZINE
con be rcpoatetl as often as is founi! necessary, tlius
IccepiuK the charge always open : in consciiuence a
more rapiil rate o( roasting, and a more uniform
roasted prtihict are obtainable in the case of blast-
roasting, while in the case of the treatment of ores
for the formation of oxides and the like by the
operation of a blast or current of air through a
mixture of the ore and fuel it is possible to work
with much deeper charges than have hitherto
been found practicable.
The addition of atomized water to the air blast
can be conveniently made use of in regulating the
temperature of the roasting mass. This application
is made possible by the uniformity of the blast
distribution. Where blast distribution is irregular
and patchy the cooling effect of the atomized
water would be localized, and give rise to irregular
roasting.
Anodes for Copper Deposition/ — British Patent
13,571! of ll-'-li (157,871) contains an interesting
discussion of Ihe probknis at (huquicamata as
regards thelifeof the anodes in the electro-deposition
of copper. These problems have been referred to
on several occasions in the M.\gazine, and they have
constituted the chief subject of study at this
copper mine. The patent is granted to the Chile
Exploration Company, of New York, as assignees
of Colin G. Fink. \Ve quote herewith from the
specification.
For efficient and satisfactory use in the
electrolytic recovery of copper from copper sulphate
electrolytes, an anode should possess certain
properties. In the first place it should be of the
so-called insoluble anode type, that is to say, it
should be to a high degree insoluble in the
electrolyte, or in other words, it should possess
high resistance to anodic disintegration. In
aildition the anode should have high electrical
conductivity, and a low anodic potential in order
to keep the electrical losses as low as practicable.
Again, the anode should be of such a character
as to permit the ready discharge of oxygen gas
thereform, thereby eliminating or minimizing the
undesirable consequences of polarization. In
practice it is generally only possible tc approximate
the ideal condition with respect to each of the
aforementicmed properties, and accordingly it is
necessary in the production of an anode for
commercial practice to resort to a compromise of
the idea! conditions with respect to these properties
in order to obtain an anode possessing the desired
properties to a more or less satisfactory degree.
The present invention contemplates the provision
of an improved anode possessing in a remarkably
satisfactory degree the aforementioned desirable
properties, made up of an alloy containing cobalt
and silicon. A depolarizing ingredient, such
as m.anganese, is preferably included in the alloy,
and, as a result of electrolytic ?xtion, provides
a depolarizing coating or film for the surface of the
electrolode which facilitates the discharge of oxygen
gas therefrom. A hardening agent is also preferably
included in the alloy, and serves the purpose of
hardening the surface coating or film of the
depolarizing agent. Chromium may be
advantageously used as the hardening agent, and
tungsten, molybdenum, and uranium may also be
used as the hardening agent.
The improved electrode of the invention is
accordingly made up of an alloy of which the
principal constituents are cobalt and silicon. In
its preferred form the electrode also contains
manganese and chromium, logetlier with a certain
amount of carbon. I'"xc''llent results ,ire obtained
with an alloy of tlie following composition : II'S to
K<"„ silicon, 4 to 6"„ i\Kinganese, -I to (i',',,
chromium, U\S to 1"2"„ carbon, and the balance
cobalt. If desired, .5 to 30 parts of the cobalt
content of the alloy may be replaced by manganese,
or .S to 12 parts of the cobalt content may be replaced
by chromiunt, or 5 to 8 parts of the cobalt content
may be replaced by nickel, without objectionably
alteri?ig the advantageous properties of the alloy
as an anode material. The jirojiortion ol carbon,
manganese, chromium, and silicon can be somewhat
varied, but in general neither the carbon, manganese,,
chromium, or silicon should be too low, or the
corrosion of the anode will be objectionably
increased. On the other hand, the carbon,
manganese, chromium, and silicon content should
not be too high. A high silicon content results in
a decrease in the strength of the anode, and an
increase in both its tendency to corrode and in its
specific electrical resistance. If the carbon content
is too high, the carbon separates out in a graphitic
form. The best results are obtained with a carbon
content slightly in excess of the amount which
can be combined, so that there is a small amount
of fine graphitic carbon, such as will give a grey
surface to the fracture, but without any excess of
graphitic carbon.
The alloys of cobalt and silicon are distinguished
from alloys of other more or less similar metals with
silicon in their availability for use as electrodes.
This distinction, and the advantages of the cobalt-
silicon alloys, are due in part to the anodic properties
of the cobalt, that is, to its tendency to be deposited
on the anode, which distinguishes cobalt from most
other metals which deposit on the cathode. The
advantageous properties of the cobalt alloys are
further due to the peculiar characteristics of the
cobalt-silicon alloys. Photo-micrographs of cobalt-
silicon alloys containing about 12 to 15 % of silicon
indicate that the silicon is in part present as such
or in solid solution in the cobalt, while a largo part
is present in the form of a eutectic made up of a
solid solution of cobalt silicide (Co.2Si) in the cobalt
and perhaps also of the cobalt silicide itself. The
photo-micrographs indicate that the resistance to
corrosion may be largely due to the presence of the
.silicon and of the cobalt silicide.
With anodes of cobalt-silicon alloys and copper
cathodes there is a voltage in dilute sulphuric acid
of about ]-7 to 2-0 volts at a current density of
20 amperes per square foot of anode surface, and
a spacing of IJ in. between anode and cathode.
Also there is a maximum strength against flexure
to be obtained with a silicon content of about 12 to
15''„. For example, a flexure strength of around
6,200 lb. per sq. in. (unit beam 1 in. square, 12 in.
span) has been possessed by electrodes of this silicon
content. Both any material increase and any
material decrease in the silicon content of the alloy
seems to decrease the mechanical strength of the
electrode, and in general the greatest strength is
obtained at between 12 and 15% of silicon. In its
breaking strength the improved electrodes of the
invention are to be distinguished from electrodes
of iron and silicon, where, for example, a similar
content of silicon gives an electrode with a flexure
strength of about' 1,000 to 1,500 1b. per sq. in.
The greater strength of the cobalt-silicon electrodes
of the invention, as compared, for example, with
iron silicon electrodes, enables a much thinner
OCTOBER, 1921
257
anode to be employed without objectionable
reduction in strength, so that less space is occupied
thereby in the electrolytic tanks or cells. Any
considerable increase in the silicon content of the
cobalt-sihcon electrodes, as above noted, tends to
increase both the voltage and the brittleness.
Good results are obtained with a carbon content
of about l°o> or between 0-5 °o and l-20(,, and with
a silicon content of from 12 to 15%. Graphitic
carbon, as pointed out, is objectionable beyond a
certain small amount, but inasmuch as cobalt will
combine more readily than iron with a small amount
of carbon, it is possible to include such a larger
amount without an objectionable amount of
graphitic carbon being present.
From investigations made of photo-micrographs
of electrodes embodying the principles herein dis-
closed, it is believed that the improved electrode
of the invention owes its advantageous properties
to the fact that it is composed for the major part
of two constituents. The first of these constituents
is more or less soluble in the copper siilphate
electrolyte, but possesses good electrical con-
ductivity. The second constituent is relatively
insoluble in the electrolyte, but is not a good con-
ductor of electricity. The first constituent appears
to be an alloy or a mixture of alloys of the various
metallic constituents of the electrode, while the
second constituent appears to be a eutectic, probably
silicide of cobalt. It furthermore appears from the
photo-micrographs that the structure of the anode
is made up of particles of the first constituent,
v.'hich particles are more or less enclosed or
enveloped with a coating of the second con-
stituent. The eutectic, accordingly, appears to
provide a coating for the alloy particles, which
effectively serves to prevent these particles from
going into solution at an objectionably high rate,
but at the same time this eutectic coating is so
shallow or narrow as not to objectionably decrease
the electrical conductivity of the electrode as a
whole.
The cobalt-silicon anode is of special advantage
in sulphate electrolytes containing appreciable
amounts of nitrates and chlorides. In such
electrolytes lead anodes disintegrate rapidly.
Lead anodes stand up more or less satisfactorily
in sulphate electrolytes free of nitrates or chlorides,
but even in such electrolytes the cobalt-silicon
anode of the invention is superior to lead anodes,
since the anode of the invention possesses a higher
current efficiency than a lead anode and stands up
better in all electrolytes including those for which
lead is adapted.
The electrode of the invention is of particular
value when employed as an anode in the electro-
deposition of copper from such solutions as are
obtained upon leaching Chuquicamata copper ores.
This electrolyte contains primarily copper sulphate,
sulphuric acid, and a number of other salts, among
which are included alkali nitrates, sulphates,
chlorides, and iron sulphates. In addition, the
electrolyte may contain small quantities of
aluminium, calcium, magnesium, and potassium
sulphates.
With an anode of the preferred composition
hereinbefore mentioned, it is found that the loss
in electrolytes of this character at 20° C. and at
20 amperes per square foot of anode surface, is
approximately 0'5 lb. per one hundred pounds of
copper deposited, and that the voltage from anode
to cathode at this temperature is about 1'9 volts.
It is found that higher temperatures give lower
corrosion losses, which is in contradistinction to
the behaviour of ferro-silicon anodes.
The manganese included in the improved
electrode serves the purpose of a depolarizer. In
an acid sulphate electrolyte at a temperature of
from 10 to 15° C, the manganese goes into solution
as permanganic acid. At temperatures of from about
30° C. to 60° C, this permanganic acid formation
is practically absent, and instead there is obtained
a heavy deposit of manganic oxide on the surface
of the anode. In. both cases, however, manganese
dioxide is precipitated or deposited on the anode,
but in the case of the warm or heated solution,
the deposit of manganese dio.xide is more adherent
and there is practically no loss of manganese in the
solution. This deposit of manganese dioxide,
together with some cobalt oxide, on the anode
acts as a depolarizer, and ensures the free discharge
or liberation of oxygen gas from the surface of the
anode. Moreover, cobalt-silicon anodes made up
in accordance with the invention, but without
manganese, have a tendency to corrode at the
solution surface line, and this tendency is minimized
by the addition of manganese to the alloy.
The addition of chromium or other chromium-
group metal to the electrode acts to harden the
manganese o.xide film or deposit on the anode.
Thus, the manganese dioxide film is more resistent
to abrasion in the case of cobalt-silicon-manganese
anodes containing chromium than it is in the case
of anodes of similar composition but without
chromium, tungsten, molybdenum, or uranium.
It will, therefore, be evident that while certain
advantages of the invention are obtained without
the inclusion of either manganese or a chromium-
group metal in the electrode the presence of both
of these materials is desirable, since the addition of
these materials imparts to the anode further
desirable properties. Thus it is found that the
addition of chromiuni to the anode greatly facilitates
duplication of low-loss, low-voltage anodes.
in the production of these anodes cobalt, with its
normal impurities, may be employed, including
some small percentage of nickel, iron, manganese,
and carbon. Good results have been obtained with
cobalt containing around 4 to l°a of nickel and
iron together. In the production of the anodes
the procedure is to melt the cobalt and add char-
coal to increase its carbon content, or to
simultaneously reduce a mixed oxide of cobalt,
manganese, and chromium (or other chromium-
group metal). The silicon is then added, together
with the manganese to the molten cobalt, but it is
found that the addition of the silicon to the cobalt
results in a violent evolution of heat, so that care
should be taken to avoid the addition of such large
amounts of silicon as will result in objectionable
overheating. The silicon can be added gradually
or as carbide of silicon, or it may be combined with
a small amount of cobalt and the resulting alloy
or mixture added to the remaining portion of the
cobalt. The violent evolution of heat which takes
place when the silicon is added to cobalt is a further
characteristic of the cobalt-silicon composition
which distinguishes it from iron silicon compositions.
The electrode of the present invention, in addition
to its improved property of resisting anodic dis-
integration or corrosion, possesses in dilute sulphuric
acid a relatively low anodic potential. In other
words the voltage between the anode and a copper
cathode is relatively low, being approximately
258
Tin: MINING MAGAZINE
from about 1-S to about 2-0 volts at 20° C. at an
aiuxle current density of about 20 amperes per
square foot. This feature is of particular
importance in the electrolytic production of copper,
since it is instrumental in determining the terminal
voltage which must be applied to the electrolysing
cells. The cost of electrolytically precipitating
copper from an electrolyte is proportional to the
voltage which must be applied, and from the
standpoint of comnierical economy it is of the
utmost importance that the surface-tension voltage
of the anode be as low as practicable. The cobalt-
silicon electrode of the present invention, com-
bining as it does a relatively low surface-tension
voltage with very effective resistance to anodic
corrosion, makes a very durable, economical, and
satisfactory anode in the electrolytic precipitation
of copper.
The Separation of Minerals. — M the meeting
of the Mulland Institute of Mining, Civil, and
Mechanical Engineers, held in .\ugust at Shcttield,
Stanley Nettleton read a paper describing his
method of separating minerals, based on their varying
coefficients of friction. The paper dealt with the
separation of stone from coal, but the principle
is equally applicable to ore-dressing.
In the preparation of minerals for the market
or for metallurgical treatment, it is generally
necessary at some stage of the process for a sliding
movetnent to take place on a hard surface of metal
or other material. This sliding may take place
in screening and in simple transit from one part
of the plant to another, and these sliding effects
may be utilized in order to separate one class of
mineral from its natural associates of lower value.
The inclination necessary to cause material to
move upon a sloping surface is governed by a
number of factors which have received attention
from manufacturers of mining appliances, but the
question of angle of slope appears to be generally
solved by empirical methods. It has been found
by experience that small material, say, of h in.
diameter, requires greater inclination to cause move-
ment than pieces, sa)', 1 or 2 in. in diameter, and
that unscreened mineral which consists of fragments
of all sizes down to particles of dust does not move
so freely dow-n a sloping surface as mineral which
has been classified into grades of approximately
equal sizes. The presence of moisture usually
tends to hold up unscreened mineral on an inclined
surface, but its effect is modified in the case of
closely-sized material such as nut coal, ranging
from 1 in. to 1 A in. in diameter. .\s crushing is a
prominent feature in ore-treatment, reduction in
size of mineral is rarely disadvantageous, and for
this reason chutes and screens at metalliferous
mines are generally placed at inclinations much
in excess of that necessarj- for free movement in
order to avoid the possibility of holding up any of
the mineral.
Data on the slope necessary to overcome the
coefficient of friction of minerals is meagre, but the
subject has been referred to by several authors.
Professor - Henrj- Louis states, in "Dressing of
Minerals," that " it is necessary to distinguish
bet\veen the angle at which a mineral just
commences to slide, and that at which it continues
to slide at a uniform velocity after it has started
from rest." He gives the result of determination
upon moderately large lumps of various minerals
sliding upon a smooth steel plate. From his table
it may be assumed that the slope necessary to
initiate movement may be anything from 24°
to 31*^, or 4° to 11 A° more than that which will
maintain motion after a mineral has commenced
to slide on an inclined plane. Materials such as
quartz, coal, and limestone vary so much that
some information is desirable on the pliysical
character of the specimen tested. Limestones may
be soft and friable or hard and semi-cryst'dline.
The term '' coal " includes materials varying in
specific gravity from 1-15 to L45, and of widely
different physical character. Gas-coal frequently
breaks into fragments of more or less cubical form ;
cannel coal has often a semi-conchoidal fracture ;
anthracite breaks very irregularly, and lamellar
structure is not unknown in lignitic coal.
Form, size, specific gravity, and hardness may
each have an influence on the angle of slope at
which a piece of mineral will commence to move
or continue to move when placed on a smooth
surface. Breakage is a matter of importance in
the handling of coal, and the friction coefficient
may be a factor used in the dry separation of coal
from shale. In order to determine the principles
underlying the behaviour of coal and the rocks
with w-hich it is associated in the mine, a large
number of experiments were made on the lines
here indicated. Samples of materials were broken
and separated into classes of approximately
similar sizes by screening ; wire screens with square
meshes of ^'i;, i, and J in. were used to make three
classes. It should be noted that closeness of sizing
is governed to a considerable extent by the form
which each mineral assumes when broken. Shales
have a tendency to break into pieces in which the
length and breadth are disproportionate to the
thickness, while pieces of coal and anthracite
usually assume a more or less cubical or spherical
form. For this reason, on shaking coal and shale
over a i in. mesh, the shale passing through the
screen will contain more pieces over i in. in length
than is the case with coal-sizing.
A small quantity of sized material was placed
gently upon an incMned sheet of plate-glass, which
was tapped three times in each experiment. There
was then noted the proportion of material which
s'id off the inclined plane. Results w'ere apt to be
rather irregular, particularly near the points at
which the material did not move at all, or the whole
of it slipped off the glass.
The following is an example of a test. \ large
number of pieces of Yorkshire bituminous coal
were placed on a sheet of glass 3fi in. in length at
an angle of 22°. In placing material on the inclined
surface, each particle was put in contact with the
medium over which it was to slide, so that carrying
and packing effects were eliminated as far as
possible. The size of the coa! was through f in.
and over i in. mesh, and the percentages of pieces
of coal which moved to the bottom of the plate on
tapping in nine experiments in these tests were
75, 85, 75. 70, fi5. 80, 70, 75, 70. Average, 74%.
About 700 experiments were carried out on a
considerable number of pieces of mineral. Large
numbers of pieces were used in each of these
experiments and averages were taken, in preference
to a small number of carefully selected specimens
being used which would have given more con-
cordant results. Owing to the irregular nature of
the materials dealt with in practice it w-as believed
that the former method would give the more useful
results, although these results would be of a more
relative character. It was found from these that
OCTOBER, 1921
259
the sliding of minerals over plane surfaces appears
to be subject to the following laws . (1) Large pieces
of coal have a less coefficient of friction than smaller
ones ; that is, when set in motion they will contmiie
to slide over a plane which is at a lower inclination.
(2) Material which is freshly broken does not slide
so readily over a smooth surface as material which
has been standing some time before it is dealt with ;
apart from the well-known fact that different
minerals have different coefhcients of friction.
The force in these experiments tending to move
a particle may be taken as the component of the
weight parallel to the plate ; that is, the weight
multiplied by cosine of the angle of inclination of the
plate. The principles deduced have been found
equally applicable to the sliding of minerals on steel
surfaces.
In introducing his paper, Mr. Nettleton said his
object was the separation of coal from shale by
mechanical means. If they could have a machine
which would deal with the friction effect in such
a manner that shale could be picked out of coal,
they would have got something of value to the
raining community. These friction effects were
relative, and not absoUite. If they put a quantity
of anthracite and shale upon a plate inclined
at an angle of 19'. 95% of the anthracite would
.slide off, but only 5°^ of the shale ; so that they
would obtain a method of separating the anthracite
from the shale. But, supposing the slide was taken
at 20°, and vibrated so that the anthracite moved,
then all the anthracite would be moved off ; but
only about 12% of the shale would move. Taking
then a case where they had 10% of dirt in an
anthracite, they would find all the anthracite would
be removed, wliile only 5% of the 10% of dirt would
be removed. They would thus get only 5% of the
10%, a negligible quantity, of dirt remaining in the
cleaned coal. These results were taken on the sliding
effects upon a glass plate, but glass had the same
frictional effects, though in a rather different degree
as steel. It would, however, be impracticable to
liave a long steel slide over which material had to be
shot, owing to the cumbrous nature of that arrange-
ment. They could increase the friction by passing
the material down a moving surface, such as a belt,
so arranged that during the passage over 10 in.
of space the dirt would move upwards, say, 50 in.
By that effect they would get 6D in. of friction on the
belt. The ne.xt point would be to obtain some
means of removing the material or avoiding colliding
effects, and he got over that difficulty by dividing
the path of friction into two portions, one in a
straight line and the other in a moving surface,
which, for practical purposes, was most convenient
in a rotating steel disc.
The author exhibited a small experimental model,
in which a steel disc, 2 ft. in diameter, was rotated
bv a motor, and material was fed down a spout on
to the disc. The coal went straight forward across
the disc, while the shale turned off at an angle.
When an arrangement of that kind was fixed up on
satisfactory engineering principles, he said, it was
possible to get almost a perfect separation of
anthracite, say, from associated shale. By using
the two sides of the disc, they would double the
capacity of the machine, and if they had a vertical
shaft it was possible to have a number of discs on
that shaft, 6 ft. or 8 ft. apart, and it should then
be possible to multiply the efficiency of the m.^xhine
twenty times. Further reference will be made to
this paper in a future issue.
Hyde's Welding Process. — Engineering for
September 2 contains an account of a process of
welding invented by A. C. Hj'de, of the Hyde
\Velding Co., Wolverhampton. By this process two
pieces of steel are joined together bj' means of
copper which permeates the surfaces a.nd forms an
alloy of iron and copper. The secret of getting
copper into such a fluid state as to enable it to
penetrate the finest cracks and to start molecular
action is to melt it in an atmosphere of liydrogen.
The hydrogen reduces any oxide on the iron or
steel, and it also has the remarkable effect of making
the molten copper as fluid as petrol. The copper
immediately spreads over the surface in an
extremely fine film and penetrates the space
between the parts to be joined. It is stated that
the joints obtainable in this way are strong and
reliable. Presumably the fluidity of the copper is
explained by the principle of surface tension, and
scientific investigation of the phenomenon would be
of great interest.
Determination of Vanadium. — The Journal of
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry for .\ugust
contains a paper describing a method for the
determination of vanadium in ores and metallurgical
products, written by R. B. Schaal, of the Firth-
Stirling Steel Co., McKeesport, Pennsylvania. The
author has found the modification of Johnson's
method previously used at these works uniformly
low. The method here described is beUeved to meet
all the requirements of accuracy, speed, ease of
execution, and economy so necessary for routine
and general use. The method depends upon the
reduction of vanadic acid, by prolonged boiling
with strong hydrochloric acid, to the tetravalent
condition, and subsequent reoxidation with a
suitable solution of potassium permanganate to
the pentavalent state. The reaction involved are
well known, and may be stated as follows : — ■
V,0, + 2 HCl = V,Oj -I- H.,0 + CI.,
5V,Oj -I- 2KMn04 -f 6HC1 = 5V.,05 -I- 2KC1 -f-
2MnClo + 3H,0.
This reaction is found to run to completion with
a sharp end-point, in a nearly neutral solution con-
taining a suitable excess of ammonium phosphate,
and admits of the presence of large amounts of
iron, chromium, molybdenum, cobalt, nickel,
uranium, titanium, or zirconium, besides the
amounts of manganese usually present in all
samples. The colour of ferric chloride is destroyed
by the ammonium phosphate. Chromium, because
of its deep green colour, tends to obscure the end-
point. This fact offers no difficulty to the chemist
familiar with the determination of chromium by
the ferrous sulphate-permanganate method, the
end-point appearing as faint old rose reflections
through the green. The use of an ordinary iMazda
lamp behind a white screen clarifies the end-point
to a remarkable degree, and the use of this device
is recommended for all samples containing 3%
or more of chromium. Molybdenum has been
present in tests to the extent of 10%, and apparently
interferes in no appreciable manner. As the
reduction of the vanadium by hydrochloric acid
is selective with respect to molybdenum, this
element remains in the oxidized state and is not
affected by permanganate under the conditions
obtaining in the titration. Cobalt and nickel have
been added in amounts up to 5% of each, the only
effect being the production of a slight green colour.
Elements whose phosphates are insoluble, or partly
so, under the given conditions, notably uranium.
200
THK MlNIXr. MACAZINK
titanium, and zirconium, cloud the solution,
but do not otherwise interfere. If present in
appreciable amounts the precipitates may he
removed by filtration. By far the most important
effect of tlie ammonium phosphate is that of con-
vertins! any excess hydrochloric acid prcsi-nt, above
the amouiit actually needeil for the completion
of the reaction, iiito the less highly ionized
phosphoric acid, and thus minimizing the danger
of action between the excess acid and the
potassium permanganate. It should be pointed
out that excessive cold slows the reaction un-
necessarily. If conducted at 20° C, however, the
reaction proceeds with a rapidity which leaves
nothing to be desired. The end-point does not
disappear, as is the case in titrating cold sulphuric
acid solutions, so slowly as to leave doubt as to
the precise end of the reaction, but becomes
permanent at once.
SHORT NOTICES
Estimation of Zinc— In the Journal of luduslrial
and Enciiut-ni!-^ Chcmislry for August, M. Bodansky
gives a method of determining extremely small
quantities of zinc.
Concentration Problems. — In the E>i^itieeying
and Mining Journal for August 27, E. S. Wiard
commences a series of articles on preliminary
roughing concentration by sorting, jigging, and
tabling.
Nevada Consolidated. — In the Mining and
Sarntific Prrss for September 4, A. B. Parsons
gives a detailed description of concentration at the
mill of the Nevada Consolidated Copper Company.
Electric Furnaces. — In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for September 7, J. Herlenius writes
on electric furnaces'adapted to the melting of gold,
silver, and other metals of low melting point.
Permanganates. — The Journal of Industrial
and Engineering Chemistry for September contains
a paper bv Wilson, Horsch, and Youtz describing
the experimental electrolytic production of
permanganates of soda and potash from ferro-
manganese anodes.
Carbonic Oxide.— In the Journal oj Industrial
and Engineering Chemistry for September, C. R.
Hoover gives methods of detecting small quantities
of carbonic oxide, small but sufficient to give
unpleasant physiological effects.
Aluminium.— In the Journal oj Industrial and
Engineering Chemistry for September, J. H. Capps
gives a method for estimating the oxygen content
in commercial aluminium.
Cornish Tin Lodes.— The September Bulletin
of the Institution of Mining and Jletallurgy con-
tains a paper by H. B. Cronshaw on the structure
and genesis of some tin lodes in the Camborne
district.
Octagonal Shaft.— A paper was read at the
September meeting of the American Institute of
Mining and Metallurgical Engineers by J. L. Bruce,
giving particulars of a circular shaft lined with
timber arranged octagonallv.
Scottish oil Boringr— At the meeting of the British
Association held last month, H. M. Cadell read a
paper entitled " Evidence from Recent Bores in
the Carboniferous Rocks of Scotland."
Stope-Filling. — A paper on hydraulic stowing in
coal mines, by Professor George Knox and J. Drum-
mond Paton. appears in the Proceedings of the
South Wales Institute of Engineers, just published.
and is reprinted in abstract in the Iron and Coal
Trades lievieiu lor SeiUember 30.
Flotation applied to Coal. -A paper on the froth-
llotation of c.Kil. bv I''. H. Jones, appears in the
I'roceedtngs of the Suulh Wales Institute of
Engineers, just published, and is reprinted in
abstract in the Iron and Coal Trades Review for
September 3't.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED
JMF" A copy of the specification of any of the patents mentioned in
this column can be obtained by sending Is. to the I'aten'. Office,
Southampton lluilJings, Chancery Lane. London, H'.C. 2, with
a note of the number and year of the patent.
10,561 of 1920 (141.733). M. M. Merritt
Soulli Middleton, iMassacluisetts. Improved clectrc-
lytie jilaiil for coating steel wire with copper.
■ 10,573 of 1920 (151,236). W. E. Trent,
Washington. A process of treating materials
having a carbonaceous content, more especially
coal, lignite, and the like, which consists in
subjecting the material in a fine state of subdivision
suspended in water to the action of a hydrocarbon
having the property of forming a dense agglomerate
with the carbonaceous particles to the exclusion
of the water and non carbonaceous particles.
10,895 of 1920(168,097). E. E. Naef, Notting-
ham. Method of removing sulphur from copper-
nicUel matte by melting with caustic soda.
10,929 of 1920 (168,098). L. A. Wood and
iliNERAi.s Separahon, I.ii)., London. In the
flotation of oxides such as cassiterite, introducing
carbonic acid gas into the agitated pulp for the
purpose of preventing other ganguc minerals
rising.
12,486 of 1920(142.847). R. Walter, Villach,
Austria. Improved method of making acid-
proof alloys of silicon with iron, nickel, and
chromium.
13,786 of 1920 (167,863). Allis Chalmers
Manufacturing Co., Milwaukee. A roastmg
furnace subdivided into a number of sections or
hearths, separated by doors, and arranged at
different levels, each section being provided with an
independently operable set of rabbles.
15,278 of 1920 (167.904). R. de H. St.
Stephens, Camborne, and A. Ewing, London.
Improvements in the construction of rock-drills,
particularly in regard to the feed of water by
nreventing any admixture of air with the water,
so that atomization or spraying is prevented,
and the flushing out of the hole by the water
is rendered more efficient. The tube conveying
the water to the drill steel is arranged coaxially
with the drill steel and the piston, and is
held fixed in the anvil block into which the
head of the drill steel fits, while the piston slides
over the tube and the end of the tube beyond the
piston works through packing in a gland. With this
construction the water flows through a closed tubular
path to the drill steel, and any entrance of air into the
tube, nr leakat;e of water therefrom is prevented.
17,723 of 1920 (145,585). W. North, Hanover.
Electrostatic precipitation of dust from gases.
20,316 of 1920 (148,388). R. E. Bea, Paris.
Electric furnace for obtaining copper and oxide
of zinc from old brass.
28.429 of 1920 (167,980). E. Leclercq, Haine
St. Paul, Belgium. Improvements in hammer
drills, wherein the air-distributing chamber, instead
of being arranged at the end of the cylindrical
body of the drill and within it, is arranged laterally
OCTOBER, 1921
261
of said cylindrical body- The distributing chamber
is arranged between the body of the drill and a
laterally projecting handle, and is divided by a
partition into two compartments, one of which
contains an automatic ball-valve mechanism,
while the other contains a sliding member, actuated
from the outside by means of a pivoted thumb-
lever to control the feed of compressed air from the
air conduit in the handle.
29,191 of 1920 (168,205). L. F. Richard.
Edinburgh, and K. G. D. Small, London. Improve-
ments in rollers for guiding and supporting haulage
cables in mines, etc. 1
6,783-4 of 1921 (167.725-6). A. H. Eustis,
Norfolk, Massachusetts. Improvements in the
inventor's process for recovering sulphurous acid
from furnace gases.
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, Etc.
|.5?"Copies of the books, etc., mentioned below can be obtained
through the Technical Bookshop of The Mining Magazine,
724, Salisbury House, London Wall, E.C. 2.
BariumMinerals 1913 1919. Pamphlet, 26 pages.
Price 9d. Piibli<hea by the Imperial Mineral
Resources Bureau.
Lead and Zinc Ores in the Carboniferous Rocks
of North Wales. By Bernard Smith. Paper
covers, octavo, 16- pages, illustrated. Price
5s. 6d. net. Vol. XIX of" the Special Reoorts on
tlie Mineral Industry of the United EZingdom,
published b>- the Geological Survey.
Lead, Silver-Lead, and Zinc Ores of Cornwall,
Devon, and Somerset. By Hknry Dewey. Paper
covers, octavo, 72 pages, illustrated. Price 2s. 6d.
net. Vol. XXt of the Special Reports on the
Mineral Industry of the United Kingdom, published
by the Geological Survey-
Lead and Zinc Ores of the Lake District. By
T. Eastwood. Paper covers, octavo, 60 pages,
illustrated. Price 2s. net. This is Vol. XXII of
the Special Reports on the Mineral Resources of
Great Britain prepared by the Geological Survey.
Transvaal Chamber of Mines 31st Annual
Report, 1920. Cloth, quarto, 270 ]5agcs. Published
by the Chamber at Johannesburg, and at the
London offices of the Chamber, Salisbury House,
E.C. 2.
The Working of Steel ; Annealing, Heat-
treating, and Hardening of Carbon and .\lloy Steel.
Bv F. H. Colvin and K. A. Jhthe. Cloth, octavo,
250 pages, illustrated. Price 18s. net. New
York and London : McGraw-Hill Book Co., Ltd.
COMPANY REPORTS
New Modderfontein Gold. — The report of this
company operating one of the two greatest gold
mines in the Far East Rand, covering the year
ended June 30 last, shows that 1,222,266 tons of
ore was raised, and that after the removal of waste
1,083,100 tons, averaging 9-96 dwt. gold per ton,
was sent to the mill. The yield by amalgamation
was 347,855 oz., and by cyanide 179,622 oz.,
making a total of 527,477'oz., being 9-74 dwt. per
ton. The par value of the gold produced was
/2,240,000, or 40s. lid. per ton, and the amount
realized was /2,969,I98, or /54s. lOd. per ton.
The working cost was £1,270,146, or 23s. 5d. per
ton, leaving a working profit of /1, 699,051, or
31s. 5d. per ton. The shareholders received
/1, 400,000, the distribution being at the rate of
100% The yield per ton was about i dwt. less than
during the previous j-ear. The tonnage milled
was 114,000 higher. The working cost per ton was
up Is. 6d. On the other hand, the premium realized
on the sale of the gold was much higher than during
the previous year, accounting for /75 1,427 put of
the total profit of £1,699,051. The development
operations have continued to disclose valuable
ore. In particular high-grade ore over a wide
stoping width has been found in the area west of
No. 2 shaft between the 12th and 13th levels.
This is the most important discovery in this section
of the mine. The developments in the eastern
side of the mine have continued to fulfil
expectations. The total ore developed throughout
the mine during the year was 1,234,100 tons,
averaging 105 dwt. per ton. The reserve is
estimated at 8,884,600 tons, averaging 8-4 dwt.
per ton, figures much the same as those of the
previous year. It will be observed that the grade
of the ore treated continues to approximate more
closely to the ore developed than to the average
grade of the reserves.
Modderfontein East. — This company belongs to
the Central Mining-Rand Mines group, and was
formed in 1917 to acquire a new lease area in the
Far East Rand and to amalgamate this with the
properties of the Cloverficld and Rand Klip com-
panies. Development is proceeding from No. 1
shaft in the Cloverfield area and from Nos. 2 and 3
shafts in the leased areas. The report for the year
end?d June 30 last shows that 20,270 ft. of develop-
ment was done, of which 15,931 ft. was on the reef.
Of the reef sampled 51% proved payable, and the
reef disclosure was 8,130 ft., 25 in. wide, averaging
15-8 dwt. per ton. The best ore has been found
round No. 1 shaft, that at Nos. 2 and 3 being of
medium grade. The total ore reserve is estimated
at 1.61 L700 tons, averaging 7-7 dwt. over 57 in.
During the vear 296,987 tons of ore was raised, and
this, together with 91,928 tons from the dumps, was
sent to the sorting stations, when 23% was sorted
out as waste. The amount sent to the mill was
299,800 tons, averaging 9-04 dwt. per ton. The
yield of gold by amalgamation was .57,397 oz., and
by cyanide 61,541 oz., making a total of 118,938 oz.
The revenue from the sale of the gold was £662,699,
or 44s. 6d. per ton, and the working cost £152,910,
or 30s. 5d. per ton, leaving a working profit of
/209,789, or 14s. Id. per ton. The expenditure on
capital account during the year was £379,579, of
which development represented £110,480, and
plant most of the remainder. New shares were
issued, bringing in £317,133. The ore is still being
shipped for treatment to the Apex plant, which is
held on lease. The plant of the Simmer Deep and
Jupiter companies has been purchased, but its
erection on the spot is deterred until financial
conditions improve.
Nourse Mines. — This company belongs to the
Central Mining-Rand Mines group, and operates
a gold mining property in the central part of the
Rand. The report for the year ended June 30
last shows that 560,009 tons was raised, and after
the removal of 9% waste, 508,350 tons averaging
6-58 oz. per ton was sent to the mill. The yield of
gold by amalgamation was 103,155 oz., and by
cyanide 57,344 oz., making a total of 160,499 oz.
The sale of the gold realized £903,318, of which
202
Till-: MINING MAC.AZINK
/2'2S.915 acrnied from premium. The worldiiR
cost was, .7S4,970, leaving a working profit of
/118.3-17. the revenue per ton milled was 35s. 6d.,
the cost 30s. lOd.. and the profit 4s. 8d. Of the
revenue per ton 9s. represented premium. It will
be seen that but for the premium, a considerable
loss would lia\'c been incurrec'. The ore reserve has
been maintained, and stands at 1,5S9,030 tons,
avera^ini; (v9 dwt. per ton.
Consolidated Main Reef. — This company was
formed in ISiW as a roiisnlidation of other companies
that had operated in the middle west Hand since
ISS."^ and 1893 respectively. On the death of
Sir S. Keumann the control was taken over four
years ago by the Central Mining and Investment
Corporation. In 1918 the adjoinins: Main Reef
West property was absorbed. The report for the
year ended June 30 last shows that G34.70,S tons of
ore was raised, and after the removal of 1 1 % waste,
561,800 tons, averaging 7-39 dwt. gold per ton, was
sent to the mill. The yield by amalgamation was
144.250 07., and by cvanide 52,454 oz., making a
total of 190,704 oz. the gold realized /1, 105.077,
of which /2S2.724 accrued from premium. Th.e
working cost was {905,952, leaving a working profit
of /199, 124. The revenue per ton milled was
,393." 4d., the working cost 32s. 3d., and the
working profit 7s. Id. Shareholders received
/;155,950, the dividends amounting to 12i"o.
It will be seen that if it had not been for the gold
premium the year's working would have resulted in
a loss. As compared with the previous year, the
yield per ton was about 0-7 dwt. less, while the cost
went up 3s. Id. .-Vs regards ore reserves these are
calculated at l,17fi.5O0, averaging 7-5 dwt. per ton,
as against 1,186,000 tons averaging 7-6 dwt.
Development during the year maintained the total
reserve, but it is stated that this was in tlie nature
of selective development in the most promising part
of the mine, and that in other parts it will be
ncces.=;ary to press development without delay.
If no large amounts of ore are found in other parts
within the next year or so it is feared that the scale
of extraction uill have to be reduced.
Transvaal and Rhodesian Estates. — This com-
pany was formed in 1911, and conducts a land and
mining business in various parts of South Africa.
The chief mining interest is the Fred gold mine
in the Filabusi district of Rhodesia, the report
now issued covers the year 1920. During this
time 18,950 tons of ore was milled at the Fred
mine for a yield of 13,971 oz., being an extraction
of 14'75 dwt. per ton. The working profit not
allowing for depreciation was /29,324. The reserve
at the end of December was 48,350 tons, averaging
16'2 dwt. per ton. The accounts of the company
show a balance of profit of £22,402, which is carried
forward.
Mount Morgan. — The report of this Queensland
gold-copper mine for the half-year ended May 31
.shows that operations were continued until the
Easter holidays, March 24, after which the low
price of copper made it inadvisable to resume
operations. During the period of activity
87,719 tons of ore was raised, of which 26,852 tons
was smelting ore and 60,712 tons concentrating
ore. -^t the concentrating plant 60,907 tons
averaging 1'95% copper and 6'1 dwt. gold per ton
was treated, the products being as follow :
8,.303 tons of jig concentrates averaging 1'93%
copper and 6'65 dwt. gold, 8,205 tons of table con-
centrates averaging 3-61% copper and 13-1 dwt.
gold, and 4,089 tons of flotation concentrates
averaging 15-8'!,, copper and 28-25 dwt. gold. .\t
the smelter 50,108 tons of material was treated,
yielding 1,697 tons of copper and 23,777 oz. of gold.
This material consisted of 30.537 tons of ore, which
yielded 2'43''o copper and 7-35 dwt. gold per ton,
7,837 tons of jig concentrate, 9,563 tons of sintered
table and flotation concentrates, and 2,118 tons of
Many Peaks ore. On May 31 the reserve of ore was
estimated at 3,257,287 tons, averaging 2'57";,
copper and 6'04 dwt. gold per ton. The accounts
showed an income of ;£372,571 and a net profit
of /13,8!?4 for the half-year
AnantapurGold Field. — This company was formed
in 1906 by John 'J'aylor iS: Sons to acquire old
workings in the Auantapur district, Madras
Presidency, South India. Parts of this property
have been worked by subsidiary companies, the
North Anantapur Gold Jlines, Ltd., and the
Jibutil (.-Vnantapur) Gold Jlines, Ltd., shares in
which are still held by the present company. The
report for the year ended March 31 last shows that
dividends, interest, etc., brought an income of
£2,395, against an expenditure of £973. At the
North Anantapur exploration is being done on
the 950 ft. level south of No. 5 shaft, but so far
with no result, while at the Jibutil development is
in hand for exploring the lode at and below the
500 ft. level from No. 1 Prospect shaft. Nothing
is being done on the company's own sections of the
goldfield. The directors are considering the
acquisition of shares in a gold-mining syndicate
about to be formed to test other properties, on
which a favourable preliminary report has been
received.
Arizona Copper. — The report of this Edinburgh
company operating at Clifton, .■\rizona, for the
year ended September 30, 1920, shows that
1,046,331 tens of ore was raised, coming from
the individual mines as follows : Humboldt,
739,806 tons ; Clay and Petaluna, 180,948 tons ;
Yavapai, 37,053 tons; Coronado, 51,121 tons;
Horse-shoe, 5,941 tons; lease ores, 31,462 tons.
Of this amount 1,012,040 tens was concentrating
ore averaging 208% copper. The concentrate
averaged 6-97% copper, and the recovery was
75-5%. The smelter treated 147,206 tons, and the
output of copper was 17,846 tons (of 2,000 1b.),
of which 13,882 tons was electrolytic and
3.964 tons bessemer. The output was less than
normal, owing to curtailment of operations due to
the inability of producers to market their copper.
The accounts for the period showed a loss of
£319,672, but against this was £292,373 excess
profit duty refunded and £96,575 reduced provision
for United States taxes, so that there was an actual
profit of £69,275. The company also issues a
report for the eight months ended May 31, 1921,
at which date output was suspended owing to the
continued fall in demand and price. During this
time 573,397 tons of ore was raised, averaging
2-15%, which on concentration yielded material
averaging 7'S4%, with a recovery of 75-3%. The
smelter treated 80,710 tons, and produced
9,275 tons of copper. Experiments on flotation
and on the treatment of the ores of lower grade
have been continued and many improvements
have been introduced or suggested. The accounts
for the eight months show a deficiency of £254,277.
Reference is made in the Editorial columns to the
negotiations for the sale of the company's property
to the Phelps-Dodge Corporation.
The Mining Magazine
W. F. White, Managing Director.
Edward Walker, M.Sc., F.G.S., Editor.
Published on the 15th of each month by The Mining Publications, Limited,
AT Salisbury House, London Wall, London, E.C. 2.
Telephone : London Wall 8938. Telegraphic Address : Oligoclase. Codes : McNeill, both Editions.
Branch Offices ' f^ yt^'^^'R^i^'rhV^"/"""""- Subscripton -] 16=- ?■=' annum (Single Copy Is 6d ), including
t 600. Fisher Bdg., Chicago. ( postage to any part of the World.
Vol. XXV. No. 5. LONDON. NOVEMBER, 1921,
Price Is. 6d.
CONTENTS
Editorial
Notes 264
The Exhibition at Wembley Park ; A Correction for
the Article on Trididad Oilfields; Unveiling of
the Institution's Memorial i The Washington
Conference and Oil; Dr. J. D. Falconer's Lec-
tures ; Articles on Petroleum in this Issue.
Russo-Asiatic Negotiations 265
An account is given of i\Ir. Leslie Urquhart's abortive
negotiations with the Soviet Government with a
view of reopening the Kyshtim, Tanalyk, Ridder,
and Kkibastus mines.
Ventilation and Efficiency 266
Attention is drawn to the article in this issue by
Mr. Bernard W. Holman, and to a paper read
last month by Dr. Leonard Hill before the Insti-
tution of Alining and Metallurgy.
Shetland Copper 267
An outline is given of Mr. H. H, Yuill's report on the
Sand Lodge copper deposit in the Shetland Isles
and of the suspension of operations consequent on
its receipt by the directors of the company.
Review of Mining 269
Articles
Ventilation and Working Efficiency. .
Bernard W. Holman 273
The author discusses the modern principles of
ventilation and working conditions as applied to
deep and hot mines.
A History of Mining in Chile
F. Benitez 287
Letters to the Editor
Indian Mining Laws . . .E
Oil in Sussex . ,
0. Murray 293
.H. B. Milner 294
Book Reviews
Griifin's " Technical Methods of Analysis ". .
B. Drinkwater 295
McGrath's " Accounting and Cost Princi-
ples " A. Yates 296
Irvine's " First Aid and Rescue Work in
Mining " , Stanley Nettleton 296
Gowland's " Metallurgy of the Non-Ferrous
Metals " W.H. Merrett 298
News Letters
Toronto 299
Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt ; Skead Township.
Vancouver, B.C 300
Consolidated Mining and Smelting; Van Roi ; Dolly
Varden , Atlin Gold Mines.
Melbourne 302
The Australasian Institute.
Personal 304
Trade Paragraphs 304
Metal Markets 305
Statistics of Production 308
Prices of Chemicals 309
Share Quotations 310
The Mining Digest
Resources of the Mexican Oilfields
L.G. and S. Huntley 313
The Oilfields of Egypt Dr. W. F. Hume 317
Iron Ores in South-West Africa
Dr. P. A. Wagner 319
The Pechey Copper-Leaching Process
T. Blatchford 322
Grondal Flotation Process in Germany
A. Macoo 323
Inorganic Origin of Petroleum . . .H. W. Hixon 324
Short Notices 325
Recent Patents Published 326
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 327
Company Reports 327
Blackwiter Mines ; Broken Hill South ; Chenderiang Tin
Dredging ; Consolidated Gold Fields o! New Zealand ; Ipoh Tin
Dredging ; North Anantapur Gold Mines ; Progress Mines.
EDITORIAL
Is it too late to ask tlic authorities to
reconsider their decision to hold the
Great Exhibition of li)2;5 at W'enibky Park ?
Suiely this site is not sutVicientlj' accessible.
Many potential exhibitors are hesitating for
this reason.
DK. J. D. FALCONER, the Director of
the Nigerian Geological Survey, is
giving a series of lectures on the Wonders of
Geology at the Imperial College of Science,
South Kensington. Many of our readers will
no doubt be glad to know of these lectures,
for they fill a gap between a college course
and lectures inteiesting only to specialists.
There is no charge for the course.
OWING to an error of transcription the
monthly output of I'rinidad Lease-
holds, Ltd., was given as 15,000 barrels
instead of tons, in the article by Mr. H. B.
Milncr on the Trinidad oil industry in the
October issue, p. 211. As this company is the
largest individual producer on the island,
this error of units is particularly unfortunate.
We hope all who keep the M.\gazine will
make the correction.
THE approaching Conference of the
Powers at Washington is of direct
interest to mining engineers, as one of the
subjects to be discussed is the " open-door "
in the development of the world's oilfields.
The average Englishman's attitude in this
matter is clear. He docs not wonder that
the British Government and the British and
Continental oil companies have felt com-
pelled to protect themselves against the
notorious tactics of the Standard Oil
Company.
ON the 24th of this month Eari Haig is
to unveil the Memorial to the members
of the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
who fell in the war. This Memorial has
been designed and executed by Colonel P. N.
Nissen, whose artistic modelling is already
well known among mining men. We post-
pone a detailed description until after the
ceremonj' of unveiling, but in the meantime
it may be mentioned that the sculptures
are unconventional, realistic rather than
symbolic, and in that way appeal strongly
to the emotions of those who know the nature
of the work which their dead friends did in
the war.
ABSTK.VCTS of several articles on
])etroleuni ajipcar in our Mining
Digest this month. Of these, the description
of the Southern Mexican oilfields will be of
particular interest to investors and users of
petroleum, for it presents the question in a
more reassuring manner than many recent
articles on the subject. Dr. Hume's liistorical
account of the Egyptian oilliekls fills a gap
in the general literature of nil lechiinlogy, for
hitherto published information on these oil-
fields has appeared in official reports issued by
the Egyptian Government, which are not
easily accessible to the public. A third
article, written by Mr. H. W. Hixon, deals
with speculations as to the origin of
petroleum. Mr. Hixon is a distinguished
metallurgist, who is noted for unorthodox
and daring views in the domain of economic
geology. He takes the side of the inorganic
theory of the origin of petroleum, and in this
article he gives some of his reasons for adopt-
ing this view. He is, of course, in a
minority, for perhaps only he and Mr. Eugene
Coste argue that all petroleum comes from an
inorganic source. Mr. Coste expounded his
arguments in a paper reafl before the Institu-
tion of Mining and Metallurgy in October,
1911, so it is not necessary to quote him here.
Other oil geologists, while admitting the
possibility of forming a series of hydrocarbons
from inorganic substances, are disposed to
attribute the origin of most of the petroleum
so far known to an organic source,
particularly from the animal kingdom.
They rely largely on the analogy between oil
and coal, and nobody doubts the vegetable
origin of coal. There is one point in
Mr. Hixon's argument which we do not follow.
He says that an oil containing no oxygen
cannot come from an organic source, and that
neither could an oil which is poisonous to life.
In reply, we would say that oils are obtained
containing no oxygen and poisonous to life
by the distillation of coal, which is admittedly
of vegetable organic origin, so no reason can
be given for supposing that hvdrocarbons
cannot be obtained from an animal organic
origin by means of some heat treatment.
Though the inorganic origin of petroleum has
few supporters among geologists the theory
is sound enough in itself, and it only suffers
OM'ing to the presence of one more obvious.
Arguments in favour of the inorganic theory
are always welcome in these pages.
264
NOVEMBER, 1921
265
The Russo-Asiatic Negotiations
As has been recorded already in these
pages, Mr. Leshe Urquhart and his co-
directors of the Russo-Asiatic Consolidated,
which owns by right the Kyshtim, Tanalyk,
Ridder, and Ekibastus mining properties
in the old Russian Empire, have been in
negotiation during most of the current year
with the Soviet Government or its emis-
saries, with a view to obtaining a return of
the concessions and permission to recom-
mence operations. Mr. Urquhart was in
communication with the Soviet emissary in
London, M. Krassin, for several months,
and after full discussion and reference to
headquarters in Moscow a tentative agree-
ment was reached. The position was so
favourable that Mr. Urquhart left for
Moscow on August 14. From the time of his
arrival, August 20, to September 12 he was
continuously engaged in discussing the
proposed contract with the Technical
Economic Commission, which was appointed
by the Soviet Government for this specific
purpose. This Commission was a large one,
and included many men who were of com-
mercial and professional standing before
the revolution. The Commission had only
advisory duties, for the decision on each
point was really vested in three High Com-
missioners, Ministers of the Soviet Govern-
ment, who, in turn, had to submit the draft
contract to the final decision of the Council
of the People's Commissaries, under the
presidency of M. Lenin. The draft contract
contained twenty-seven clauses, of which
eighteen were agreed by both parties. The
remaining nine, as drawn up by the Soviet
Government, could not possibly be accepted
by Mr. Urquhart, and any suggestion or
expostulation on his part was ineffective in
securing a satisfactory modification. He
returned to London, and, after discussion
with his co-directors, placed his views and
experiences before M. Krassin. Subsequently
he addressed a letter to M. Krassin, putting
on record an account of the stumbling-blocks
in the way of agreement with the Soviet
Government. This letter has been circulated
widely among shareholders in the Russo-
Asiatic Consolidated, and among the public
generally. It gives not only the details of
these particular negotiations, but it reflects
by means of this specific case the actual
attitude and ideas of the party at present
in control in Russia and Siberia.
Space forbids us giving anything like full
quotations from this letter, but one or two
points may be mentioned. For instance,
the royalties to be paid on sales of products
were outrageously high, not only sufiicient
to wipe out any possible profit, but to cause
serious continuous losses to the company.
Then, again, the Government refused to
forgo their absolute control of labour, both
skilled and unskilled, Russian or foreign,
and asserted their right to labour or military
conscription, irrespective of the regular
occupations of the workmen and staff. Under
such a regime any local organization of
the Soviet Government could take a Russian
employee, a professional man or a highly
skilled workman, away from his job, and
set him to clean the streets.
The crucial test of the value of the con-
tract arose during the discussion of the
arbitration clause. At first sight, the proposal
that all disputes and misunderstandings as
to the carrying out of the contract should be
referred to a permanent arbitration com-
mission of three, one from each side and one
neutral or foreigner, should be acceptable,
but Ml'. Urquhart soon found from the
discussion that such a Commission would
be ineffective, because the so-called State
recognizes no contract between individuals.
Communism does not recognize the
right to private property on which the
previous civil and criminal code was based,
so magistrates have been suppressed and
courts of justice have been abolished.
Nothing has been substituted for these,
except a " Court of Revolutionary
Conscience." Under the new system taxes
have been abolished, as have all laws and
regulations relating to mining, factories,
customs, forestry, and railways, and their
place has been taken by incomplete decrees
and instructions issued from day to day.
Furthermore, the communistic system does
not recognize any obligations between
individuals ; thus no contract between
two persons can be enforced. Nor does the
State itself recognize obligation on its part
towards individuals or subjects ; on the
other hand, everybody is in absolute sub-
jection to the State. Thus it is obvious that
the Arbitration Commission would have
virtually no status. The position of a neutral
or foreigner on the Commission would be
impossible, for the Soviet Government,
even if it consented to his presence, would
hardly bow to his advice. As for referring
disputes to the Court of Revolutionary
Conscience, this could not be accepted by
266
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Mr. Urquhart, for the members of thai
court are admittedly communists, and arc
of none too high intelhgencc, ami are lacking
in legal training. Obviously their judgments
would aiwaj's be prejudiced against capital.
In his letter to M. Krassin Mr. Urcpihart
also makes reference to the increasing powers
of the Secret Pohce, otherwise the Che-ka,
or Extraordinary Commission for Combating
Counter Revolutions. This organization was
originally started for the purpose of enforcing
the communistic system on the unwilling
people, but it subsequently eleveloped into
a sort of predatory body, accuser, judge,
jury, and executioner all in one, with
absolute power of life and death, responsible
only to M. Lenin and the communistic
leaders. The Soviet Government itself is at
the mercy of this body, and any of its decrees
may be rendered inetfective by Che-ka, if
the communistic controllers think lit.
Altogether the position in Russia is such
that no commercial undertaking has a
ghost of a chance of success, and the hopes
entertained by Mr. Urquhart of re-
establishing his mining enterprises by the
aid of the Soviet Government have been
rudely dashed. How Russia is to be saved
and the control of the country placed in
better hands is at present an insoluble
problem.
Ventilation and Efficiency
In the current issue we publish the first
half of an article by Mr. Bernard W. Holman,
Lecturer in Mining at the Royal School
of Mines, on " Ventilation and Working
Efficiency." During the last few years the
sciLntific aspect of working conditions in
respect of drj- and cool air has received con-
siderable attention in this country, more
particularly in the workshops and factories,
and also more recently in the coal mines.
But among metal miners the subject has
not been widely studied on the same
lines. The credit for the introduction of
these scientific investigations at gold mines
is due to Messrs. Orenstein and Ireland,
who have conducted many experiments
on the Rand. Perhaps it would be more
correct to say that they were the first
to give the public the benefits of their
results, for it is probable that the studies were
started at an earlier date by the engineers of
the St. John del Rey Company. In the latter
case, however, verj^ httle has been pubhshed.
In a paper read early this year before the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy on the
new shaft at the City Deep, Mr. K. II. Clifford
iliscussed the question in detail, and whetted
the apjietite of English mining engineers
for mori' on the same subject and for an
exposition of the underlying principles,
starting as it were from the beginning. Many
members of the Institution appeared to have
forgotten that an article on the subject by
Mr. David Penman had appeared in the
M.\G.\ziNE for June, 1!)2(). This article still
holds good as a general introduction to the
subject. It was felt, however, that further
discussion of the principles was desirable,
and readers will therefore be glad to have
Mr. Holman's critical paper on the scientific
questions involved. A great deal of literature
has appeared in this and other countries,
usually written by medical men and seldom
by mining engineers. Their books, reports,
pami)hlets, and articles arc scattered, and are
not easily traced or obtaini-d, and when they
have been secured the metal-mining engineer
finds considerable trouble in picking out his
requirements from among the vast multitude
of records and arguments. Readers of the
Magazink will therefore be greatly indebted
to Mr. Holman for presenting the questions
in logically consecutive order and for un-
ravelling so many complicated and often
contradictory views and arguments. In the
second section of his article there will be
included a bibliography that will indicate
the lines on which further and special study
may be pursued.
This subject is still further impressed on the
mining engineer by the paper, read at the
meeting of the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy held on October 27, by Dr.
Leonard Hill, the pioneer of the study of
the science of ventilation and the inventor
of the kata-thermometer, a small instrument
somewhat like a clinical thermometer, in-
tended for the purpose of estimating the
comparative rapidity of the cooling effect of
air on the human body. Those who attended
the meeting had the additional privilege of
hearing some interesting remarks by Dr. J. S.
Haldane, another great authority on
atmospheric conditions as affecting efficiency
of work. Dr. Hill and Dr. Haldane differ
considerably in some of their views, or at
least in their method of applying and
emphasizing details. Dr. HiU is a believer
in sunlight and fresh air, as well as in the
prevention of an undue increase in body
temperature. On the other hand, he has
shown that low oxygen content of the air and
high carbonic acid content are not necessarily
NOVEMBER, 1921
26?
inimical to health. Ur. Haldanc adduces
evidence that the average coal miner is as
healthy as the average agricultural labourer,
and argues accordingly that comparative
darkness and impure and dusty atmosphere
are not necessarily harmful to the health
and strength of the worker. He agrees
with Dr. Hill on the question as to low
oxygen content and high carbonic acid
content in the atmosphere, but he also
deprecates the objection to smoky and dusty
atmospheres, arguing that the human system
can easily adapt itself to variations in the
composition of the atmosphere, and that
dust and microbes give the phagocytes of the
lungs excellent occupation and training. Dr.
Haldanc and Dr. Hill were agreed, how-
ever, on the main theme of the latter's paper,
that is to say, the body temperature must
never be allowed to rise imduly under any
circumstances, though it is onlj' recently
that Dr. Haldane has agreed with Dr. Hill
that air in motion rather than dry and cool
air has the desired effect of lowering the
body temperature.
The subject of ventilation and working
efficiency, as discussed by Mr. Holman and
Dr. Hill, is only one of the phases of the study
of the human body in relation to ventilation
and work. The presence of poisonous gases
such as carbonic oxide, and of deleterious dust
which overcomes the phagocytes, are equally
important subjects of discussion ; and if no
reference is found to them in the papers
mentioned it must be remembered tliat it is
best to discuss one thing at a time.
Shetland Copper
In several issues recently we have made
reference to the venture undertaken for the
purpose of working the deposits of copper
ore at Sand Lodge, near the southern end
of the Mainland of the Shetland Isles. In
the September issue an outline was given of
the history of these workings extending over
a century, and it was then shown that in
spite of many efforts no satisfactory outputs
had ever been obtained. Of the earlier
operations there are only the barest records,
and details as to the nature of the work
done are not now available. It was not
until the reopening of the mines in 1S72
by Mr. John Walker that any reports were
published. From that date to 1879, when the
property was sold to the Sumburgh Mining
Co., Ltd., a number of engineers examined
the property, and their reports were
sufficiently favourable to warrant the
5—3
flotation of this company. Yet in 1881 we
find the resident manager referring to the
impossibility of making a profit on inferior
ores with insufficient appliances, and urging
that the shaft should be sunk deeper in
order to find richer ore. The company did
not raise the £5,000 which he recommended
for the purpose of buying additional plant
and sinking deeper, and the operations
accordingly lapsed. The mines have been
examined since then on more than one
occasion, and various proposals for reopening
have been made. The reports, however,
were generally adverse, and nothing was
done until 1920. It is interesting in this
connexion to record that during the war the
mines were suggested as a possible source
of copper, but knowing their history the
authorities at the Ministry of Munitions
did not think it worth while even to examine
the deposits.
As we have said, work at the mines was
once more started in 1920. This was under-
taken by the Shetland Exploration Syndicate,
Ltd., which in August of this year transferred
the properties to another companv, the Sand
Lodge Mine, Ltd. The reports on which the
company was floated and the operations
undertaken were made by Dr. J. B. Garbe.
After the shafts had been unwatered and a
fair amount of machinery bought, the
directors heard something of the history of
the mines, and considered it advisable before
they went any further to have a second
opinion on the properties. Mr. H. H. Yuill,
M.Sc., M.Inst.M.M., a partner in the firm
of Bainbridge, Seymour & Co., Ltd., was
accordingly asked to make an examination
He, with his assistants, made a study of
the geology of the district and of the" ore
deposit, and systematically sampled the
lodes. The result of his investigations was so
unfavourable that work was immediately
suspended and the project abandoned. His
view, expressed in a few words, was that
" there is no ore carrying payable values in
copper in the Sand Lodge mine, and no
mineral occurrences exposed in the under-
ground workings or on the surface which
indicate that payable ore would be disclosed
by exploration work."
To give an idea of Mr. Yuill's reasons for
coming to this conclusion, we give herewith
a summary of his general statement. There
are two parallel lodes, about 120 ft. apart,
known as the West and East lode respectively.
The West lode is from 7 to 12 ft. wide, and has
been worked along the strike by open-
2lW
rill
MIXTXr. MAGAZINE
cut ami by two inclined slialls sunk to a
depth of 1 10 ft. At various times between
1798 and 1880 a total of about 10,000 tons of
lode material has been extracted and sold as
iron ore. A much smaller amount of copper
ore and rej^ulus was shipped. The lode
material down to the 60 ft. level consists of
spongy iron oxides, hematite or limonite, witli
nests of malachite in vugs, l^elow this level,
the lode material gradually changes, until
at 96 ft. it becomes crystalline sidcrite,
associated with calcite and dolomite, and
containing disseminated iron pyrites with
some copper pyrites. The sampling of
accessible portions of the stopes and drives
gave an average copper content of l'17"o
over a width of 80 inches. There is no
workable tonnage of this ore developed and
opened-up for sloping. The East lode has
been developed by a vertical shaft and levels
have been opened at 230 ft. and 27o ft.
Drives extend along the lode in both
directions on the 230 ft. level for a combined
length of 380 ft. Of this length 80 ft. at
the south end carries only traces of copper.
Of the remaining 300 ft. the sampling gave
1-21% copper over an average width of
114 inches. There are no blocks of ore
developed and ready for stoping on. this lode.
As regards the character of the ore, it may
be said that the ore extracted from the West
lode was entirely iron ore, and that the copper
content was always small. On the other
hand, the East lode contains much sulphide.
Iron pyrites is disseminated fairly regularly
through the siderite, but the chalcopyritc
occurs irregularly, sometimes on the walls
of the lode and sometimes within the lode.
Mr. Yuill's report contrasts very strongly
with those written by Dr. J. B. Garbe.
Writing on April 4, Dr. Garbc mentions
veins of rich copper ore varying in width fi'om
15 to 24 inches, and carrj'ing over 20% of
copper, and veins of from 6 to 10 ft. of mixed
ore averaging from 3 to 8% of copper. He
also states that practically every foot of the
development over 1,400 ft. at the 240 ft.
and 300 ft. levels shows payable copper ore.
He considers that the West and East lodes
join at a point between the 240 ft and 300 ft.
levels from the vertical shaft. On the other
hand, Mr. Yuill's interpretation of the geology
is to the effect that these are two parallel
lodes and that there is no junction in depth.
In estimating the ore reserves. Dr. Garbe takes
a measurement for 500 ft. along the strike
and the depths on the dip between the
surface and the presumed junction of the
loiles, reckoning the width of the Ea>t hide
at 6 ft. and that of the West lode :>.t lilt..
and calculates that there is 369,000 tons
of ore in sight, fully developed and ready for
inmu'diate mining.
The engineers who rejjortcd in ]879
appear to have made an assumption on
somewhat similar grounds, though the general
lone of their reports was not quite so
favourable as those of Dr. Garbe. Dr. Garbe
also says that the " mine is fully proved and
developed, and is ready for stoping, with
an immediate production of 1,000 tons of
ore per week ; a production of 500 tons per
week could be proceeded with almost at
once, and 1,000 tons as soon as the equip-
ment now being erected and prepared is
completed."
The treatment of the ore is by no means
simple. Chalcopyritc is not of much higher
specific gravity than siderite, so that water-
concentration would not be easy. Moreover,
with so much pyrite in the ore, a concentrate
high in copper cannot be obtained.
It is doubtful whether the Minerals Separa-
tion, Ltd., would care for the ore. An
alkaline circuit would be necessar}-, and the
low grade of the ore and its limiti-d extent
would not appeal to their engineers.
Dr. Garbe recommends roasting, leaching,
and electrolytic treatment, but his state-
ment is sketchy and lacking in detail. More-
over, it is to be questioned whether ore
containing so much carbonate and oxide
attackable by acid can be profitably treated
by acid-leaching.
It is always a thankless task for a mining
engineer to write a condemnatory report on
a property, and much more so when previous
reports made by other parties have been
favourable. It is also unpleasant for a
technical journal to join in a discussion of the
situation which so arises. We should not
have referred to the subject but for the fact
that preliminary notices foreshadowing a
public issue of shares had made their
appearance in the financial Press. The
directors now recognize that their first
expert adviser was mistaken, to begin with,
in his interpretation of the reports of the
'seventies, and that after the workings were
unwatered he allowed his enthusiasm to
get the better of his judgment when
examining the pyritic siderite. The directors
immediately abandoned the idea of appealing
to the public for working capital, and they
and their friends have footed the bill for the
expenditure incurred.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introduction.— Though business through-
out the country remains depressed, signs of
improved conditions are being seen here
and there. Tlic Government has at last
become aware of the fact that the
extravagance of the spending departments is
leading the country into debt, and that
excessive taxation is killing enterprise. The
cost of living and the level of wages are
gradually falling. The prices of coal and
iron are relaxing somewhat. The only
unpleasant factor of the situation is the
continued inability of the coal miners to
grasp the position. They still seem to con-
sider themselves privileged persons, outside
the influence of economic laws.
Transvaal. — The Government has now
taken a hand in trying to solve the labour
question at the mines, and both General
Smuts and Mr. Malan, Minister of Mines,
have discussed the matter with the Miners'
Union. The prospects of a recovery in dollar
exchange and the concurrent disappearance
of the gold premium is the cause of the
Government taking this step. Certain
proposals, details of which are not yet to
hand, were put before the Union, intended for
the purpose of increasing the amount of
work done by the natives. As these were
taken to represent the thin end of the wedge
in the matter of removing the colour bar,
and the consequent diminution in the white
force, the Unions was dead against them,
and the secretary said that if the proposals
were persisted in the whole of the white
miners in South Africa would strike within
48 hours.
Of the quarterly reports issued by Rand
mining companies covering the period to
the end of September, perhaps tho.se of New
Modderfontein and City Deep are the most
interesting. As compared with the previous
quarter, the cost per ton milled at New
Modderfontein was Is. 7d. less, and of
3,8.30 ft. of new development on the reef
2,750 ft. was payable, averaging 37-4 dwt.
over 19 inches. At City Deep 1,080 ft. of new
development on the Leader averaged
28-5 dwt. over 25-9 inches. The profit for the
quarter was /210,994, which constitutes a
record for this company.
Some months ago we mentioned that
Cornish miners now out of work did not care
*to go to the Rand. One reason for not
wanting to go there arises out of the present
Phthisis law, which provides that applicants
for work must satisfy the Medical Bureau
that they are not suffering from any disease
of the respiratory organs. It is clear that
a Cornish miner is not inclined to travel to
Johannesburg for medical examination, for,
if rejected, he would have to bear the
expense of a futile double journey. The
Minister of Mines has now decided to allow
a preliminary examination in England, but
as the result of such examination is not to
be considered final, the position is not greatly
relieved. Obviously some further con-
cession will have to be made if Cornish miners
are to be attracted to the Rand.
South-West Africa.— The outputs of the
Otavi mines at Tsumeb arc being reported
once more. During the six months to the
end of September the shipments were
19,000 tons of ore, 830 tons of copper
matte, and 150 tons of metallic lead.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold in Southern
Rhodesia during September was returned
at 52,436 oz., as compared with 53,200 oz. in
August and 45,471 oz. in September, 1920.
Other outputs for the month were : Silver,
12,977 oz. ; coal, 54,504 tons ; copper,
262 tons ; asbestos, 588 tons ; arsenic,
18 tons ; mica, 4 tons. No diamonds or
chrome ore were reported.
The Gold Fields Rhodesian Development
Co. has made a profit of £114,064 for the year
ended May 31 last, and has distributed
£125,710, the dividend being at the rate of
iO%. Under present conditions this result
is distinctly satisfactory. The company's
principal mining interests are in the Shamva,
Falcon, Asp, and Planet-Arcturus gold mines,
and in the Rhodesian and General Asbestos,
Rhodesian King Asbestos, and the Standard
Arsenic properties.
The Cam & Motor Mining Company has
issued cable reports relating to rich dis-
coveries on the 11th level. For 135 ft.
on the south drift the average assay-value
was 210s. over 55 inches, or, omitting the
rich patches, 50s. over the same average
width. It will be remembered that this
company recently resumed operations after
a spell of development and a rearrangement
of treatment plant. The returns for
September show 13,900 tons of ore treated
for a yield of 4,771 oz. of gold. The par
value of the gold is given at £20,233, and the
premium obtainable is estimated at £5,500.
269
270
111'. MINIXi; MACAZINI"
Tin- workiiii,' cost, inchuling (lo\'olopmont
rotUiiiption, was ^lO.'ill, imd the royaltks
absorhcil il,2<St), leaving a profit of £5,260.
It will hv swn that tiic proftt was about equal
to the jireiniuni.
It will be remembered that the Jumbo
companj- acquired a new property a year
or more ago, known as the Tip '1 op. Milling
eonunenced in January of this year, and until
June 30, the date of the end of the company's
iinancial year, 7, 189 tons of ore was treated,
yielding 2,628 oz. of gold, which sold for
£13,801, including jiremium. The directors
report that the working cost is less than
expected, and that development results
warrant further sinking. The company has
obtained options on the Defiance claims to
the west, and prospecting is now in hand.
Nigeria. — The position of the tin-mining
industry continues to be very unfavourable
and concentrates arc accunuilating in many
quarters. For instance, the Keffi Con-
solidated reports that it has 200 tons of
concentrates on hand in Nigciia. The
question is often discussed by the various
companies whether it would not be politic
to curtail the output substantially.
With regard to gold mining in Nigeria,
to which reference was made last month,
the Naraguta company has issued an official
statement announcing the early departuie of
Mr. Clyde Allan to Nigeria, where he will
develop the gold lodes recently discovered at
Birnin Gwari. At this juncture it is of
interest to quote from Mr. Allan's report
written in April last. The prospecting was
originally commenced on alluvial ground,
and by SN-stematic loaming a lode was
discovered. This, however, proved to be
too low in content to warrant prospecting.
Further work to the north was rewarded by
better results. Good loams were got about
^ mile to the north and a costeen at a depth
of 6 ft. below the surface disclosed some good
grade ore. A shaft, known as the A shaft,
was sunk to .oO ft. to water level, and a
cross-cut east cut the shoot, which had dipped
out of the shaft at 35 ft. This cross-cut
proved the ore-body at this point to be 12 ft.
wide and ranging in value from 3 dwt. to
10 oz. per ton, the values being much higher
than near the surface. An attempt was made
to sink A shaft below water, but at 60 ft.,
or 12 ft. below water level, the water became
too strong for the windlass to cope with it.
A sample obtained at this depth showed
30 dwt. values ; the corresponding section
of the lode at 50 ft. assayed 11 dwt.
.Mtliough the rii'h shoo! al waUr IcN'il is
not very long, there is evidence that it will
lengtlk'n as it goes down. The ore-body has
no defined walls. It has been traced li\
loaming for a distance of .3 miles. Ilu
installation of a pump is necessary to prove
till' lode below water level. The crushing
plant, to which reference was made last
month, consists of a three-stamp mill.
Mr. Clyde .\llan's discoveries have served
to draw attention to the auriferous belts of
Kano, Rirnin Gwari, llorin, and other places
in Nigeria, and we understand that several
l)i-ospecting parties are being organized by
other companies, in particular by companies
hitherto associated with .\ustralian mining.
The fact that Mr. Allan conducted his pros-
pecting for lodes by "loaming" shows that
lie is an .\ustralian mining engineer.
Australia. — Labour still blocks the way
to a rrsuniption of operations at Mount
Morgan. Last month the directors applied
to the Arbitration Court for a new scale of
wages 20% lower than those now ruling. The
Court granted this application, .subject to
a small government subsidy for the men.
The local branch of the Australian Workers'
Union has, however, refused to allow the men
to resume work on these reduced wages.
The ore reserves at the Kalgurli mine
being exhausted, the assets are being realized,
and notice has been given for the liquidation
of the company. The surface plant is being
bought by Oroya Links for £20,000. This
latter company has very large reserves of
ore that are unpayable with its present plant,
but it is calculated that, by working on a
larger and more effective scale by the addition
of the Kalgurli plant, satisfactory profits
can be made.
We hear with regret of the final closing
of the Mount Boppy mine, the chief gold
producer in New South Wales, and situated
not far from the Great Cobar copper mine,
now also closed. The mine was acquired
by Messrs. John Taylor & Sons, who floated
a company to work it in 1899. The total
gold output has been /1, 812, 699, and the
dividends /446,058. Operations have been
impeded from time to time during recent
years alternately by floods and prolonged
droughts. Finally the developments ceased
to disclose ore either longitudinally, laterally,
or in depth. During the past year the mine
was kept going by selective mining of the
reserves. The payable portions are now
exhausted, and operations have ceased.
Tlie compan\' owns half a million Ions of
NOVEMBER, 1021
271
sand and slime residues, and these ate to be
wofked on foyalty terms conjointly with
a local company. The directors arc in
negotiation for the acquirement of another
property, which is sufficiently near to warrant
the transference of the plant and machinery.
As the examination of the property is not
yet concluded, nor are the terms of purchase
settled, no details are as yet available for
publication.
It has been decided that some of the
accumulated zinc concentrates purchased
by the British Government under that
unfortunate ten-years' contract arc to be
shipped to England, and offered for sale here
through the British Metal Corporation. It
is believed that the Government will be
prepared to take any price within reason,
so that the public expenditure may be
recouped to someextent, and also that the zinc
smelters shall be able to operate at a profit
and piovide work for the men at present
unemploj'ed. The zinc mine owners in
Great Britain view this policy with unabated
dismay, but are hoping that the Government
will be able to do something which will
bring emploj-ment to the home zinc miners.
Amalgamated Zinc (De Bavay's) reports
by cable that, during the half year ended
June 30, 128,646 tons of zinc material was
treated for a production of 37,201 tons of
zinc concentrates and 815 tons of lead con-
centrates. The accounts did not show any
substantial profit, but the directors have
decided to distribute a dividend of Is. per
20s. share out of the equalization reserve.
In a recent issue it was announced that the
Mount Bischoff tin mines in Tasmania had
been closed, though no definite reason was
assigned in the cable message. By mail we
learn that the stoppage was caused by
exceptionally severe snowstorms which con-
tinued for over a week. Open-cut working
and transport were rendered impossible,
the roof of the new mill buildings gave way,
and the electric light and power cables were
broken. It is feared that many prospectors
in this region will have lost their lives from
exposure, and there is also some anxiety
as to the fate of the osmiridium washers.
Reports have been received in this country
of an oil enterprise on the Fitzgerald River,
near Bremer 13ay, West Australia. There
appears to have been considerable excite-
ment locally, and Government geologists
were sent to examine. Competent mining
men, however, declined to believe in the
discoveiy, even in spite of the alleged
samples. It was ultimately found to be a
case of salting of a particularly clumsy
character.
India. — Shares in a new companj' called
the Anglo-Burma Oil Co., Ltd., have been
offered to the public this month. The com-
pany is to acquire the shares of the New
Indian Petroleum Co., Ltd., which controls
certain oil-mining rights at Singu, Burma ;
it acquires also some oil lands in Trinidad.
In both cases the properties appear to be
only unproved prospects. The financial
arrangements are complicated, and the
method of issuing the shares is not an
attractive one.
A company called the United Steel
Corporation of India, Ltd., has been formed in
India by Bird & Co., of Calcutta, in association
with Cammell, Laird & Co., of Sheffield.
The company will take over collieries and
coalfields in Bihar and Orissa, controlled by
Bird & Co., and will develop iron ore deposits.
Works are to be built with a capacity of
600,000 tons of pig iron per year, and steel
works and rolling mills arc to be erected.
Malaya. — It will be remembered that
eighteen months ago the Ipoh Tin Dredging
Company issued further capital for the
purpose of extending operations and con-
structing two new dredges. Unfortunately
the slump in tin and the impossibility of
selling the whole of the new shares have
placed the company in a position of financial
difficulty, and the company has been unable
to complete payment for the dredges.
The company has this month made an
agreement with F.M.S. Timah, Ltd., which
controls the neighbouring Kamunting Tin
Dredging Co., whereby the latter will
acquire one of the new dredges and the
land which it is intended to work.
Siam. — The Renong Tin Dredging Com-
pany made only a small profit, /4,028,
for the year ended June 30 last, just sufficient
to pay the dividend on the preference shares.
The output of the two dredges at Renong was
756 tons, as compared with 433 tons the year
before, but any benefit derivable from this
big increase was nullified by the drop in the
price of tin. There was also additional
expenditure on a dam built for the purpose
of diverting the river channel so as to enable
one of the dredges to work the upper portion
of the valley. The third dredge has been
removed to the Rasa property, in the State
of Sclangor, acquired early last year. It
started operations on March 17, and until
June 30 had extracted 90| tons of concentrate
TllK MIN'INC'. MAC.A/.INI".
from 202,650 cu. yd., which corresponds
to a yield of 1 lb. per yard.
Cornwall. — 'he directors of ICast Pool iS:
Agar liave approved the plans of the eiii;ineers
for the sinking of the new shaft, and arrange-
ments are atreaily in hand for a conniience-
mont of operations. This work will rtlieve
the position as regards unemployment in
Cornwall to a certain extent, and the fact that
no tin will be produced for some time is all
to the benefit of the tin market. The decision
to start the shaft apparently indicates that
the proposals to join forces with Smith
Croftv have ended in nothing.
The last meeting of the Levant Mining Co.,
the old cost-book company', was held last
month, when the final disposition of the
funds was arranged. The property now
belongs to the new company, the Levant
Tin Mines, Ltd., formed in February of last
year. When the new company was formed
the intention was for Geevor Tin Mines,
Ltd., to provide working capital so that
Levant and Geevor could be worked con-
jointl)'. Owing to the slump in tin, Geevor
has not been able to provide the funds, so
Levant continues independently, under the
direction of Colonel F. F. Oats. He has
bought the stamp-mill from Tincroft, and
will start working ores accumulated at the
surface during long years. With the income
thus derived he intends continuing develop-
ment between the 120 and 170 fm. levels.
The plight of Cornish mining was the
subject of a question in Parliament last
month, put by Sir Edward Nicholl. The
Minister of Mines was not sympathetic at
the time, but it is understood that he has
sent representatives to Cornwall to
investigate. There have been plenty of
investigations, committees, and reports
already, but nothing has come of them, and
the only recommendation likety to be made
by the present investigators, namely, an
amalgamation of the mines, is not likely to
be acceptable locally.
North Wales. — The Aber-Llyn company,
which was formed to work a zinc-lead mine
near Bettws-y-Coed, has now given up all
hope of working this property at a profit
under present conditions. The company
also tried a china-clay property in Brittany,
but soon found out that there was not
sufficient material of satisfactory grade.
Attention is now being turned to two groups
of old gold mines, in Rhodesia and Portuguese
Zambesia respectivelj'. The former are the
Killarney and Hibernia mines, and the latter
are known as the Machinga and Mudzi
River properties. Mr. Stephen J. Lett is to
go out to make investigations.
Canada.- A cable has been received to the
elfect tliat vioUnt rainfall (or cloud burst)
has devastated the coastal region north of
Vancouver. Several towns were over-
whelmed by torrents of water, and in
particular ]:^ritannia Beach suffered in tragic
manner, fully fifty houses being carried away
and many people drowned. The con-
centrating plant ot the Britannia Mining
and Smelting Company, which owns the
big low-grade copper mine behind, wns built
at liritannia Beach, but it was burnt down
in ]\Iarcl-, last. Details are awaited by mail
(jf this further disastei.
United States. — The recent policy among
the .\merican oil magnates of squeezing down
production by lowering the prices to an un-
naturally low level has had serious effects on
the .\nglo-United Oilfields, Ltd. This com-
]5any was formed in 1919 to acquire oil lands
in the Dallas field, Wyoming, and its develop-
ment work and its contracts for the sale of
its oil appeared to be perfectly satisfactory.
New shares were created a year ago for the
extension of the scale of operations. The
depression of the price for the crude oil to the
ridiculous figure of 28^ cents per barrel
made it quite impossible for the company to
meet expenses, let alone make a profit. -At
this juncture the underwriter of the new
shares failed to carry out his contract, and
about the same time also certain creditors
who had advanced money for the purchase
of the pipe-line pressed for repayment. In
order to save the company it has become
necessary to reconstruct and raise further
funds. The price obtainable for crude oil has
recently recovered, and Mr. Campbell M.
Hunter, the company's technical adviser, is
of opinion that operating expenses can now
be met.
Bolivia. — Last month we quoted the
financial results of the Compagnie Aramayo
de ilincs en Bolivie for the year 1920. The
chairman, in his speech at the meeting of
shareholders, held at the new headquarters,
Geneva, reported that during the year 2,011
tons of tin concentrate was produced and
973,038 oz. of silver. There was no pro-
duction of wolfram concentrate, and as usual
no figures were given for the output of
bismuth. He also mentioned that at the
Chorolque mine, which was previously
reported to be nearing exhaustion, new ore-
bodies have been found.
VENTILATION AND WORKING EFFICIENCY
By BERNARD W. HOLMAN, O.B.E.. A.R.S.M., Assoc.Inst.M.M.. F.C.S.
Lecturer in Mining, Roya! School of Mines
The author discusses the modern principles of ventilation and working conditions as applied to deep and hot mines.
The Human Machine.— In the case of a
miner working underground wliat the
employer pays for chiefly is worlc done. In
the simplest case, that 'of a miner hewing
coal in a colliery, or drilling holes in rock by
hand in a metal mine, this work done is
chiefly mechanical work. It is mechanical
work which, actuaUy, a machine could do and
which can be measured as foot-pounds as the
result of energy expended. Moreover, the
miner's body in performing the work under
such circumstances expends a given amount
of chemical energy by converting it into heat
and kinetic (motion) energy, just as a steam
plant or an oil engine does when it performs
work, although in the case of the human being
the change is more truly a biochcmic thermo-
genesis, that is, it does not conform to the
Carnot cycle.
In a cool mine, as the efficiency of the
human body is good, its employment in place
of machinery, where either is applicable, is
determined chiefly bj' the usual factors of
first cost (housing and supply), cost of fuel
and lubricants (food and drink), running
costs (wages), and reliability (health con-
ditions and strike frequency). But in deep
and hot mines the question of actual efficiency
becomes of paramount importance, because,
like, say, a gas engine, the human body will
only work between certain temperatures.
As water-jacketing is not practicable in
the case of the miner, we have to confine
our attention to air cooling. Air cooling can
only be external, and the air must be used at
low velocities because of the question of
comfort ; therefore, it can be seen at once
that the upper temperature limit for cfiicicnt
work must be very low. Unfortunately, this
upper temperature limit is still further
reduced by the complex method of burning
(oxidizing)' its fuel (tissues) employed by the
human body.
Instead of completely burning a single
portion of fuel at a time, as does an oil engine,
the body partially oxidizes minute portions
of a large number of tissues at the same time
by means of the well-known reversible re-
action : Haemoglobin -1- Oxygen "tl^ Oxy-
hacmoglobin.
I Tnder the conditions of concentration and
colloid solution existing in the human body,
this reaction cannot take place above 130° F..
else cessation (death from heart stroke)
occurs.
Moreover, the mechanism for the change of
heat into work is controlled by reactions in
the brain (causing nervous stimulus of the
respiratory centre) instead of by a metal
governor. These reactions are still more
subject to derangement by temperature rise
(nervous fatigue, and, at higher temperatures,
fever and delirium) than are those in the
blood.
Hence it comes about that accurate
temperature control of the body itself is
absolutely essential for work even at normal
temperatures. Nature has provided for this
by the provision of an elaborate system of
glands for secreting on the surface of the
body moisture which, on evaporation, pro-
duces a very considerable cooling effect owing
to the high latent heat of vaporization of
moisture. Without evaporation but little
cooling effect is produced by perspiration.
The warmer the surrounding air the more of
this water must be produced and evaporated
in order to maintain the body at a working
temperature by perspiration, and the more
rapidly must the blood be pumped to the
cooled surface of the body. Hence the
warmer the atmosphere the greater is the
quantity of work done in merely keeping the
body cool. Other secondary causes increase
this additional work even more, although, of
course, conduction and radiation also play
their part in the cooling of the body.
Still saturated air at the same temperature
as the body produces no cooling effect what-
ever, but still dry air, owing to the motion of
the body in work, might produce an adequate
cooling effect by evaporation alone, because
naturally the dry air could take up moisture
and thereby cause evaporation of the
perspiration. Thus it is seen why such great
importance is attached to the humidity
of the air in a working place, sometimes
rather to the neglect of other factors.
On the other hand, moving saturated air,
so long as it was at a lower temperature than
the body, would produce a cooling effect by
73
271
"111
MININC MACAZINK
conduction, and, if a suflkicnt (luantity
jiasscd over the body, an adequate coolintj
effect would be ]iiod\iced with saturated
air by conduction alone. Hence tin- im-
portance of the velocity of an air current as
well as its humidity when considering its
cooling effect. This has no direct connexion
with the velocity necessary to supply an
adequate quantitj' of fresh air for breathini^
purposes. Of course, within limits, the lower
the temperature the greater the cooling effect
for a given velocity, particularly if the air
is not saturated. The effect of velocity in
accelerating evaporation is then of prime
importance. In fact, in practice both velocity
and low humidity ar(^ employed where\'er
possible.
In the stuch' of hygienic vi-ntilalion. of
the three factors, humidity, velocity, and
temperature, most attention was devoted to
humidity, but in metal mine ventilation,
where the laj'ing of dust may necessitate a
humid atmosphere, increasing attention is
now being devoted to the effects of velocity
and temperature on the actual rate of cooling
of the body surface and to determine what
conditions of humidify and velocity will give
a healthy atmosphere even when the temjiera-
ture is high.
The application of these results in practice
is complicated by the fact that although two
men may be equall}- cooled their capacity
for work is not the same. In a hot healthy
atmosphere the sweat glands of one man
may act almost automatically and his heart
do comparatively little e.xtra work in stimu-
lating increased subcutaneous circulation of
the blood, while, under the same conditions,
another man may feel so exhausted that he
cannot work at all. Such a mathematically
difficult matter as a stone or two of fat on
an individual would quite invalidate any a
prion' calculations as to his thermodynamic
efficiency on a given load. Hence it is readily
seen that it is exceedingly difficult to calculate
or measure the actual amount of work done in
cooling the body under different conditions,
although the nett output of work can, of
course, be observed.
The Ergo.meter. — Of late years attention
has been directed especially to the actual
task of devising means of measuring the
output of mechanical work of different
individuals as compared with their fuel
consumption. For measuring such output
of mechanical work various forms of specially
adapted dynamometers have been devised,
called " F.rgometers," but for measuring the
corresponding fuel consuiniilinn no i lua|) ami
handy a])i)aratus has yt been evolved. The
simple method of subtracting the uiuou-
sumed fuel rejected bj' the system from the
food taken into it gives no useful result
owini; to tlii' long and imlcti rniinah' tiiii'
factor in\'olved in llir building u|i and
oxidizing of individual tissues, liflicii'ucy
determinations on this basis would have to
be of .several days' duration ; this and the
difficulty of allowing for periods of sleep
render the nu'thod scientifically and com-
mercially useless in mining practice.
Another simple method is to burn in a
bomb calorimeter a proportional part of the
day's rations of a number of men, and
to calculate the 1>.T.U. supplied and com-
])are the result with, for instance, the number
of inches drilled by hand in a day on the mine
by the men who ate the food. Such results
are too approximate to apply to the testing
of individuals, and are, therefore, more of
a check on the food than on the work.
The only method of estimating individual
fuel consumption that has met with general
success is based on the measurement of
the amount of CO2 expired by such an
apparatus as is shown in Fig. 1, for example.
Like flue-gas anal5'sis its results arc more
relative than absolute. Also for accurate
work apparatus which is neither simple,
chea]i, nor easy to manipulate has to be
employed to determine the total amounts
of gases involved in an experiment. Now
that results (jf definite value have been
obtained a simplification and cheapening of
the apparatus is to be hoped for. A con-
siderable advance in the ease and accuracy
of determinations has been achieved by
Professor Langlois for the French Depart-
ment of \\'ar, but no cheapening.
With the human machine the amoimt of
fuel burnt cannot be calculated directly
from the amount of CO.. produced, because
other fuels besides carbon are consumed.
A factor called the R-Q. (Respiratory
Quotient), the ratio by volume of the
oxygen consumed to the C0.2 exhaled, has to
be used. The reason for this is that not one
but three kinds of fuel are oxidized simul-
taneously in the human machine, namely
carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. Each of
these takes a different proportion of oxygen
for its combustion.
For all carbohydrates the R.O. is 1,
according to the equation : —
QHi-A-f 60., = 6C0.,-f 6H.,0
That is to say, whc'n carbohvdrates are
NOVEMBER, 1921
275
burnt the volume of carbon dioxide produced
is identical with the volume of oxygen
consumed.
For proteins and fats the R.O. is naturally
not so high, because part of the hydrogen
in these compounds is available for fuel,
and therefore uses up oxygen in forming
water. Professor Krogh gives the average
R.O. for protein as O'SO, and for human
only due to lack of sufficient practice, it
would be the most efficient of all foods for
the miner. Bacon and ham have excellent
food values ; also pigs have a more efficient
basa! metabolism than men, and can feed
on the waste products from the manufactuie
of beer. Therefore, as a mining engineer,
one is tempted to desire a thcrmo-dynamic
niiner-bocr-pic; cvc'c more efficient than any
Fig. 1. — Benedict's Respir.^tion .Apparatus.
fat as 0'71. The composition of the latter
is taken as 76-5",3 carbon, 12°o hydrogen, and
ll'.^^o oxygen.
Alcohol contains still more available
hydrogen than fat, and, therefore, has a
still lower R.Q., namely 066, according to
the equation : —
C.,H,OH +30., = 2CO,+3H.,0
If it were not for the unpleasant results of
drinking strong beer (as one's sole food)
and its only partial assimilation, perhaps
Diesel-Still engine. Unfortunately, one's
digestion will not stand it, and in our
greatest mining country prohibition would
not allow it.
The figures given above are for normal
temperatures. The R.O. rises with increasing
temperature and also varies with the load
(amount of work done). The following table
shows clearly how the R.Q. affects the cal-
culation of the heat produced and the food
consumed. The Respiratory Quotient is.
•J7(i
ill' MIXINC. M\(;\ZIN1
of course, also equal to the ratio ot thr
weight of oxygen consumed to the weight of
carbon dioxide exhaled.
Per
Litre of Oxygen.
K.y.
Glycogen
Fat
Heat
Catabolizcd,
Catabolizcd,
Producocl.
grammes.
grammes.
calories.
0-71
onoon
0-.S027
4-79,5
(I-74
(ii5;4;<
0-4;i84
4-829
O'SI)
(i-:«s50
0-3507
4-875
0-85
0-5756
0-2G30
4-921
0-9(1
0-7861
0-1753
4-967
0-95
0-99(5fi
0-0877
5-012
'.■00
1-2071
0-0000
5-058
The following figures are also useful in
such calculations : —
1 litre of oxygen at normal temperature
andjircssure (N. T.P.I weiglis 1- 120 grammes.
1 litre of carbon dioxide at N.T.P. weighs
1-965 grammes.
1 litre of nitrogen at N.T.P. weighs
1-255 grammes.
1 litre is equal to 0-0353 cubic feet.
1 cubic foot is equal to 28-32 litres.
1 ounce — 2835 grammes, 1 granmie
0-035 oz.
From the above it appears that if fat
only were consumed and -15 litres per hour
of carbon dioxide were produced, a loss of
32 grammes (1| oz.) of fat per hour would
result, and a heat production of above
five calories per minute might be expected.
This would be equivalent theoretically to
i horse-power.
Dr. Leonard Hill mentions as large an
amount of o.xygcn used per minute as
3-361 litres when bathing in rough cold sea.
Taking this as approximately equivalent to
3 litres per minute at X.T.P., with an R.O.
of 0-80, from the above table the heat
produced would be 11-6 calories or 058 h.p.
With 33°o efficiency (see later) this would
equal about 4 h.p. actually exerted in
mechanical effort. This is interestingly near
to the old figure of five men to one horse-
power. The weight of carbohydrate con-
sum_ed per hour would be 66 grammes and of
fat 63 grammes, a total loss of weight of over
I lb. per hour. So high a figure would only
apply to periods of exertion and would be
far less with the same individual sleeping.
For the resting body the functional acti\'ities
amount to only 25'';5 of the standard
metabolism. (Krogh) ; but a man in perfect
training may for short periods of great
exertion have a respiratory metabolism
twenty times the minimiun (Krogh).
In tireat Britain many measurements of the
output of work have jjecn made for the Mine
Rescue Ajiparatus Research Conunittee. In
these the " Cycle Ergometer " of Professor
IMartin, F.R.S., was used (Fig. 2). It is
fully described in an ajipendix to their
Second Re])ort. It consists of a cycle frame
and seat mounted on a stand witli a heavy
fly-wheel substituted for the back wheel of
the bicycle. Round the ily-wheel passes a
brake strap, the ends of which are connected'
to spring balances in the ordinary way so as
to constitute a dynamometer brake.
Mr. H. F. Bulman reconunends a gear of
3J to 1 with a fly-wheel 2 ft. in di.imeter, .so
that fifty revolutions a minute of the pedals
is equivalent to 3,500 ft. -lb., when the
difference of tension on the .springs is 1 lb.
With a dry belt various ranges of load can be
obtained by slacking or tightening the belt.
The oxygen consumed may be measured
through a valve if compressed o.xygen is
being used on the tests, while the expired air
is collected in a bellows-shaped bag of
convenient form and su]-)plied with a suitable
tube, mouthpiece, and nose clip.
Fwo otlur forms of ergometer have been
devised and used by Dr. A. ]. Orenstein, and
weie fully described by him in his recent
paper (March) before the Chemical, Metal-
lurgical, and Mining Society of South Africa.
One of these is a hand-operated dynamometer
brake which was calibrated " by substituting
a narrow wooden pulley for the driving
crank, and of the same radius, and driving the
machine by pulling a cord off this driving
pulley, the pull being read on a spring
balance." This machine, which Dr. Oren-
stein calls his " rotary dynamometer "
(Fig. 3), is very simple to construct and u.se,
but as it is operated by the hand and not by
the feet it is not easy to carry out respiration
tests simultaneou.sly. Like the Martin
ergometer it measures work of a purely
unskilled nature and does not imitate closelj'
any operation carried out in mining.
To meet this objection, Dr. Orenstein
designed his cylinder dynamometer which
actually registers the number and force of
the hammer blows given to a piece of drill
steel bearing on a diaphragm in a closed
cj-linder containing boiled water (Fig. 1).
The variations in pressure in the cylinder are
recorded on an indicator diagram by an
ordinary indicator as used in steam-engine
practice.
This macliine has to be of very robust
construction, which gives it excessive weight.
NOVEMBER, 1921
277
It was also found to be particularly liable to
various errors due to " condition of jointing
rings, slight obstructions in connecting pipe,
presence of small bubbles of air, friction in the
indicator piston, etc." This made frequent
calibration necessary, and often caused the
loss of a day's work. Nevertheless, many
successful tests were carried out, the results
of which aie given in the exceedingly useful
paper mentioned above.
capacity to withstand fatigue, vaiy greatly
in different individuals, and, what is of first-
rate practical importance, show up'in tests
of this nature. Hence these tests give us an
insight into the nature and effects of fatigue
which are shown to be very similar to those of
overload on an oil-engine. A fairly heavy
task'may be performed for a short time with-
out causing any fatigue, but if it be carried
on too long a definite state of exhaustion
Fig.
-M.\rtin's Cycle Ergometer.
Efficiency .\nd the Individu.\l. — One of
the most striking things about the great mass
of work performed on this subject of the
efficiency of the human machine is the very
different results obtained by different
observers. The results recorded (Krogh) b\'
admittedly first-class observers using normal
subjects vary from 2-8 cc. of o.xygen absorbed
per kilogram minute (0'8 calories) to 5-5 cc.
of o.xygen absorbed per kilogram minute
(1'6 calories), but these results have often
been obtained by experiments on abnormal
subjects, for instance, very ancient paupers.
Briefly, the degree of training, or capacity
for exertion, and the amount of stamina, or
occurs, and exertion has to be stopped until
cooling and re-cleaning has taken place.
As is well known a heavy task which would
utterly exhaust one man is easily performed
by another who has practised it often. This
is one cause of the varying results obtained
by independent workers, but on the same man
the improvement due to training can be
definitely measured. Therefore, having found
a man to be of good stamina and in good
training, one can proceed to test the effect of
physical conditions such as humidity and
velocity of air on his working efficiency.
Efficiency and Physic.m. Condition?. —
.Adequate o.xygen and absence of poisonous
27.S
THE MIXINC MA(,\/1M-:
gases aro obvious necessities for efiieicnt wmk,
and are readily tested for by eliemieal means,
l)ut fatigue and eorreet liody teniiierature are
less readily estimated. The amonnl of work
which produces fatigue is generally left to
individual judgment, tempered by a general
bonus on extra footage or tonnage (unless the
Unions decree otherwise), but correct body
temperature is a matter of racial peculiarity
tempered b\' ventilation. There is a fifth
physical condition necessary for maximum
efficiency, and that is optimum effort. The
optinnnn effort is not necessarilj' the greatest
individual e.xertion, but is the best distributed
effort throughout the shift which will ]ir()duce
the maximum output without pioducing
fatigue. This can only be determined by
actual tests. The quantitative study of this
question as applied to metal mining is in
progress ; for instance, a stud}' is being made
of the effect of short and long rests, frequent
and infrequent, for hand-drillers.
Optimum effort, like fatigue and correct
temperature, depends greatly on the jnnity,
dryness, and velocitv' of the air, in which the
individuals work ; hence it comes about that
ventilation is now required not only to
supply oxygen and to sweep out noxious
gases, but also to cool the workers in the
manner which causes their work to prodtice
least fatigue in them. (See tests on
optimum speed of walking, p. 17 of the
second report on Jline Rescue Apparatus.)
Hence the humidity and velocity of the
current receive as mucli attention now in
some mines as its quantity and purity,
when considering the question of whether
or net the ventilation is adequate.
.Adequate \'entii..-\tiox. — The chemical
theory was the earliest accepted explanation
of the injurious effects of inadequate
ventilation. It was based on the idea that
" the evil .smell of unclean and badly
ventilated places was evidence of a ' vitiated
effluvia ' or volatile poison added to the
atmosphere by exhaled or expired air,"
and also that the oxygen content of the air
became unduly diminished.
As exhaled air contains much carbon
dioxide, the excess of CO.^ found in a baclly
ventilated place was taken to be a reliable
indication of the amount of this poison
present. Several Acts and Regulations
based on this idea allowed an excess of
CO.. only a few parts per 10,000. Many
hygienists supposed CO.2 itself to be a poison,
particularly as a large excess of it, .such as
found in some natural caverns, will cause
df. ilh, I h.il Ihi-^ I. liter w.is a pupular
delusion was demon^trati'd long ago b\' Ihr
simple exjKriment of breathing without .in\-
ill effects air with 1% of pure ('()_. added to
it. .\ny sincere investigator can satisfy
himself that this is so in the congenial
enviromnent of a brewery, where the air
often contains over 1 % of CO.j. One per cent
i>^, of course, many times the amount
1 I lit.OOOths) fixed as the safe limit in some
-Vets, liven ^% can be breathed without
any ill effect being noticed until muscular
exertion is attempted. Then panting ensues,
merely owing to the need for greater
pulmonary ventilation with such air. More-
over, in man the blood keeps the pulmonary
air constant at about 5% CO.j. Hence
carbonic acid obviously cannot be a poison,
and, of itself, cannot be a cause of tlu' ill
effects of bad ventilation.
It was also considered that air in jjoorly
ventilated places became badly impoverished
in oxygen, and that this impoverishment
caused harmful phy.siological effects. That
this imjjoverishment is great was directly
disproved by analysis.
The diminution of oxygen in ill-ventilated
places is exceedingly small, even in a bad
stope or in the most crowded room ; it is
seldom more than one per cent. Such a small
reduction has no harmful effect. This is
olivious when one considers that people live
comfortably at altitudes where the amount
(weight) of oxygen per cubic foot is only
two-thirds . of that which it is at sea-
level. With such reductions of oxygen the
pulmonary ventilation and the circulation
are increased, the blood is thinner, and the
proportion of acids to bases in the blood
is altered to compensate for the lactic
acid formed. Hence diminution of oxj'gen
cannot be a cause of the ill effects of bad
\-entilation. This was very clearly demon-
strated in one of Dr. Leonard Hill's
experiments, where students were confined
in an atmosphere of only 17% oxygen,
so low that a match would not burn in it.
No discomfort was felt so long as the air
was kept moving by a fan, and the cooling
of their bodies thus assured.
The main part of the chemical theoiy,
the popular idea that exhaled air and
stagnant perspiration contain a poison apart
from infection, is very severely dealt with
by Dr. Leonard HiU. He quotes the work
of many experimenters to disprove it, and
concludes by saying " there is no evidence
worth anvthine: at all as to the existence of
November, 1021
279
tliis poison." Certainly too man}' of these
experiments seem to have been tried on
animals. Even the Kenotoxin of Weichart
was not tried on his neighbour.
Dr. Hill's own experiments on the effects
of prolonged breathing of exhaled air were
tried on guinea-pigs. Yet guinea-pigs are
so different from human beings in their
requirements that they can tolerate an ex-
tremely high saturation of CO, and in his
experiments on them at the bottom of
deep boxes they seemed to tolerate all the
other conditions of bad ventilation, too.
As water infected with dead bacteria
produces so many unpleasant effects it
is not quite clear why air so infected should
produce absolutely none at all. Shivering
and headache are common symptoms of
bad ventilation, and also accompany the
injection of dead bacteria. Moreover, the
quantities of substances required to produce
biological effects are so very small that they
might easUy escape chemical analysis ;
for in.stance, one part of copper in 77 million
of water is toxic to spirogyra in one minute.
Early medical writers who knew few
theories, but had ample acquaintance with
facts, believed that the " invariable result
of the accumulation of breath and
perspiration of human beings crowded
together and neglecting personal cleanliness
was to produce plague and fever. ' ' This seems
a safer guide to practice than the idea that the
cause of such ill effects are microbes which
come from somewhere else, whether from
Fig. 3. — Orenstein's Rotarv Ergometer.
colloid solutions or from the survival of the
fittest is not explained. One rather wonders
whether a visit to a dead end in some metal
mine where hand-drilling is being employed
on a handsome bonus system, and the booster
fan has temporarily broken down, would
overpower one not used to such pungent
" non-existence." The cause of the physical
nausea produced in the visitor, if it is not
chemical, might be radio-active ; it certainly
is not psychic. The remaining alternative is
that it is' physical. This is precisely the idea
which now holds the field as the explanation
Fig. 4. — Orenstein's Cylinder Ergometer.
•2S()
THK MIX IXC, MACAZINE
of all the effects of bail vtiuilatioii, aUluiiii;h
tlic bacteriological effect of exhaled air is
still adliercd to by some. The chemical
thcorj', so far as it concerns the poisonous
nature of pure carbcn dioxide, and so far as
it concerns the harmful effect of any
practicable diminution of oxj-gen, has been
completely disproved, and it has been
realized that the ]iro])er control of the body
temperature is the important thing. Hence
any definition of adequate ventilation which
is based solelj' on percentages of carbon
dioxide and oxygen in the air is not adequate
and may be very misleading.
Humidity Theoky. — This idea of the
phj-sical nature of ventilation has been
developed along two lines. Firstly, by those
who considered the drying power (humidity)
of the air as of most importance in cooling
the body by promoting free perspiration,
etc. ; and secondly, by those who placed
their faith more in the free circulation of the
air, even though it was not very dry or very
pure. The latter method is of most interest
to metal miners, because they so often have
to deal with saturated air (for dust) under-
ground, and do not need large volumes
except such as are adequate for cooling.
The use of hygrometers and anemometers
and the application of the knowledge gained
thereby to the ventilation of mines is being
investigated very fully by the Committee on
the Control of Atmospheric Conditions in
Hot and Deep Mines, vmder Pro-
fessor Sir John Cadman. This Committee
has published three reports. (See
Bibliographj^) Dr. J. S. Haldane had also
directed much work on these lines at the
Doncaster Coal Owners' laboratory and
elsewhere.
As has been pointed out already, proper
sweating is a very effective method of cooling
the body, because it makes full use of the
latent heat of evaporation of the water.
So long as the sweat can be produced and
evaporated, the less saturated with moisture
(lower in relative humidity) the air is at a
given temperature, the less volume is required
for a given amount of cooling. Therefore,
for a given velocity and temperature the
lower the humidity is the greater will be the
cooling power of the ventilating current. It
is for this reason that such great attention
has been paid to the question of humidity
in colliery practice. In British colliery
practice for several generations ample
ventilation has been necessary in order to
sweep out from the workings all noxious
and explosive gases. Hence tin (luantiiy,
pvn-ity, and velocity nf x-cntilating currents
has received nuich sliul\' in linglaud. Not
onlj' so, but owing to the very high
geothermic gradient in this country (over
l°h\ for every 70 ft., instead of for every
251 ft. as on tin- Rand) the /piestion of
the cooling capacity of ventilating currents
also came early to the fore. There are now
collieries working in lingland at a dejJth of
:i,50() ft. where the rock tiinperaturc is
about 100'' F., a temperature which would
not be reached on the Rand until a depth of
nearly 0,000 ft. Thus it comes about that
the study of artificial ventilation in mines
has been left almost entirely to colliery
engineers until (juite recent years. It is
only during the last ten years that artificial
ventilation for metal mines was introduced
at all generally in South Africa, and then it
was chiefly in response to legislation.
Natural ventilation had been found adequate
for depths of over 2,000 ft. even where very
many natives were employed. It may
almost be said that it is only during the last
five years that copious artificial ventilation
lias become a necessilv in many metal mines.
In such cases the chief object of artificial
ventilation is generally to improve the
physical comfort of the men, and is not the
maintenance of the purity of the air. As
huge volumes of air are not necessary for
sweeping out natural gases from such mines,
the obtaining of the optimum combination
of humidity, velocit}', and temperature is
a matter of considerable importance.
Theoretically each of these three factors
can be varied independently to obtain a
given cooling power, but unfortunately in
many deep metal mines precautions have
to be taken against dust. For this latter
purpose the crude but safe expedient of
spraying the workings liberally with water
is generally adopted. This limits the metal
mine in such cases to the use of air of nearly
maximum humidity, while the colliery
engineer is free to base his calculations on
the dryness at surface of the air and to take
precautions to prevent the unnecessary
absorption of moisture by his ventilating
current. It is owing to these facts that the
wet and dry bulb thermometer has been
employed so much by colliery engineers,
to the exclusion of other methods of
measuring cooling power, while the metal
miner resorts to other means. For example,
in Mr. Clifford's classical paper before the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
NOVEMBER. 1021
2Sl
(February, 1021), any full discussion of
hvgromcter and anemometer readings,
together with all talk of grains of moisture
per cubic foot of air and of moisture
content charts are absent. The great
accumulation of recorded practical experience
and sound experiment by colliery engineers
was of little value to him as far as it con-
cerned the cooling power of ventilating
currents. Nevertheless, the principles under-
Iving the use of the hygrometer should be
understood by all.
In the first report of the Committee on
Hot and Deep Mines, the use of the wet and
dry bulb thermometer as a hygrometer
is very clearly explained as follows : —
The use of the wet and dry bulb
thermometer rests on the fact that when
there is a sufficient air-current to swamp
the influence of radiation and conduction . . .
a moist surface will assume ..." a definite
temperature between the air temperature
and the dew point." i " When no other
source of heat or cold is affecting the surface
this intermediate temperature is known as
the ' wet bulb ' temperature, and is the
temperature assumed by the bulb of a
thermometer kept moist with water. ' It is
the minimum temperature to -which a moist
surface can be cooled by the air present at
the given velocity.
The skin temperature of a perspiring man
alwa3's lies between the body temperature
and this "wet bulb " temperature. As long
as a man is perspiring normally his skin
temperature will approximate to the wet
bulb temperature more closely the higher
the velocity of the ventilating current.
Increase of velocity, therefore, increases
the cooling effect on the skin, but increase
of humiditv, shown by approximation of
the wet bulb temperature to the dry bulb
temperature, considerably reduces it until,
when the air is saturated, olie has to rely
on velocity and difference of temperature
alone for cooling power.
In still air Dr. Haldane found that 88° F.
during rest and 78° during work with
minimum clothing were the highest wet
bulb temperatures a miner could stand
in Cornwall without profuse sweating. (This
was independent of separate observations of
air temperature, absolute humidity, dew
point, and velocity.) In perfectly still air
Dr. Haldane found that this wet bulb
* The temperature at which water begins to
condense from air of a given moisture content is
called its dew point.
temperature was all-important, and that
even when the air current was too hot and
warmed a man instead of cooling him this
warming depended on the wet bulb
temperature and not on the air tempera-
ture. In England the outdoor wet
bulb shade temperature reached 70° F.,
but in moist tropical countries it reached
80° F., but with dry tropical heat it may be
below 70°, although the shade temperature
is 110° or more. Hence, again, we see the
importance of low wet bulb temperature, and
why in colliery practice so much attention
has been devoted to keeping down the
wet bulb temperature ; also why the wet
bulb temperature has been taken as a
standard of comfort while the study of the
effects of increasing the velocity of the
air current has been neglected. In fact,
one report of the Hot and Deep Mines Com-
mittee speaks of keeping the air in motion
in all working places as " a subsidiary aim."
When the metal miner has to deal with a
hot deep mine it unfortunately has to be
his chief aim.
In colliery practice, then, adequate
ventilation can be defined by the pre-
centage of foreign gases allowable in the
air and by its wet bulb temperature. It
is specially necessary to limit the maximum
allowable hydrocarbons because of their
explosive nature, and of CO because of its
toxic effects, but in hot metal mines where
the air is saturated such a definition is
insufficient. Nevertheless, in both cases
" the problem of underground temperature
control seems to resolve itself into one of
adequate ventilation."
Effect of Velocity. — How adequate
ventilation can be defined independently of
observations with a wet bulb thermometer
in the case of mines with saturated air
has been fully worked out and explained
by Dr. Hill in his brilliant work the Science
of Ventilation. This book (two volumes)
is a summary of years of original work by
the author and his associates, both on theory
and on actual experiments. It leaves
out some of the more abstruse theoretical
considerations dealt with in the original
papers, and evolves clearly the author's
theory of the paramount influence of velocity
on cooling effect. It also gives details of his
final triumph, the production of a cheap
and extremely simple instrument, the
kata-thermometer, which measures directly
the actual cooling power of a ventilating
current in terms of calories, or of B.T.U.s,
2S-J
Till". MIXlNi; MA(1\ZINK
piT unit (if ari'a I'xposi'd. ]iasi'd on siuii
Mailings it is jiossibli' to givo a sinipk-
ili'tinition n{ an adocjuato ventilation cuni-nt
in a manner wliieh admits of fully saturated
air or of liigh wet bulb temix'raturcs quite
inadmissible in still air, yet makes accurate
allowance for the compensating effect of the
velocity of the air.
This mode of definition rests on the theory
that heat stagnation of the body is th<>
prime cause of the discomforts (headache,
sickness, faintncss, etc.) resulting from bad
ventilation and that movement of air is the
surest preventive of such stagnation. Many
experiments in support of this theory are
given by. Dr. Leonard Hill's report on
" Ventilation and the Effect of Wind "
(see Bibliography). One of the most
important of these (p. 15) has been often
quoted. It has been carried out by eight
different investigators (four in England and
four in Brcshm). Seven or eight students
were shut in an air-tight chamber of only
three cubic metres capacity for half an hour.
In this chamber the air could be moved by
fans placed in the roof and the temperature
and humidity could be varied as desired . The
CO., was gradually increased to about 4%,
and the oxygen lowered to about 19%,
the air failing to support the combustion
of a lighted match. The wet bulb
temperature rose meanwhile to over 83° F.
W'ith the dry bulb it was a degree or two
higher. The discomfort was considerable,
pulse rate high, faces flushed and moist,
but no headaches. Stirring up the same
stale air by means of the fans gave immediate
relief. The pulse rate was lowered from
f)7 per minute to 79, though no fresh air
from outside was admitted. The air of the
chamber breathed by other students outside
caused no discomfort, whereas students
inside breathing the outside air before the
starting of the fan felt no relief. This
experiment was a most astonishing refutation
of very widely acce]ncd views on ventilation.
Such excess of COj, diminution of oxygen,
and high wet bulb temperature were each
suppo.sed to cause the greatest discomfort.
So they did until the fans were started up.
In every one of the other similar experiments
putting on the fans gave great relief.
Moisture and warmth chiefly cause the dis-
comfort and incapability for work associated
with a so-called " vitiated atmosphere "
when the air is still.
The first effect of heat stagnation is a rise
of the skin temperature of the individual and
.m increase of pulM' rate. l-'<iil(i\\ing this
great extra work is thrown on the heart in its
endeavour to keep the body cool by ])umping
as nuich blood as possible to the surface of
the body. This extra amount of work ma>-,
of course, be so great as lo cause death.
.American scientists have shown lliat llic
velocity of blood-flow in the arm may be
increased eight-fold under such conditions,
while in cool air it may fall to one-<|iiarter
the normal. Hence the great importance of
the cooling el'fict of an air curri'iit is apparent,
particularly wlicn manual work is being
considered and the lieart is already working
above normal load. Dr. Leonard Hill not
onljf clearly demonstrated this, but he also
showed that the ordinary thermometer, eitlier
wet or dry, does not show the cooling eff(>ct
or heat loss, but only its own temperature.
While the thermometer is a static instru-
ment the human body is a dj'namic structure
continually producing and losing heat. For
example, on a calm or on a windy day the
wet or dry bulb theimometer readings may
be approximately the same. They may be
most mi.sleading as to the conducivenesS of
such conditions to efficient metabolism, and
they give no indication of the bracing effects
so familiar, for instance, on a breezy day at
the seaside. A kata-thermomcter, on the
other hand, will give quite different readings
under such sets of circumstances and will
show clearly in which case the cooling power
is greater and how great it is. The same
applies to two ventilating currents of different
humidity and velocity. Similarly in the case
of men working in proximity to machinery,
wet or dry bulb thermometer readings give
no indication of the cooling effect due to the
motion of the air around the machines. This
may be quite appreciable and its effect is at
once shown quantitatively by the kata-
thermometcr.
As already mentioned other experiments
carried out by Dr. Leonard Hill showed that
not only is the utility of wet and dry bulb
readings often over-estimated, but that the
old ideas about excess of CO.. and deficiency
of oxygen can be dismissed. The prime
stimulant to bodily metabolism is cool skin
temperature which is best obtained by the
motion of air of suitable temperature and
pref^-ably, though not of necessity, fairly
dry.
Evaporation from the respiratory tract also
has a considerable cooling effect on the body
when the air is dry, but is not, of course,
much afifectcd by external motion of the air.
NOVEMBER, 1921
283
It is also open to argument whether warm
air in motion has the same effect on health
as cool still air giving the same kata reading,
The mysterious secondary effects of warming
or cooling the body by radiation instead of
by conduction are little understood. Some
people certainly seem to derive increased
energy from the sunshine without increased
food, but sunshine does not concern the
average miner, although one has heard of
patent foods which claim to almost make the
prospector live on sunshine, so small is the
amount of the food supposed to be necessary
for a meal. Perhaps such foods, together with
the stimulus of " the joys of anticipation,"
turn the prospector into a species of solar
heat engine instead ! The effects on health of
saturated air are merely mentioned to show-
that adequate ventilation is not nearly such
a simple subject as it seems when one
reads the works' of any of our leading
authorities, but not the work of his
opponents.
When we come to the question of testing
the degree of ventilation according to any
predetermined standard of adequate ventila-
tion we are on much firmer ground.
Testing Degree of Ventil.\tiom. —
Although the chemical theory of ventilation
is incorrect in so far as it concerns impoverish-
ment of oxygen and the harmful effects of
small excess of CO-2 above the normal
amount found in our atmosphere (0-03% or
three parts in 10,000), chemical tests are
useful to indicate the degree of ventilation,
particularly where CO may be generated by
the use of large quantities of explosives.
Carbon monoxide (white damp) is a very
dangerous poison with a cumulative effect ;
0-1% will quickly render a man incapable of
walking, while 0-04% will produce the same
result but more slowly. Chemical tests are
stUl insisted on in many countries and are
troublesome on metal mines where no
chemist is employed. Carbon monoxide is
particularly difficult to determine accurately.
Vogel's blood test is often recommended but
it is only approximate. It is hardly suitable
for use in a mine. It depends on the simple
fact that ordinary blood diluted with 200
times its volume of water gives a yellowish
red solution which turns pink with CO. Any
such pink solution obtained is compared with
standard colour solutions made up from the
blood of mice poisoned with CO. The
colouration of palladium chloride by CO has
been suggested, but it it unreliable, as other
organic substances give the colours with this
5—4
salt. The best method is a combination of
the palladium chloride and iodine pentoxide
methods. This gives accurate results but
requires expensive apparatus and con-
siderable analytical skill, and is therefore best
not attempted on a small mine.
Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, can be
accurately determined fairly readily on a
mine. As big a sample as possible should be
taken, its temperature and pressure, of course,
being noted. Large glass bottles of known
volume and a pair of bellows with a sufficient
length of rubber tube to reach to the bottom
of the bottles may be used. Rubber stoppers
are required and particular care must be
taken to keep the bottles dry and clean inside.
A sample having been taken, a known volume
of potassium hydrate solution is suitably
introduced and the bottle well shaken, then
washed out. The potassium carbonate
formed is determined by titration with a
standard solution of oxalic acid which shows
the amount of free potassium hydrate left.
Lime water may be used instead of caustic
potash. The calcium carbonate is estimated
by titrating back with oxalic acid, using
phenol-phthalein as an indicator.
Humidity on a mine is never determined
by analytical methods. Advantage is taken
of published tables by which the humidity
can be calculated from the observed difference
in the temperature shown by an ordinary or
dry bulb mercury thermometer, and by
one whose bulb is surrounded by a piece of
cotton or silk material which is kept moist.
The dryer the air at a given temperature
the more rapidly will moisture evaporate
in it, because the greater will be the cooling
effect of the air on the wet bulb thermometer.
If the air were saturated with moisture there
would be no evaporation from the moist
material ; the wet and dry bulb thermometers
would therefore then give the same reading.
A pair of thermometers arranged for the
convenient taking of such readings is often
called an hygrometer, or, more descriptivelj^
" a wet and dr}^ bulb thermometer."
The simplest forms of hygrometer are
liable to errors due to the accelerating
effect of air currents on evaporation. The
best method of ensuring accurate readings is
to ensure a rapid circulation of the air
about the hygrometer. In practice it is
simpler to circulate the instrument. A
form of whirling hygrometer (Fig. 5 overleaf)
is described thus in the third report of the
Committee on Hot and Deep Mines. Two
accurate mercury thermometers, from 6 to
281
nil': MIX INT. MAGAZINE
G.\ in. long, and witli narrow loni,' bulbs,
arc set in a woodi-n frame. They are fixed
in grooves on cork pads with seccotine, and
further secured by two metal bars set flush
with the face of the frame. For most of
the length of the thermometers the groove
is cut right through the wood, so that the
thermometers can be read by holding them
against the light. An oval hole is cut in the
frame of the bulb of the dry thermometer.
A glass reservoir for water is fixed at the
bottom of the frame. Above the neck of the
reservoir the frame is cut away round the
<^
u
C
Fig.
-\\hiri.ing Hygrometer.
bulb of the wet thermometer. This bulb
is kept moist by a slip of muslin, which dips
into the reservoir. At the top of the frame
two pieces of metal are let into the side, and
where they project at the top they are bored
to lake a spindle. The spindle and its
wooden handle are secured by milled nuts, so
that by a movement of the wrist a whirling
motion can be given to the frame. The frame
is carried in a tin case, which has a lid at
itr top. The lid is secured over the spindle
with the handle projecting at the side. The
length from the spindle to the centre of the
bulbs of the thermometers is about 6 in.
The hygrometer may be easUy whirled at
200 revolutions per minute, and the air
then passes over the bulbs at the rate of
over 600 ft. per minute. The prismatic
type of thermometer has been found easy
to read under all conditions, and from 40°
to 110° F. has been found the most useful
range for underground work. For surface
readings tin rniuiiuUrs reading to below
freezing-])oint are, of course, necessary.
'fhc above hygrometer is given as a very
suitable one for mine work, though many
other forms have been used. Some were
shown by Dr. Ezer Griffiths at the Royal
Society soiree in May this year, but did
not appear suitable for mine work.
The method of expressing the results
obtained has been the subject of some dis-
cussion. For general purposes of checking
the ventilation of a mine it has been agreeil
to use grains of moisture per cubic foot
rather than the wet bulb temperature, or
grains per lb. for absolute or relative humidity
or moisture. But in considering the variations
in humidity throughout a mine " grains per
cu. ft. "is not a sufficient definition, for a given
quantity of air naturally varies very greatly
in temperature and pressure, and therefore
in volume as it passes through a mine. For
example, a cubic foot of air in a hot working
place may be a very different amount from a
cubic foot of air at the intake of the fan at
the surface, or it may not be. This will
depend on the compensating effects of the
temperature and pressure to be considered,
that is, on the depth of the mine, on the
barometric pressure on the day of
observation, and on the surface and under-
ground temperatures, etc. Hence records
of humidity as the actual moisture content
in grains per foot in different places may, like
some pleasures, have the doubtful virtue of
reality, but otherwise be very unprofitable.
The following table from Dr. Hill's
Science of Veniilalion (part i, page 98) gives
the maximum capacity of air at different
temperatures for holding water vapour.
It will be noted that this capacity increases
rapidly with increase of temperature : —
Temperat
jre
Maxi
mum weight
of air
of water in s;rains
Degrees
F.
per
cubic foot.
.30
1-94
41)
2-8.S
5(1
4-08
60
.S-7.S
70
7-98
80
10-9
90
14-7
100
19-7
" Relative humidity " is the term given
to the ratio of the weight of water vapour
contained in a given volume of air to
the weight which this same volume would
contain when fully saturated at the same
temperature. It is expressed as a percentage.
From the above table it will be seen that
NOVEMBER, 1921
285
when the relative humidity is low and the
temperature warm the capacity of the air
for water is great ; therefore if in motion its
effect on perspiration is great. It will be
found that in all the best work humidity
is expressed in grains of moisture per cubic
foot reduced to normal temperature and
pressure throughout, that is, moisture in a
given mass of air, not a given volume, is
recorded when results are plotted ; thus a
chart is obtained which shows the amount of
moisture the air takes up in passing from
place to place in the mines, and also gives
the absolute humidity at any place (Fig. 6) .
about his bare arms as he works in a dead
end where compressed air and not velocity
may supply most of the all-important
cooling effect. This latter class of case is of
much practical importance, and together
with the whole question of the effect of
clothing can be dealt with but poorly by
means of the hydrometer. Moreover, even
in simple cases, it is often very difficult,
particularly with slow air currents, to
calculate the contributory cooling effect
of velocity when given it and the hydrometer
readings. Some writers appear to have
applied the mediaeval principle of circum-
GRAINS OF MOISTURE
PER CUBIC FOOT
, '-J"!"'
•?-i-rt-t
j^-^^
;H-
f-T2=irr
^r
.^
-y-f=
■a
.^^
FACE
RETUfi
■%—■
■^rs^
IB 13
1. SURFACE.
2. PIT-BQTTOM.
INTAKE —
a; NO. 12 MANHOLE
4. 1ST SLIT.
6. SRO SLIT.
6. 6TH SLIT.
7. 7TH SLIT.
8. 9TH SLIT.
9. HTM SLIT.
10. 60 YARDS FROM FACE.
FACE—
11. BY TRAVELLING-ROAD GATE.
12. BY SECOND WGRKING CROSS-GATE
RETURN-
18. 50 YARDS PROM FACE.
14. BEYOND FIRST WORKING CROSS-GATE.
18. BY 1ST SLIT.
16. AT CROSS ROADS.
17. BEYOND LAST SLIT TO TRAVELLING-ROAD.
18. BEYOND JUNCTION OF RETURN SPLITS-
IB. MOUTHING. NO. 2 SHAFT.
DEPTH OF SHAFT. 625 YARDS
INTAKE. FACE. AND RETURN AT
APPROXIMATELY SAME LEVEL.
/,ffl/ff ZjOOO J,BQO 4;000 £,000 6^000 Y/^PPS
DISTANCE FROM SURFACE
Fig. 6. — Curves of Humidity on a I,evel
This is a special advantage because absolute
humidity has a particular physiological
significance. Such a chart combined with a
temperature chart will show the loss of
cooling power of the air as it travels through
the workings provided the air is circulated
through them at constant velocity. As this
is never possible, and, moreover, as the
velocity has such a preponderant influence
on cooling power, its variations must be
measured and allowed for.
Velocity is generally measured by means
of some form of vane-driven anemometer,
which has been previously calibrated in
air currents of known velocities. These
instruments are quite satisfactory for main
levels, but give poor resulis with very low
velocities, still worse ones with eddy currents,
and none at all with such alternating air
currents as traverse the skin of a working
miner's body under his shirt or circulate
venting the pure concept. The effects of
velocity have been ignored and humidity
set up in its place as the all-important factor
in cooling effect, although, to quote Mr. H. S.
Ireland, " it is almost impossible in connexion
with work in mines to overstate the
importance of movement in the air."
All temptation for engineers to accept a
simple faith in humidity has been taken
away by the invention and perfection by
Dr. Leonard HiU of that most convenient of
instruments, the kata-thermometer. This
invention is particularly opportune, coming
as it does at the very time when the problem
of deep metal mining is forcing itself upon
the attention of many engineers.
The kata-thermometer is a special
instrument which measures directly the
actual combined cooling effect on a surface
of an air-current of given velocity,
temperature, and humidity ; and also gives
2 so
111 MINING MAC.AZINE
the cooling effect due to radiation, con-
vection, and evaporation, without tiie use
of anemometers and wet and dry bulb
thermometers or other hygrometers. It
not only gives a single correctly integrated
and ]X'rfectly intelligible figure, but it can be
applied to eddy currents, low velocities,
and even to still air. It is so compact that
it can be readily carried in tlie pocket and
Fig.
-Kata-thermomeier.
can easily be used for taking observations
next the skin underneath a man's clothing.
It weighs less and costs less than any
reliable anemometer or hygrometer, and,
above all, is extremely simple to manipulate
and easy to read in a poor light.
Also it is extremely simply constructed in
a single piece, with no moving parts to get
out of adjustment. In fact, it has been
so perfected and so simplified that there
almost appears to be nothing in it to write
about. A glance at the history of other
experimenters' failures and a day or two
digesting Dr. Hill's .'ill pages of The Science
of Venlilalion, will soon convince the reader
of the enormous mass of work which went to
])roduce this triumph of apjilied tlu'ory.
The theor\' itself is given in several papers
before the Royal Society (see Bibliography),
and is far from simple, so may be omitted
here, but a description of the instrument
(Fig. 7) is of more general interest.
It consists essentially of a large-bulbed
alcohol thermometer designed for the ready
measurement of its own rate of cooling
from 100° F. to 95° F. This range of
temperature is chosen to give a mean of
97-5" F. (36-5° C), which is approximately
that of the clothed body surface. A
bulb about 4 cm. in length and 2 cm. in
diameter of known area, with a stem 20 cm.
long has been found to give a sufficient
time-interval for accurate observation so
long as the temperature of the air is below
90° F. or over 105° F. The top of the stem
terminates in a small reservoir, which gives a
margin for overheating the instrument
without bursting the bulb and also allows
the cooling to settle down to a steady rate
before the 100° mark is reached. A thin
muslin finger stall is supplied with each
instrument so that either dry or ordinary
wet kata readings can be taken.
The dry kata reading gives the cooling
power by radiation and convection, while
the wet kata gives the cooling power by
radiation, convection, and evaporation, that
is, the total cooling power of the ventilating
current. The dry kata reading is sometimes
used for quite a different purpose, namely,
to measure the velocity of air currents when
they arc moving very slowly.
( To be totuludcd. )
Commercial Motors. — The fifth Inter-
national Commercial Motor Exhibition was
held at Olympia, London, from October 14 to
22. A large number of motors were on show
that are applicable for haulage to and from
mines, and there were also many tipping motors
that are in demand among mining men.
Among the makers may be mentioned the
following : The Daimler Company, Ltd.,
Ransome, Sims, & Jefferies, Ltd., Walker
Brothers (Wigan), Ltd., Leyland Motors, Ltd.,
Fodens, Ltd. ,Tilling-Stevens Motors, Ltd., The
Maudslay Motor Co., Ltd., John I. Thorny-
croft & Co., Ltd., Karrier Motors, Ltd.,
The Sentinel Waggon Works, Ltd., and
Sheffield Simplex, Ltd.
A HISTORY OF MINING IN CHILE
By F. BENITEZ, A.R.S.M., D.l.C, Assoc.Inst.M.M.
Introduction. — Mining is intimately con-
nected with the settlement, development,
and even with the discovery of all that
portion of the American continent colonized
by the Spaniards. Unlike that heroic band
of Pilgrim Fathers, who sought refuge in
New England to escape religious persecutions
and to be able to follow in peace the same
callings and occupations as of old, the no less
heroic Spanish adventurers who came to
America did so with the hope of quickh'
bettering their fortunes in order to return
to Spain to lead a life of ease and luxury,
or were simply led there by a spirit of
adventure. Greater contrast cannot be
imagined than that existing between the
Spanish Argonauts and the English Puritans.
Comparing Pizarro and Cortez, Valdivia
and Almagro, Ojeda and Mendez with
Brewster, Bradford, Carver, and even
Standish, we find nothing in common in
both types except the same dauntless energy,
grim determination, and iinahty of purpose.
There the resemblance ends. The Spaniards
were primarily men of war, soldiers of fortune
first and last, seekers after something more
solid than all the glory won in France,
Italy, and Flanders. The Enghshmen, deeply
righteous and men of peace, emigrated in
search of religious freedom, the thing above
all others that they sought. It is well to
bring out the great difference between the
two types of men who were the progenitors
of the two great races of the American
continent, because in them we shall find
not only the reason of the great contrast
which the slow and peaceful settlement and
growth of the United States and Canada
offer to the imperfect and turbulent develop-
ment of the Spanish-American republics,
but also the key to some of the differences
in the psychology of the two races.
The foremost thought of the early Spanish
adventurers who came to the New Continent,
which they imagined to be India and the
islands of Japan, was to become rich quickly
in order to return to the Peninsula. The idea
of settling in the New World never entered
their minds, and as agriculture — the only
other possible occupation in a new country —
was too slow and unrcmunerative an under-
taking for their adventurous and fickle
nature, it is not surprising that the greater
number turned to mining as the most rapid
means of acquiring wealth. The great
quantities of gold, precious stones, and silver
which the Incas of Peru had accumulated in
their temples and palaces, perhaps through
centuries of hard toil, fired their imagination,
and a most active and thorough search
for the source of the precious metals took
place. The story of their adventures makes
most wonderful reading, and for a record of
mad audacity, unbounded faith, and heroic
courage it has no equal in history. On the
other hand, the Puritans came to New
England accompanied by their wives and
families. Their wish was to settle quickly
and to form a colony as soon as a suitable
site was found. Encumbered as they were
by their women folk, they did not travel
far, nor did they mix with the native
population. The result was that for centuries
the English settlers only colonized a long and
narrow strip of land along the Atlantic
coast from the St. Laurence to the Savannah
river, and the rush westward came a long
time after and under different conditions.
Very different from this was the colonization
of Spanish America. Most of the early
Spanish soldier-miners who followed
Columbus were young and unmarried. Their
dominating desire for gold was for ever
compelling them to hunt for that mythical
El Dorado, the goal of their ambitions, and,
as a consequence, in a comparativeh' short
space of time, little more than a century,
they had explored the greater part of the
American continent, from Northern Mexico
to Cape Horn, and from the Atlantic to the
Pacific coast. When tired and disappointed
in their search, they would rest awhile until
the gold fever would take hold of their souls
again, and their peregrinations would start
once more. We see, as an example, that
many of the soldiers who came with Valdivia
for the conquest of Chile had served with
Cortez in Mexico, under Pizarro in Peru,
besides having fought in Central America.
The Spaniards married freely Indian women,
and the result was a mixed race, Spanish on
the father's side, Indian on the mother's.
Spanish women did not come to America
in large numbers until a great many years
after the conquest was ended ; for in those
early days ships were scarce and small and
the space available was far too valuable to
waste on women when men and horses, cattle
287
288
Till MlNi\(; MAGAZINE
and plants were so badly needed to carry to
completion tlie forniidalilo enterprise Spain
had so lii^htly and i!:;norantly undertaken.
Another inijiortant fact must be taken into
consideration when linding reasons for the
great differences in the development of
English and Spanish America. The English
colonists, as has already been said, were
primarily farmers. Agriculture binds the
man wh.o cultivates the soil to his land, and
he becomes part and parcel of it. He takes
root in his ground, as it were, much as the
trees and the corn that he plants do ; he
learns to love it, and in the end passes it on
to his sons, and these, in their turn, to theirs.
The United States was first a farming
country, then an industrial one, and lastly
mining developed. Mining is a permanent
industry in a particular place or district
while the mines continue to pay. When the
deposits arc worked out or become
impoverished so that the}^ cannot any longer
be mined at a profit the population tliat
lived on the mines moves elsewhere and the
mining camp becomes deserted. Some of the
first Spanish settlements were mining camps.
Therefore they were not, they could not,
be permanent.
Gold. — The early inhabitants of Chile,
or " mapuchcs," lived in the Stone Age, until
conquered by the Incas of Peru at the
beginning of the fifteenth century, from
whom they learned the art of mining, ^^'hen
the Spaniards Almagro and Valdivia travelled
southward from Peru into Chile they did so
in the hope of finding great abundance of
the precious metals, being misled by the
wonderful tales the Peruv'ian Indians told
them about the great wealth of gold Chile
contained. They were disappointed in their
hopes of finding much gold in Chile, for, as
it is well-known, Chile is not rich in the
yellow metal. Only placer deposits wero
exploited in those days, the first being that
of Marga-Marga near Valparaiso. This kind
of mining increased greatly in the second
half of the sixteenth century, and it is
calculated that in those fifty years more than
72,000 kilograms of gold were recovered.
The system of working the deposits was
extremely crude and very cheap, as all the
work was done by Indian slaves, who received
no payment and only the barest means of
subsistence from their masters. The risings
of the Araucanian Indians during the whole
of the seventeenth century compelled the
Spaniards to exchange the pick for the sword,
and as a consequence the production of gold
decreased lo aboul lialf that of thr jui'vious
century. In the liiilitecnih century tin re was
a renaissance of gold mining in Chile, brought
about by the discovery of gold in vein
deposits. No extensive goldfield was found,
but many rich lodes were worked througiiout
the whole length of Chile, from Itata to the
Atacama desert. The average production
of gold is estimated to have reached about
1,000 kilograms per year in the first ninety
years of the eighteenth century. This
figure rose to 2,000 kilograms ])er j-ear in
the last ten years of the eighleeuth and the
beginning of the nineteenth century, but this
last figure repres(>nts the high-water mark
in gold production in Chile.
The causes which have contributed to the
decadence of gold mining in Chile have been
many. Chile, as has already been said,
has never been rich in gold, ;ind although
its occurrence is widespread througiiout the
country, the ores are of low grade and the
deposits of limited extent. So far no gold-
field worthy of the name has been foimd in
Chile. The great impetus which gold mining
received under Spanish rule was due
primarily to the active search made for the
precious metal by the Spaniards to whom
all other things were practically of no value.
This is proved by the fact that under the
Spanish regime more gold was produced
than has been recovered since. Free labour
in the form of Indian slaves, and tlie
rudimentary and cheap methods of
exploitation used were also contributory
causes to active production in the early days.
Thus the gold-placers and the richest and
most accessible vein deposits were worked
out first. Later the struggle for independence
coupled with the unsettled state of the
country caused a reduction in output. Lastly
the growth of trade with foreign countries,
a direct result of the declaration of
independence and free trade, directed the
mining activities of the country to copper
and the nitrate fields.
Silver. — Although more plentifully found
in Chile than gold, the Spaniards gave very
little attention to silver, w-hich being devoid
of value to them as a medium of exchangi
was not so necessary to them as gold. More-
over, silver is not found in placer deposits,
but in veins, and as vein mining presented
to the Spaniards, lacking as they did even
the most rudimentary equipment, an under-
taking far more difficult of solution than the
simple washing of river gravels carr3ang
detrital gold, it is not surprising to find
I
NOVEMBER, 1921
289
that silver received no serious attention
under Spanish rule. Even supposing that the
difficulties of mining the silver ores had been
surmounted satisfactorily, the Spaniards
would have been faced by a still more
unsolvable problem in most of the mines,
namely the successful metallurgical
separation of the silver from the elements
combined with it. The chief silver minerals
found in Chile are proustite, pyrargyrite,
and cerargyrite, though native silver has
been found in great quantities occurring
in veins in limestone.
The beginning of the eighteenth century
marks the serious commencement of silver
mining in Chile, though in those early days
a few unimportant deposits were worked
in the provinces of Santiago and Aconcagua
in Central Chile. Towards the end of the
eighteenth century the very important
deposits of the department of Copiapo in
the province of Atacama began to yield their
rich ores, but the great epoch of silver
mining in Chile does not correspond to the
colonial regime, but coincides with the
declaration of independence in the nineteenth
century. Many were the rich silver mines
discovered in Chile during the nineteenth
century. That of Agua Araarga in Vallenar
was the first to be worked. Then followed
that of Arqueros in Coquimbo, and the
famous Chaiiarcillo and Tres Puntas in the
department of Copiapo. Another famous
group of mines were those of Huantaiaya,
near Iquique. Caracoles (1870) was another
famous silver district situated in the province
of Antofogasta. The Condes mines near
Santiago, now worked for copper, yielded
considerable quantities of gold and silver
from the upper levels. Of these mines the
most famous and rich were those of
Chanarcillo, which from 18.32 to 1859
produced S60,UU0,000 worth of silver. The
Huantaiaya mines produced §22,000,000
of silver.
The value of the production has, like that of
gold, decreased considerably, and silver mining
to-day is only a shadow of what it was,
especially in the second half of the nineteenth
century, when between 100,000 and
200,000 kilograms of silver were produced
annually. In the present centmy the annual
production has never reached more than
70,000 kilograms per year (1900 and
1901). The silver won lately has come from
ores other than silver, especially since 1916,
when out of 47,500 kilograms only 10,800
were derived from silver mines proper.
The following table gives the production for
the vears 1907 to 1917 inclusive : —
From Silver
From other
Mines.
ores.
Total
Year
Kilograms
Kilograms
Kilograms
1907 .
. 15,542
3,194
18,736
1908 .
. 23,926
19,643
43,569
1909 .
. 13,511
22,397
35,907
1910 .
. 11,964
22,994
34,956
1911 .
. 11,122
16,553
27,675
1912 .
9,760
20,418
30,178
1913 .
. 11,744
17,507
29,252
1914 .
9,847
17,598
27,445
1915 .
8,712
16,525
25,238
1916 .
. 10.780
36,660
47,440
1917 .
. 10,533
42,860
53,393
Undoubtedly the chief causes of the decline
in the production of silver is due to the
exhaustion of the bonanzas found in Northern
Chile, from Coquimbo (latitude 30° S.) to
Iquique (latitude 20° S.) in the last century,
and to the fact that no new deposits of the
importance of the old ones have been dis-
covered. In several districts the mines
were abandoned on leaching a depth of
500 ft., while in others rich ores have
persisted to depths exceeding 1,000 ft.
To what extent the mines were abandoned
owing to impoverishment in depth, faulty
management, or lack of equipment, is a
debatable point ; but the probabilities are
in favour of the last. To those who are well
acquainted with the primeval methods of
mine exploitation still in vogue in almost
all the Chilean mines, where no modern
machinery is used and no systematic
exploratory and development work is carried
out, it is clear that only the very rich ores
would pay to mine in those days. It is the
opinion of many mining engineers well
acquainted with the country that man\' of
the silver mines now abandoned and full of
water would pay good dividends if properly
equipped and scientifically exploited. Yet
another reason for the decreased production
is the antiquated method employed for
extracting the silver, namely amalgamation,
which only gives a poor recovery.
Cyanidation, in spite of its general application
elsewhere, has yet to be introduced seriously
in Chile. The fall in the price of silver has
been also a contributory cause to the decline
in silver mining ; for whereas in the second
half of the last century, the great epoch of
silver mining in Chile, the metal was quoted
in London around five shillings per ounce,
since 1900 it has stood at about two shillings
previous to the recent boomi.
Copper. — For much of the information
I give here relating to the histoiy of copper
290
Till-. MINING MAGAZINE
mining in Chile, I am indebted to a most
interesting lecture delivered by the Chilean
engineer, Don Santiago Marin Vicuna, at
the National Library in Santiago dealing
with this subject.
According tt) two old Spanish chroniclers,
Marino dc Lobera and Garcilaso de la Vega,
copper mining was carried on in Chile
during the domination of the I'eruvian
Incas, who extended their conquests to
northern Chile and taught their rudimentary
art of mining to their less civilized neighbours,
or " mapauches," as the aborigines of Chile
called themselves. There is ample evidence
furnished by the discovery of very old
workings made by the ancients, where
crude w'ooden tools such as hammers, shovels,
and gads, leather " capachos " or skin bags,
as well as mummies of the Indians them-
selves, have been found, that the Indians
mined for copper, probably in the native
form, which they utilized for domestic
uses and for arms ; while the oxidized
minerals, which are of such abundant
occurrence in the north were used in the
making of ornaments. The Spaniards,
however, paid very little attention to copper,
and it was not until 1600 that they started
to mine for it. The demand for copper in
Chile arose out of the necessity in which the
Viceroy of Peru found himself of making
guns for the defence of El Callao and other
ports in his jurisdiction from the
depredations of English corsairs and pirates,
who in those days infested the coasts of the
South Pacific. The metal was found to be of
such good quaUty that a demand for it
came from Spain itself for the same object.
Though since 1600 copper was mined in
Chile uninterruptedly the industry did not
reach much importance until after the
declaration of independence which opened
to Chile the markets of the world. In those
early days of copper mining only the very
rich deposits near the coast were exploited.
Many were the causes which contributed
to the stagnation of the copper industry
in those times. The means of transport
were very inadequate ; the demand for
copper was not great, and its price was low ;
the methods of exploitation were most
rudimentary ; and last, but not least,
Spain levied a tax of 20% on all exports,
the so-called " quintos reales." Strange
as it may appear to-day, copper could not
be exported through any of the Chilean
ports, and had to be sent either to Buenos
Aires via the Andes and Mendoza on mule-
back or to Callao in sailing-ships in order
that the proper authorities might control
the famous " quintos." No wonder, then,
that under such conditions co])per mining
could ni)t ]nos])er, and that only when the
declaration of indejiendence brought about
the elimination of such ciiiidisli and ])elti-
fogging restrictions could the industry attain
a vigorous and healthy development. During
the first two centuries of copper mining in
Chile, the sixteenth and seventeenth, the
production was only 70,000 tons, or less than
a year's production nowadays.
Vicuna Mackenna, one of the most
distinguished of Chilean publicists, writing
on the growth of the copper industry,
described it thus : " Copper was born in
our mountains in a plebeian cradle, and
thus lived for nearlj' three centuries ; then
labour, industry, commerce, and science,
together with liberty, made of it a noble
potentate."
The following table gives the copper
production of Chile up to 1918, in metric
tons.
Years
1600-1699
1700-1799
1800-1899
1900-1918
Total output, .\nnual average.
Tons Tons
4,600 . 46
62,200 . 622
1,764,680 . 17,646
850,720 . 47,260
Totals . 2,682,000 . 8,434
Production from 1898 to 1917.
Year Tons Year Tons
1898 . 26,341 1908 . . 42,097
1899 . . 25,719 1909 . . 42,726
1900 . . 27,715 1910 . . 38,232
1901 . . 30,155 1911 . . 36,420
1902 . 27,066 1912 . . 41,647
1903 . . 29,923 1913 . . 42,263
1904 . . 31,025 1914 . . 44,665
1905 . 29,126 1915 . . 52,341
1906 . . 25,829 1916 . . 71,289
1907 . . 28,863 1917 . 102,527
It was not until a third of the eighteenth
century had elapsed that copper mining
reached much importance in the country.
The struggle for independence had absorbed
aU the energies of the people, and the severe
taxation imposed to furnish the necessary
funds for the army and navy of liberation
had left the nation very poor. Labour was
scarce, too, for all the manhood of the country
was in arms against Spain. Though Chile
achieved earlier than any other Latin-
American republic a stable form of repre-
sentative government, and though the
steadiness of her political institutions from
the earliest times offer to the world the
only example of a true constitutional
NOVEMBER, 1921
291
development worthy of the name among
the welter of revolutions for which the South-
American continent has become famous,
the country cannot be said in truth to have
reached political peace and a definite form
of government imtil the promulgation of the
Constitution of 1.833. From this date copper
mining, though subjected to periods of
depression, the causes of which will be
analysed later, has reached great proportions,
and the total value of the copper exported
in 1918 was 60,000,000 dollars.
In the early days only the rich deposits
situated near the coast were worked. The
system used was the open-cut, and the
mines were worked from the outcrops down.
The rich oxidized ores were smelted in char-
coal furnaces of oval shape, made from baked
earth and perforated at regular intervals
by a series of holes to establish a draught.
Near the hearth there were two openings,
one to tap the copper, and the other to
admit an air-pipe leading to powerful
bellows to increase the natural draught.
The ore and fuel were charged in alternate
layers. The wood used as fuel was cheap,
for in those early days the districts round
Coquimbo and Copiapo, where copper mining
and smelting began, were heavily forested,
though to-day they are devoid of trees.
This early method of smelting was essentially
a reduction of oxidized ores by charcoal,
and was the only kind of smelting known
and practised in Chile for over a century,
until a distinguished English metallurgist,
Charles S. Lambert, introduced the re-
verberatory furnace in 1834. Chile owes
to Lambert a great debt of gratitude, for
until his arrival in the country scientific
and modern methods of smelting were totally
unknown. Lambert was a graduate of the
famous Polytechnic School of Paris, and came
to Chile as assayer to an English mining
company operating at Copiapo. He was
long and honourably connected with mining
and smelting operations in Chile, where he
acquired a large and deserved fortune,
and he died in London in 1877. Besides the
reverberatory, he also introduced the blast-
furnace, the steam-engine, stamps, sulphuric-
acid making, concentration, and the use of
coal in smelting ; but of all these innovations
none was of surh paramount importance as
the reverberatory furnace, which soon made
Chile the leading copper-producing country'
in the world. At the time of Lambert's
death (1877) Chile produced more than half
the world's copper.
One of the most famous copper mines of
Chile in those days was that of Tamaya, near
the town of Ovalle, in the province of
Coquimbo. This renowned mine, reputed to
have been the richest in the world, is said
to have contained a "royal" or "mother"
vein, fourteen yards wide, with an average
tenor of 60% copper. The owner of the
property was very successful in the treat-
ment of the oxidized portion of this
magnificent ore-body, but could do nothing
with the ore from the sulphide zone, for in
those days the smelting of sulphide ore was
unknown in Chile. Ludicrous as the fact
may appear to us to-day, sulphide ore was
regarded as waste by the miners of that
epoch, and was either thrown on the dumps
or kept in the mines as filling material.
Therefore, at that time the reaching of
the sulphide zone was to the miner the end
of his mine, the death of his hopes. The
Chilean mining expression, " Be bronceo
la mina," which means that the region of
sulphide ore has been reached, became
synonymous with the English " petering
out " ; for, as sulphide ore was not
marketable in those days, from a financial
point of view, the mine was as good as
exhausted. Lambert, who was already in the
country, heard of the great riches of the
Tamaya mine, then famous throughout
Chile, and visited it in 1834. He marvelled
at so much wealth lying idle, both inside the
mine and out, and proposed to the owner to
pay for the ore at the flat rate of an " onza '
per day, or seventeen dollars. The owner,
a most worthy gentleman, accepted, not
without some misgivings as to the right
mental balance of the Englishman, and in
order to be in peace with his religious
conscience insisted that a proviso be
inserted in the contract whereby no dues
were to be paid on Sundays or any fete
days consecrated to the Holy Catholic
Church.
When the rich and easily accessible
deposits became exhausted, the production
of copper in Chile decreased rapidly, and in
1882 the United States displaced Chile as
the leading copper-producing country in
the world. In a period of twenty years,
from 1877 to 1897, the production had
decreased from 47,000 to 21,000 tons.
From this brief description of the history
of copper mining in Chile, it can be seen
that the industry has been subjected to
many fluctuations and vicissitudes. Three
distinct periods of great activity in copper
202
THE MININC. MACAZINI':
product ion can be seen . The fust corresponds
to the exploitation of the rich oxidized
portions of the most accessible deposits,
which were mostly situated in the Coast
Range or in the spurs of the Andes tliat
run towards t!ie coast and form the transverse
valleys. These rich, oxidized ores were
smelted in charcoal furnaces. The methods
of mining were most rudimentary, as no
mechanical equipment was used. The
smelting, too, was simplicity itself. Labour
was plentiful and very cheap, The second
corresponds to the introduction of the
rcverberatory furnace, which allowid the
sulphide ores, regarded as untreatable until
then, to be smelted. In this second period,
which lasted from 1834 to 1880, the copper
produced came from the zones of seconclary
enrichment of the mines whose oxidized
regions had been worked in the previous
epoch, and from many newly discovered
deposits from which only the richest ore was
taken out. All these mines were situated
in regions of casv accessibility ; for the
methods of working were still very little
better than those of the previous period,
and with any such methods only rich ores
could pa}- the heavy mining costs and dear
transport rates of those days. From 1880
to 1908 the yearly oiitput was much below
those years when Chile occupied first place
among the nations as a copper-producing
country. The reasons for the falling off
of production are not difficult to discover.
In the first place the richest and most
accessible deposits had been worked out.
Modern equipment and sufficient capital
were lacking, as the nitrate fields were
attracting preferably the local savings.
The railway system" of the country was
very undeveloped, and labour was much
dearer and scarcer, owing to the demands of
the nitrate fields. The last period begins
in 1908, and corresponds with the arrival
in Chile of powerful foreign capital, first
English' ard 'French, and later American.
It is the era of modern machinery and
methods, of the blast-furnace, flotation, and
lixiviation. It is characterized by the
courage, energy, and method with which
American capital, scientifically directed,
has attacked such tremendous undcrtalcings
as Teniente, Chuquicamata, Potrerillos,
and La Africana. It is the day of the big
low-grade deposits in the inaccessible regions
of tiie Andes and of sound scientific mining
engineering.
The successful development of the four
great American companies in Chile, two of
which have reached the producing stage,
have proved conclusively that low-grade
projKwitions are just as susceptible of
proiitable operation in Chile as in the United
States, in spite of th.e much greater natural
obstacles to be overcome, distance from
base of supplies, and cost of transporting
the produce to New York for refining or
sale, if sufficient capital is provided and the
management is entrusted to engineers of
}>roved ability and experience in large-
scale operations of this kind. It is my
opinion that in the future the American
companies operating in Chile will be able to
produce their copper for several cents less
than those operating in the United States,
probably at about 7 or 8 cen,ts per lb.
There is no question that local capital
would not have dared to tackle such enter-
prises as the low-grade copper deposits
of Chile, which demand the investment of
millions of dollars before the producing
stage is reached. Native capital is shy
and conservative, and though adventurous
enough for mining on a small scale, it would
not have braved the big undertakings, where
the payment of dividends might be long
deferred, owing to its lack of experience
in financing, engineering, and manage-
ment.
It may be said confidently that the bulk
of the copper produced in Chile in the future
will come from the large low-grade mines.
Whether Chilean capital, inspired by the
example set by the American companies,
will take heart and develop some of its own
low-grade deposits is a moot question. If
it does it will have to abandon its timorous
present methods of financing and manage-
ment, and above all repent of its inveterate
love of share juggling at the Bourses, of which
we have had so many glaring examples of
late. Mining, we all know, is a legitimate
gamble. Tlie phrase has so often been
repeated and accepted by everybody that it
has become a common truism ; but its
meaning only holds true so long as the
interests of the shareholders are dutifully
safeguarded bj' directors and management
alike. \\'hen these inflate or depreciate, bull
or bear the stock of a mining company to
further their own ends, the operation is
neither mining nor gambling. It simply
becomes common straight swindling. There
has been loo much of this sort of thing in
Chile of late. The sooner it is abandoned
the better for all concerned.
NOVEMBER, 1921
293
Mining Condition? in Chilf. — From the
conquest to the declaration of independence,
mining in Chile, as well as in all the other
Spanish colonies in America, had to bear a
very heavy duty in the form of the famous
and much hated " quintos reales," which
consisted in the payment to the Spanish
Royal Exchequer of 20% of the total value
of the mineral prodiiced. Mining was a
profitable undertaking in spite of such a
burdensome load, owing to the fact that the
miner could draw upon a large and cheap
supply of Indian labour. This labour was so
cheap that it received no payment in cash, and
only sufficient food to keep it alive. Towards
the end of the eighteenth century slavery
was abolished in Chile. After the abolish-
ment of slavery the wages paid to the Indian
and " mestizo " miners were very low, and
not until the middle of the nineteenth century
did they rise perceptibly. The rise in wages
coupled to the gradual descent in the price
of silver at that time caused a slump in the
production of that metal. The fluctuations
in the price of copper also militated against
the steady production and growth of the
copper-mining industry ; and though the
miner after 1810 was no longer compelled
to pay the exacting tribute of 20% to Spain,
this advantage was offset by the rise in wages
and the low price of the metals.
In those early days the production was
greatly encouraged by the very cheap means
of transport, for, though the roads were very
bad and far between, the miner was entitled
by law to graze his animals in neighbouring
pastures without any payment on his part.
The wood for smelting the ores could also
be obtained for nothing from the near-by
forests round the districts of Coquimbo and
Copiapu, in those days plentifully supplied
with trees, though to-day sadly deforested
by the wanton and blind destruction brought
about by the local smelters.
All the gold produced in Chile in early
times was recovered by the Indians in the
" batea," the Spanish equivalent of the
English pan. Not until the seventeenth
century did the " trapiche " or crude fore-
runner of the Chilean mill make its
appearance. In the eighteenth century
amalgamation was introduced in Chile,
chiefly in connexion with the extraction of
silver from its ores. Copper ores, until the
introduction of the reverberatory furnace,
were always smelted in the crude mud-baked
furnaces already described. The mining
and raetaUurgical methods employed until
recent times have always been of the crudest.
According to a historian, even in the early
days of the nineteenth century, there was not
a single trained metallurgist in Chile.
LETTERS TO the EDITOR
Indian Mining Laws
The Editor :
Sir — Your Editorial and extract from the
Journal of Indian Industries and Labour
set out the principles that govern the granting
of prospecting licences and mining leases
in British India, and present the views of
the Government of India on its own laws.
Having been mining for some years in this
country 1 think it desirable that the views of
some of those who have to work under these
laws should also be presented, and that
certain failings in them should be pointed out.
Too much is left to the discretion of the
Deputy Commissioner or Collector of a
district, who is not infallible, and the rules
are not sufficiently binding to prevent
favouritism, influence, or persuasion from
affecting decisions.
To commence with, anyone is at libcrt}^ to
explore for minerals, but no discoverer is
allowed to take out a licence or lease on what
he has found unless he be granted a certificate
of approval from Government, that is, the
Deputy Commissioner or Collector of the
district. In other words, that he be con-
sidered by this individual to be a " fit and
proper person/'
Cases have arisen in which certificates of
approval have been held under some
collectors and renewal refused under others,
and vice versa. Also a person while working
for a firm may be considered " fit and
proper," but may be no longer so when he
wishes to do some prospecting on. his own.
In the event of a refusal, appeal can be made
to the local Government, but the chances
are greatly in favour of the district official
being supported, and the Government are
not obliged, and often decline, to give any
grounds for such refusal. If prospecting
is to be stimulated, the finder should be in
a position to reap the reward of his labour.
Where the application for a prospecting
licence has to go up to the local Government,
the licence may take anything from six to
eighteen months, or even longer, before it is
executed.
29-1
nil MlNlNc; M ACAZINH
No limit is placed on the area taken
up under a prospecting licence, with the
result that a big company can tie up such
parts of the country as seem desirable for a
period of three years.
In mining leases, the royalties discriminate
between precious stones, gold and silver,
and other metals and minerals, while that on
iron ore is absurdly low even allowing for
a desire to stimulate the iron and steel
industry of India. The minimum rates can
be exceeded in the event of the deposit
proving to be of more than normal value,
which is not only ambiguous, but would
seem to preclude the miner or investor from
reaping the full benefit of the occasional
windfall and encouragement necessary for
further effort alluded to in your Editorial.
In the event of any disputes occurring
regarding licences or leases the decision of the
local Government is final, though it has no
official with sufficient technical knowledge
to arrive at a correct decision, the Mines
Department being under the Government
of India.
Turning to prospecting and mining
generally, encouragement varies with the
officer in charge of the district, and the
backing behind the prospector ; while
travelling in areas remote from the railway
is practically dependent on the support of
the local authorities.
Again, in some districts where roads have
been made these are closed to both lorry
and tractor traffic when no other routes are
available, and one is obliged to fall back
on the prehistoric bullock cart, v,-hich makes
mining impossible.
The lack of encouragement to the small
prospector and his inability to procure a
Licence has often in this country led to the
premature flotation of large companies,
before the necessary development work
has been done, with, generally, disastrous
results.
E. O. Murray.
Takanagar, September 27.
Oil in Sussex
The Editor :
Sir — The recent reports in the daily Press
of the occunence of oil in a water-well at
Bosham, near Chichester, recall to mind a
similar discovery at Peterborough some
years ago, when a leakage from surface stores
caused the " mysterious " accumulation ;
in this more remarkable instance in Sussex
we are informed that over 100 gallons of oil
have been obtained, and, further, that there
are no contiguous stores from which it could
possibly have been derived. Under these
circumstances the belief has grown that the
occurrence is a natural one, and already an
inspector from the Petroleum Department
has paid a visit to the well.
In the West Sussex Gazette of October 13
last, a short account of this visit to the
Bosham well was given, and it was stated that
" the inspector made no definite pronounce-
ment on the subject, but it was gathered
that he was distinctly of opinion that the
oil is ' natural oil,' and not the result of some
fortuitous leakage from surface stores."
This, of course, is yet another example of
that curious optimism prevalent whenever
a new " oil discovery " is made in this
country, an optimism which takes no account
whatever of the obvious technical difficulties
existent. The result is that there are already
people who believe that at Bosham wc have
a potential British oilfield, and who are
presumably only waiting in anxious
anticipation of the prospectus of the company
which might possibly be formed to under-
take its development ! Let us glance briefly
at the scientific facts.
Bosham is actually situated on chalk,
here brought to the surface by an east-
west fle.xure known as the Portsdown
Anticline ; we may regard this fold as a
subsidiary clement of the main Weald
structure ; it has, in fact, a tectonic relation-
ship to the main chalk outcrop of the South
Downs. We may therefore admit the
existence of a favourable structure to oil
accumulation at Bosham, but that is un-
fortunately as far as we can agree with the
" optimists." Chalk and oil do not mix,
either phj^sically or genetically. This may
seem an unpardonable platitude, but the
remark is necessary, since under no circum-
stances can the oil be indigenous to the chalk
at Bosham, the latter rock being essentially
a permeable deep-water deposit. WTience can
the oil have come ? If a natural occurrence,
it must have been derived from a much older
stratigraphical horizon. We may rule out
at once the Lower Cretaceous beds, as these
are quite barren of oil wherever met with
in South-P^astern England. We have, there-
fore, to estimate the probabilities of the
Jurassic rocks, more especially the
Kimmeridge Clay, that inevitable " bonanza"
of the advocates of oil-finding in Eastern
and South-Eastern England. Now, quite
apart from the facts that the Kimmeridge
NOVEMBER. 1921
295
Clay is lithologically unsuited to the existence
of large quantities of oil, since it contains no
intercalated sand lenses as storage pools,
and that nowhere in this country has it yet
yielded even a small amount of natural
crude oil, its great depth of location beneath
Bosham is such as to preclude the very
slightest chance of the oil having migrated
thence to its present position, particularly
when we consider the intervening impervious
horizons such as the Purbeck shales. Weald
and Gault Clays. Thus geologically the
possibilities of this oil being a natural
occurrence are practically negligible.
To the writer a simple explanation of the
facts presents itself. Bosham has a tidal
creek, which drains into the Chichester
Harbour, the latter having direct com-
munication with the Channel. In these days
of oil-fired ships and oily sea-water, floating
oil may well occur, and under favourable
tidal circumstances find its way to Bosham
Creek. Local contamination of water wells
would ensue if by any means the tidal
water got access to the ground water, by
no means an impossibility in an area situated
as Bosham is. Whatever be the explanation,
however, it is certain that on geological
grounds no natural accumulation of oil can
be expected here, and the public would be
well advised to accept this and any future
reports of a like character, with the utmost
reserve.
H. B. MiLNER.
London, October 25.
BOOK REVIEWS
Technical Methods of Analysis. Edited
by R. C. Griffin. Cloth, octavo, 660
pages, illustrated. Price 33s. New
York and London : McGraw-Hill Book
Company.
This work, the latest member of the well-
known " International Chemical Series,"
constitutes " a representative selection of
analytical methods which have been adopted
as standard procedures in a large commercial
laboratory engaged in technical analysis."
In view of the enormous field covered to-day
by the term " technical analysis," it is
obvious that, to keep the bulk of the work
within reasonable limits, and at the same
time to describe the processes in sufficient
detail, some of the sections escape the
thoroughness of treatment to be found in
larger works. Nevertheless, in some
600 pages the author has contrived to include
a vast amount of information upon subjects
of great diversity.
The work is divided into eleven chapters,
each of which is devoted to a particular
branch of analysis. In some of these chapters
the necessary compression has resulted in
unevenness of treatment, but in most
instances the omissions are not serious. The
first chapter deals with the preparation of
reagents, standard solutions, and indicators,
and with the care of platinum ware. Then
follows a chapter on general inorganic
analyses, where in forty odd pages a number
of typical determinations are given, including
such diverse materials as table salt, native
sulphur, and agricultural insecticides. In
the next forty pages methods are given for
the examination of thirteen organic com-
pounds of commercial importance.
The section of the analysis of metals is
one which betrays lack of uniformity in
treatment. The whole range of metallurgical
analysis, both ferrous and non-ferrous, is
disposed of in sixty pages. The sampling
of iron and steel receives little more than
one page. One reliable method is given for
each constituent of straight steels and pig,
while alloy steels are adequately treated.
Brasses, bronzes, white metals of all types,
and nickel silvers receive detailed con-
sideration. The commercial analysis of
spelter is described, but no reference is made
to crude or refined copper, soft lead, or the
various grades of gold and silver bullion.
This chapter confines its attention to the
metals themselves, and omits the con-
sideration of the metallic ores, with the
exception of those of tin. We should
hesitate to employ the method given in the
latter case for any but the cleanest or
richest of materials, although the situation
is saved by a reference to the assay of solder,
described elsewhere in the chapter.
Succeeding chapters deal with solid, liquid,
and gaseous fuels, paint, oils, fats, waxes,
soaps, paper, materials, textiles, and food-
stuffs, while in a final chapter devoted to
" Miscellaneous Analyses " we find such
strange bedfellows as boiler waters, leather,
soldering, paste, and portland cement. The
presentation of the book is admirable,
in the style familiar to the readers of the
previous works of the series. The book is
not free from the orthographical blemishes
common to most books of American origin,
while here and there a looseness of expression
is noticeable, not such, however, as to be
of serious import in a book of this nature.
296
THliJ^MlNINC. MAC.AZINH
No attoinjit has boon made to iinludc tho
trcatmoiit of j;as anaJysis, or tln^ analysis
of niiiurals, metallic ores, rocks, the rare
metals, or of organic dyes and drags, nor has
space permitted any mention of the
theoretical aspect of the subject. While
much has of necessity been omitted, the
methods given are in the main up to date
and sound. The information given is
supplemented by numerous references to
current literature, and to government
publications, while the omi.ssions are com-
pensated for by an excellent bibliography of
all branches of chemical analysis. Though
both the student and the specialist may
occasionally seek for information in vain,
the book should prove of value for genera)
reference.
15. DrINKW ATER.
Mine Accounting and Cost Principles.
By T. O. McGr.mh. Cloth, octavo,
260 pages, illustrated. Price 24s. net.
New York and London : McGraw Hill
Book Company.
The exploitation of large mining fields,
the operating of low-grade mines, and the
control of a number of mines by one com-
pany from a central office, have all assisted
the growth of a highly organized method of
mine accounting and costing. Within the
British Empire, mining fields such as the
Witwatersrand, Kalgoorlie, and Kolar, have
done much to place mine accounts and mine
book-keeping on a regular basis. In the
present work Mr. T. O McGrath, an
experienced American mine accountant,
presents details of American mine accounting
and cost principles. The object of the
author, as set forth in the preface, " has not
been to exhaust the subject of accounting and
costing as applied to mining, but simply
to state the principles and to present sufficient
forms, charts, records, and procedure to
illustrate how the principles are applied in
actual practice." Articles have appeared
from time to time in American technical
papers giving details of accounting and
costing at different mines, but in this book
the general principles of the subject are
given clearly and conciseh^, and an appeal
is made for the standardization of this branch
of American mining administration. The
author frankly admits the difficulty of
appIjTng one method and set of forms and
charts for all mine accounting, and the
impossibility of attempting such a thing for
costing, but at least there are certain general
jirineipU's tliat can be foliciwcd in every
instance which will facilitate comparison
at different mines.
Mr. McGrath deals with his subject in an
interesting and orderly manner; first, in
order to determine the basis of the accounting,
the business is analysed and a statement of
the principles of the mining business is
drawn : second, charts of accounts are
created which correctly reflect these
principles upon the ledger ; third, schedules
are drawn showing the charges and credits
to these accounts to ensure uniformity and
correctness ; fourth, books and records are
created that will allow the compiling of
operating and business data so as to give
a balance-sheet showing the true condition
of the business and a profit and loss
statement that gives the results of a period's
operation. The section on cost accounting
deals with units of organization of work
and e(]uipment, expense, cost factors of
production and o])eration, and time, and
closes with examples of compiling the costs.
The book should be very useful to mine
accountants and mining engineers. The
McGraw-Hill Book Company are the
publishers and, as is usual with this firm, the
book is handsomely bound and printed in
clear type on good paper.
A. Yates.
First Aid and Rescue Work in Mining.
By Louis G. Irvinh, ;\I.A , M D. Limp
cloth, pocket size, 360 pages, illustrated.
Price, 8s. 6d. net. Johannesburg : The
South African Red Cross Society ;
London : The Mining M.^gazine.
Although statistics show that from the
standpoints of health and safety mining
compaies very favourably with other
industrial occupations, all serious attempts
to increase the efficiency of emergency
work in dealing with accidents are worthy
of attention. Promptly applied, a knowledge
of first aid may sometimes save a limb and
may not infrequently save a life. Efficient
first aid often prevents dangerous con-
sequences following upon an injury, and will
always tend to lessen pain and suffering.
These facts are so generally admitted that
they are recognized in the legislation of
those countries where mining is an industry
of importance. Successful candidates for
competency as mine managers in Great
Britain must possess some knowledge of
first aid, and in the Union of South Africa,
on mines employing over 500 persons, every
I
NOVEMBER, 1921
297
official fa term which includes even the chief
surveyor, the foreman smith, and the mine
sampler) is required to be in possession of a
certificate from a recognized ambulance
association testifying that the holder is
qualified to render first aid to the injured,
with special reference to mining accidents.
In Great Britain, the Colonies, and the
United States much valuable work has been
done by associations specially formed to
promote the study of first aid work on mines.
As an excellent example of these
organizations, attention may be drawn to the
Yorkshire Collieries Ambulance League.
Founded in 1906, it endeavours to
disseminate knowledge of ambulance work
by public competitions and exhibitions by
teams of mine workers. The competition,
as far as possible, is confined to practical
mining work, and members of each team
competing for the shield and medals must
be emploj'ed at some one mine in Yorkshire.
Associations on somewhat similar lines exist
in manj' other important mining fields, as
in the Transvaal. The South African Red
Cross Society has done much to minimize
the effects of accidents on the Rand, and at
the request of their Executive Committee
Dr. Louis Irvine, in 1913, prepared a small
volume on First Aid in Mining. It was
realized that in the mining industry there
were liable to occur many accidents on which
there was little or no specific information
in the first aid manuals in general use.
Among these may be mentioned blasting
and " gassing " accidents, due to
irregularities in the use of explosives and
cyanide poisoning on gold mine reduction
works. The transport of injured is also a
subject which demands special attention
underground, for it may be necessary to take
a patient through passages of small sectional
area at any inclination from the horizontal.
The publication of eight years ago was only
intended to deal with the requirements of
metalliferous workers. Dr. Irvine's latest
work is much more extensive in character.
It deals with general practice and accidents
peculiar to both coal and metalliferous
mining, in a volume of 350 pages. The
book, however, may be conveniently carried
in the pocket. Part I, General Course in
First Aid, may be regarded as an excellent
manual for the requirements of the general
reader and for those studying for ambulance
team competitions. The avoidance of
technical details of anatomy and physiology,
as far as possible, adds considerably to the
value of what is by no means an elementary
treatise. Part II deals with First Aid and
Rescue Work in mines. The divisions in
mining practice which have long existed
between coal and metalliferous work are
being gradually broken down, to the
advantage of both sections of the community,
and engineers may claim that each branch
of the profession is learning much from the
other. j\Ietal miners may be surprised to
find that accidents from explosions from
firedamp have occurred in gold mines on
the Rand and in Australia. Though the
coal miner may not run much risk of
" gassing " by fumes from explosives, he
may with advantage learn what are the
possibilities of danger in this direction.
Dr. Irvine deals with the causes and
effects of gas and coal-dust explosions and
what methods may be adopted for the
prevention of underground fires and
explosions. He states that the chapter in
his book on the " Use of Rescue Apparatus
in Coal Mines " is intended to be a general
indication of the scope and necessary
limitations of self-contained breathing
apparatus, with descriptions of the most
important types. In 35 pages of a small
book he gives, however, much more than the
preface would lead the reader to expect.
It is more than a practical introduction to
the subject, and for those who wish to make
a further study of mine rescue work he gives
a list of pubhcations which maj' be studied
with advantage.
In a prefatory note to the book. Dr. J. S.
Haldanc, whose valuable work for the
reduction of mining dangers is well known,
says : "I most heartily commend the book
to all English-speaking mining communities."
Readers will generally endorse this statement.
It is a first-class textbook for the miner
who wishes to specialize on first aid. It is
difficult to point out defects in this admirable
publication from South Africa, and critics
will find little for discussion, but one or two
points may be raised.
Ammonia and bicarbonate of soda are
mentioned as suitable reagents for the
treatment of stings by insects, such as
wasps, bees, and mosquitos. As it is
frequently stated elsewhere that the poison
from bees and wasps are of different
character, being acid and alkaline
respectively, different treatment is desiiable.
It is a pity that a book of 3 18 pages, which
merits long and careful study, and may be
frequently used for reference purposes.
298
THt; iMlNlN(, MAGAZINE
is not given a hcttiT binding tliaii (hat
which may be described as hnip cloth.
In many instances the volume may sutler
disintegration before the reader throws it
aside as of no further value, so it is to be
hoped that in a future edition this admirable
treatise will appear in a covering worthy of
the author's efforts.
Stanley Nettleton.
The Metallurgy of the Non-Ferrous
Metals. Hy Professor W'illi.am Gow-
L.-VND. Cloth, octavo, 6;U pages, with
numerous diagrams and illustrations.
Third edition. Price ;50s. net. London :
Charles Griflin & Co., Ltd.
The first edition of this work was published
in May, 1914 ; the second appeared during
the war, in October, 1917 ; while the third
edition has just passed through the printer's
hands ; there is thus an interval of seven
years since the tirst appearance of this book.
During this interval great advances have
been made in the metallurgy of the non-
ferrous metals, and it has been the author's
aim that the present edition shall be
absolutel}' up to date in every respect. A
careful perusal of the book will show how
thoroughly this has been done.
In tlic second edition Professor Gowland
considerably expanded the sections relating
to copper, zinc, nickel, and gold, and many
descriptions were added of the actual
equipment and practice at typical works.
Fortunately this excellent method of in-
dicating the principles on which new pro-
cesses depend has been further extended in
the present edition.
The book is divided into eighteen sections
under the following headings : I, Refractory
Materials ; II, Roasting ; III, Fluxes and
Slags ; IV, Copper ; V, Lead ; VI, Gold ;
VII, Silver : VIII, Platinum , IX, Mercury ;
X, Zinc ; XI, Cadmium ; XII, Tin ; XIII,
Nickel ; XIV, Cobalt ; XV, Antimony ;
XVI, Arsenic; XVII, Bismuth; XVIII,
Aluminium. The plant and processes des-
cribed are illustrated by no less than 217
diagrams.
In the section dealing with refractory
materials, an account is given of zirconia,
which, until comparatively recent times,
was considered one of the rare oxides. This
mineral is now found in large quantities in
Brazil, Ceylon, Australia, and other parts of
the world ; it is one of the best refractories
known, and is particularly useful for certain
classes of electric-furnace work. The causes
of the failure of silica bricks at very high
temperatures are also discussed.
Under roasting the o])eration of nodulizing
notation concentrate is described. The
jirocess was originally used for certain classes
of iron ore, but has since been adapted to the
agglomeration of sulphide concentrates by
heating them in revolving cylindrical
furnaces.
In connexion with the metallurgy of
copper, it is shown that the rcverberatory
is rapidly displacing the blast-furnace owing
to the use of powdered coal and oil as fuel.
However, the blast-furnace will not be
completely eliminated, as, especially in
many small works, and even in large ones,
there are conditions when the blast-furnace
can be advantageously used. The rapid
advance of the flotation process for the
concentration of copper ore is largely
responsible for the increased use of the
rcverberatory, since the concentrates are very
finely divided and are therefore unsuitable for
smelting in a blast-furnace.
An interesting description is given of the
Bunker Hill smelter and refinery at Kellogg,
Idaho. Here the furnace product is not
shipped as lead bullion, but is further treated
and is eventually marketed as refined lead,
silver, and gold. This plant is the newest and
most complete of its kind in the United
States.
The author points out that the chief recent
advances in the metallurgy of gold have been :
(fl) The introduction of precipitation by
charcoal at Yuanmi, West Australia ; {b)
The use of cyanide solution, followed by
sodium sulphide solution for the extraction
of gold in a carbonaceous schist ; (c) A
modification of Miller's process ; {d) The
increased use of the Crowe process. The
last-mentioned process consists in removing
all the dissolved air from pregnant cyanide
solution by breaking it into a spray and
submitting this spray to reduced pressure
produced by a vacuum pump. The occluded
air is thus removed from the solution.
Dissolved oxygen in the presence of zinc
causes re-solution of the precipitated gold
or silver, hence the advantage of its elimina-
tion. The gold and silver are subsequently
precipitated by means of zinc dust.
In the section relating to the treatment of
mercury ores, important innovations are
described, especially the revolving cylindrical
furnaces at the ISfew Idria mine and a
Herreshoff furnace at New Almaden.
Under zinc, a description is given of the
NOVEMBER. 1921
299
new electrolytic plant of the Anaconda
Company, and of the new plant of the New
Jersey Zinc Company for the preparation of
zinc oxide. Accounts are also given of new
furnaces for roasting and distillation.
The work as a whole is particularly free
from errors, typographical and otherwise,
while its value is enhanced since the author
has taken great care to give in the text the
source of each quotation and illustration.
Professor Gowland states in the preface
that his purpose in preparing this edition has
been " to make it a useful standard of
reference to the principles on which metal-
lurgical operations are based and their
application in modern practice, both to
students and metallurgists engaged in their
profession, and it is his earnest hope that
this aim will be attained." We are confident
that this desire will be more than fulfilled.
Further, we would congratulate the author
on the production of a volume which is not
only of the utmost value to the student but
also to the professional metallurgist.
W. H. Merrett.
1.^* Copies of the books, etc., mentioned under the heading
" Book Reviews " can be obtained through the Technical Book-
shop of Th^ Mining Magazine 724, Sahsbury House, London
Wall, London, E.G. 2.
NEWS LETTERS
TORONTO
October 10.
Porcupine. — For some time there have
been serious apprehensions of a shortage
of electric power during the coming winter,
which would considerably curtail mining
operations. Owing to the drought which
prevailed during the summer the level of the
lakes and streams was unusually low, but
recent heavy rainstorms have somewhat
improved the situation. The demands of the
mining companies for power, however, are
about 2.5°o greater than last year, so that it
is still somewhat doubtful whether an
adequate supply can be regarded as assured.
The power company is building a dam which
is planned to raise the main storage area
by 10 ft., but it can hardly be completed
in time to be of service this year. The leading
producing companies are preparing to install
auxiliary steam plants in case is should be
found necessary.
The Domes Mines, in driving on the 7th
level, has encountered a large ore-body, the
gold content of which is stated to average
$40 to the ton. It is of irregular outline,
extending more than .'iO ft. in one direction.
but its dimensions have not yet been
determined. The ore-bodies which are
being opened up on the 1,150 ft. level have
been found to extend downward for at least
200 ft. A rise is being made from the 1,300 ft.
level on which development will be pushed
before sinking deeper. The mill is treating
about 1,000 tons per day, with mill-heads
averaging S7'50.
The Hollinger Consolidated is handling
an average of 3,500 tons of ore daily, and is
planning to increase the capacity of its mill
to about 5,000 tons per day, provided the
necessary power can be obtained, by the
addition of a ball and rod mill grinding
equipment. It has now a force of about
1,800 men employed.
The Mclntyre is clearing the site for its
new mill extension, but delaying construction
operations until conditions as to power
supply become more settled. The company
has purchased a large quantity of machinery
for an auxiliary power plant as a
precautionary measure against a shortage.
Ore is being taken out at a depth of
approximately 1,700 ft. of a high average
gold content, surpassing that obtained from
the upper levels.
The Allied Porcupine Gold Mines has now
unwatered the Three Nations, and is
planning extensive diamond-drilling and
development work on the 200 ft. level.
Work has been resumed on the Hayden-
Porcupine, which has been closed down for
some years. Extensive development dis-
closed mineralized bodies of exceptional
width carrying low gold content. Diamond-
drilling is in progress on the Rochester,
which is under option to the Nipissing of
Cobalt, with encouraging results. A shaft
is being sunk on the March Gold. Operations
have been resumed at the Davidson Con-
solidated. Lateral v/ork is being carried on,
and a contract has been let for extensive
diamond-drilling.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The Lake Shore during
August produced $42,274 from the treat-
ment of 1,979 tons, being an average
extraction of $21 -36 per ton. The mill
ran 92-33% of the possible running time.
The shaft of the Wright-Hargreaves, now
lown 400 ft., will be put down to 800 ft.,
with stations for levels at intervals of 100 ft.
The mill is now treating an average of
160 tons of ore daily, with mill heads
averaging $15 per ton. The Kirkland Lake
is taking out ore from the 900 ft., stated to
run $40 to the ton. The mill is treating
300
TUK MININC, MAGAZINE
135 tons iLiily. Good progress lias been
made in the construction of the Outario-
Kirkland's mill. The heavy machinery
is now installed and the mill will be ready
for operation in about six weeks. There is
a large supply of ore in readiness, stated to
carry about $15 in gold per ton. At the
Goodtish mine a shaft is down about 150 ft.
on a vein showing gold across a width of
6 ft. A good discover}' has been made on
the Granby-Kirkland property, where a
vein has been uncovered, showing rich gold
content over a width of 5i ft., with wall-
rock well mineralized. Surface exploration
on the King-Kirkland has exposed 32 veins,
enabling the management to select the most
desirable location for a central shaft, which
will shortly be put down. Sinking operations
are in progress at the Comfort-I\irkland,
where an electrically driven plant has been
installed. The Kirkland Lake Proprietary
(1919) has decided to deepen the No. 3
shaft on the Burnside 70 ft., so as to make
it a central shaft for the operation of both
the Burnside and the Tough-Oakes. The
Sj'lvanite is putting down a new shaft, and
abandoning the old workings, which are
considered too small. A meeting of the
shareholders of the Teck-Hughes will be
shortly called to ratifj^ an agreement with the
bond-holders for the reorganization of the
company, which is stated to be satisfactory
to the majority shareholders. Conditions
at the mine continue favourable. The
addition to the mill, which will bring its
capacity up to 160 tons per day, is expected
to be in operation before the end of the year.
CoB.\LT. — Conditions in the silver-mining
industry are steadily improving with the
increasing price of silver and the decline
in the cost of materials. The Nipissing is
producing silver at a cost of between 30 and
35 cents per oz., and the operating expenses
of the Mining Coporation, Coniagas, and
O'Brien are well under 60 cents per oz.,
leaving a good margin for profit. The
production of the Nipissing for August was
estimated at a value of $197,536, of which
§172,516 was silver and $25,020 cobalt.
A new vein found at the second level of
shaft No. 63 was driven on for 80 ft., of which
60 ft. had an average assay of 2,500 oz.
over a width of 3 in. The La Rose Con-
solidated is now producing silver from four
mines, which are yielding about 130 tons
of ore daily. The vein opened up at the
570 ft. level of the Violet property is yielding
some high-grade ore, and a large tonnage of
good milling ore. The shareholders of the
Oxford-Cobalt have authorized the purchase
of the Waldman property, and two other
claims, bringing their total area up to
100 acres. IJquidation proceedings in con-
nexion with the Bailey Cobalt Mines, Ltd.,
which were begim ten years since, were
concluded last month, when the shareholders
authorized the directors to make application
to terminate the winding-uj) process. The
directors were authorized to receive from the
liquidation 125,000 shares of the stock of
Bailey Silver Mines, Ltd., to hold for the
beneiit of the Bailey Cobalt shareholders.
The report of the Bailey . Silver Mines for
September shows that the earnings of the
Bailey mill were approximately §13,389,
from the treatment of ■1,-166 tons of ore.
The Right of Way company is in financial
difliculties, having debts of $31,000 and no
funds on hand. J. P. Langley has been
appointed receiver.
Skead Tow-Mship. — An important ore-
zone has been discovered on L.S. 30, one of
the properties of the Skead Gold Mines,
Ltd. Eight parallel veins have been found
within a width of 225 ft., having an average
width of 14 in. One vein, which has been
stripped for 900 ft., shows an average gold
content of $29 per ton. A mining plant
will be installed and active development
undertaken.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
October 12.
CONSOLID.\TED MlNING AND SMELTING. —
A conference was held recently, at the Hume
Hotel, Nelson, between the president, general
manager, and comptroller of the Con-
solidated Mining and Smelting Company and
representatives of the individual mine owners
in the Slocan district, for the purpose of
arranging a new schedule of smelting charges.
The conference was convened at the request
of the officials of the Consolidated Company,
which means that it is in the market for
custom ores once again. Since the beginning
of the present year the smelting company has
offered no inducement to independent mine-
owners to ship ores to Trail, as it would pay
for the metal contents of such shipments only
in warehouse receipts, upon which the mine-
owners were unable to raise any funds at the
local banks. The result has been that
practically all production ceased, although
several companies continued development of
their properties on a reduced scale. At the
conference the company made a tentative
NOVEMBER, 1921
301
offer to pay for 95% of the silver content,
based on " New York Foreign " quotations,
and 90°,'-, of the lead, based on London
quotation, until such time that the domestic
demand should be equal to the production,
when Montreal quotations are to replace
London ones, regardless of the zinc content of
the ore. Such payment is to be made 90 days
after the day of sampling, but if requested the
company will give 90 day notes on the day
of sampling. These, of course, would be
readily discounted at the local banks. In
the matter of rate of exchange on the sale of
silver, the company is to receive 3%, and
everything over that percentage is to go to
the shipper. The new schedule will give
shippers several advantages over the old one,
which inflicted penalties for zinc in excess of
10%, such penalties increasing with the
increase in the zinc content. The company
has reduced its proportion of the advantage
of the exchange-rate from 5 to 3%. Several
of the mine-owners feel for the moment that
the offer is too good to be true, but if the
company lives up to its offer the new schedule
undoubtedly will give a considerable fillip to
mining in the Kootenays.
The ore receipts at the Trail smelter for
the first nine months of this year amounted to
307,493 tons, and have surpassed all previous
records for the period. The receipts for the
first nine months of last year amounted to
251,735 tons, and those for the similar period
of 1919 totalled 258,323 tons. Nearly 98%
of the ore received this year has come from
the company's own mines.
The Consolidated Mining & Smelting
Company has come in for a good deal of
criticism for its attitude in pushing develop-
ment and production at its own mines and at
the same time refusing to buy ore from the
independent operators. Undoubtedly it has
been very hard on the latter, but un-
questionably it has been beneficial to the
mine and smelter workers of the Province, as
it is doubtful whether the independent
operators could have kept their mines running
in the face of the depressed condition of the
metal market in the same way that the
Consolidated, backed by the Canadian Pacific
Railway, has been able to do. It is to be
hoped, now that the company is in the market
again for lead and copper ores, that the
independent owners will bury the hatchet and
combine with the company to thoroughly
re-establish the mining industry of the
Province.
During the first six months of the present
year the Consolidated Company produced
about 24,000,000 lb. of lead and 26,000,000 lb.
of zinc, compared with 26,474,652 lb. lead
and 38,995,390 lb. of zinc for the whole of
last year. The company has an immense
stock of zinc on hand, but about only
14 million pounds of lead, or about four
months normal domestic demand. The
Canadian lead market is a good deal stronger
than the zinc one, and the fact that the
Sullivan ore averages about 18% of zinc and
12% of lead probably has been one of the
factors that has brought the company into
the market again for silver-lead ore, for by
smelting a considerable proportion of lead
ore with Sullivan ore it will be possible
to maintain the lead production without
appreciably increasing the large stock of zinc
on hand.
Van Roi. — Clarence Cunningham, one of
the principal Slocan mine operators, has
relinquished his option on the Van Roi mine
at Silverton. Mr. Cunningham obtained an
option on this property for §225,000 in 1916,
paying a large instalment two years later.
Since that time payment has been made only
in royalties on ore-shipments. All told,
some §350,000 worth of ore has been taken
from the mine since Mr. Cunningham took
control, and the owner of the property has
benefited to the extent of about $150,000.
The Van Roi, hke the Le Roi No. 2, is con-
trolled in London, and these, it is beheved,
are about the only two mines that are so
controlled out of a large number that at one
time were directed from London offices.
Since the erection of the flotation plant the
Le Roi No. 2 has been sending regular ship-
ments of concentrate to the Trail smelter, so
it is likely, now that Mr. Cunningham has
relinquished his option, the London company
will operate the mine itself. Douglas Lay,
who is managing Le Roi No. 2, at one time
was manager of the Van Roi mine.
Dolly Varden. — The Taylor Mining Co.
has reopened the Dolly Varden mine and the
18 miles of railway connecting the mine with
tide-water at Alice Arm. Though work will
be confined principally to development, it is
expected that some 4,000 tons or ore will be
shipped to the Granby smelter at Anyox
before snow closes the railway again
for the winter. This generally happens
about the first week in December. About
thirty men have been taken on the pay-
roll, and when the railway is closed half of
these will be transferred to the Wolf mine,
also owned by the Taylor company, and
302
THE MINING MAGAZINE
development is to be continued ;it Imili iniius
throug;hout tlie winter. One of tlie com-
pressors is hein^ nio\-cd from tlie Dolly
Varden to the Wolf, and the hydro-electric
power station that was constructed last j'ear
will operate all the machinery at both mines.
Atli\ Gold Mines. — The action of the
Engineer Mining Co. against J. A. Frascr,
administrator of the estate of James
Alexander, involving the owncrshij) of the
Engineer mine at Atlin, one of the richest
lode-gold mines in the Province, has been
decided in favour of the .-Mcxander estate,
the judge ruling that the action had been too
long delayed, and should have been brought
during the life of the late Captain Alexander.
The plaintiff company claimed that Captain
Alexander and his associates jumped the
claims and evi-ntuall}' obtained Crown grants
to them. The company claims to have
expended $40,000 on the property. Be this
as it may, Captain Alexander operated the
property for a number of years and took a
considerable amount of gold from it by the
crudest of appliances. The ore is rich nuggcty
gold ore, and much of the gold was recovered
by crude crushing and revolving in a clean-up
barrel with mercury. The Jlining Corpora-
tion of Canada became interested in the
property and sent engineers to examine it,
and it was while returning from this examina-
tion that Captain Alexander, his wife, and the
engineers lost their lives in the sinking of the
Princess Sophia. Since that time the mine
has been almost continuously in litigation.
Notice has been given that the present
decision is to be appealed.
MELBOURNE
September 6.
The Austr.\lasiax Institute. — The 1921
meeting of the Australasian Institute of
Mining and Metallurgy commenced on
Monday, August 22, at University Chambers,
Sydney. Mr. G. C. Klug (Vice-President)
occupied the chair, and in his opening
remarks apologized for the unavoidable
absence of the President (Professor
Chapman). After the formal opening, the
business meeting adjourned until 2 p.m.,
and members proceeded to the Mining
Museum in George Street, where an inspection
was made of the magnificent collection of
rocks and minerals on view there.
During the day a conference was held to
consider proposals to form an Engineering
Council, composed of representatives from
the three Federal Institutes, namely, the
Institution nf Engineers (Austral!. i), the
.Australian Chemical Institute, and the
.Australasian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy. Messrs. G. C. Klug and A. S.
Kenyon attended as representatives of the
Institute ; Dr. T. Cooksey and Mr. H. G.
Smith representing the Australian Chemical
Institute ; Messrs. D. F. J. Harricks and
G. A. Julius representing the Institution of
ICngineers, Australia. After a full dis-
cussion, the following resolutions were
unanimously adopted : —
(1) That a Federal Council be formed
by representatives of the Institution
of Engineers (Australia), the Australian
Chemical Institute, and the Australasian
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy, herein-
after referred to as the constituent bodies,
and that the name of the Council shall be
The Federal Engineering Council,
Australia." Subject to the unanimous
approval of the councils of all the con-
stituent bodies, other Federal Technical
Institutions may be admitted to member-
ship.
(2) That the objects of the Council shall
be to consider and act upon matters of
common concern to the technical professions
and to co-ordinate the activities of the bodies
represented on all questions of national
and general importance.
(3) That the Council shall consist of three
representatives from each of the con-
stituent bodies, such representatives to be
elected annually.
(4) That the Council shall elect a president
from among its members, and shall appoint
such officers and make such rules for the
conduct of its business as may be found
necessary. The Council shall elect its
president within one month of taking office.
(5) That the headquarters of the Council
shall be Sydney.
(6) That the Council shall have no
jurisdiction over the internal affairs of any
constituent body, but its decision upon
matters referred to it for decision by the
whole of the constituent bodies shall be
adopted by all such bodies.
(7) That the Council shall meet to deal
with any question which may be referred to
it by any constituent body, and in any case
shall meet at least once annually. Where
a representative is unable to attend any
meeting of the Council the constituent body
that he represents shall have power to appoint
a substitute for that meeting.
(S) That notice of any question referred
NOVEMBER, 1921
303
to the Council by one of the constituent
bodies must be forwarded to the secretary
of each of the other constituent bodies at
least one month before the meeting of the
Council at which the question is to be dis-
cussed ; this period may be varied only with
the consent of all the constituent bodies.
(9) That the constituent bodies shall
meet the cost of the Federal Council in equal
proportions, and it is considered that the
contribution should not exceed /25 per
annum from each constituent body. The
travelling expenses of delegates shall be
met by their respective institutions.
(10) That any constituent body may with-
draw from the Council by giving twelve
months' notice, and after the expiry of that
period it shall be relieved of all further
obligations to the Council.
It was unanimously agreed that the three
professional bodies represented at the con-
ference be urged to take immediate action
in the matter, so that the Federal Council
may be formed at the beginning of the year
1922, and the chairman subsequently
announced that the conference regarding the
proposal had been very successful, and it was
■ almost certain that a Federal Engineering
Council would be constituted.'
It was resolved that it be a recom-
mendation to the Council of the Institute
that the ordinary meeting for 1922 should
be held at Port Pirie, South Australia. It
was also mentioned that the Council was
considering the practicability of holding the
ordinary meeting for 1923 in New Zealand,
so as to dovetail with the meeting of the
Australasian Association for the Advance-
ment of Science.
It was urged that the Institute should
secure greater recognition by the Federal
and State Governments. One of the principal
reasons for obtaining this recognition was,
it was urged, to prevent reports by incom-
petent persons being used for the flotation of
mining and industrial companies. The
chairman explained that the proposed
Federal Council would, when constituted,
be a power for good in this matter.
The papers presented for discussion were :
" Mechanical Methods for Allaying Dust."
By P. H. Warren.
" The Artificial Ventilation of the Broken
Hill Propirietary Mine." By R. T. Slee.
" Ventilation : Metalhferous Mines." By
T. G. Hanton.
" A Proposed Copper Metallurgical
Process." By P. Burbidge,
" The Use of Explosives in Steel Works."
By R. T. Sice.
" Description of New Plant at South Mine,
Broken Hill." By W. E. Wainwright and
J. C. Cunningham.
" Determination of Minute Amounts of
Lead in Water, with Notes on certain causes
of Error." By D. Avery, A. J. Hemingway,
and V. G. Anderson.
On Tuesday, the 23rd, the Institute
excursion to Lithgow took place, and the
visit was chiefly occupied in visiting the works
of the Hoskins Iron and Steel Co. The
business is owned and operated by Mr. C. H.
Hoskins and members of his family. The
capital of the company is £2,500,000, and
there are approximately 2,500 men employed
at the present time, but with the extensions
that are contemplated in the near future
this number will be considerably increased.
The various plants operated by the company
are as follows : —
The main iron and steel works are situated
at Lithgow, on the Blue Mountains, 96 miles
west of Sydney, at an elevation of 3,000 ft.
above sea level. An engineering and cast-
iron pipe works are situated at Sydney, and
Rhodes, a suburb of Sydney. A colliery
comprising 5,000 acres of coal land, together
with coking plant is situated at Dapto, on
the coast, 56 miles south of Sydney in the
southern coalfield.
The company has recently purchased
400 acres of land on the coast at Port Kembla,
8 miles distant from the above colliery
and coking plant, with a view to establishing
a modern steel works to allow for future
extensions whenever required. One of the
directors has just returned from an extensive
tour of England, the United States, and
Canada, where he gathered information
regarding the most modern iron and steel
plants, in order that the new plant on the
coast, together with numeroxis jdterations
and extensions to the existing plant at
Lithgow, should be along the most modern
lines.
The company is practically self-supporting
for all its raw materials, as it owns numerous
iron ore properties in New South Wales
and Tasmania, together with extensive coal
properties and limestone deposits.
In addition to the above they also own
several manganese ore properties, containing
ore of very high quality, from which many
thousands of tons of high-grade ferro-
manganese have been produced during the
past five years.
301
THE MINING MAGAZINE
The company holds numerous iron ore
properties, which together are estimated
to contain between 80,000,000 and
100,000,000 tons of good ore. The ore for
the present steehvorks at Lithgow is drawn
from Talhiwang, 100 miles north-west ;
Carcoar, 80 miles south-west ; and Cadia,
100 miles south-west of Lithgow. The first-
mentioned ore is a magnetite, containing
60°o of iron ; the latter two deposits are
red hematite, containing 57-58% of iron.
Numerous other deposits are also held
about 100 miles south-west and south of
Lithgow.
PERSONAL
W. J. Barnett is on a visit to British Columbia,
where he is examining alhivial gold properties.
John A. Bevan left last month for Roumania.
C. W. Boise has returned from a visit to the
Akim diamond fields. West Africa.
Sir RonERT Borden, recently Premier of Can.ada,
has been elected a director of the British America
Nickel Corporation.
Vicars W. Boyle has returned from Nigeria.
J. E. Breaket.l is expected from West Africa.
C. V. CoRLESs, manager of the Mond Nickel Co.'s
mines, has returned to Canada after a brief visit to
England.
W. Dempster has gone to Kamptee, Central
Provinces, India.
J. B. Dennison has left for Mexico.
G. A. Harrison has returned from Roumania.
Harley E Hooper has joined the stati of the
Department of Mining in the Melbourne Technical
School.
Erle Huntley has been appointed general
manager of the Laloki copper mines, Papua.
Dudley J. Inskip leaves for South Africa on
the 23rd.
Lionel Lindsay was married to Miss Kathleen
Yone Kennedy on October 25 at St. Peter's, Cranley
Gardens, South Kensington.
'SI. C. H. Little is here from Italy.
Bernard MacDonald has opened an office at
Parral, Mexico, as consulting mining engineer.
C. T. Madig.\n has been appointed lecturer on
geology in the .Adelaide University, as assistant to
Sir Douglas Mawson.
E. Maxwell-Lefroy has returned to Burma
from a tour in .\ustralia. New Zealand, Java, and
the Malay Peninsula.
J. Q Mitchell left on October 19 for West
Africa.
W. A. Pope has returned from Nigeria.
R. W. Pringle is examining the Umvukwe
chrome deposits, Rhodesia.
G. E. Stephenson is home from New Zealand.
D. A. Thomson is here from West Africa.
Dr. R. C. Wallace has resigned as Commissioner
of Northern Manitoba, and has returned to his
position at the University of Manitoba.
Louis A. Wright has left Italy and expects to
return to the United States about December 1.
Joseph W. Richards, professor of metallurgy in
the Lehigh University, died on October 12 in his
58th year. Ho was well known on this side as
author of the books Ahimiiiitiin and Metallurgical
Cakiilalions.
Ciiari.es W. Whitley, vice-president of the
.\nierican Smelting & Refining Co., died on
October 9, aged 50. He was for some years well
known as the representative of this company at
Salt Lake City.
Dr. William Speirs Bruce died at Edinburgh
on October .31 after a long illness, at the age of 54.
He was one of our foremost explorers in the Arctic
and .\ntarctic regions, and his contributions to
the geology of Spitsbergen are well known to our
readers.
B. Range, the chief engineer to the Burma Ruby
Mines, Ltd., died last month.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
The Westinoiiouse IClectric International
Company, of East Pittsburgh, and 2, Norfolk Street,
Strand. London, W.C. 2, send us particulars of their
Midget Storage Battery Locomotive.
Hyatt, Ltd., of Thurloe Place, South Kensington,
London, S.W. 7, send us a copy of their new
sectional catalogue dealing with the application of
Hyatt Roller Bearings to colliery tubs antl mine cars.
G. A. Harvey & Co. (London), Ltd., of Woolwich
Road, London, S.E. 7, send us new lists of a great
variety of their manufactures : screens of all kinds
for mines and quarries, oil-storage tanks, steel
ventilating pipes, steel hoppers, etc.
RusTON and Hornsby, Ltd., of Lincoln, will be
well represented at the Public Works, Roads, and
Transport Exhibition to be held at the .Agricultural
Hall, London, from November 17 to 25. They will
make a special show of their excavators and road
rollers.
The Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co.,
Ltd., of Trafford Park, Manchester, and 4, Central
Buildings, Westminster, send us their pamphlet
7,855/2, relating to the choice of motors forindustrial
work ; also a leaflet dealing with their Cosmos
vacuum and gas-filled incandescent electric lamps.
The Hardinge Company, of 120, Broadway,
New York, and 11, Southampton Row, London,
W.C. 2, send us their new catalogue, No. 9, dealing
with pulverized fuels. Particulars are given of the
application of the Hardinge conical mill to the
production of pulverized coal, which nowadays has
so many important applications.
Edgar .\llen & Co., Ltd., of the Imperial Steel
Works, Sheffield, send us their new pamphlet
relating to carbon tool steels. This pamphlet gives
practical hints on points deciding when it is
economical to use carbon tool steels, and gives full
working instructions, together with many tables
and details bearing on this subject.
T. Cooke & Sons, Ltd., of the Buckingham
Works, York, and 3, Broadway, Westminster, send
us their new catalogue of surveying instruments.
This catalogue is of particular value to the mining
engineer, as it not only contains a description of
a great variety of old and new instruments, but
gives full descriptions of all the novelties, and
scientific explanations of new principles.
Hadfields. Ltd., of the East Hecla Works,
Tinsley, Sheltield, will be well represented at the
Public Works, Roads, and Transport Exhibition at
the Agricultural Hall, Islington, which will be open
from November 17 to 25. This firm supply much
plant and machinery used for traction oa roads.
I
NOVEMBER, 1921
305
such as manganese steel rails, tyres, axles, etc.
Their machinery is also of great value in the prepara-
tion of paving materials, their breakers and crushers
being in general use for the production of both
macadam and smaller material.
HoLMAN Brothers, Ltd., of Camborne, send us
a new pamphlet describing their Type 3 drill-
sharpener. This pamphlet give? full details of the
operation of this important adjunct to mine plant,
with particulars of its special advantages and
method of using. They also send us a pamphlet
on their tools and plant suitable for colliery equip-
ment, namely, haulages, air-compressors, coal-
washers, coal cutters, coal picks, and rock-drills.
Other new pamphlets deal with the Holman-
Taquali log saw and with china-clay plant.
John & Edwin Wright, Ltd., of the Universe
Works, Birmingham, send us their list, No. 100,
which deals with the cross-sections of a great variety
of wire ropes, with explanations of their particular
applications. They also send us their pocket
instrument, called the " Caliper-Clinometer," which
is intended for the measurement of the mclination
of ropes and their diameter, and for the inside
measurement of the pulley grooves. Reference is
made to this instrument in the column devoted to
Recent Patents Publi.shed, elsewhere in this issue.
Head, Wrightson & Co., Ltd., of Stockton-on-
Tees, and 5, Victoria Street, Westminster, send us
a leather case for the shelf containing a set of their
new pamphlets relating to a number of their
specialties, as follow : Headgears, cages, etc. ;
coal-screening and .sorting plant ; pulley-blocks and
hoi.sts ; steel chimneys and tanks ; blast-furnace
plant ; Mar:us screens and conveyors ; Nissen
stamp-mills ; coal-shippers and hoists ; Stanley
cage props ; Simple.x air-locks ; pit-cages ; Lowden
patent dryer ; Colorado convertible discharge ball-
mill ; Akins classifier ; Notanos patent rotary
dryer ; cement works plant ; iron castings ; and
the King grinding pan.
The Consolidated Pneumatic Tooi. Co., Ltd.,
of 170, Piccadilly, London, W., send us particulars
of a new type of electric hammer, adapted for both
stone and iron work, which they are now intro-
ducing. A practical electric hammer has been
the object of much investigation. The firm can
safely claim to have achieved a result which will
satisfy the discriminating user. The stone hammer
is suitable for nearly all classes of stone working,
and gives excellent results when used for carving,
channelling, and large lettering work. Trials have
demonstrated that it does the work about four or
five times faster than hand labour, with much
more satisfactory results, owing to ease of control
and convenience of the tool. The weight is 5 lb.,
and the overall length IIJ inches. The light
riveting and chipping hammer has been through
long and severe tests, and the results obtained are
thoroughly satisfactory. In addition to the fore-
going uses, this electric hammer makes an efficient
tool for drilling holes through concrete, stone, or
brickwork when fitted with suitable bits. It has
already been used for this purpose with very
satisfactory results. The weight is 7 lb., and the
overall length 13^ inches.
The Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing
Co., of East Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, send us
particulars of the contract they have secured for
the supply of the equipment to electrify the Chilean
State Railway between Valparaiso and Santiago,
and the Los Andes branch. This contract covers
the most important railway electrification under-
taken since the beginning of the war, and the largest
ever undertaken by an American firm outside of the
United States. The main line, which is 116 miles
long, is now under steam operation, and is the most
important railway line in Chile. It connects the
leading seaport (Valparaiso) with the capital
(Santiago), while the line to Los Andes is 28 miles
long and forms the Chilean State Railway section
of the trans-continental line to Buenos Aires.
The equipment to be furnished consists of eleven
local passenger locomotives, fifteen road freight
locomotives, seven switching engines, and five
sub-stations of 4,000 k.w. capacity each. The
3,000 volt direct current system will be used and will
be of American character. Owing to the abundance
of water power in Chile, and the high price of fuel,
all of the Chilean railroads will eventually be
electrified, and the present project is the first step
in this process.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The standard copper market in London
kept fairly firm until towards the middle of October,
when prices tended to recede. The firmness at the
beginning of the month was partially, at least, due
to the rise in the price of electrolytic in New York,
where 13 cents was touched. There appeared to be
a little increase in American consuming demand,
which might have justified a small rise in the cent
price, but the suspicion was current on the London
market that the movement was more or less
artificial. In the meantime, the German mark
began to fall to unprecedented levels, with the result
that purchases by that country in America had to be
restricted. An immediate consequence was a weaker
tone on the New York market, which was
sympathetically reflected in London values. What-
ever may be said of the ultimate future, there
certainly seems little to encourage purchasers at the
moment. Consuming demand in this country can
only be described as unsatisfactory, while
Continental inquiry, though at times moderate,
has suffered from the adverse exchanges. In the
United Kingdom stocks of standard are gradually
increasing, and seem likely to continue doing so
owing to the warehousing of old metal which has
been converted into rough copper. Meanwhile,
despite drastically curtailed output in the United
States, the large stocks in existence there prevent
the curtailment in production being felt.
Average price of cash standard copper : October,
1921, £67 8s. Id. ; September, 1921. £6S Os. lid. ;
October, 1920, £93 10s. Id. ; September, 1920,
£96 13s. 4d.
Tin. — Values on the standard market in London
fluctuated somewhat during October, but on bal?.nce
prices were practically unaltered on the month.
The statistics published at the end of September,
indicating a substantial increase in the visible
supplies of tin, had little adverse effect on values,
probably because it was felt that the present low
quotation discounts most of the adverse factors.
A favourable feature during the month was the
improving demand from the British and American
tinplate works. The real malady of the tin-
producing industry is under-consumption rather
than over-production, and any broadening of
genuine demand is therefore to be welcomed.
Continental demand was on a moderate scale,
though the weakness in the mark curtailed German
306
nil': MININC. MACAZINIC
Daily London Metal Prices: Official Closing
Copper, Lead, Zinc, and Ti n per LonK Ton
COPPKK
SUndard Casb
Standard (3 mos.)
Elwtrolytic
Wire Bars
Best Selected
Oct.
f
s.
d. C s-
d. £ s.
d. £ s.
d.
£ s-
d. £ s.
i. \ £ s.
d. C s.
d.
£ s.
d.
£ s. d.
11
iy.>
7
6 to 00 10
0 70 7
6 to 70 10
0
75 10
0 to 77 10
0 1 75 10
0 to 77 10
0
70 0
0
to
71 10 0
12
Cii
5
0 to OO 10
0 ; 70 5
0 to 70 10
0
75 10
0 to 77 10
0 76 10
0 to 77 10
0
— -
—
13
tJS
7
0 to C.S 10
0 1 Oi) 10
0 to oa 12
0
75 10
0 to 77 10
0 7B 10
0 to 77 10
0
—
—
14
07
12
0 to 67 15
0 ' tW 15
0 to 68 17
6
74 10
0 to 70 10
0 75 10
0 to 70 10
0
08 10
0
to
7li 10 0
17
ea
7
0 to 00 10
0 67 12
6 to 07 15
0 74 0
0 to 70 0
0 1 75 0
0 to 71; 0
0
—
18
65
15
0 to Oli 0
0 67 0
0 to 67 5
0
73 0
0 to 75 0
0 74 0
0 to 75 0
0
66 0
0
to
68 0 0
19
IW
0 to 6<i 7
0 67 5
0 to 67 10
0
73 0
0 to 75 0
0 1 74 0
0 to 75 0
0
—
80
66
5
0 to BO 10
0 i 67 10
0 to 67 12
()
73 0
0 to 75 0
0 1 74 0
0 to 75 0
0
—
21
60
0
0 to 60 2
0 1 07 2
0 to 07 5
0 711 0
0 to 75 0
0 71 0
0 to 75 0
0
G7 0
0
to
00 0 0
24
68
2
6 to 68 5
(1 07 2
6 to 07 5
0
72 10
0 to 74 10
0 73 10
0 to 74 10
0
—
—
25
66
0
0 to 60 2
6 07 0
0 to 67 2
6
72 10
0 to 74 10
0
73 10
0 to 74 10
0
00 10
0
to
08 0 0
26
tw
5
0 to K) 7
0 66 5
0 to 66 7
6
72 0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0
0 to 74 0
0
—
—
37
65
10
0 to 65 12
0
60 12
0 to 60 15
0
72 0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0
0 to 74 0
0
—
—
28
65
13
0 to 65 17
6
66 15
0 to 66 17
6
72 0
0 to 74 0
0
73 0
0 to 74 0
0
60 0
0
to
68 0 0
31
Nov.
1
66
2
6 to 66 5
0
67 0
0 to 67 5
0
72 10
0 to 74 10
0
74 0
0 to 74 10
0
—
—
66
5
n to 66 7
6
67 2
6 to 67 5
0
73 0
0 to 75 C
0
74 0
0 to 75 0
0
60 15
0
to
08 15 0
2
67
0
0 to 07 2
0
57 7
0 to 67 10
0
73 10
0 to 75 10
0
74 10
0 to 75 10
0
to
—
3
60
15
0 to 66 17
0
67 5
(1 to 67 7
6
73 10
0 to 75 10
0
74 10
0 to 75 10
0
to
4
eo 15
0 to 66 17
6
67 2
0 to 67 5
0
73 10
0 to 75 10
0
74 10
0 to 75 10
0
67 0
0
to
G9 b 0
7
65 17
6 to 06 0
0
60 10
0 to fO 12
0
73 10
0 to 75 10
0
71 10
0 to 75 10
0
—
to
—
8
66
5
0 to 66 7
6
00 15
0 to 66 17
6
73 0
0 to 75 0
0
74 0
0 to 75 0
0
CO 10
0
to
68 10 0
9
GO
0
0 to 06 2
6
60 12
0 to 60 15
0
73 0
0 to 75 0
0
74 0
0 to 75 0
0
purchases. America, on the whole, bought little,
the risine; tendency in stcrlins; being partly
responsible. The Straits sold pretty freely during
the month, and a feature was the arrival of good
lines of Banca tin in this country. Stocks in the
United Kingdom are increasing, while the
Federated ^lalay States Government has stil! to
find a favourable opportunity of disposing of
its large holding. There are indications that pro-
duction in the Federated Malay States and Batavia
is to be cut shortly, and unless consumption
increases this appears inevitable. Output in
Nigeria, Bolivia, and Cornwall continues to be
drastically curtailed, and should a serious restriction
in the East take place, the general position might
inspire more confidence than seems at present
justified.
Average price of cash standard tin . October,
1921, /156 10s. ; September, 1921, /156 !7s. 6d. ;
October, 1920, /258 8s. 8d. ; September, 1920,
£270 7s. 3d.
Lead. — Steadiness was the chief characteristic
of the London lead market last month, and prices
underwent very little alteration, although they
closed slightly higher on balance. Demand from
English consumers tended to decline, but this was
compensated for during the first half of the month
by an active inquiry from Germany. The sub-
sequent decline in the mark, however, compelled
German buyers to restrict their purchases, and but
for the firm attitude of holders, prices might well
have weakened. Arrivals of fresh metal continued
scanty and erratic, and dealers and consumers,
unable to obtain delivery of shipment lead owing
to steamer-discharging delays, were compelled to
cover their requirements by purchasing ex-ware-
house. This, coupled with consumers' general
policy of buying only for immediate delivery,
maintained the premium on early delivery metal.
In the United States the market was firm, thanks
to a good domestic demand. British dealers
encountered fairly stiff competition on the Continent
from American interests, although no offers were
made on the London market. Some Burmese and
Australian metal came forward during the month,
but not in sufficient quantities to compensate for
the shortage of Spanish lead ; the outlook, however,
seems favourable towards larger arrivals from the
two first-named countries- in the near future. As
regards Mexico, the position there seems to be
improving, but no metal has so far come out on the
London market.
Average price of soft pig lead : October, 1921,
/23 10s. 8d. ; September, 1921, /22 19s. 5d. ;
October. 1920, /35 2s. Id. ; September, 1920,
/;35 7s. 6d.
Spelter. — Values on the London spelter market
underwent little change during October, although
sentiment was inclined to be changeable. At one
time values tended to case off, owing to fears of
larger offerings from Germany in consequence of
the weakness of the mark, but the non-realization
of such apprehensions infused a little more
confidence. An encouraging factor during the
month was the continuance of the improved demand
from British galvanizers. Producing countries
were verj' reserved in their attitude, and very little
metal was offered by either Belgium, Nor,vay, or
Germany. Some French spelter, however, was
sold to this country, havin<; possibly been set free
by arrivals of spelter from Germany under the
Wiesbaden agreement. The situation in Upper
Silesia must continue to affect the market position
to some extent ; under the League of Nations'
frontier decision, all the spelter works and nearly
all the zinc mines are granted to Poland. German
stocks are believed now to be of fairly manageable
proportions, while Belgium, whose production is
steady around 5,000 monthly, does not seem to
have much metal to spare. In the United States the
market has been firm, with a fair demand, and stocks
are trending downward*. There appear to be
good prospects of a resumption being made shortly
in the English spelter industry, the Board of Trade
having arranged for supplies of Australian zinc
concentrates. Towards the end of the month the
demand from gaivanizers became less pressing and
values eased slightly.
NOVEMBER, 1921
307
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounce : Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tin
Silver
Zinc
Spelter)
Gold
Soil Foreign
English
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
i s-
d. £ s.
d.
£ s.
d.
i ?•
d. i s.
d.
£ s.
i. i s.
d.
i s.
d. I s.
d.
d.
d.
s. d.
Oct.
23 5
0 to 23 0
0
24 10
0
26 12
6 to 27 0
0
155 12
6 to 1.55 17
6
158 2
6 to 158 7
B
42i
42i
106 8
11
23 10
0 to 23 5
0
24 lu
0
20 12
6 to 27 0
0
155 15
0 to 150 0
0
158 5
0 to 158 10
0
425
42g
. —
12
23 17
6 to 23 I'J
0
24 15
0
26 12
6 to 27 0
0
155 10
0 to 155 15
0
157 17
6 to 158 0
0
423
42§
107 2
13
23 17
6 to 23 10
0
24 15
0
26 10
0 to 26 17
0
155 5
0 to 1.55 10
0
157 12
6 to 157 15
0
42J
42^
108 5
14
23 17
G to 23 10
0
24 15
0
26 2
6 to 26 10
0
1.57 10
0 to 157 15
0
159 15
0 to 160 0
0
42J
42
105 4
17
23 15
0 to 23 7
6
24 15
0
26 2
6 to 26 10
0
157 5
0 to 157 10
0
159 10
0 to 159 15
0
40S
405
104 i
18
23 15
0to23 7
6
24 15
0
26 2
6 to 20 10
0
156 15
0 to 157 0
0
159 0
0 to 159 5
0
395
39b
105 7
19
23 15
0 to 23 7
6
24 15
0
26 7
0 to 20 15
0
157 5
0 to 157 10
0
150 12
6 to 159 15
0
40J
40,
104 9
20
24 0
0 to 23 15
0
25 0
0
26 7
6 to 26 15
0
158 5
0 to 15S 10
0
160 10
0 to 160 15
0
40|
404
40
104 0
21
24 2
6 to 23 15
0
25 0
0
20 5
0 to 26 10
0
158 0
0 to 153 5
0
100 10
0 to 160 15
0
39
104 8
24
21 2
6 to 23 17
6
25 0
0
25 17
6 to 26 5
0
156 10
0 to 156 15
0
158 15
0 to 159 0
0
39i
38
104 4
25
24 2
6 to 23 15
0
25 0
0
25 15
Oto26 5
0
155 10
0 to 155 15
0
158 0
0 to 158 5
0
391
39i
104 2
28
24 0
0 to 23 12
6
25 0
0
25 17
6 to 2(S 7
0
156 10
0 to 156 15
0
158 17
8 to 159 0
0
40
39J
104 5
27
24 0
0 to 23 15
0
25 0
0
25 17
6 to 26 10
0
156 0
0 to 156 5
0
158 5
0 to 158 10
0
40?
40i
104 10
28
24 0
0 to 22 12
6
25 0
0
26 0
0 to 26 10
0
156 10
0 to 156 15
0
158 15
0 to 158 17
6
40J
39i
104 9
31
Nov.
23 17
6 to 23 10
0
25 0
0
26 2
6 to 26 12
6
155 10
0 to 1.55 15
0
157 15
0 to 158 0
0
401
39S
391
104 9
l'
23 12
6 to 23 7
6
24 15
0
28 0
0 to 26 12
6
155 0
0 to 155 5
0
157 5
0 to 157 in
0
.40J
104 10
2
23 12
6 to 23 7
6
24 15
0
25 17
6 to 26 10
0
155 5
0 to 155 10
0
157 10
0 to 157 15
0
40}
398
104 7
3
23 12
6 to 23 7
6
24 15
0
25 17
6 to 26 10
0
156 15
0 to 157 0
0
15S 10
0 to 158 15
0
?Sl
39}
104 4
4
23 15
0to23 7
6
24 15
0
25 17
6 to 26 10
0
158 10
0 to 158 15
0
160 0
0 to 160 5
0
39
381
104 4
7
23 15
0 to 23 7
6
24 15
0
25 15
0to26 7
6
158 10
0 to 158 15
0
100 10
0 to 160 15
0
393
39
104 3
8
23 17
6 to 23 10
0
25 0
0
25 10
0to26 5
0
157 5
0 to 157 10
0
159 5
0 to 159 5
0
3Sl
381
104 2
9
Average price of spelter: October, 1921,
/26 10s. 7d. ; September, 1921, /26 10s. 8d. ;
October, 1920, ^AO 5s. 6d. ; September, 1920,
£40 5s. 6d.
Zinc Dust. — Rather more inquiry is reported.
Prices are slightlv easier on the month : Australian
high-s;rade £50, 'American 92 to 94% £47 10s.,
and English 92 to 94% £45.
Antimony. — Values are lower, as follows :
English regulus, ordinary grades, £35 to £38,
special brands £36 5s. to £40, and 98 to 990'o £25
to £28. Foreign is about £24 10s.
Arsenic. — Cornish white is nominal at about £40
per ton, f.o.r. Cornwall.
Bismuth. — The price is steady at 7s. 6d. per lb.
Cadmium. — The market is quiet and the quotation
unchanged at 6s. per lb.
Aluminium. — There is no change to report.
Domestic producers quote £120 for home and £125
for export business, while foreign metal is still
ofiering around £100 f.o.b. Continent.
Nickel. — Producers here are nominally asking
£190 for home and export, but foreign metal is
obtainable at well below this.
Cobalt Metal. — Inquiry is quiet, but the price
ts unchanged at 14s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide. — There is not much business
passing. Black oxide is priced at 10s. 9d. and grey
at 12s. per lb.
Platinum and Palladium. — Manufactured
platinum is quoted at £20 5s. and raw metal at
£18 per oz. Palladium is unchanged, with manu-
factured at £18 to £20 and raw at £14 to £15 per oz.
Quicksilver. — At the moment the market is
steady, though business is only moderate. The
price is £9 10s. to £9 12s. 6d. per bottle.
Selenium. — Powder is quoted at 9s. 6d. per lb.
Tellurium. — The quotation is lower at 70s. to
SOs. per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — Values are easier at £28
to £30 per ton, for both home and export business.
Manganese Ore. — The price has fluctuated, but
is lower on the month at Is. 2d. c.i.f.
Tungsten Ore. — Business is quiet, and the
quotation steady at 12s. 6d. to 13s. c.i.f. for 65%
WO.,.
Molybdenite. — The price of 85% is steady at
37s. 6d. to 40s. c.i.f., nominal.
Chrome Ores. — The market is idle, the quotation
being lower on the month at £4 to £4 5s. c.i.f.
Silver. — Values receded during the month on
balance, despite an upward reaction towards the
close, owing to steady selling by India. The
market received some support from Chinese
purchasers. On October 1 spot bars were quoted
at 42|d., eased to 41Jd. on the 6th, firmed up to
423d. on the 8th, and after falling to A2\d. on the
10th, rose to 42Jd. on the 13th. By the 19th the
price was down to 39|d., followed by 40|d. on the
20th and 39Jd. on the 25th. Some support then
pushed the price up to 41|d. on the 29th, but the
quotation closed lower on the 31st at 40Jd.
Graphite. — Business is quiet and values nominal
Sellers still quote Madagascar, 80 to 90%, at £20
to £25 per ton c.i.f.
Iron .4nd Steel. — The recovery in the iron and
steel trades is proceeding at a slow rate, and the
number of blast-furnaces in operation is being
increased only gradually. Pig iron prices have
been reduced, however, in the hopes of attracting
buyers. No. 3 Cleveland is now quoted at 110s.
for the home trade, whilst 115s. is asked for export.
The Continent is still in a position to undercut for
shipment business. Hematite is weak, and worth
scarcely more than 120s. A lew small parcels have
been going into home consumption, but export trade
is practically stagnant. In the finished departments,
a big effort has been made to stimulate trade by
cutting prices, and home trade quotations are
roughly £3 down at £10 section basis. So far,
however, it has had little effect. Export business
is slow in spite of repeated reductions, and the
Continent is still able to secure the cream of the
export business. If costs came down to a reason-
able level, British makers would undoubtedly come
into their own again, for many schemes are being
held up until preference can be given to our home
works.
;i().s
THE MININC. MACAZINK
STATISTICS
Prodvciioh or Gold in rnt TRANSVAiiL.
Rand
Else-
where
Oi.
Oi.
Total
Oi.
Price ot
Gold per or..
September, 1920. .' 665,486 I 16,687 682,17a llfi
Ociober 645,819 16,65:3 ' 662,472 117
November , 618,525 15,212 633,787 117
December 617,549 14,666 632,215 115
Toul, 1920 7,949.038
January, 1921 ...I 637,425
Febniary 643,767
March 656,572
April 665,309
May 671,750
June.... 603,383
July 673,475
.-August 695,280
September , 674,157
204,587 8.153,625
14,ia'<
14,370
14,551
16,073
16,026
15,107
10,080
16,296
16,939
651,693
588,137
671,123
681,382
687,776
678,490
689,555
711,520
691.C9G
105 0
103 9
103 9
103 9
103 9
107 6
112 G
111
110 0
Nativks Employed in the Transvaal Mines.
Gold
Diines
September 30, 1920 . . 163,132
October 31 1 159,426
November 80 158,773
December 31 159,671
January 31, 1921 . . . 165,287
February 28 ' 171,518
March 31 174,364
April 30 172,826
May 81 170,595
June .80 168,152
July 81 160,990
August 31 ' 169,008
September 30 1 171.912
Coal
mines
Diamond
mines
Total
13,716
13,858
14,245
14,263
4,323
4,214
3,504
3.340
181,171
177,498
176,522
177,274
14,541
14,697
14,906 1
14,908
14,510
14,704
14,688
14,446
14,244 I
3.319
183.147
1,612
187,827
1,364
100,634
1,316
189,050
1,302
180,407
1,317
184,173
1,246
182,933
1,207
184,601
1,219
187,375
Cost and Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines.
Tons
milled
Work'g
Yield cost
per ton per ton [
Work*g
profit
per ton
Total
working
profit
Sept., 1920... 1,9.50,410
October 1,871,140
November . . . 1,799,710
December . . . 1,797,970
s. d.
38 11
39 9
40 2
39 11
s. d.
25 6
26 1
26 3
26 8
_L
s. d.
13 5
18 8
13 1
13 3
January, 1921
February
March
April
May ..
June ..
July...
August
1,895,235 j
1,575,320
1,958,730
1,921,815
1,955,357
1,960,349
2,010,236
2,050,722
35 0
35 6
34
34
85
85 10
37 2
37 3
26 3
28 6
26 1
25 10
26 2
25 10
25 7
25 4
8 9
7 0
8 4
8 7
9 1
10 0
11 7
11 U
1.276.369
1,278.885
1,255,749
1.198.672
829.436
550.974
813.636
854.533
889,520
979,769
1,163,565
1.226.282
Prodcction op Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1920
1921
£
January 211,917
February 220,833
March 225,808
April 213,160
May 218,037
June 214,213
July 214,919
August 207,339
September 223,719
October 204,184
November 180,462
December 158,835
Total I 2,499,408
oz.
43,428
oz.
46,9.56
44.2,37
40,810
45,779
31,995
47.000
47,858
46.266
1 48.744
45,054
49,466
46,208
51,564
48,740
53,200
43,471
52.436
47,343
—
46,782
—
46,190
Transvaal Gold Oi;th)t«,
August
Treated
Tons
Aurora West
Braknan
City Deep
Cons. Langlnngte
Cons. Main Reef
Crown Mines
D'rb'nRoodcpoortDcep
Fast Rand P.M
Ferrcira Deep
GcduM
Gcldenluiis Deep
Glynn's Lydenburg . . ,
Goch
Government G.M. Ar^as
Kleinfontein ....
Knii^ht Central. . .
Langlaaiite Fstate
I-iiipaard's Vlei . .
Meyer vt Charlton
MoHdcrfontcin
Modderfontein B
Modderfontein Deep . .
Modderfontein East. . . .
New Unified
Nourse
Primrose
Randfontein Central . .
Robinson
Robinson Deep
Roodepoort United . . .
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates.
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Rand ConsoHdated
Witw'tersr'nd (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep . .
Wolhuter
11,0.50
58,000
90,000
44,000
48,000
196,000
27,000
120,500
34.,500
44,.500
50,097
3,44li
17„5I)II
145,000
60,900
29,200
41,300
l5!r,(iii
1U(I,(X)I)
OU.OOO
44,400
27,300
11,500
45,000
22,800
135,600
40,000
61,600
23,000
60,200
53,700
41,500
10,200
15,600
33,400
53,300
50,000
32,500
41,300
31,000
32,300
Yield
Oz.
£16,100*
22,578
87,664
£72,502*
18,058
57,829
0.608
33,300
11,328
15,621
13,593
£7,124:
£21,39(1'
£327,065'
13,670
7,228
£70,320'
£L's,2fi5'
£-l.''.,544'
4S,114
31,452
24,818
12,310
£13,892*
14,688
£27,927*
£218,405*
7,(>29
17,871
£24,931*
13,441
13,772
18,179
5,491
£27,27U
£53,010*
£103,428'
16,490
£49,909*
£58,779*
9,423
8,217
September
Treated
Tons
• Gold at £5 lis. 6d. per oz. t £5 10s. per oz.
§ £5 8s. 3d. per oz.
10,800
57,500
89,000
44,000
50,000
193,000
24,350
124,000
32,200
45,000
49,520
8,675
17,100
140,OCO
49,700
28,600
41,C*0
22,2(X)
13,200
101,(X)0
59,000
43,000
25,000
1(1,900
41,200
20,700
130,000
40,000
63,600
22,()00
.54,(100
55,200
36.250
10.200
15,445
31,630
4(i,400
48,100
32,000
40,000
83.6.30
32,200
Yield
Or.
£15,115t
22,113
85,729
£72,037t
17,719
58,984
9,602
83,652
10,206
16,185
12,080
£7,I02S
£20,280t
£318,760t
13,017
0,761
£68,91 2t
£27,020t
£42,180t
46,994
30,780
28,355
0,791
£I3,9o8t
15,002
£23,71.5t
£202,792t
7,701
1B,4S0
£23,188t
13,676
18,298
16,075
5,513
£27,9985
£50,287t
£144,0()0t
15,308
/48,092t
£56,758t
9,717
7,939
} £5 9s. 9d. per oi.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planet-Arcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G.M. & I. . .
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian
18,000
16.024
3.788
6,268
1,580
2,473
.5,170
5,600
5,800
307
53,750
1,450_
' Also 255 tons copper. t At
§ Gold at £5 10s. per oz.
August
Tons
Oz.
4.355
3,34611
1,323
5,817
476
£3,054
4,901
2,495
2,650
355
£42,6695
£4,641+
September.
Tons
18.900
15,419
4,098
6,013
1.300
2,473
4,950
5,700
5,700
270
55,300
1,620
Oz.
£24,50U
2,672*
1,873
6,304
504
£3,054
4,418
2,611
2,607
805
£42,945t
£4,981t
par. II
t Gold at
Also 270 tons copper
£5 OS. per oz.
552,498
429.035
West Afhicak Gold Ootpots.
August
September
Treated
Value
Treated
Value
Abbontiakoon
Tons
8,000
6,239
7,356
800
8,094
8,340
Oz.
£18.853'
2.496
7.760
£3,440t
£15.507'
2.065
Tons
6.825
6.397
7,683
695
8,122
3,300
Oz.
£13,393'
2,596
Ashanti Goldfields
7,203
£3,117t
£14,594'
2 097
Prestea Block A
• At par. t Including premium.
NOVEMBER, 1921
309
WssT Australian Gold Statistics.— Par Values.
, Reported
' for Export
Oz.
Delivered
to Mint
Oz.
Total
Oz.
Par
Value £
Indian Gold Outputs.
January, 1921
February . . .
March
April
May
June
July
August
September. . .
October
523
684
10
607
474
153
1/641
110
380
1,910
50,934
26.872
47,875
46,602
47,638
23,194
44,917
51,731
50,728
51,286
.51,457
27,556
47,885
47,209
51,503
28,347
46,558
51,841
51,108
53,196
213,574
117,050
203,401
200,635
217,495
120,410
197,774
220,205
217,092
225,959
.\ustralian Gold Outputs.
West
Australia
Victoria
Queensland
New South
Wales
1921
oz.
oz.
£
January .
51,458
4,587
4,582
20,4G3
February.
27,557
10,940
9,046
21,575
March . . .
47,886
12,383
6,690
24,344
April ....
47,273
5,954
2,591
34,101
May ....
48,113
10,280
2,077
1.5,356
28,347
10,431
1.602
11,640
July
55,207
5,528
1,531
16,416
August.. .
8,941
1,413
15,946
September
—
—
—
16,942
October .
—
—
—
November
—
—
—
—
December
—
—
—
Total . .
206,841
69,047
29,532
176,983
Australasian Gold Outpuis.
August
September
Tons
Value I
Tons
Value £
Associated G.M. (W.A.)
6,217
8,313!l
5,789
7,512||
Blackwater (N.2.) ....
2,805
5.405'
3,159
6,372*
Gold'n Horseshoe (W.A)
10,512
5,483{
10,128
5,325}
Grt Boulder Pro. (W.A.)
9,438
29,4941!
8,312
27,01411
Ivanboe (W.A.)
16,126
6,185{
14,804
6,041}
KalgurU (W.A.)
—
—
—
%S
Lake View & Star (W.A.)
6,765
15,701111
6,550
12,229tll
Mount Boppy (N.S.W.)
4,405
l.llU
Oroya Links (W.A.) . . .
1,033
8,14Bt||
1,541
7,61Stll
South KalgurU (W.A.) .
7,862
12,70011
7.610
13,53211
Waihi(N.Z.)
14,197 1
4,480J
14,S20§
4,236
( 3,540}
1 35,144§
„ Grand Juoc'n (N.Z.)
6,380 \
1,499}
3,344§
6,280
( l,771t
1 4,321§
Vuanmi(W.A.)
6,393
18,757*<J
' Including premium ; t Including royalties ; t Oz. gold J
§ Oz. silv^er ; ]] At par. 6 Profit, d Four months.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs.
August
September
Tons
Value C,
Tons
Value £
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia)
254§
283§
El Oro (Mexico)
34,700
196,000}
34,250
201,000*
Esperanza (Mexico)
300t}
. —
43St}
Frontino & Bolivia (C'lbia)
2,160
8,608*
1,780
7,536*
Keeley Silver (Canada) . .
—
100,050§5
—
—
Mexico El Oro (Mexico) . .
—
—
—
Mining Corp. of Canada .
8,435
132,521§§
—
—
Oriental Cons. (Korea) ...
16,433
76,C55t
—
83,775t
Ouro Preto (Brazil)
7,100
2,3701
6,500
2,375'!
Plym'th Cons. (Calif'mia
8,200
6,913»
8,5C0
10,082*
St. John del Rey (Brazil).
—
43,000*
39,300*
Santa Gertrudis (Mexico)
29.762
16,227}
29,817
17,000}
Tomboy (Colorado)
18,000
69.000}
18.000
73,000t
• At par. t U.S. Dollars. } Profit, gold and silver. 11 Oz. gold.
§ Oz. platinum and gold. §§ Oz. silver.
Pato (Colombia) : 8 days to September 21 S26,027 from 61,04t
cu. yd. ; 12 days to October 3, 530,515 from 90,200 cu. yd. ;
18 davs to October 21, $14,772 from 137,238 cu. yd.
Nechi (Colombia) : 22 days to October 1, S19.649 from 177,358
cu. yd. ; 10 days to October 11, 521,331 from 73,335 cu. yd.
Balaghat
Champion Reef . .
Mysore
North Anantapur
Nundydroog . . . ,
Ooregum ^j^^j^^^
August
Tons
Treated
3,300
12,127
17,313
700
9,100
12.900
Fine
Ounces
2,361
4,322
10,498
904
• 5,370
8.543
September
Tons
Treated
3,200
11,650
17,417
700
8,771
12,900
Fins
Ounces
2,563
4,848
10,531
893
5,318
8.434
Production of Gold in India.
January . . .
February . .
March
April
May
June
July
August . . . .
September .
October
November .
December .
Total .
1917
Oz.
44,718
42,566
44,617
! 43,726
42,901
42,924
42,273
42,591
43,207
43,041
42,915
44,883
1918
520,362
Oz.
41,420
40,787
41,719
41,504
40,8.39
41,264
40,229
40,496
40,088
39,472
.36,984
40,149
485,236
1919
Oz.
38,184
36,384
38,317
38,248
38,508
38,359
38.549
37,850
36,813
37,138
39.628
42,643
461,171
1920
1921
Oz.
39,073
38,872
38,760
37,307
38,191
37,864
37,129
37,375
35,497
35,023
34,522
34,919
444,532
Oz.
34,023
32,.529
32,576
32,363
32,650
32,207
32,278
32,498
32,642
293,787
Base Metal Outputs.
August j Sept.
Arizona Copper Short tons copper . . .
( Tons lead cone. . . .
British Broken Hill .... Tons zinc cone
1 Tons carbonate ore
Broken Hill Prop ' Jons lead cone. . . .
( Tons zmc cone
Burma Corporation. .
Hampden Cloncurry
Broken Hill South Tons lead cone.
( Tons refined lead
I Oz. refined silver
' Tons copper . . . .
I Oz. gold
I Tons copper . . . .
Mount Lyell J Oz. silver
I Oz. gold
Mount Morgan J Jons Copper
1 Oz. gold
»• .t I, 1 till I Tons lead cone
North Broken Hill , j^^^ ^^^^ cone. . .
Pilbara Tons copper ore
Rhodesia Broken Hill Tons lead
( Tons lead cone. .
Sulphide Corporation . . -, -y^^^ ^i„^ ^odc .. .
Tanganyika Tons copper
_. _ .. ( Tons zinc cone
Zmc Corporation | ^^^ jjaj ^^^^ .
2,935
2,598
260,900
470
14,056
342
1,200
1,170
90
1,569
2,089
3,739
2,952
9,805
967
1,117
4,322
2,940
2,534
294,102
602
20.152
412
1,200
1,360
75
1,J31
1,922
3,230
2,783
9,4fl0i
902
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc.. into United Kingdom.
August I September
Coal Tons
Iron Ore Tons
Manganese Ore Tons
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons
Copper Ore, Matte, and Prec Tons
Copper Metal Tons
Tin Concentrate Tons
Tin Metal Tons
Lead, Pig and Sheet Tons
Zinc (Spelter) Tons
Quicksilver Lb.
Zinc Oxide Tons .
White Lead Cwt. .
Bary tes, ground Cwt. .
Phosphate Tons .
Sulphur Tons .
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. .
Petroleum
Crude Gallons;
Lamp Oil Gallons;
Motor Spirit Gallons
Lubricating Oil Gallons
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil CallonsI
167,133
20,194
36,997
89,379
6,039
3,731
16,375
19.520
1,074
8,515
8,317
5,760
1,231
2,320
2.086
1,974
10,845
11,954
3.907
4,480
112
7,800
509
474
2,705
4,344
28,714
32,892
15,697
42,249
19,197
57,411
9,501,804
11,166,374
9,784,263
8,663,040
21,146,947
20,024,380
2,176,031
1,239,582
11,301,765
7,530,440
52,422,202
46,421.748
310
THK MINING MAGAZINE
Outputs of Tin Mining Companibs.
la Tons of Conccntralc.
Nigeria ;
Associated Nigerian
Disichi
Boogwclli
ChampioD (Nigeria)
Dua
Ex-Lnnds
Filaiii
Gold Coast Consolidated . . .
Gurum River
Jantar
Jos
Kaduna
Kaduna Prospectors
Kano
Ketfi Consolidated
Lower Hisicbi
Lucky Cliance
Minna
Mongu
Naraguta
Naraguta Extended
Nigerian Consolidated
N.N. Bauchi
Offin River
Ray6eld
Ropp
Rukuba
South Bukeru
Sybu
Tin Fields
Yarde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang
Gopeng
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
Kamuntiog
Kinta
Lahat
Malayan Tiu
Pahang
Kambutan
Suneei Besi
1 ekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Cornwall :
East Pool
Geevor
South Crofty
Other Countries :
Aramayo Mines (Bolivia) .
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook Ronpibon (Siam) . .
Leeuwpcort (Transvaal) ....
Macready (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rooibery Minerals(Transvaal)
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Toogkah Harbour (Siam) . . .
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal)
J"iy
Tons
is
20
ll
13
li
131
23
3i
37
60
20
8
65
37
118
4
16
8
6
89
17J
22
35'
53t
86J
214
14
47
37
20
32
August
Tons
36
13
6
1
45
50
24
9
825
26
128
11
7
89
19}
19J
3d?
431
83|
216
15
48
37
36
30
Sept.
Tons
40
30
6J
3
12
"oi
17i
12J
21
51
47J
50
25
S3i
24
165
5
13
14
7
75*
89
203
IS
74*
355
472
77i
226
151
46'
39
30
17
—
—
—
—
180
28
23
174
28
10
245
200
32
13
30
—
—
.
—
75
50
1341
123
Ill
50
121
113
905
50'
102J
84
~~*
~
* Three months.
Nigerian Tin Production.
In lone tons of concentrate of unspecified content.
Noll. — The$e figures arc trtkm from Ike monthly rdurr.s made ty
individual companies reporling in London, and probably represent
85% o/ the actual outputs.
1916
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
January ....
.. 531
667
678
613
547
438
February . . .
.! 528
646
OOS
623
477
270
March
. 1 547
655
707
606
505
445
, 486
555
584
546
467
394
May
. 536
509
525
483
383
337
.. 510
473
492
484
435
423
July
.. 506
479
545
481
484
494
.. 408
551
.571
616
447
477
September . .
.. 535
538
520
561
528
695
October
..1 584
578
491
625
62o
—
November . .
.. 679
621
472
536
544
—
December . . .
..| 654
655
518
511
577
—
Total
..! 6,594
6,927
6,771
6.^
6,022
3,953
Production of Tin in FrPFRATrD Malay Statis.
I'slimatid ;il 70% ol Concentrate shipped to Smelters
I
January . .
February .
March . . .
April ....
May ....
June
July
August . . .
September
October . .
November
December.
Long Too-
1917
1918
1019
1920
1921
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
3,55S
8,030
8,765
4,265
8,298
2.755
8,197
2,784
8.014
8,1 U
3,280
2,000
2,819
2,770
2,190
3,251
8,308
2,858
2,606
2,092
3,413
3,832
8,407
2,741
2,884
8,489
8,070
2,877
2,940
2,752
3,263
8,373
8,750
2,824
2,784
3,413
8,259
2,956
2,7SG
3,051
3,164
8,167
3,161
2,734
2,838
3,436
2,870
3,221
2,837
-*
3,300
3,132
2,972
2,578
—
3,525
3.022
2,409
2,838
—
39,833
37,370
30,935
34,928
25,050
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long Tons.
Aug. 31
Straits and Australian Spot ....
Ditto, Landing and in Transit
Other Standard, Spot and Landing
Straits, Afloat |
Australian. Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto, Afloat I
Billiton, Spot
Bilhton, Afloat
Straits, Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto, Afloat to Continent
Total Afloat for United States . . .
Stock in America
1,811
590
3,994
1,025
190
4,003
807
397
100
650
3,689
1,761
Total I 19,037
Sept. 30
1,748
510
■4,226
2,000
100
3,934
054
241
1.30
425
4,603
1,756
Oct. 31
20,777
2,168
968
5,194
1,655
176
3,916
1,260
126
63
840
4,497
2,041
22,891
Shipments, Imports, Supply, and Consumption of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
August
Sept.
Oct.
Shirments from :
995
1,580
.590
950
75
490
587
1,870
3,0C0
430
616
' 25
390
324
1,675
2,076
775
Straits to other places
Australia to U.K
475
50
210
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
1,275
Supply :
3,165
75
276
966
928
5,300
25
100.
1,086
811
4,525
50
63
1,976
Standard
2911
Total
5,409
7.321
6,903
Consumption:
2,004
389
3,320
511
1,707
329
2,605
940
1,808
Dutch
American . . .
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
255
2,280
446
Total
6,224
5,581
4,879
NOVEMBER, 1921
311
OuiPUTs Reported by Oil-producing Companies.
....Tons..
Barrels
Barrels
July
August
Sept.
Anglo-Egyptian
Anglo-United
14,682
9.900
22,225
22,234
79,569
13,340
236
93,421
9,323
2,053
1,371
18,730
18,892
2,983
14,324
9,5.50
94,398
27,013
81,40)
13,340
305
96,001
9.169
?„588
1,286
22,760
11,800
4,291
13,451
9,500
48,305
Astra Romana
Britisti Burmah
Tons..
Barrels
Tons..
74,940
Dacia Romana
Tons .
Barrels
278
97,118
....Tons..
8,631
Roumanian Consol . . . .
Tons. .
Tons. .
2,276
Tons..
19,485
Trinidad Leaseholds . .
United of Trinidad . . .
Tons..
Tons..
10,950
5,700
• Quotations ok Oil Companies* Shares.
Denomination of Shares £1 \mless otherwise noted.
Anglo- American
Anglo- Egyptian B
Anglo-Persian 1st Pref
Anglo-United, Wyoming
Apex Trinidad
British Borneo (10s.)
British Burmah {8s.)
Bunnah Oil
Caltex($l)
Dacia Romano
Kern River, Cal. (10s.)
Lobitos, Peru
Mexican Eagle, Ord. ( $5)
Pref. (§5)
North Caucasian (10s.)
Phcenix, Rouraania
Roumanian Coasi^lidated ....
Royal Dutch (100 gulden) 35
Scottish American
Shell Transport, Ord.
., Pref. (£10)
Trinidad Central
Trinidad Leaseholds
United British ol Trinidad
Ural Caspian
Uroz Oiihelds (10s.)
Oct. 6
Nov. 7,
1921
1921
£ s.
d
f
s.
d.
4 0
"i
4 16
3
1 2
•"•
1
2
6
1 1
3l
1
1
9
3
"1
K
1 13
9I
1
12
6
8
9
6
6
17
6
1
0
0
4 17
6
5
15
1)
3
H
3
U
17
6
13
9
19
3
1
1
3
4 0
0'
3
15
11
3 10
l)i
3
7
6
3 7
6:
3
2
6
13
!)
11
3
8
3
7
3
8
6
6
9
35 5
0
36 10
11
2
»i
2
0
4 5
fll
4 12
6
8 2
6
a
2
6
2 10
»
2
12
6
1 15
n
1
12
6
13
9
12
6
12
6
H
0
6
0
6
0
Dividends Declared bv Ml-jing Companies.
Date
Oct. 19 . .
Oct. 19 . .
Oct. 19 . .
Oct. 19 ..
Oct. 20 . .
Oct. 21 ..
Oct. 22 . .
Oct. 22 .
Oct. 24 .
Oct. 27 . .
Oct. 28 . ,
Oct. 23 .
Nov. 1 .
Nov.
Nov.
Nov.
Coropany
Par
Value of
Shares
Wolhuter Gold
Ginsberg Gold
Goldtields Rhodesian
Bunnah Oil
Premier Diamond
Amalgamated Zinc
Waihi Gold
Deebook Dredging
Scottish AustraUan
El Oro
Gold Coast .\malg imated .
St. John del Rey
Borax Consolidated ,
Lonely Reef
Gaika Gold
Aramayo Mines
a
a
lOs.
£1
Pref. .5s.
a
10s.
£1
a
£1
£1
(Ord.£l
'I Pref.£l
iDef.
■Ord.£l
£1
£1
23 fr.
Amount of
Dividend
9d. less tax.
Is. lOd.*
6d. less tax.
2s. less tax.
125% less tax
Is.
Is. tax paid.
6d.t
2J% less tax.
Is. tax paid.
2!% less tax.
9d. less tax.
Is. tax paid.
Is. less tax.
15% less tax.
74% less tax.
.•to'
Second and final distribution on liquidation,
t Refund of capital.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. November 7.
These quotations are not absolute ; they vary £
quantities required and contracts running,
Acetic Acid, 40% per cwt.
80%
,, Glacial per ton
Alum
Alumina, Sulphate ■
Ammonia, Anhydrous per lb.
0880 solution per ton
,, Carbonate per lb.
,, Chloride, grey per ton
,, „ pure per cwt
,, Nitrate per ton
„ Phosphate
,, Sulphate „
.\ntimony, Tartar Emetic per lb.
,, Sulphide, Golden ,,
Arsenic, White per too
Barium Carbonate >,
Chlorate per lb.
Chloride per ton
,, Sulphate
Benzol, 90"!i per gal.
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI ,
,, Liquor, 7% >,
Borax „
Boric Acid Crystals ,
Calcium Chloride ,
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% per gal.
,, „ crystallized, 40 per lb.
China Clay (at Runcorn) per ton
Citric Acid per lb.
Copper, Sulphate . . per ton
Cyanide of Sodium, 100";'(, per lb.
Hydrofluoric Acid ,
Iodine per oz.
Iron, Nitrate per ton
,, Sulphate ,
Lead, Acetate, white „
„ Nitrate
,, Oxide, Litharge „
„ White
Lime, Acetate, brown ,,
„ grey 80%
Magnesite, Calcined
Magnesium, Chloride ,,
,, Sulphate ,,
Methylated Spirit 04= Industrial per gal.
Nitric Acid, 80° Tw. per too
Oxalic Acid per lb.
Phosphoric Acid per ton
Potassium Bichromate per lb.
,, Carbonate per too
Chlorate per lb.
Chloride 80% per ton
„ Hydrate (Caustic) 90% ,
Nitrate
„ Permanganate per lb.
,, Prussiate, Yellow ,
Red
Sulphate, 90% per ton
Sodium Metal per lb.
,, Acetate per ton
„ Arsenate 15% ,,
„ Bicarbonate ,,
„ Bichromate per lb.
, Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton
(Crystals)
Chlorate per lb.
Hydrate, 76% per ton
,, Hyposulphite „
Ni'tratc, 96% ,
„ Phosphate ,
,, Prussiate per lb.
Silicate per ton
Sulphate (Salt-cake) ,.
,, ,, (Glauber's Salts)
,, Sulphide ,
,, Sulphite
Sulphur, Roll
,, Flowers „
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65=
,, ,, free from Arsemc, 144 ... „
Superphosphate of Lime, 30?© -
Tartaric Acid per lb.
Turpentine per cwt,
Tin Crystals per lb.
Titanous Chloride „
Zinc Chloride per ton
Zinc Oxide ,
Zinc Sulphate
ccording
to
£ s.
d.
1 2
6
2 5
0
60 0
(1
16 0
II
14 10
0
2
'>
28 0
11
4
37 0
0
3 5
0
45 0
0
85 0
0
13 10
0
1
6
1
3
38 0
0
10 0
0
11
16 0
II
8 0
n
3
(1
56 0
(1
16 0
n
6 0
(J
31 0
II
65 0
0
9 0
<)
1
7
61
i 10
.1
o
5
30 0
0
IH
7*
1
li
8 U
0
3 0
0
45 0
I)
47 0
0
38 0
c
44 0
(1
8 0
u
11 0
0
21 0
0
12 0
0
8 0
0
5
u
30 0
0
9
40 0
II
H
23 0
0
6
12 0
0
33 0
0
49 0
(1
1
3
1
3
2
3
16 0
(1
1
4
m 0
0
31 0
0
12 0
0
7
15 0
U
7 0
U
4
26 15
0
16 0
1)
15 0
0
22 0
0
7
11 15
0
3 10
0
5 0
0
22 Q
0
12 10
0
13 0
n
13 0
0
24 0
n
6 5
n
7 10
(1
1
n
3 9
0
1
5
1
0
22 10
(1
41 0
0
17 0
0
312
THE MINING MAGAZINE
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares arc £1 par value except where otherwise noted.
GOLD, SILVER,
DIAMONDS:
Rand :
Brakpan ,
Central Mining (£8) ,
City & Suburban (£4)
City Deep ,
Consolidated Gold Fields ,
Consolidated Langlaagte
Consolidated Main Reef ,
Consolidated Mines Selection (lOs.
Crown Mines (10s.) ,
Daggafontein ,
Durban Roodenoort Deep
East Rand Proprietary ,
Fcrreira Deep ,
Geduld ,
Geldenhiiis Deep ,
Government Gold Mining Areas ,
Johannesburg Consolidated ,
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Knights Deep
Langlaagte Kstate
Meyer & Charlton
Modderfontein, New (10s.)
Modderfontein B (5s.)
Modderfontein Deep (5s.)
Modderfontein East
New State Areas
Nourse
Rand Mines (5s.)
Rand Selection Corporation
Randfontein Central
Robinson (£5)
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack
Springs
Sub-Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. Gd.)
\'an Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Springs
Witwatersrand (Knight's)
Witwatersrand Deep
Wolbuter
Other Tr.\nsvaal Gold Mines :
Glynn's I.ydenburg
Sheba (os.)
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates .
Diamonds in South Africa :
De Beers Deferred (£2 10s.)
Jagersfontein
Premier Deferred (2s. 6d.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
Chartered British South Africa . .
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
Rezende
Shamva
Willoughby's (10s.)
West Africa :
Abbontiakooa (10s,)
Abosso
Ashaati (4s.)
Prestea Block A
Taquah
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks ....
Bullfinch
Golden Horse-Sboe Ho)
Great Boulder Proprietary (2s.) .
Great FingaU (10s.)
Hampton Properties .-
Ivanhoe (£5) . . .^ . . ,
Kalgiirli
Lake View Investment (10s.) . . .
Sons of Gwalia
South Kalgurli (10s.)
Nov. 5.
Nov.
7,
1920
1921
( s.
d.
f
s.
d.
3 0
0
2
10
0
8 2
(i
«
0
0
7
0
2
e
2 15
0
2
5
0
1 5
0
1,5
0
10
3
12
«
I'l
fi
9
ti
1 1
6
14
0
2 12
«
1
15
0
12
«
2
6
5
0
5
0
»
()
4
G
12
0
8
li
2 7
(i
2 16
3
8
0
5
0
4 5
0
3 18
9
1 G
(1
1
1
3
G
(i
5
3
4
0
4
U
6
SI
—
15
0
11
(>
4 12
fi
4
0
0
3 15
0
3
13
9
1 15
0
1
G
3
2 5
0
2
3
9
1 3
SI
9
0
1 11
3
1
2
G
10
0
9
0
2 IS
S)
2
1
3
3 7
fi
2
1(1
(1
14
0
10
(1
7
0
9
(1
12
G
8
S)
17
0
13
(1
3
9
2
G
2 2
(i
1
18
H
15
n
10
0
lU
(1
14
G
15
0
12
(1
3 15
0
3
8
9
9
3
8
0
17
fi
11
3
15
0
12
G
8
0
8
0
5
0
4
3
13
n
8
S)
1
SI
1
3
10
0
8
U
ifi in
0
10 17
G
3 15
0
2
5
(1
U 0
0
5
0
0
10
n
10
0
15
II
1(1
9
13
0
4
i)
13
0
1(1
3
17
(1
12
G
2 17
fi
2
3
SI
2 15
(1
3
5
0
1 12
fi
1
1(1
0
5
G
3
G
3
fi
2
3
11)
(1
K
G
16
fi
13
9
2
3
1
9
13
0
8
G
3
n
2
0
3
II
1
9
3
o
1
0
15
0
11
3
6
9
5
9
1
G
1
0
7
fi
4
3
1 2
fi
18
SI
13
«
17
(1
14
3
7
G
6
n
3
G
5
6
8
0
Gold, Silver, cont.
Others in- Australasia :
m.ickwatcr, New ZcaLind
Coiisniidatcd G.F. of New ZcaLlnd...
Mount Doppy, N.S.W. (10s.)
Progress, New Ze.il.ind
Waihi, New Zealand
Wailii Grand Junction, New Z'lnd..
America :
Buena Ticrra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
Kl Uro, Mexico
Hsperanza, Mexico
Frontino \ Bolivia, Colombia
Le Koi No. 2 {.^5), British Columbia
Mexico Mines of Kl Oro, Mexico ....
Neclii (Pref. 10s.), Colombia
Oroville Uredginb", Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California.
St. John del Key, Brazil
Santa Gertrudis, Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia :
Lena Gcldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balaghat (10s.)
Champion Reef (2s. Gd.)
Mysore (10s.)
North .^nantapur
Nundydroog (10s.)
Ooregum (Ids.)
COPPER :
Arizona Copper (5s.), Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India..
Esperanza, Spain
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland ...
Mason & Barry, Portugal '
Messina (5s.), Transvaal
Mount Elliott (£5), Queensland
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Namaqua (£2), Cape Province '
Rio Tin to (£5), Spain I
Russo-Asiatic Consd., Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia |
Tanganyika, Congo and Rhodesia ..!
LEAD-ZINC : \
Broken Hill ; \
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hili Block 10 (£10)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation {15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia;
Burma Corporation (10 rupees)
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
TIN:
Aramayo Mines, Bolivia
Bisichi (10s.), Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania
Dolcoath. Cornwall
East Pool {5s.). Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.). Nigeria ....
Geevor (lOs.), Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredging, Malay
Kamunting, Malay
Kinta, Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay
Mongu (10s.), Nigeria
Naragiita, Nigeria
N. N. Bauchi, NigeriadOs.l
Pohang Consolidated (5s.). Malay . . .
Rayheld. Nigeria
Renong Dredijing. Siam
Ropp (4s ). Nigeria
Siamese Tin, Siam ...
South Crofty (os.). Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals. Cornwall
Tekka, Malay
Tekka-Taiping, Malay
Tronoh, Malay
Nov. 6,
1020
£ 8. d.
8 8
3 0
6 0
1 9
1 10 0
8 9
11 3
12 9
IS
1 10
10
5
7 0
8
1
1 2
1 10
2 10
1 1
2 5
2 2
15 9
16 3
1 0 G
10 0
15 0
10 0
8 0
2 3
13 9
4 0
5 3
13 3
2 1 3
1 0 0
5 0
12 6
1 10 0
5 6
1 5 0
1 0
15 0
13
12 6
10 0
10 9
3 7 6
10 0
0
2 G
10 3
2 6
10 0
1 15 0
15 0
2 10 0
2 0 0
1 13 9
18 9
11 3
4 3
10 3
8 0
1 15 0
8 9
3 2 6
11 9
15 0
12 6
1 2 6
1 7 6
17 6
I 7 G
29 0 0
13 3
11 3
17 G
1 12 U
Nov. 6,
1821
£ s. d.
2 6
2 6
8
1 3
1 1 S
7 0
1 9
a 6
9 0
13 6
4
1 0
8
2 1
27 0
6
5
7
18
3 15 0
15 0
G 0
5 0
G
0
0
3
6
6
5 6
11 6
7
10
17 6
10 0
0
0
0
3 0
10 0
12 6
11 3
17 6
10 3
IS 9
1 10 0
10 0
1 10 0
1
10 0
9 0
5 0
1 15 0
4 0
2 6
3
1
2
1 12
10
1 0
1 12 6
17 6
8 9
12
1
1
17
4
1 15 0
3 6
5 0
15 0
1 1 3
1 1 3
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING, METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
RESOURCES OF THE MEXICAN OILFIELDS
A paper on this subject, by L. G. Huntley and
Stirling Huntley, appears in the September issue
o£ Mining and Metallurgy, the monthly organ of
the American Institute of Mining and Metallurgical
Engineers. It has been written as a counterblast
to recent articles which predicted an early
exhaustion of many of the areas in the so-called
southern fields of the Tampico-Tuxpam district,
and which were interpreted in many quarters,
rightly or wrongly, to indicate an approaching
collapse of the Mexican oil industry. The object
of the present paper is to show that the life of the
Mexican oil industry will be a long one, and that
area originally underlain by oil was 625 hectares,
with a vertical height to the crest of the structure of
350 ft. at the highest point.
The Amatlan-Naranjos-Zacamixtle is the next
independent pool south of the Tepetate-Chinampa.
It is cut off from the field to the north by a sharp
saddle or fault, and is separated from the Cerro
Azul pool to the south by a low saddle, which is
also probably accompanied by faulting. While
there are several domes along this crest which may
be separated by faulting, it is considered a single
producing unit in this paper. Up to July 1, 1921,
this district had produced approximately
Fig 1. — Diagrammatic Cross-Section of Tampico Emb.wment
Showing main structural features and intrusives, in their relation to present and future oil development.
Mexican oil will continue to be a large factor in
the market for an indefinite time after the areas
forming the subject of the previous articles have
been drained.
The author first describes the various producing
areas of the southern fields. The first of the large
wells was drilled in 1908 at Dos Bocas. This ran
wild for two months and then turned to hot salt
water, which it has continued to produce ever
since. Several nearby smaller wells were flooded
with salt water at the same time, and the poo!
ceased to produce. There is thus no history ot
production upon which to base comparisons with
other fields. This is the farthest north of the
structures that lie along the crest of the main fold
which intersects the coast at this point.
The initial well of any importance drilled on the
Tepetate-Chinampa structure was Juan Casiano
No. 7, drilled in 1910. This well produced from the
pool without competition until 1917, when several
other pipe - lines were completed, and the
Huasteca Petroleum Co. shipped appro.ximately
85,000,000 barrels of oil from the pool, out of a total
of approximately 126,000,000 produced. The pool
was finally flooded in 1920. The salt-water table
moved up the flanks of the structure with
remarkable regularity as the oil was drawn off.
Starting from the 2,175 ft. contour below sea-level,
it moved gradually up to the crest, where the pay
formation lay at an elevation of approximately
1,800 ft. below the same datum. The estimated
120,000,000 barrels of oil. The salt-water table
had risen on the northern end of the pool from the
— 2,150ft. contour to the —1,660 ft. contour,
while on the southern end in lower Amatlan, where
the crest reaches a height represented by — 1,550 ft.
contour, the salt water had barely passed the
1,800 ft contour, as shown in Fig. 2. On the
southern end, this rapid depletion was largely due
to low porosity. In July, there was an area of
about 750 hectares still producing in both bsctions,
with a vertical oil height averaging 110 ft. It is
estimated, therefore, that on the above date there
were approximately 50,000,000 barrels of oil
remaining in the pool. At that time practically
all shipments had been suspended on account of the
Mexican Government's high export taxes. At the
rate at which it was being drained in January,
1921, 400,000 barrels per day, it would last
approximately 125 days ; at the rate at which
shipments were made in May, 1921, the field will
not be drained until the middle of 1922. It is to be
expected that all companies having producing wells
within the limits of this pool will take most of their
oil from these wells while the pool lasts, reserving
for the future their wells in less competitive fields.
The companies that control wells in Toteco and
Cerro Azul are apparently following this obvious
policy. As regards the Cerro-Azul-Toteco pool,
the crest of the structure reaches a considerably
higher vertical elevation above the salt-water table
than those to the north, which have just been
313
31 1
Tin-: MIXIXC, MAGAZINE
discussed, the highest contour apiiarently bein^
— 1,350ft. The estimated area is apjiroxiinaUly
1,350 hectares, with a vertical oil column of 450 ft.
This greater vertical height of the structure repre-
sents a correspondingly greater cubical contents
per hectare. By comiiarison with the Tepetate-
Chinampa held, it is therefore estimated to contain
a reserve of 150,000,000 barrels, making allowance
for large amounts of gas in the reservoir in Toteco.
.\bout 54,000,000 barrels have been produced,
the greater part of which has come from the
Huasteca Petroleum Co.'s No. 4 well in Cerro
.■\zul, which was drilled in 1914. This pool
will be only partly competitive, as there are only
three companies represented by leases and wells,
although other claimants exist and may possibly
obtain representation through title litigation.
The Potrero del I.lano-Alazan pool, after
producing appro.ximately 117,000,000 barrels of
oil, finally went to salt water in 1918. Since that
time, however, by pinching in old wells and drilling
strategic locations, a considerable daily production
has been worked up, which was still maintained in
July, 1921. The highest producing contour in this
pool was about 1,750 ft. below sea-level on the
.A.lazan end.
In the Tierra-Blanca-Chapapote pool, the first
well was completed in May, 1921. The Tamasopa
lime lies at appro-ximately 2,000 ft. below sea-
level in this well. In case the general salt-water
level is the same on this fold as in the pools to the
north ( — 2,250), the amount of oil to be obtained
is relatively small. However, this remains to be
determined. The territory is controlled by the
Huasteca Petroleum Co., and it will therefore be
a non-competitive pool.
The producing formation in the Alamo pool is
a limestone some distance above the Tamasopa.
Several pays are encountered, and at least two
distinct grades of oil. Salt water has seriously
invaded the small producing area, and the wells
were stripping appro.ximately 7,000 barrels per day
before the shutdown. The pool has produced about
35,000,000 barrels of oil, but probably without
affecting the nearby Tierra Blanca reservoir.
The Alamo pool is controlled by the Penn-Me.K
Fuel Co., and therefore is non-competitive.
One well on the Molino pool has been drilled into
a pay reservoir in the Tamasopa, at a depth of
2,710 ft. ; this is the lowest producing big well in
the Tampico Embayment. It is rated as a
20,000 barrel well, or better, but produces a heavy
viscous oil of about 1 1° Be gravity, which it has been
impossible to pump to the coast. Conditions are
more complex m the Tuxpam River district than
in the region to the north. A good well has just
been drilled in the Zapotal tract, south of the river,
which produces a light oil in what is apparently
the San Felipe series above the Tamasopa. It was,
however, drilled deeper into the salt water.
The Panuco River pools lie along the crest of a
broadly plunging arch, and produce both from the
San Felipe and the Tamasopa formations. While
locally there seems to be a general salt-water table
below which no oil will be found, the porosity of the
lime seems to be the main factor in determining its
productivity in any particular area. Neither the
Panuco nor the Topila districts has been finally
delineated by dry holes, and there is good reason
to believe that not only will they be extended, but
that new areas will be brought in along the broad
crest.
The value of any comparison of leases located on
the crest of the lolds in this region depends on the
amount o( oil the owners of such leases can ship
and sell by nu-ans of their pipe-lines and organization
duriii;; the lime the total amount of oil is being
depleted by all companies producing from the same
pool. Also, certain wells at the extreme crests are
found to continue producing for long periods when
pinched in after the field as a whole is flooded.
Companies that control such wells have a valuable
asset as they may in the end give greater returns
than the original wells.
After the Chinampa pool was drained, several
wells at the crest were able to strip substantial
amounts of oil by jiinching in the wells, and this
is also being done at Potrero and .Mamo. It is
expected that the Amatlan lield will also offer the
same possibilities. Meanwhile, the Panuco River
fields to the north have not been delimited by dry
holes, and continue to produce substantial amounts
of oil, with the probability of increase in the future
both in number and area. This may be shown as
follows : —
Daily Production by Fields early in
1921 before
Market Decline.
n.irrcU
Per Day.
Panuco River Fields
. 145,000
Amatlan-Naranjos-Zacamixtle
. 400,000
Cerro .\zul-Toteco
. 30,000
Alamo .....
10,000
585,000
Less Amatlan in 125 days will lower p
ro-
duction to ... . 1,S5,000
But this disregards oil reserves from various
sources, which may therefore be added and
summarized as follow? : —
Estimated Possible Daily Production by Fields after
Amatlan Goes to Salt.
Barrels.
Panuco River Fields .... 145,000
Tepetate-Chinampa (stripping) . . 10,000
Naranjos-Amatlan-Zacamixtle (stripping) . 20,000
Cerro Azul (3 companies) . . . 140,000
(probably greater on account of sales
to other companies)
Tierra AmariUa (stripping) . . . 10,000
Potrero Alazan (stripping) . . . 10,000
Alamo (stripping) ..... 7,000
Tierra Blanca (non-competitive) . . 60,000
(depending on company policy)
Total .... 382,000
Estimating the life of Cerro Azul and
Tierra Blanca, with an estimated reserve of
200,000,000 barrels, at 1,000 days, on the assumption
that they produce at the combined rate of
200,000 barrels per day after the Amatlan pool is
drained, at the time of their being finally flooded,
they in their turn should strip 10,000 barrels or more
per day each from wells on the crests. This reserve
will be partly sold to other companies and therefore
will probably be pulled on much faster than this.
While it is impossible to say how long this stripping
can go on, there is good evidence that such wells
will be long lived, as they are probably fed by oil
working up the flanks of the structure over the
entire former producing area. Much of this oil
must have been cut off by the sudden flooding of the
pools, and will now be largely available to such
NOVEMBER, 1921
315
Fig. 2. — Structural Contours of
Southern Oilfields.
Fig. 3. — Tampico Fmbayment, showing main Structural
Fe.\tures with relation to Pools.
strategic wells as those mentioned. This will
make it possible to estimate that, after all the
southern pools have been flooded, there will still be
a production in the Mexican fields of 250,000 barrels
per day at the end of 1,000 days from July 1, 1921,
on the assumption that the new drilling in the
Panuco River field increases production. This
alone is sutficicnt to be a considerable factor in the
oil market, particularly the fuel-oil market. Mean-
while, it can be assumed that prospecting will have
probably extended the producing areas in the
Panuco River district, and those to the south and
west of the Alamo. In the latter region there are
good indications that there will be found pools of
relatively light oil in sand and limestone formations
above the Tamasopa as well as in the latter
formation itself. In the case of the probable pools
yielding from reservoirs above the Tamasopa, these
will undoubtedly have smaller wells producing over
a longer period of time in comparison with the
large Tamasopa wells to the north. It is even
possible, if later and higher prices warrant it, that
this region will see pumps installed for the first
time in Mexcio.
5—6
The present reserves in producing pools may be
shown as follows : —
Barrels.
50,000,000
150,000,000
50,000,000
Amatlan-Zacamixtle
Cerro Azul-Toteco .
Tierra Blanca
Panuco River pools
(Have not been limited and
seem capable of considerable
extension)
Total . . . 250,000,000 plus
These amounts disregard later recoveries from
the same areas through stripping wells, as the factor
used in the calculations was derived from the data
in the Tepetate-Chinampa area, wliich exclude
later recoveries.
The authors proceed to discuss the geological
factors involved. The oil from the fields in the
Tampico Embayment has practically all been
produced from porous limestone near the top
of the Tamasopa limestone, or from that limestone
itself. This limestone is not naturally porous,
but has been channelled by underground water.
:5iG
THE MINING M\(.\ZI\1".
apparently associated with the i^yncous iiitru<;iiins
of late Tertiary ago which arc common in the lield.
Such cavities and channels are filled with oil on
the crests of some of the main foUU in the region,
and, as would be expected, are tilled with water
down the dip on the flanks of the folds and in the
basins. The large wells, however, are entirely
dependent on the porosity of the limestone, and,
as this porosity is apparently associated with the
basaltic rocks found in certain parts of the region,
it would seem to follow that where such intrusions
were not present, or were infrequent, the limestone
would be non-porous and wells non-productive
or less productive. These conditions seem to
prevail in the Tempoal Valley, and also north of
the Tamesi River toward the Rio Grande, where
intrusives are not only relatively scarce but in
most cases are older in age than those to the south.
Thus, while a few seepages exist north of the Tamesi
Valley, and also in the Temporal Valley, they are
as a rule small and "dead," or merely veins of
asphalt or grahamite, as though leakage had
long ago dissipated any possible underground
accumulations of oil. The relative lightness of a
few of these seepages in comparison with those
found along the crests may be accounted for by
considering them as filtered through a considerable
vertical column of shale.
The migration of all fluids in the sedimentary
formations in the Tampico limbayment must have
been generally westward, that is to say, from the
deep region of high rock pressures on the Gulf
side in the direction of the mountain outcrop to
the west. Any interruption to this migration
must have been either the tops of folds, where the
formations were sufficiently porous to catch and
retain the oil above the general salt-water body,
or fracture or fault zones which allowed it to escape
to the surface, or both. In the Tampico Embayment
there exists a line of folding flanking the coast,
where both conditions e.xist. In fact, the groups
of numerous live seepages at the surface were the
first evidence of the fold itself noticed by the early
exploiters of the field. Only remnants that could
spill across the low places in the arch could get by
this first line of folding. Immediately west of the
crest of this first arch the number and size of these
igneous intrusions increase greatly, and as each
intrusion of basalt cutting through the upper
formations is an outlet for the leakage of any oil
underground, the territory to the westward suffers
from the following disadvantages : —
(a) Less oil from migration ;
(6) More dissipation through having to pass a
zone of intrusives in migrating westward ;
(c) General synclinal conditions favourable for
water accumulation rather than oil, especially as the
outcrop of the sandy San Felipe is open to
infiltrating waters on the west at an elevation that
would give it a head ;
[d] Pro.xiraity to mountain folding, with its
accompanying heat and pressure, which may have
destroyed some of the oil reservoirs.
The Tempoal Valley suffers from all of these
disadvantages, but good structures on the flanks
of such a basin may be expected to produce oil in
relatively small amounts, even with a comparatively
low porosity of the Tamasopa. The drilling carried
on by the Pearson interests at San Pedro showed
what may be expected. Such areas will be valuable
as the older, more prolific fields become exhausted,
particularly since this is a very high-grade oil.
The considerations tliat were disadvantages to
the Tempoal Valley make the crest of the I'anuco
arch appear very attractive for the future. In the
Panuco field, and the surrounding district, the oil
accumulations seem to be comparatively
independent of local structure and to be governed
by the local porosity of the limestone. If this
holds true generally, there will be a great deal
more oil produced from this region, as in the
northern part of the Rmbayment area this broad
arch constitutes the first barrier to the migration
of oil from the east and the south-east. The oil
found apparently increases in specific gravity
from the Panuco River to the north. That found at
Los Esteros w'ill barely flow.
North of the Tamesi River the Tamasopa lime
outcrops in the Sierra Tamaulipas, an uplift which
occurred during late Cretaceous times. Thus, this
has been a leakage zone for a wide area of
sedimentarics for a much longer time than leakage
has been going on in the southern fields through the
recent basaltic intrusives. The same conditions
hold true of the zone immediately Hanking the
mountain outcrop of the Tamasopa, which bounds
the Tampico I^mbayment to the west and south.
Prospecting in such areas, between the first barrier
to the east ami the Tamasopa outcrop to the west
should wait for the distant future.
From available surface evidence, and drilling
that has been done up to the present time, it seems
probable that the T^os Bocas-Alamo fold is plunging
steeply south of the Tuxpam River. This would
necessarily leave a gap in the main line of folding
across which westward migrating oil could pass,
to be caught by structural folds lying at the head
of the sub-embayraent west of this gap. Since
certain of these folds are well marked, and have
seepages and basaltic intrusives near their crests,
they certainly give promise of favourable results
when tested. These various favourable conditions
are less in degree than on the structures along the
present producing fold to the north and the strategic
position of these folds is not so good ; but they
constitute the type of structures that will be tested
in the future. The chances seem good for bringing
in fair-.sized wells of lighter oil than the present
fields yield.
As previously stated, to the south of the .A.lamo
the evidence seems to indicate that the main fold
is plunging rapidlv, and will not connect directly
with any fold in that direction. However, in the
region between the Tecolutla and Cazones Rivers,
a relatively sharp fold is found, which brings the
Tamasopa lime within drilling distance of the
surface. This fold apparently constitutes the first
barrier fold east of the coast in this region, and as
it contains both seepages and recent intrusives
along its crest should constitute a good reservoir
for oil. To the west and south-west of the barrier
fold the Tamasopa is exposed at the surface, as is
also the San Felipe. This territory cannot be
considered particularly favourable, even though
numerous seepages are found close to the mountain
front. The general strike of the folding changes
abruptly in the vicinity of the Xautla River,
bringing the Tamasopa close to the surface along
a fold with a N.E. — S.W. axis, which, together
writh the eastward limestone front to the south in
the vicinity of Misantla, limits the Tampico.
Embayment in this direction.
In general, it may be predicted that any folds that
bring the main reservoir rocks within drilling depth.
NOVEMBER, 1021
317
along a zone flanking the coast, and which do not
at the same time have their reservoir exposed,
should be the best prospects for the development
of oil production. The Furbero field produced from
a volcanic sand found in the Mendez shales, a
considerable distance vertically above the
Tamasopa, while the recent well drilled by the
Penn-Mex Fuel Co. at Zapotal encountered several
good pay sands before reaching the Tamasopa
limestone. .Such folds in the e.xtreme southern
end of the Tampico F.mbayment area have the
following advantages : —
(a) Well-defined structures in the same general
region that has already produced oil ;
(b) Presence of typical surface evidence in the
way of live seepages and recent igneous intrusions,
which in the northern districts are accompanied
by porous Tamasopa limestone underground ;
(c) Relatively shallow drilling depth at crests ;
{d) Same relative strategic position as the
present producing fold north of the Tuxpam River ;
(f) Possibilities of additional oil-bearing
formations above the Tamasopa. Both the San
Felipe and overlying shales contain frequent beds
of sand in this region south of the Tuxpam River.
The authors conclude by saying that it seems
probable that the present fields will continue
to produce oil in large quantities during the time
necessary to carry on pro-specting for additional
pools. Certain of the areas now being explored or
already in the hands of strong companies offer
excellent possibilities for the development of
important production. However, the opening up
of these new fields will require new roads, railways,
and pipe-lines, which will, in general, be longer and
more expensive than the existing system of trans-
portation, and some of which will in all probability
have to be operated as units separate from those
alrpady installed. The existing transport system
must in large part be liquidated out of the present
producing fields. Costs of producing and operating
will be higher than in the past, wells, in general,
will be smaller, fields will be more disconnected.
It is probable, however, that the oil in most new
pools will be of a higher grade These conditions
will probably force upon tlie operators the use of
co-operative or common carrier pipe-lines, rail-
roads, telegraph lines, etc In other words
producing conditions will be more nearly like
those of the United St-ates than has hcretefoTe
been <"he case. It will be seen that the authors are
fairly optimistic as to the future of these oilfields.
THE OILFIELDS OF EGYPT
At the meeting of the Institution of Petroleum
Technologists held on October 11, Dr William
Fraser Hume, director of the Geological Survey
of Egypt, read a paper on the Egyptian Oilfields.
We give an abstract herewith : —
The presence of petroleum in Egypt was known
from very early times, its occurrence on the surface
of pools at Gebel Zeit being recognized by the
Romans, who named the locality Mons Petrolcits.
This now famous spot is situated at about 163 miles
south-east of Suez on the western shore of the
Gulf of Suez, and at the foot of a range some
1,400 ft. in height. When the Societe Soufriere
began the exploitation of sulphur on the peninsula
of Gemsa in 1865, about 12 miles south of Gebel
Zeit, tunnels were made into the gypsum containing
sulphur close to the sea-shore. Considerable interest
was aroused when petroleum was found to be
floating on the sea-water which had collected in
these e.xcavations. The interest of the Egyptian
Government in these oil occurrences began in 1884
when M. de Bay called attention to the presence
of petroleum in the old workings at Gemsa and at
Gebel Zeit. It was arranged that he should under-
take borings at these localities. The first boring
reached a supply of oil at 106 ft., yielding 25 barrels
a day, while a second well reached 1.37 ft., yielding
500 cubic metres a day of mixed oil and water.
The Government, however, did not proceed further
with the venture. In 1.S86 an expedition was
organized under L. H. Mitchell, who was sub-
sequently joined by Colonel Stewart, the British
Consul-General at Odessa. Their results were
embodied in two reports, which contained valuable
data as to the distribution of petroliferous deposits
in Egypt. In 1896 a new period of activity com-
menced with the formation of the Geological
Survey under Captain (now Colonel) H. G. Lyons.
In this year began the sy.stematic geological
examination of Egyptian territory, which has
continued with increasing precision and detail up
to the present day. This study led to the foundation
of the present phosphate and magnanese industries
but the visits to Gemsa and Zeit led to pessimistic
conceptions of the oilfield possibilities. New
impetus was given to prospecting when the Depart-
ment of Mines was founded in 1906 under John
Wells. Gemsa in particular was opened up, and in
April, 1908, the first flowing well came in. A
number of companies were formed in rapid
succession after the initial success at Gemsa, tiut
the failure of their efforts led to stagnation so far
as companies were concerned, though the researches
of the Government to obtain further light continued
with unabated vigour. The opening up of the
famous Hurghada oilfield further south again
encouraged private enterprise, which, though
checked by the war, has now been resumed with
great energy.
With regard to the boring operations begun in
1908, No 1 well made good progress through dark
limestone with subsidiary clays, and w?s drilled
successfully to an oil rich in benzine on April 1,
1909. Other wells followed in fairly rapid
succession, the first four being all oil producers, but
of the twenty-one wells drilled only seven actually
yielded petroleum, and of these only three were of
first-class character. Though the oil itself was of
valuable quality the supply fell off somewhat
rapidly, and at the present time only one well
occasionally has a small and very temporary
production. The first geological results obtained
were of a puzzling character. While the first well
was entirely in limestone, those following showed
alternations of gypsum and limestone in varying
proportions. The oil-yielding zone was found to be
a narrow belt bordering the sea ; to the westward
of it the limestone diminished, the gypsum
increasing in importance, while finally salt in great
masses became the essential feature in a boring
made to test the main anticline near Gemsa Bay.
The petroleum was apparently present in porous
calcareous members of a thick gypsum limestone
series, the age of which has now been definitely
318
MIX INC. MAGAZINE
deto.rmincil as uot earlier than the Lower Miocene.
Immediately an underlying sandstone was
eneountercd (presumably the Nubian sandstone
formation), the presence of oil was replaced by that
of water.
The years 1908 to 1913, inclusive, were marked
by an effort to determine the oil-producing
possibilities of a number of small anticlines present
on the main coast of Egypt, near Gemsa, and on the
adjoining islands, Mr. John Wells commenced
Mcditerrevnean Sea-
yderusalem
\ 1 -i^
^SYRIA
\
\
^Cairo \
\
\ Suez (
Ak^ba
\\ SINAI Ul
1 ^
Gebel Zeir\>\
J..
W
Gemsa'K
\h
urghada
Siouf'\
E g\Y
P T (
Red
\ Sea.
. Khar^a
(
\
Edfu^
0 50
too
Scale of Miles -Assouan
Map showing position of Egyptian Oilfields.
operations almost simultaneously at Ras Bahar
(February 23, 1910), Gaysum Island (March and
April, 1910), and Jubal Island (June, 1910), these
being conducted on behalf of the African Prospecting
Syndicate and Eastern Petroleum Company
respectively. At the same time (June 27, 1910),
the Egyptian Oil Trust began boring on Urn el
Haimet Island, situated eastward of Gemsa, and
separated from it by a relatively shallow sea channel.
The results, if instructive from the point of under-
ground structure, were most disappointing as
regards oil possibilities. At Ras Bahar the deeper
No. 1 bore traversed nearly 3,000 ft. of alternating
gypsum, shale, and salt ; on Gaysum the same salt-
containing series began at 4S() ft. below surface,
the salt (sometimes in continuous masses over
200 ft. in thickness) alternating with shales and
gypsum to the depth attained. 2,668 ft. In the
Jubal Island the results were different, where the
earlier borings began in gypsum, then passed
through dolomitic limestones which contained
petroleum in small quantity. No large supplies
had been met with before red granite was entered.
Five other borings undertaken on this island showed
increasing thicknesses of shale and gypsum away
from the centre of the dome. The Um el Haimet
borings equally indicated the presence of salt zones,
their alternation with gypsum and clay, and in
addition the presence of granitic sands of varying
thickness distributed between 1,280 and 1,710 ft.
below surface.
Drilling in 1911 and 1912 revealed the jnesence
of the gypsum, clay, and salt series at Ramin Island,
near the south end of Gebel Zeit, and also at the
extreme northern end of that range, north-west
of Ras Dib, near where the valley Wadi Dara
enters the sea. As none of these salt-containing
bores have shown any satisfactory indications of
petroleum, it remains doubtful at present whether
such anticlines as those above-mentioned would
yield results if the deeper strata were penetrated.
Another series of borings begun in 1910 were in the
meanwhile presenting records of a different
character, these being sunk at various localities
at the southern end of the Gebel Zeit peninsula.
The first was located near the surface seepage, and
was carried to a depth of 610 ft., when it was
abandoned on meeting the igneous rocks. Two
others were begun on a small anticline north of
Zeitia Harbour in April, 1911, and closed clown in
March, 1912. In these borings limestone played an
important part, and some thin bands were saturated
vrith petroleum, but these were not of sufficient
thickness to be producers. A fourth was begun in
June, 1912, and small thicknesses of salt were
encountered. The work was abandoned at 1,322 ft.,
when granite was recorded as having been entered.
So far the borings had thrown but little light on the
deeper-seated structure, but one sunk on the western
side of the Zeit range, early in 1913, went through
a more normal succession, such as was indicated
at the surface. Beneath a considerable thickness
of gypsum and clay followed a fairly thick limestone
which contained a certain amount of petroleum.
Drilling was continued to 1,193 ft., when the Nubian
sandstone was entered, a strong supply of "water
being then encountered. The effort was then
discontinued. This boring, it should be stated,
was well down the western limb of the anticline.
Up to this date the efforts to develop the minor
anticlines had failed both on the Egyptian mainland
and on the islands, the only oil obtained being
along a line at Gemsa, which did not display striking
anticlinal characters. In none of the localities
tried were there any surface indications.
In 1909 it fell to the author's lot to push south-
ward to the Hurghada anticline, and in March,
1911, his interest was greatly aroused by the
discovery of an oil-smelling limestone in the western
anticline of Hurghada. From this time onward, the
Egyptian Government paid special attention to the
Hurghada area. The Anglo-Egyptian Oilfields,
Ltd., was also attracted to the region. The success
of this enterprise is now a matter of history, a series
NOVEMBER, 1921
319
of gushers being obtained from late in 19! 3 to the
present day.
Until 1912 the geology of the oilfield region
remained wrapped in a considerable amount of
obscurity. New data were, however, obtained in
that year, which threw a flood of light on many
points hitherto obscure. During the author's
expedition of that year a young Arab chainman
found a number of sea-urchins in a limestone under-
lying the great gypsum-clay series in Wadi Kabrit,
at the northern end of the Zeit range, and further
up the valley a rich fauna in the same formation
was obtained containing such typical Miocene
fossils as Aturia aturi and Tercbratula Miocenica.
These were identified as belonging to a period
transitional between the lower and middle Miocene,
and in this connexion it may be recalled that the
late Professor Suess regarded Aturia aturi as the
type fossil of the Schlier shallow-water formation
which forms the lower section of the middle Miocene
in Austria. This settled any controversy as to the
age of the gypsum bordering the Red Sea.
When examining the oilfield area about 1905-6,
Dr. Erb and John Wells found that a series of marls
underlying the gypsum in Gebel Zeit, and in places
over one hundred feet in thickness, were filled with
the minute tests of the foraminifer Globigerina.
This interesting formation was subsequently proved
to extend throughout the Gebel Zeit range. The
Petroleum Research studies in 1918 indicated the
Miocene succession to be as follows : —
Upper gj-psum beds.
Intergypseous clays and limestones.
Lower gypsum beds.
Globigerina marls.
Lower Miocene limestones, with flint con-
glomerates at the base.
The Gemsa oil was undoubtedly obtained from
porous limestones belonging to the above series,
and it is to this source that geologists look for
any benzine-rich light oils that may yet be found
in Egypt.
The most important advance in the knowledge of
the distribution of oil in Egypt was indicated when
the geologist of the Anglo-Egyptian Oilfields, I^td.,
was permitted to disclose some of the results of his
investigations at Hurghada to the author, in return
for information supplied regarding the surface
structure at Gebel Zeit. On comparing notes it
was found that all representative members of the
Zeit series were represented in the underground
succession at Hurghada, including such
characteristic members as the globigerina marls and
the flint conglomerate. Beneath the conglomerate
was a succession of fine sands and carbonaceous
shales similar to beds well known in Upper Egypt
as members of the upper Cretaceous formation. The
lighter oils were found associated with calcareous
strata in the Miocene gypsum-limestone series,
the heavier oils being, on the other hand, present
in the fine-grained Cretaceous strata.
This interesting conclusion brought the oil geology
of Egypt proper into relation with that of the Sinai
Peninsula. In 1888 Colonel Stewart learnt that
petroleum was frequently found floating at low
tide on the sea at Abu Durba, twenty-five miles
north-westward of Tor, the quarantme port of
Sinai. Oil seepages were also noted on the shore
near Gebel Tanka, north of Abu Zenima, this leading
to boring operations in August, 1910. The deepest
of these reached a depth of 2,930 ft. Commencing
in beds of Eocene age it traversed the whole of the
fossiliferous Cretaceous strata, finally entering the
Nubian sandstone. An oil-j'ielding layer was struck
between three and four hundred feet from the
surface, but as the supply was only three barrels
a week the enterprise was eventauUy abandoned.
The Petroleum Research study of the Egyptian
Government was extended to the Sinai Peninsula
in 1917-18, detailed examinations being made of
the Abu Durba and Tanka areas. It was evident
that petroleum had been present in both the Eocene,
Cretaceous, and Nubian sandstone formations,
oil-rock being found at several horizons. The most
consistent development is in the Cenomanian strata
immediately above their junction with the Nubian
sandstone. On the other hand, where the
fossiliferous Cenomanian strata are not present,
having passed into the sandstone type, the first
limestone or marly strata above the sandstone
show evidence of the former presence of oil, or it
may be present in the underlying sandstone. Thus
indications of the former presence of petroleum
have been noted in almost every member of the
Cretaceous and Eocene succession. Moon and
Sadek have found repeated indications of its wide
distribution in the Cenomanian strata of North
Sinai ; at Abu Durba, where the lowest fossiliferous
limestone is Turonian, the sandstone immediately
below is highly bituminous, and has been proved
still to contain thick liquid petroleum at only a
few feet below the surface ; at Abu Zenima the
oil-impregnated strata are at a higher Cretaceous
horizon, the Santonian, while in the Tanka area
Eocene beds have both yielded petroleum in borings
and have also been highly impregnated with oil
near the surface. The Cenomanian strata of Sinai
are the lowest in the geological scale to contain
indications of petroleum. The Jurassic strata in
the northern hills of Sinai are in lithological structure
most favourably developed to act as oil repositories,
yet careful search has not yielded the slightest
evidence of the former presence of petroleum in
them. The same holds true for the Carboniferous
strata in Western Sinai, and, so far as known,
Wadi Araba also, on the Egyptian side.
IRON ORES IN SOUTH-WEST AFRICA
In the South African Journal of Industries for
September, Dr. Percy A. Wagner gives an account
of iron ore deposits in the Namib desert, from 10
to 16 miles to the south-east of Walfish Bay. He
finds that the ores are highly siliceous, and not
suitable under present conditions for use as a source
of iron.
The Namib desert is for the most part flat and
featureless, and, apart from its waterless character,
easy to traverse. To reach it, however, it is
necessary to cross the great belt of sand dunes
extending along the coast from the neighbourhood
of Luderitz Bay to the Swakop River. The belt
is at its narrowest in the area under review, but none
the less offers a most serious obstacle to transport,
and the only practicable method of getting the iron
ore to Walfish Bay would be by aerial tramway.
The deposits are all of sedimentary origin, and,
with one exception — a deposit of magnetite-garnet
rock — consist of itabirite belonging to the
;i20
Tin: MIXING MAGAZixr:
Fundamental Complex. The itabirite forms narrow
belts rarely exceeiliiig 50 ft. in thickness, which in
some instances run almost in a straight line for
considerable distances, while in other instances the
outcrop as a result of foKling and faulting follows
a sinuous course. The itabirite, being more resistant
to atmospheric weathering than the other members
of the Fundamental CompIe.\, gives rise to low black
ridges and kopjes which stand out prominently
from the light-coloured surface of the Naniib.
Another consequence of the highly resistant nature
of the ore is that the slopes of such kopjes, and in
some instances even the fl.ats surrounding them,
are covered with black ironstone rubble, giving the
inexperienced observer an exaggerated idea of the
extent of the deposits. Five separate occurrences
were examined. The itabirite everywhere presents
much the same features, ar\d in regard to several
of'thc occurrences it is highly probable that they
are repetitions by folding of the same bed. One
of the most interesting points brought out by the
writer's investigations is that there are fairly
extensive ancient workings on at least two of the
occurrences. These take the form of shallow pits
and trenches, now for the most part filled with
coarse, wind-blown sand. They are no doubt
attributable to Hereros and Berg Damaras — skilled
workers in iron — who inhabited the Walfish Bay
territory until about the year 1840, when they were
driven northward by the Hottentots of the so-called
Red Nation under the redoubtable Jonker Afrikaner.
The ore was probably smelted at Rooibank on the
Kuiseb with charcoal made from camel thorn or
other hardwood trees growing in the river-bed.
In its more typical development the itabirite
is a regularly banded blackish rock composed
essentially of iron oxide and quartz, for the most
part segregated in well-defined layers, but some-
times intimately intermingled. The individual
layers range in thickness from a fraction of a
millimetre to 6 centimetres. The iron oxide is
mainly specularite occurring in the form of thin
plates and scales from 02 to 0'8 millimetre in
diameter, arranged parallel with the banding or
foliation. In addition to the normal specularite
there is ahvaj'S present, in the form of small grains
and crystals, a variety of greyish lustrous hematite,
which may be martite pseudomorphous after
magnetite. It forms impersistent layers up to
4 millimetres in thickness. Magnetite itself is only
very sparingly present in these rocks. The
siliceous or quartzitic bands, which vary in
colour from pale-grey to dark-bluish grey, are
composed essentially of a mosaic of interlocking
grains of quartz from 0-2 to 1 millimetre in diameter.
Many of the larger quartz grains are seen under the
microscope to enclose tabular crystals of specularite
arranged parallel to the schistosity, clear proof that
the recrystallization of the quart.-; occurred during
or subsequently to the foliation of the rock. Some
varieties of the itabirite contain a small proportion
of brov/nish-red garnet (almandine) in the form of
irregular grains generally enclosing quartz and
specularite. The garnet is sometimes imbedded
in the iron oxides, but more usually occurs in
association with quartz in lenticular eyes lying
parallel v,rith banding. Other accessory minerals
present in small amounts are apatite and rutile.
On Von Broen's claims, situated about ten miles
south-east of Walfish Bay, a bed of itabirite
traceable over a distance of about 1,600 yards
builds a conspicuous row of black kopjes running
in a N.IC.-S.W. direction along th<! edge of a broad
expanse of gravel-covered desert known as the
Plum ; the kopjes themselves flanking a low,
rugged, quartzite plateau. The itabirite bed appears
to range in thickness from (5 ft. to fully 80 ft., (he
reason of this great variation not being apjiarenl.
It is intercalated with dark, fine-grained quartzite,
containing a good deal of specularite in the form
of minute grains and scales. The quartzite is seen
at several points to be intersected by veins of coarse
pink pegmatite with which the veins of pegmatitif
quartz occurring in the it.ibirite are no doulit
connected. In the first kopje the strike ranges from
N.W.-S.E. to N.N.W. -S.S.E., the dip being toward
the north-east. In the next, situated about
100 yards to the north-east, the strike is north-
cast to south-west, and the dip apparently vertical ;
beyond this the bed strikes toward the north, and
then, again, follows a N.N.E.-S.S.W. course. To the
north east of the fifth kopje the bed is cut off l>y
a fault, and on the sixth it is seen to be dis])oscd in
tile form of a closely compressed fold, the dip being
practically vertical. In the seventh ko|>je the stril<e
is N.R.-S.W., then approximately north and south ;
in the four most northerly kopjes the strike is more
regular toward the north-north-east, the dip being
almost vertical. The first and eighth kopjes are
most prominent, and on these there are extensive
ancient workings. The ore is very variable in
character ; it is made up of alternations of iron-
rich and iron-poor layers, the former rarely
exceeding a few inches in thickness. It is thus
possible to obtain from the same outcrop all
gradations from pure iron ore composed almost
entirely of specularite to quartzite almost free from
specularite. The average grade, such as would be
obtained by mining on a large scale without sorting,
is distinctly low. Thus an average sample of the
ironstone building the first hill showed on analysis: —
Fe
Sib.,
I'
5
/o
37-7
46-8
01.5
0-25
This material cannot be classed as iron ore. By
selective mining and sorting a much better quality
of ironstone could be obtained, but it is very doubt-
ful whether in any circumstances a grade of over
53% could be maintained, as a picked sample of
the best ore exposed on Hill No. 7 only showed
53-29f, of iron and 19% of silica, and a sample of
picked ore analysed some years ago in the State
Laboratory at Hamburg, 53-1% of iron and 21%
of silica.
A sample oi itabirite from Von Broen's claims
which was sent to Germany for analysis some years
ago was found on analysis to contain 1-8 oz. of
silver per ton and traces of gold. This led to the
deposit being tested for precious metals by the
engineers of the Deutsche Kolonial Gesellschaft
fiir Siid-west Afrika. A bulk sample was taken
and analysed with the following result : Iron
26-3%, gold nil, silver nil, platinum ml, so that in
this sample none of the precious metals sought was
present. The sample from Hill No. 1 taken by the
writer was found, on the other hand, to contain
1 -3 dwt. of silver and 3-5 dwt. of gold per short
ton. It would appear, therefore, that small
quantities of gold and silver are sporadically
scattered through the itabirite, as is also the case
with some of the itabirites of Brazil and with some
of the banded ironstones occurring in the Union and
NOVEMBER, 1921
321
Southern Rhodesia. The amounts of the precious
metals indicated by the analyses are insufficient,
however, to warrant the expectation that either of
them will be found anywhere to be present in
profitable quantities.
On Murray's claims, situated two miles due south
of Von Broen's. there is a long low ridge built up of
a persistent vertical bed of banded itabirite about
600 yards in length strilcing N.E.-S.W., which for
part of its length is paralleled on the south-east
by a shorter bed of the same rock. It is probable
that here are the two limbs of a very steep fold,
pitching toward the south-south-west, but this
could only be established by trenching. There are
fairly considerable ancient workings now filled with
coarse sand along the crest of the ridge. The width
of the ironstone ranges from 20 yards downward.
It is made up of alternations of specularite and
quartzitic matter, the latter being in some instances
of a cherty nature. Here, as on Von Broen's claims,
it is possible to pick out specimens of very pure
iron ore composed almost entirely of specularite,
but the average grade is not very high. A sample
taken by the writer of ore of more than average
richness and probably fairly representative of the
grade that might be maintained, if selective mining
and sorting were practised, gave on analysis the
following result : —
%
. 57-7
Fe
SiO.2
P
S
17-6
0-05
0-35
A representative sample of the ore analysed by
George T. Holloway & Co., Ltd., of London,
showed : —
46-390;,
FcjOa .
. 65-32 )
Total iron
FeO
0-90 )
SiOa
. 32-87
AloOs .
. 0-69
S
. 0-094
Mn
. 0-048
Ti
—
Ca
—
Mg
—
Total
99-92
A picked sample of the rich ore showed
Fe
SiO.2
P
61-94
11-45
0-07
A mile to the south of this there is a long black
outcrop formed by what may be a repetition by
folding of the same bed. The ore here is much
richer in garnet, this being the occurrence in which
the itabirite encloses lenticular bands of a very
coarsely crystalline aggregate of lustrous specularite,
garnet, and bluish-grey quartz. A sample of the
more typical itabirite gave on analysis : —
About 2i miles to the south-east there is a similar
but smaller hematite occurrence. The ore is again
composed essentially of quartz and specularite,
but also contains dark brownish-red garnet as an
accessory constituent. It forms a vertical or steeply
dipping bed some hundreds of yards in length and
apparently averaging about 6 ft. in thickness.
The strike is from north-east to south-west. A
fairly representative sample of the ore was found on
analysis to contain : —
Fe
SiO.2
P
48-4
26- 1
0-05
0-06
Fe
SiO.,
P
S
41-2
30-8
0-06
0-09
The last of the itabirite occurrences to be examined
is situated about 41 miles north-west of Rooibank.
It is a steeply dipping bed apparently ranging in
thickness from 5 to 10 ft., the outcrop of which can
be traced for about a mile. The itabirite is inter-
bedded with coarsely crystalline white limestone
containing a number of interesting contact
minerals. The ore is very variable in character and
its iron content probably ranges from 50% to 10%
and less. A fairly representative sample showed ; —
o/
/o
Fe . . . 38-2
SiO., . . 44-5
P . . .0-1
S . . .0-3
A short distance to the south of this is a narrow
belt of a coarsely crj-stalline magnetite ore forming
a succession of low hog-backs, the total length of
outcrop being about 400 yards. The ore is a coarse
aggregate made up in variable proportions of
magnetite in cr5'Stals and pieces up to 1 in. across,
brownish-red garnet, and quartz, the magnetite
predominating. It is in places distinctly banded,
but, as a rule, the banding is barely perceptible.
The grade is again very variable. A representative
sample showed : —
Fe
SiO.,
P
S
52-2
25-8
0-10
0-30
The magnetite rock is intercalated with crystalline
limestone and lime silicate rocks.
Notwithstanding the unfavourable geographical
situation of the deposits, it would have been
practicable had any of them contained really large
quantities of high-grade ore, that is, ore containing
not less than 60% of iron and not more than, say,
4°o of silica, to export this ore at a profit from
Walfish Bay. Actually, however, while two of the
deposits — namely, those on Von Broen's and
Murray's claims • — are of fairly considerable
magnitude, none of them is, in the opinion
of the writer, capable, even with selective mining
and sorting, of yielding commercial quantities of
ore averaging over 53 to 57% of iron and under
17 to 19% of silica. Ore of this grade, being in
normal times worth only from 15s. to £\ per long
ton, c.i.f., European and American ports, could
not possibly be exported at a profit, as the cost of
mining, sorting, and transport to Walfish Bay would
be at least 10s. per ton. To send it by rail to the
smelting works at Pretoria and Vereeniging would
be equally impracticable, as immense supplies of
this grade are available in the Transvaal. To smelt
it on the spot is quite out of the question. The
deposits are thus evidently not worthy of
exploitation as a source of iron at present.
322
THE MININ'G MAGAZINE
THE PECHEY COPPER-LEACHING PROCESS
\n the luly issue our West Australian corre.
spomlcnt gave the latest news about the Whim
Well and Mons Cupri copper deposits in the north-
western part of West Australia. Since ihvn
report on this district by T. Blatchforil, the
Assistant State Mining Engineer, has been
pubhshed. We extract herewith his remarks on
the Pechey process, as used at these mines for
extracting copper from the dump ores. As
mentioned in July, the point of the process is the
use of sulphurous acid in altering ferric sulphate
to ferrous sulphate. The process has been used at
tlie Mount Hope copper mine in New South Wales,
and the information given by Mr. Hlatchford
combines the experience of Mr. Audlcy Smith, of
Mount Hope, and of the engineers at Whim Well.
But Mr. Blatchford is doubtful about the process,
and recommends further official investigation.
.\t Whim Well the practice begins with 3 to 4 tons
of sulphuric acid being diluted and poured over
ore in leaching vats containing ore averaging
6% of copper in the form of carbonates and oxides.
The object of the leaching vat is twofold. In the
first place the ore used is the finer and richer portion
of the dump, so the action of the solutions is more
rapid and more copper is dissolved. Secondly,
the oxygen of the ore acts as a powerful oxidizer
to form ferric sulphate. The resulting solutions,
on being drawn off, contain free sulphuric acid,
copper sulphate (the amount of copper depending
on the grade of the ore and length of time of contact),
and varying proportions of ferrous and ferric
sulphates. The proportion of ferric to ferrous
sulphate depends on the amount of oxygen which
had been obtained from the air during the time the
solutions were percolating through the ore ; also
as will be pointed out later on, to the amount of
oxygen derived from the copper oxides dissolved.
It is a good practice to have all the ferrous converted
to the ferric state. Assuming this is the case, or
nearly so, the solutions are then fit to be passed
over pyritic filters to reduce the ferric salts back
to the ferrous state, and, at the same time, liberate
some portion of the sulphuric acid to aid
precipitation of the copper on the scrap iron, and
also to prevent the precipitation of iron with the
copper, which is the case in the presence of any
appreciable amount of ferric sulphate. The
pyritic filters mentioned are vats with false porous
bottoms, on which is placed the pyritic ore ; the
flow of the solution is down a pipe and up through
the pyritic ore, passing from one vat to another
through the series.
In perfect practice all the ferric salts should be
reduced to a ferrous state before entering the
precipitation vats. If much ferric sulphate is
present, there is always the danger of forming
basic ferric sulphates, which, though soluble in
sulphuric acid, are liable to be discharged from
.solution when the acidity is reduced below a certain
point.
The following equation illustrates the ideal
reaction in the pyritic filter : —
2FeS., + 11 Fe. (SOj), + 12 H.,0 = 24 FeSO,
+ I2H2SO., + S
In oractice the following are typical analyses
of what may be considered fairly normal working
solutions wlien copper is present as chalcopyrite
in the sulphide ore : —
Entering filter
Leaving filter
Copper
grains Ferrous l-'crric I'rec
per Kal. Iron. Iron. II-:SOi.
20-98 13-32 15-6(i K-lID
.39-64 2510 1-74 2000
The solutions from the pyritic filter are passed
over scrap iron and leave with increased ferrous
salts, little, if any, free sulphuric acid, and copper
sulphate practically absent. The copper
precipitated in the vats forms a precipitate con-
taining about 70% metallic copper. From the
precipitating vats the solutions are passed over
the big dumps of broken ore in order to dissolve
more copper and gain oxygen to convert the ferrous
salts back to the ferric state. In the dump sulphuric
acid is probably generated to a slight extent by
the formation of basic sulphates by hydrolytic
action. The solutions leaving the dump should
therefore contain more copper sulphate, almost
no free sulphuric acid, and a very much increased
proportion of ferric sulphate. Before returning
the solutions from the dump to the leaching vats
the cvcle is completed by first passing them through
what is known as a converter vat. This vat is deep
in proportion to its width, 12 ft. by 10 ft., and is
provided with an air-lift and a filter bottom, on
which is laid a layer of stones. The air-lift is
external and connected to the bottom of the vat
from the outside. SO., fumes, which are generated
by burning sulphur in a closed vessel with air
supplied under pressure from an air compressor,
are passed down a central tube in the vat to under-
neath the filter bottom. They, therefore, naturally
ascend through the liquid in the vat. The object
of the filter bottom and stones is to break up the
gas so that it will not concentrate in any particular
portion of the solution in the vat, but be uniformly
distributed throughout. The chemical action which
takes place here is represented as follows : —
Fe., (SOj).,-fS02 + 2H.,0 = 2 FeSO,-t-2 H,, SO4
The leaching vats at Whim Well, already
described, are three in number, and are calculated
to hold 45 tons of ore when full. The dimensions
are 20 ft. by 4 ft. Twenty vats ■ ft. by 6 ft. were
installed in precipitation , but five of these are now used
as pyritic filters, and fifteen only for precipitation.
Dump leaching is carried on in a similar method to
that in the Kio Tinto process. The top of the dump
is divided into small paddocks 10 ft. by 4 ft. in
area and the solution is poured into the paddocks
in rotation. A constant flow of solution is not
effective. What is wanted is an intermittent
flooding and drying. A block of the ore, even
weighing many pounds, when saturated with
solution and allowed to dry soon becomes green
on the outside. The copper has been attacked by
the acid, and the soluble salts come to the surface
by capillary action. Subsequent floodings dissolve
and convey these salts away to the precipitation
vats. The air-lifts are made of earthenware pipes.
In the dump-leaching a series of paddocks have
been top-dressed with pyritic ore to increase the
iron sulphates, and when working properly should
be a further means for generating sulphuric acid.
Omng to the corrosive nature of the solutions and
the benefit derived from aeration, pipes are not
used, and all liquors are circulated by means of
hardwood launders, except the air-lifts, which at
present are earthenware.
NOVEMBER, 1921
323
The process as described and used at Whim Well
is based on actual practice at Mount Hope, in New
South Wales, where 40,000 tons of waste dump
containing 3-2°o of copper has been actually
treated, the percentage of copper in the dump being
reduced to 1%. This work has extended over a
period of six years' intermittent treatment. Though
the process here has proved an undoubted
commercial success, considerable advances in the
treatment have since been made by the patentees.
It has been found in practice that the original
process, though giving the required reactions, was
slow, and by" adopting certain alterations in the
mechanical handling of the material to be treated,
the solutions could be made more active, and
brought up to a more concentrated form.
The author then gives an account of the practice
at Mount Hope. The essential point in the success-
ful working of the Pechey process is the formation
of ferric sulphate. To effect this the method of
treatment as adopted at Mount Hope is based on
the fact that if ferrous sulphate solutions be agitated
with sulphur dioxide and air, in the presence of
copper oxide, the following action takes place
rapidly as follows : —
4FeS04-l-4SO„ + 30., + 2CuO = 2Fe2{SOj)3+2CuS04
and Fe, (S04)s + S02+2 CuO = 2 CuSOj-f 2 FeSOj.
The speeding up of the reaction is due to the
presence of the copper oxides in a fine state of
division. From a chemical point of view the action
is the same as in vat leaching. Water being always
present in excess in the event of the copper oxide
being insufficient to produce chemical equilibrium
in accordance with the foregoing equations, the
result would doubtless be as occurs in the con-
verter ; Fe.,(S04^3 -[- SO, + 2 H., = 2 FeSO^ +
2 H.iSO.,. There is probably always free sulphuric
acid in the solution when the jjrocess is in operation.
The mechanical device to effect the speeding up is
as follows : The ore is fine ground and treated in
a series of Pachucas, the pulp being agitated with
air and SOo gas. By adopting the slime treatment
in the Pechey process the extraction of the copper
is more rapid, the copper is accumulated to a
higher percentage in the solutions, which can be
more concentrated than in ordinary leaching,
precipitation in the scrap iron is more perfect,
and the copper cement is higher grade.
The chemical reactions in the process are not
quite clear, and the literature on the subject is
far from being complete. The treatment being a
comparatively recent process, there appears to
be much still open for discussion and investigation
For instance, the formation of basic sulphates in
the solutions wlien charged with ferric sulphates
is in no instance referred to, and 3,s this reaction
will be dependent large!}' on percentages of free
sulphuric acid and temperatures, it may have quite
an important bearing on the costs and adjustments
in the treatment. The class of sulphide ore used in
the pyritic filters, control of solution going to the
precipitating vats to obtain a high-grade cement,
etc., need investigation. Mr. Blatchford has
discussed the subject freely with the chemists in
the Geological Survey and recommends that they
be called in to investigate the points referred to
above, as well as any others which may arise.
Grdndal Flotation Process in Germany. — .\.Macco,
in Metall und Erz tor May 8 last, gives an account of
Grondal flotation plants in Germany. According
to the author most of the experiments in flotation
had lapsed into quietude before the war, a quietude
from which they were a,wakened in the endeavour
to meet war necessities. In 1918 the Boxbach
Company operating near Breidenbach in the
Biedenkopf district applied Grdndal machines to
the concentration of poor copper ore. This equip-
ment was followed with one of similar machines
at Gottesgabe, near Roth, in the same neighbour-
hood, to recover fahlerz. Later, in January, 19L'0,
the Grondal flotation equipment erected at the
Friedrich-August works, near Nordenheim, for
war purposes was put into use by Beer, Sondheimer
and Co., of Frankfort, for large-scale experiments
upon the Rammelsbcrg lead-zinc ore. Finally,
a fourth Grondal equipment, begun during the war
by the Antweil Co. at its Wilhelm mine in the Upper
Ahr valley, and completed with the co-operation
of the Stolberg Lead and Zinc Co., was brought
into commercial operation.
Of these equipments the position now is that the
Boxbach Company, working on a small deposit,
has stopped ; Gottesgabe awaits the development
of a deeper level ; the equipment at Friedrich-
August is temporarily out of commission while
certain defects are being made good ; and that at
the Wilhelm mine awaits the completion of secondary
plant. Though this is not a rosy picture, the author
considers the e.\:periences obtained are worth
recording.
All four plants were worked by froth-flotation
brought about by the entry of air from below under
pressure. Oil and, exceptionally, chemicals in
small amounts were added, the latter partly to
assist froth formation and partly to obtain the
necessary discriminating surface-tensions. In
preparation the ore was reduced in wet ball-mills
and tube-mills to about 120 to 200 mesh. The oil,
to the extent of about 0-2 to 0-3 kilograms per ton
of ore, was added in the tube-mill and the chemicals
just before passing into the flotation machine.
The consistency of the pulp entering these machines
was a normal one for flotation.
Each Grondal machine consists of a row of
agitation boxes with narrow frothing boxes attached
in front. In the bottom of each agitation box the
air enters through a rose-head of large diameter
under pressure sufficient to overcome the column
of pulp above, this column being about 3 ft. deep.
After agitation the pulp passes out of the agitation
box into the frothing box through a slit situated
near the top of the pulp column. From the frothing
box the froth overflows into a launder over a lip
the height of which is adjustable by slats, while
the gangue particles sink upon a bottom inclined
longitudinally in the direction of the pulp flow,
being thereby directed into the next agitation
chamber. The cycle then begins afresh.
As will be seen from the illustration the agitation
box continues below the frothing box, and it seems
likely that sand will collect above the air entry.
It is not clear just how the fine division of the air
is brought about. Probably the top of the rose-
head is made of a porous medium or has holes in it.
It is also possible that sand collected over tliis rose-
head may assist in finely dividing the air.
Each agitation box is about 6 ft. high and about
:v2i
mii .MINI.NO MAGAZINK
20 ill. siilo. square in soclion aixl with pyramidal
bottom. ICacli consumes about 25 to 30 cu. ft.
of free air per minute. In a complole maohine
8 to 12 such single cells are assembled in series and
the power required for air is about 6 horse-power.
At Roxbach the equipment consisted of one machine
with S cells ; at ('lottesgabe of two machines, each
of 10 cells ; at Friedrich-.Vugust of six machines
each of 12 cells ; and at Wilhelm of one machine
of 12 cells. The capacity of the equipment at
Gottesgabe, using onlv one machine (the other
being held in reserved, was about 100 tons per day ;
that at Friedrich-.\ugust. with its six machines all
in use. was about the same figure, this lower capacity
being due to the fact that Rammelsberg ore carries
as much as 50"o of sulphides, whereas at Gottesgabe
the sulphides amounted to only 6%. The results
obtained at Boxbach were : A concentrate assaying
20 to 2,S% of copper; a tailing assaying O'l to
Q\5% ; and a recovery of 90",, from a feed assaying
1-56% of copper. At the Wilhelm mine, where the
ore, 'in addition to chalcypyrite, carried also
fahlerz, pyrite, and galena, the recovery of the
copper was 90% from a 2% ore, At Gottesgabe,
Section A:A
The Grondal Flotation Cell.
where the ore consisted chiefly of fahlerz with much
iron oxide, both containing copper, the concentrate
obtained assayed about 30% of copper and 4,000
to 5,000 gram's of silver per ton, from a feed which
averaged 1-5% of copper and 145 grams of silver ;
the copper in the iron oxide was not recovered.
At Friedrich-August. treating the complex
Rammelsberg lead-zinc ore, the endeavour was to
reduce the barite from 37 °o in the raw ore to about
5% in the concentrate. The following figures
represent some of the results obtained : —
Zn. Pb. Ag. BaSOj.
oz.
4-5 37
5
Feed
Concentrate . .
0/
/o
21
U
34
Tailing .
83
Recovery per cent 87-5 90 90
The author considers that though in smelting
such a lead-zinc concentrate there would be con-
siderable loss, yet in view of the removal of the
barite the result might be regarded as satisfactory.
In these large-scale tests several thousand tons of
ore were treated and the plant is still running.
The concentrate is smelted in the company's own
smelter, which does not yet receive the foreign
ores it did before the war.
Finally, the author is of opinion that the results
obtained from this flotation process justify the hope
that by it the production of base metals from
German ores will be substantially increased and the
oppressive dependence upon foreign ores to that
e.^tent relieved.
It may be remarked that there is no statement
in this article acknowledging that flotation is a
process discovered and developed outside Germany.
The impression obtained by reading the article is
that in the application of flotation Germany is very
backward.
Inorganic Origin of Pelroleum. — In the
En'iinecring and Minin:; Joiinul lor October 15,
Hiram W. Hixon refers to the theory of the inorganic
origin of petroleum, of which he is a backer. His
remarks arise out of a discussion of a pajjer by
A. G. Wolf on salt-mining in Louisiana, which was
published in the issue of the Journal for July 2.
Mr. Wolf gave a description of the salt domes of the
Gulf Coast, and he said that the origin of these salt
domes is an unsettled question, ilie theories of
formation varying from evaporation of sea water to
the intrusion of salt in a molten or plastic state.
Mr. Hixon proceeds to elaborate a new theory, as
follows : The increase of temperature with depth
will, at some depth moderate compared to the
earth's diameter, result in a critical temperature
for all matter. Thereafter all of the interior mass,
below a depth of, say, 200 or 300 miles, will be in
a gaseous condition, and denser than the solids
that will form out of it. Gravitational compression
is the cause of the density, and the conditions of
equilibrium make it necessary that the interior
mass shall be denser than the crust of solids which
rests upon it. All known elements can be volatilized
in the electric arc, which is supposed to have a
temperature of about 5.000° C. With an increase
of 1° C. per 100 ft. of depth, or, say, .50° C. per mile,
the temperature of the electric arc would be equalled
at a depth of 100 miles.
A critical temperature for any substance is the
temperature above which that substance is in a
gaseous condition regardless of pressure. Having
passed the critical temperature of all matter, the
interior mass of the earth is, therefore, in a gaseous
state, and by the conditions of equilibrium, is shown
to be denser than the solid crust which floats upon it.
The crust floats on the gaseous interior for exactly
the same reason that ice floats on water : that is,
because it expanded when it changed for a gas denser
than a solid to a solid, due to secular cooling. This
expansion on change of state is the active cause
which tears apart the cold crust in long rift cracks
and furnishes a path of least resistance for volatile
material in the interior to reach the surface. As
expansion is in three dimensions, it follows that there
should be two sets of such cracks at right angles
to each other, and at the intersection of these cracks,
which have been called lines of erogenic movement,
the salt domes are found. The seal or cap rock
is due to some elastic member of the geological
section, probably shale, which will stretch under
pressure without fracture. The volatile material,
consisting of salt, sulphur, and petroleum, and
sulphuric gases, comes up along the cracks as the
path of least resistance, and being under a rock
pressure equal to the depth from which it comes,
is capable of making room for itself and doming
up any rock mass which will not crack. The
alignment of the salt domes, as shown by Mr. Wolf,
is characteristic of all the others, and is explainable
on the basis of the rift cracks as above described.
These rift cracks, rift valleys, and graben are much
more numerous than generally supposed. For
example, there is a series of them in East Africa,
NOVEMBER, 1921
325
which is occupied by lakes extending from Lake
Nyassa tlirough Lake Tanganyika and the great
Rift Valley, the Red Sea, and Dead Sea, over
five thousand miles in length. In the United States
there is the block faulting of the Great Salt Lake
Basin, the basin of Death Valley, Yosemite Valley,
and Lake Tahoe, as well as the basin of Lake
Superior. The explanation of these dropped blocks
is to be found in the slumping down of segments
between cracks, or the dropping of wedge-shaped
pieces on the sides of rift cracks. The cracks them-
selves are caused by the expansion of the sub-
crustal material in changing from a gaseous state
denser than the solid to a solid. Where there is
no cap rock which will stretch without fracture,
the crack extends through to the surface, and
anything of a gaseous nature which comes up the
crack escapes into the atmosphere, and is blown
about and dissipated. The cap rock or seal above
the crack is an all-important condition for the
accumulation of the salt, sulphur, and oil in the
salt-domes.
The process by which the salt, sulphur, and
petroleum are , accumulated and condensed is
expressible in one word : sublimation. It is well
known that salt and sulphur come from the interior
and are a part of the material extruded from
volcanoes, but it is not so commonly known that
petroleun\ is also of inorganic origin. Illustrating
the differences between petroleum and organic oils,
whether animal or vegetable, the following list
may be studied to some advantage by those who
hold that petroleum is of organic origin :
(1) All organic oils, whether animal or vegetable,
have both the elements of water, H and O, as a part
of their composition. This makes these oils
carbohydrates. The oxygen cannot be driven off
unless the oil is destroyed by heat. Petroleum, on
the other hand, has no oxygen in its composition,
and is a mixture of hydrocarbons of the composition
expressed by the formula C„Hoi,-)-2-
(2) All organic oils, and organic matter generally,
are good fertilizers, and promote plant growth.
Petroleum kills all plants, and is used to kill weeds
and grass on roads and railways.
(3) Organic oils, both animal and vegetable,
have food values for animals and men. Petroleum
has no food value, and the lighter hydrocarbons,
.such as kerosene and gasolene, are poisonous,
and are used as insecticides.
(4) All organic oils when boiled with caustic
soda and potash yield soap and glycerine.
Petroleum does not.
(5) Organic oils when exposed to sun and air
become rancid. Petroleum evaporates, but does
not become rancid.
These radical differences of composition and
properties show plainly a difference of origin. If
petroleum were of organic origin, it would
undoubtedly have oxygen in its composition, as
oxygen is inextricably connected with all processes
of organic growth and decay. If petroleum were of
organic origin, it would have some of the properties
of organic oils, and it has none of them except an
oily texture, and other things than oils have that ;
for e.xample, concentrated sulphuric acid.
To deny the organic origin of petroleum demon-
strates nothing ; it is essential to the development
of a logical theory concerning its genesis, to prove
that it can be of inorganic origin.
It was found several years ago that meteorites
which were freshly fallen had hydrocarbons of the
petroleum type as a part of their composition.
Reference to this may be found in Chamberlin
and Salisbury's " Geology," in that part which
deals with the planetesimal hypothesis. If the
earth be conceived to be an aggregation from
planetesimals or meteorites, we can at once see
why it should have hydrocarbons in its gaseous
interior. The hydrocarbons and many other
gases would be held there by the power of diffusion,
which may have placed them there originally in
case the planetesimal hypotheses be not correct.
As between the gaseo-molten theory or the
planetesimal hypothesis there is no difference as
regards the presence in the earth's interior of
hydrocarbon and all other gases, including steam,
for volcanic action.
Applying the theory of the origin of the salt
domes and the inorganic origin of petroleum, as
outlined, to the Appalachian oilfields, the following
differences arise, due to the absence of " sands "
in the Gulf Coast section : The salt, petroleum, and
sulphur are confined to the domes or their immediate
flanks. In the Appalachian oilfields the rift cracks
end in " sands," which are porous and allow the
oil, gas, and salt-water to spread out laterally under
large areas covered by an impervious blanket seal
of shale, which has stretched under the pressure of
the overlying rocks and prevented the cracks from
extending further upward. The oil and gas spread
from the rift crack source laterally, and not up the
flanks of the anticlines or toward the centre of a
dome, as supposed by the advocates of the organic
theory. The anticlines and domes are also the
direct result of elevation by reduction of density
due to the local accumulation of leavening gases
and light material. In fact, the cart has been placed
before the horse, and effect has been mistaken for
cause. The domes and anticlines are not the cause
of the accumulation of oil and gas, but the effect
of that accumulation over the rift cracks, which are
invisible, but none the less there.
SHORT NOTICES
Mine Ventilation. — At the meeting of the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy held on
October 27, Dr. Leonard Hill presented a paper
on " Ventdation and Human Efficiency."
Decay of Mine Timbers. — In the Engineering
and Miiihig Joiii'ual for October 8, Daniel Harring-
ton writes on the decay of mine timber in return
air courses, and methods of prevention.
Nordberg Winding Engine. — • Engineering for
October 21 describes and illustrates the Nordberg
compound winding engine at the Homestake mine.
South Dakota.
Conveyors. — .\t the meeting of the Ne-.vcomen
Societs', held on October 12, G. F. Zimmer read a
paper on the history of continuous conveying
devices. An abstract of the paper is given in The
Engineer for October 14.
Air-Compressor. — Engineering for October 14
contains an article describing a 6,400 cu. ft. air-
compres'^or, made for the New Mndderfontein
gold mine by Belliss & Morcom, Ltd., of
Birmingham.
Mine Pumps. — In a paper read before the South
Sta'lordshirc and Warwickshire Institute of Mining
Engineers held on October 10, S. H. Cashmore
gave particulars of the Feuerhcerd pump for use
in mines.
326
THE MIXING M.\r,.\ZINF.
Mine Sampling.— In the Fiigineenng and Milling
Joiinuil lor October 1, B. G. Anderson describes
the sampling mcthoils employed at the disseminated
copper deposits. Tyrone. >;e\v Mexico, belonging to
the riielps llodyeCorporation.
Dredging Efficiencies.— In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for October 22, C. W. Gardner
commences an article on drilling results and
dredginy returns.
Prospecting. — In Economic Geology for August,
.\ug\istus Locke writes philosophically on " ore-
hunting."
Copper Leaching.— In the Mining and Scientific
Press for October 15. Joseph Irving describes the
copper-precipitation process and plant at Copper
Canvon. Nevada.
zinc Smelting.— In the Engineering and Mining
Journal for September 10, Evans W. Buskett
wrote on the smelting of zinc ores in a blast-furnace
under pressure. In the issue of October 15,
B. M. O'Hara gives a bibliography of the subject,
showing that previous experiments had shown the
idea to be incapable of application.
Ferro-Vanadium. — The Journal of Industrial
■jind Engineering Chemiitry for October contains
a paper by G. L. Kelley and others on the
determination of vanadium and chromium in
ferro-vanadium by electrometric titration.
Archeean Sulphides of Sweden and Finland. —
In Economic Geology tor August, Per Geijer writes
on the .Nrrhiean sulphide ores oi Sweden and
Finland, noting particularly the Orijarvi district
in South-west Finland The term Fenno-Scandia
has recentlv been proposed for the geological
region comprising the Scandinavian peninsula and
Finland.
Gold Deposits in British Guiana.^In a paper
presented at the nieetmg of the Institution of
Mining and Jletallurgy held on October 27, J. N.
Justice described the geology of a gold deposit on
Eagle Mountain in British Guiana, near the con-
fluence of the Potari and Essequibo Rivers.
Bolivian Tungsten. — The' Engineering and
Mining Journal tor September 24 reprints a paper
by F. L. Hess, presented at a meeting of the Society
of Economic Geologists, describing tungsten deposits
in Bolivia.
Tin in China.— At the meeting of the Institution
of Marine Kngincers held on October 11, W. Srmplc
read a paper on the mining and treatment ol tm
ore in Kotchiu, Yunnan.
Almaden Quicksilver Mine. — In Economic
Geology for August, Courtenay De Kalb describes
the Almaden (uucksilver mine, Spain, and F. L.
Ransome writes on the ore of this mine.
Borax in Nevada. — In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for October 1, Hoyt S. Gale
describes the newlv discovered colemanite deposit
at Calh-ille Wash, Clark County, Nevada.
Oil in Guatemala. — In the Engineering and
Mining Jottrna' for October 1, A. H. Redfield
discusses the possibilities of finding petroleum in
Guatemala
Oilfield Losses. — At the m(>eting of the Institution
of Petroleum Technologists held on Kovember 8,
A. Beeby Thompson read a paper on the Elimination
of Oilfield Losses.
W. J. Loring. — The Engineering and Mining
Journal for October 15 gives a biographical sketch
of W. J. Lonng.
L. D. Ricketts. — The Mining and Scientific
Press for October 1 contains an account of an inter-
view with Dr. L. D. Ricketts, written by T. A.
Rickard. Dr. Ricketts is Known in connexion
with his mining and metallurgical work at
copper mines in .\rizona and Sonora.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED
B^T" A copy of the sprcificalion of any of thr p.itntli mcntionrd in
this column can he obtained by sending is. to the Patent Office,
Southampton IiuiUinf;s, Clutncery Lane, London, W.C. 2. ^ith
a note oj the number and year of the patent.
7.663 of 1920 (169,188). Scovill Mani;-
F.^CTURiNG Co., Newhaven, Connecticut. Electric
melting furnace for copper and other non-ferrous
metals.
8,359 of 1920 (168,927). E. Edser and L. A.
Wood, London. A jjroccss for the concentration
of ores, particularly those containing cassiterite
or wolfram together with colloidal metallic oxides,
such as those of iron and aluminium, which consists
in mixing the finely pulverized ore with water,
preferably soft water, adding a deflocculating agent,
such as sodium silicate or silicic acid salt, thus
freeing the particles from one another so that
certain ore particles will sink, while the said colloidal
particles remain in suspension, removing the
suspension from the settled product and subjecting
the latter to treatment by a flotation process.
1 2,368 of 1 920 (1 68,627). A. H. Eustis, Norfolk,
Massachusetts. Improvements in the method
of removing sulphurous acid from smelter smoke
by dissolving in water and afterwards recovering
by the action of heat and vacuum.
14,800 of 1920 (144.278). United Filters
Corporation and E. J. Sweetland, New York.
Improvements in the construction of pressure
filters of the leaf type.
14.885 of 1920 (146.939) and 15,732 of 1920
(146,942). W. !•:. Trent, Washington. In the
smelting of ores, introducing them into the furnace
in a fine state of division together with reducing
gases, and introducing at the same time jets of
water to be used partly for controlling the
temperature, and partly as a reagent ; also methods
of collecting the products of reaction.
14,944 of 1920 (168,643). P. Danck\v.\rdt,
Denver. Method of producing anhydrous
aluminium chloride, particularly for recovering
this compound used in the production of petrol
from mineral oils.
15,121 of 1920 (144,306). American Smelting
and Refining Co., New York, and G. C. Howard,
Tacoma. Method of producing elemental .sulphur
from sulphurous acid recovered from smelter
smoke by passing the acid gas mixed with air
through incandescent coke.
15,122of 1920(168,420). American Smelting
and Refining Co., New York. Machine for stacking
bars and slabs of metal coming from the casting
machines.
15,356 of 1920 (168,429). A. R. Mangnall,
Chester. Improvements in the inventor's machine
for boring through soft earth without removing
the earth.
15,519 of 1920 (168.434). J- W. Moff.att and
W. F. Sutherland, Toronto. Furnace for reducing
metals from oxide without fusion, and subsequently
melting the product electricallv.
15,646 of 1920 (168,977). W. C. Heraeus Co.,
Hanau, Germany. Method of securing punty and
regularity of characteristics of certain metals
NOVEMBER, 1921
327
used in the manufacture o£ thermo-couples for
pyrometers.
16,017 of 1920 (167,917). J. Adair, Taunton.
Construction of heated chambers for drying china
clay.
16,461 of 1920 (145,431), Anschutz & Co.,
Kiel. Method of keeping vertical bore-holes in
true alisjnmcnt.
16,495 of 1920 (145,433). W. Breil, Essen.
Method of constructing concrete shaft-linings
which will be watei-tight.
16,586of 1920(169,247). E. E. Naef, Notting-
ham. For the production of metallic nickel and
nickel salts, the treatment of finely divided nickel
sulphides with solid caustic alkalies, or mixtures
thereof with any or all of the following substances :
Sodium carbonate, common salt, sodium sulphate,
sodium sulphide, calcium oxide and hydroxide,
at fairly low temperatures, 250° to 600° C. : with or
without the addition of finely divided coal, and in
presence or absence of hydrogen or gases containing
such, or in presence of both coal and hydrogen.
17.092 of 1920 (169,288). E. W. Wilkinson,
New York, and Minerals Separation, Ltd.,
London. Method of producing frothing agents
suitable for the flotation process by subjecting
certain organic substances such as kerosene, to a
partially decomposing heat in the presence of air.
17,765 of 1920(169,301). Hoyangsfaldene
Norsk Aluminium Co., Christiania. Process of
producing alumina from clay, characterized by the
combination of the operations of decomposing a
potash- bearing clay with sulphuric acid, lixiviating
the decomposition product, precipitating potash
alum from the solution, decomposing the potash
alum by heating, whereby potassium sulphate and
alumina are obtained, separating the potassium
sulphate from the alumina by lixiviation, recovering
potassium sulphate from the solution, and adding
a portion of the potassium sulphate to a sulphate
solution obtained by decomposition of a further
portion of potash bearing clav.
18,179 of 1920 (145, 789»'. G. Bonnard, Plom-
biere.St. Michel, Savoy, France. Process for refining
tin and antimony by the action of dry chlorine
on the crude metal, so obtaining anhydrous liquid
chlorides.
18,398 of 1920 (146,410). C. Clerc and
A. Nihool, Paris. Manufacture of pure zinc
sulphide by the action of hydrogen sulphide upon
a slightly acid solution of a zinc salt with addition
of magnesia or an appropriate magnesium salt
such as magnesium carbonate in such proportions
as to allow a small proportion of acid to remain
free in the solution at the end of the operation.
19,159of 1920 (168,479). G.R.Brown, Sydney.
Machine for electrostatically separating finely
divided ores.
19,956 of 1920(147,903). Metallbank und
Metallurgische Gesellschaft, Frankfort. Use
of lithium for alloying with aluminium to increase
its mechanical strength.
20,023 of 1920(148,122). L. Hackspill and
C. St.ackling, Strasbourg. Manufacture of sodium
and other alkali metals by the reaction between
the chloride of the metal and calcium carbide,
conducted dry under considerable heat.
20,170 of 1920 (148,242>. Chemischk Fabrik
Rhenania and G. A. Voerkelius, Stolberg.
Compound fertilizer made by the action on
phosphate of nitric acid and potassium sulphate.
21,033 of 1920(14 9,247). J. Simon, Frankfort.
A process for the chloridizing-roasting of burnt
pyrites, wherein the material, mixed with salt and
with less than 2% of coke breeze, is roasted on the
counter-current principle in an air-tight stationery
shaft, by means of air under pressure passing
upwards through the apparatus, while the com-
pletely roasted material is mechanically removed.
21,921 of 1920(168,497). J. & E.Wright, Ltd.,
and J. W. A. Rule, Birmingham. A pocket
clinometer and caliper gauge combined, suitable
for measuring the inclination of ropes, their
diameter, and the deoth of pulley grooves.
26,091 of 1920 (168,781). F.Pratt, Treherbert,
Glamorgan. A safety device for automatically
applying the brake to winding engines.
27,132 of 1920 (168,731). W. H. Boorne,
London. Furnace for oxidizing tin.
29,215 of 1920(153,297). Farbenfabriken F.
B.AYER, Cologne. Precipitating sulphur from
sulphuretted hydrogen by mixing with air and
precipitating on porous carbon.
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, Etc.
Ui5*Copies of the books, etc., mentioned below can be obtained
through the Technical Bookshop of The Mining Magazine,
724, Salisbury House, London Wall, E.C. 2.
Some Principles Governing the Production of
Oil Wells. By Carl H. Beal and J. O. Lewis.
Bulletin 194, published by United States Bureau
of Mines.
Underground Conditions in Oilfields. By A. W.
Ambrose. Bulletin 195, published by the' United
States Bureau of Mines.
Silver Ores. By H. B. Cronshaw. Paper covers,
152 pages. Price 6s. net. Prepared under the
direction of the Mineral Resources Committee of
the Imperial Institute. London : John Murray.
Petroleum. Paper covers, 110 pages. Price 5s.
net. Prepared under the direction of the Mineral
Resources Committee of the Imperial Institute,
jointly with His Majesty's Petroleum Department,
with the co-operation of H. B. Cronshaw. London :
John Murray.
Detection and Estimation of Platinum in Ores.
By C. W. Davis. Technical paper 270, published
by the United States Bureau of Mines.
Flotation Tests of Idaho Lead-Zinc Ores. By
C. A. Wright, J. G. Parmelee. and J. T. Norton.
Bulletin 205, published by the United States
Bureau of Mines.
Mica, Bauxite, Borax, Corundum, and Garnet.
By Dr. J. Coggin Brown. Being Bulletins 12 and
15 on Indian Industries and Labour, issued by the
Government of India. London : India Govern-
ment's Department of Commerce and Industry,
60. Winchester House, E.C. 2.
Geology of the Diamond-bearing Gravels of
the Somabula Forest. By A. M. Macgregor.
Bulletin 8 of the Geological Survey of Southern
Rhodesia.
COMPANY REPORTS
Chenderiang Tin Dredging. — This company was
formed by Bright -i Calbraith, Ltd., in 1914, to
acquire alluvial tin ground in Chenderiang Valley,
Perak, Federated Malay States. A bucket-dredge
started work in April, 1915. The report for the
year ended March 31 last shows that the dredge
treated 965,000 cu. yd. of ground and extracted
339 tons of tin concentrate, the yield averaging
0-79 lb. per yard. The output from the hydraulic
328
MINIM. MAdA/lXl':
elevating section :»n(.I from tributers was 104 tons,
so that the total output was 443 tons. The com-
pany's income was ;£50,406. and the net profit was
;^5,251. out of which /3,727 has been applie;! to
the extinction of the balance of the cleveloi.mont
account.
Ipoh Tin Dredging. — This company was formed in
1913 to acquire alluvial tin property at Lahat, in
the Kinta Valley, I'erak, I'cderatod Malay States.
A bucket-dredge started work in August, 1^15,
and two more dredges were ordered later. The com •
pany is controlled by the Borneo Company, Ltd.,
and I.. G. Attenborough is the manager. The report
now issued covers the fifteen months ended March 31
last. During this time 656,700 cu. yd. of ground was
treated, for a production oi 215 tons of tin con-
centrate, being a yield of 0'73 lb. per yard. The
amount of ground treated was below normal. owi!!g
to the limestone pinnacles being high and also
owing to the ineflftciency of the pumps. On the
other hand the yield per yard was considerably
higher than during 1919. The accounts show an
income of /37,036 from the sale of tin concentrate,
and an adverse balance of /1 ,429. Further informa-
tion is given in the Review of Mining.
Consolidated Gold Fields of New Zealand. —
This company was formed in 1896 to acquire from
the late David Ziman certain gold-mining properties
in the Reefton district of New Zealand. The com-
pany floated off the Progress and Blackwater
properties as separate companies, and continued
to work the Wealth of Nations mines itself. The
Wealth of Nations was closed in 1918, owing to a
fire. The report for the year 1920 shows that the
mine has been drained and partly repaired, but that
a resumption of operations is not yet possible. The
ore reser\'e remains as reported at the end of 1919,
namely 16,044 tons, averaging 11-58 dwt. gold per
ton. The accounts show a loss of £12,108 for the
year. As the year commenced with a credit
balance of £19.476, the year ends with a credit
balance of £7,368. Progress Mines. — Mining
operations were suspended at the end of August,
1920, as the results of development above the
1 1 th level were not promising. When economic
conditions allow, it is intended to sink deeper.
During the eight months from January to August,
1920, the amount of ore raised was 8,102 tons,
from which gold worth £12,619 was extracted.
The working cost was £15,509. leaving a working
loss of £2,889. Blackwater Mines. — The amount
of ore treated during the year was 24.468 tons,
yielding gold worth £5?,607 The working cost was
£-15,317, leaving a working profit of £13,290.
Development continues to give satisfactory results,
and at the end of the year the reserve was estimated
at 86,600 tons, averaging 8-47 dwt. per ton.
Broken Hill South. — This company wa? formed
in 1893 to work silver-lead-zinc deposits at the south
end of the Broken Hill range. New South Wales.
Operations were suspended from .A.pril, 1919,
to November, 1920, on account of labour troubles.
In July, 1919, a large part of the surface plant was
destroyed by fire, and the time from then until the
end of the strike was occupied in the work of
reconstruction. The report now issued covers the
year ended June 30 last. This records that the
flotation plant treating dump slime was restarted
on November 15, 1920, mining operations resumed
on December 20, and one section of the recon-
structed concentrating plant put to work on
January 24, 1921. On January 25 the smelting
plant of the Broken lUll .\ssociated Smelters at
Port Pirie sutlered serious damage by lire, so it
was not possible to send the lead concentrates
thither for treatment. The Sulphide Corporation,
however, undertook to treat a limited amount of
these concentrates, along with similar concentrates
from other mines, at the Cockle Creek smelters.
From March 2 to 29 ojicrations ceased at the
mine and mill on account of coal shortage, but
from the latter date operations have been continued
on the basis of half-time one-shift per day. During
the period covered by the report, 37,923 tons of
ore was raised from the mine and sent to the con-
centrators, where the following products were
obtained : 5,981 tons of lead concentrate averaging
63-4",', lead, 86% zinc, and 27-3 oz. silver per ton ;
24.667- tons of zinc tailing, averaging 17-3"(, zinc,
3-6% lead, and 4-3 oz. silver ; and 5,682 tons of
slimc averaging 13-2% lead, 14% zinc, and 10-3 oz.
silver. The current slimc was treated for lead,
producing 1,027 tons of concentrate, averaging
54-7°o lead, 10-9% zinc, and 45-6 oz. silver ; the
zincy residue averaging 14-7% zinc, 4% lead, and
2-6 oz. silver. There was also treated 54,804 tons
of dump slime, averaging 11% lead, 13-4% zinc,
and 7-9 oz. silver, for a yield of 7,299 tons of lead
concentrate averaging 47-2% lead, 15-1% zinc, and
41-2 oz. silver; the zincy residue averaging 13-2%
zinc, 5-4% lead, and 2-7 oz. silver. The zinc
tailing (other than slime) obtamed from the treat-
ment of the crude ore, 24,667 tons (as before
mentioned), was delivered to the Amalgamated
Zinc (De Bavay's), and 1.58,908 tons of dump tailing,
averaging 16-9% zinc, 6% lead, and 3-9 oz. silver,
was delivered to the Zinc Corporation. The
accounts show a loss of £56,701, and in addition
£55,207 was written off for depreciation of plant,
and £13,333 was allowed for debenture redemption,
provision for these two items coming from the
reserve fund. The ore reserve remains at 3,500,000
tons, as no great amount of development has been
possible lately.
North Anantapur Gold Mines. — This company
was formed in 1908 by John Taylor & Sons, as a
subsidiary of the Anantapur Gold Field, Ltd., for
the purpose of working old gold mines in Madras
Presidency, India. Milling commenced in 1910.
Additional capital was raised in 1911 by the issue
of preference shares for the purpose of increasing
development. The scale of operations and profits
was never large. Four years ago developments
began to give poor results, and the output has
decreased ever since. The report for the year ended
June 30 last shows that 8,800 tons of ore was raised
and treated in the stamp-mill for a yield of 9,977 oz.,
and that 9,800 tons of sand and slime yielded
965 oz. In addition 357 oz. -w-as obtained by re-
treatment of dump material, bringing the total
yield to 1 1,299 oz. This gold was sold for £61,823,
of which about £13,000 represented premium. The
working profit w-as £.30,354, out of which £14,374
has been distributed as dividend, being at the rate
of 27 J% on the £25,000 preference shares, and 7i%
on the £91,253 ordinary shares. Mining operations
during the year have not resulted in the discovery
of any further ore-bodies of value and the reserve
at June 30 was only 7,000 tons. There remains
40,000 tons of sand on the dump to be re-treated.
In all probability mming operations will have to
cease shortly. The company has interests in copper
deposits in the Chota Nagpur district, which are
now being investigated.
tut Mining magazine
Mining Machinery
Fraser & Chalmers
Water Jacketted
Blast Furnace.
SMELTING.
Fraser & Chalmers Engineering
Works were among the pioneers
of modern water-jacket blast
furnace and converter construc-
tion. Their experience extends
upwards of 40 years, and they
have been closely associated
with the improvements that
have taken place in design and
construction of smelting and
bessemerizing plant during that
period.
Mechanical Roasting Furnaces,
Sintering Pots, Reverberatory
Smelting and Refining Furnaces,
Tin Smelting Plant, Lead de-
silvering and Refining Plant,
Faber du Faur Retorting
Furnaces, etc.
\
9
Fraser & Chalmers
'/^ Copper Converter.
'////,
%M
^'"IIIU
'lllllli
Fraser & Chalmers
Slag Car.
FRASER 8. CHALMERS ENGINEERING WORKS
PROPRIETORS
ERITH.KENT
THE OENERAU ELECTRIC CO, LTD
LONDON OFFICE ;
MAGNET HOUSE, KINGSWAY. W.C. 2.
6—1
THE MIXIXr. MAGAZINK
I No Need |
I To Use German Type of Machines 1
MAGNETIC
SEPARATORS
for
ALL TRADES
m m =
% INVENTED gS =
^ AND BUILT p =
gS IN BRITAIN % =
I "Rapid'' Electro -Magnetic
I Ore Separator
(Thompson-Davies Patent)
= We will guarantee our
= Type " O " Separator to
s give equal efficiency, as
^ a minimum, to the German
M Apparatus.
M SIMPLE IN OPERATION.
M ALL TUNING UP MAY BE DONE
^ WHILST MACHINE IS WORKING.
= NO FLIMSY CROSS BELTS.
= AN
ABSOLUTE MINIMUM
OF DUST.
= EVERY PART IS EASILY ACCESSIBLE.
^ SEPARATING MAGNETS CAN BE SET
= FINER THAN ANY OTHER MACHINE
= ON THE MARKET.
For the separation of feebly magnetic ^
ores: — Wolfram-tin, Wolfram-bismuth, ^
Monazite Sands, Sidente from Zinc ^
Blende, etc., and Ores consisting of par- ^
tides of different magnetic permeability. ^
We shall be pleased to demonstrate a Machine at ^£
work, preferably on inquirers' own samples. ^
Inquiries should be accompanied by information as to =
quantity to be treated per hour, as several sizes are ~
listed, and the capacity varies according to ihe Ore. =
Beware of exaggerated statements as to output of ^
other makes. =
THE RAPID MAGNETTING |
MACHINE COMPANY, LTD. |
Magnet Works, 52, Lombard St., Birmingham =
Telephone: Mid. 837. =
llllll
THE MINING "^MAGAZINE
] ^^ NOTHING'S I I
•/"OO HARD FORS~^0
<^ MARSDEN'S
E
H.R.MARSDEN Ll£ 111
LEEDS 3
TUK MINING MAGAZINE
Ropeways, Limited
CONSTRUCTORS OF AERIAL ROPEWAYS
mi
f^^
1
mm
y^^
n
1
■>^>yi^^jifl|^^^B^BI
LOADING STATION, SALTORE COLLIERY, SITARAMPORE, BENGAL, INHIA.
•^RZ^yl. ELDON STREET HOUSE, SOUTH PLACE, LONDON, E.C.2.
London." SPANISH OFFICE : No. 3, PLAZA CIRCULAR, BILBAO.
Telt^hone :
Central
12780
BROOM & WADE, L^.P
AIR COMPRESSORS
5 to 1,000 cub. ft.
Offices & Works:
HIGH WYCOMBE
ROBUST CONSTRUCTION
TOTALLY ENCLOSED
EXCEPTIONALLY LARGE WATER
COOLING SURFACES
SPECIAL VALVES
EFFICIENT LUBRICATION
IMPROVED METHOD OF QOVERNINQ
HIGHEST EFFICIENCY
LOWEST UPKEEP
ABSOLUTE RELIABILITY
THE MINING MAGAZINE
BOVING & CO., LTD.
1 "._.--
^M
^
Wb
WATER POWER STATION OF MOUNT LYELL MINING CO.
Head 1,050 ft., output 10,000 B.H.P.
WATER POWER PLANT
TURBINES PIPE LINES
SINKING PUMPS
Head Office:
(Dept. 8)
56, KINGSWAY,
LONDON,
W.C.2.
Works :
STOKE-ON-TRENT,
STAFFS.
Agents:
GLASGOW :
T. G. Lennard,
30, Wellington Street.
MANCHESTER :
R. Millett,
30, Cross Street.
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE :
J. R. Slracher Wilson.
3, St. Nicholas Bldgs.
Tin: MIXINC. MAC.AZIXK
Made in Quantities.
FEATURES:— Light Weight, High Speed, Low Air
( onsumption, and Economical Upkeep.
Many Thousands in Use for picking out small
seams of Coal, Dirt Bands, etc.
Jlik fo' our Catalogue " R"
ATLAS DIESEL COMPANY, LTD.
35, SURREY STREET, LONDON, W.C.2.
telegrams:
dieselmot, estrand londom
telephone: Central 9067.
THE MINING MAGAZINE.
Head, Wrightson & Co.,Ltd.
THORNABYON-TEES and STOCKTON-ON-TEES.
Large
Screening
Area.
High
Crushing
Efficiency.
NISSEN
PATENT
STAMPS
Low
Maintenance
Cost.
Low
Power
Consumption.
INSTALLATION AT NEW MODERFONTEIN,
London Office: 5, VICTORIA STREET, WESTMINSTER, S.W.
Telephone No. 270 Victoria.
Telegrams: " Teesdale Vic, London."
TllK MlNlNr, M/U.A/lNIi
"Sentinel"
Air
Compressors
Some special features : —
Simple in Design.
Economical m Operation.
Small Foundations.
Durable — Minimum of Repairs.
Automatic —
No Attendance Necessary.
Steam Driven Compressor -5.000 cubic ft. capacity
Alley & MacLellan, Ltd.
SENTINEL WORKS, GLASGOW.
HAARLEM,
HOLLAND.
Tel. — ' ' Werfconrad.
Haarlem."
Codes— Lieber'i, A. B.C.
(5(hEd.l.Moreing&NeaI.
WERF CONRAD
BUILDERS OF
LONDON, E.C.
Agenis: Marine Worki. Lid.
Friars House,
39-41, New Broad St.
Telegrams —
" Dredgcraft. Ave. .London."
Phone-Cily 257.
Bucket Dredge at Work in Nigeria.
Gold & Tin Dredges, Hydraulic Sluicing & Elevating Plant
Sole Makers of the Original BANKA HAND DRILL FOR PROSPECTING.
10
THIi MINING MAGAZINE
^'sSS^-■'
i
<xS
Write for this !
Every Mining Engineer wishing to have the
latest information about machinery for the reduction
of ores, etc., should refer to the handbook
Edgar AUen
"Crushing and Grinding
Machinery (My niustrated).
Contents :
The Edgar Allen Engineering Dept. ;
Experimental Plant at Customers'
Service ; Ore Crushers & Stone-
Breakers, advantages of different
types ; Complete Specifications ;
Portable Plants ; Types of Crushing
Rolls and Special Uses ; Types of
Mechanical Feeders ; Ball Mills,
Construction and Uses ; the
Pulverizing Cylinder; Tube
Mills; Different Methods of
Grinding ; the Combination Mill ;
Disintegrators; Separators,
Different Types ; Screens, Revolv-
ing and Telescopic ; Conveyors,
Spiral-, Belt-, Gravity-Bucket-,
Shaking, etc.. Revolving Dryers,
Automatic Measurers, etc.
To save the unnecessary expense of sending tKe whole catalogue to
engineers interested in only one or two of the machines with which
it deals, it has been split up into separate sections, each dealing with
certain types. Fill up the Request Form, and the section in which you
are interested will be sent at once.
1
M^
^•*^l
#.
#^
.KM
Edaac All-in
Request Form.
Please send me the section of your Catalogue A.
dealing with .
^ame
t^liCine or Company
11
Tin: MiNixr, M.\(,A/i\i':
Look to your Roofs !
No back pressure is
created by the
Stiirtevant Exhaust Head.
(I, Are they being damaged by con-
densed water from a steam discharge?
(I. All atmospheric exhaust pipes
should be fitted with a Sturtevant
Exhaust Head a simple device that
removes all the moisture from the
steam without creating any back
pressure. Neglect of this elementary
precaution may cause endless ex-
pense in repairs to roofs and walls.
Write for descriptive leaflet ^* H 1 1 8 1
Si urievani
Engineering Co., Ltd.,
M7. Queen V'ldoria St.. London, L,.C. 4.
L
MINERALS CONCENTRATION CO., LTD.
4, LONDON WALL BUiLDlNGS. LONDON. E.G. 2.
CONCENTRATION OF ALLUVIAL GRAVELS, Etc.
PATENT ROTARY CONCENTRATOR.
ALTOM.ATIC EXTRACTION AND DELIVERY OF ORE.
PHONE: LONDON WALL. 1276.
CONTINUOUS OPERATION 24 HOURS PER DAY.
THE MINING MAGAZINE
:.tlllllrllllll1IIIHIIIIIIIIIIMIIIIIIIIIIIllllllllinillllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll MnMHIHIIinilNIMniMlinHIMirilMlinMIIIIMIMIIIMMIIIIIMIIIIlllMlllllllllirilllMllillllllllllllllllllllllMIIIIIIMIMIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIinlltMllt^
JJ
^^ Compactum
Chilling, Freezing, and Cold
Storage Plants.
Refriserated Larder and Ice-making Box.
Invaluable for Warm Climates
Write for particulars.
On Admiralty, India, War Office, and Board of Trade Lists.
JOHN KIRKALDY, LTD.
HEAD OFFICE:
(Established 1809.)
101, LEADENHALL STREET, LONDON, E.G. 3.
Works: BURNT MILL, near HARLOW, ESSEX. ENGLAND.
Telegraphic Addresi: "Compactum, London." Telephone No.: Avenue 1223 (Worki: Harlow 5).
iiiiiiiiiiitiriiiiiiiiiitiiiiiMiiiiiiiiNiiiiiiiiiiniiiiiiMiiiiiiiMiiiiHiiiiniiiiiiiiiiMiMii MnirMiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiiiiiiniMiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiMiiiMiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiininiiiiiii.
13
Till. MININC, MAC.AZINI':
FLATT£li£D SmNB
have the cachet of individuahty and merit, and embody
every known improvement m Wire Rope construction,
JOHN & EDWIN WRIGHT, Ltd., Universe Wire Rope Works, BIRMINGHAM.
CEMENTATION
IF
You Expect to Encounter Water
You HAVE Feeders of Water
PUMPS are required
PUMPING Entails Useless Cost
water Exists in Shafts or Levels
it would be beneficial to stop such
WATER
WHY NOT
AVAIL YOURSELF OF THE SERVICES OF the PROVED
HIGH PRESSU RE CEMENTATION PROCESS?
SUCCESSFUL RESULTS GUARANTEED.
SHAFT SINKING, DAMS, WET SHAFT LININGS, SHAFT REPAIRS
DEFECTIVE BORE HOLES AND ROADWAYS IN FIRE AREAS.
FERRO CONCRETE SHAFT LINING
RECORD OF BRITISH W/ORK
THE
Shaft Sinking with Cementation
Underground Dams do.
Wet Shaft Linings do.
23 Shafts
30 Dams
44 Shafts
FRANCOIS
DONCASTER, ENGLAND.
•PHONE 413.
CEMENTATION COMPANY, LTD.
Directors : J. A. Agnew. F. W. Baker, H. N. Berry, L. Chevrillon (French), A. S. Elmore. A. J. Francois (Belgian).
H F. Marriotl.
14
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Angle Compound Air Power Service
Angle Compound Compressors will :-
Provide a constant, reliable air power supply.
Cut in half the floor space devoted to Com-
pressors.
Cut in half your foundation and installation
charges.
Permit ready adaptation to any form or ar-
rangement of power drive.
5. Lower your horse power per 100 feet of air
compressed.
6. Operate efficiently at partial loads.
7. In the " twin " direct motor driven units, avoid
excessive " peaks " in the power inflow.
S. Require minimum attendance and repair.
Why not post yourself further ? Ask fo
4.
"Reasons Why"
Angle Compound design,
with its compactness, its sim-
plicity, and its exact balancing
of reciprocating parts and
forces, makes some of these
advantages possible.
Sullivan wafer plate valves,
total closure unloader, high
pressure relief valve, separate
cylinder liners, liberal cooling
area, automatic, positive lu-
brication, and Sullivan skill
and thoroughness — these are
other factors going to make
the whole of Angle Compound
Air Compressor satisfaction.
r Bulletin 701— B.
. OFFICES
iieajo
^■In. Boalon,
Ul
I H .CU.
Deny
. D.l-
iT. Dutulh.
E
El P.M. Huntington.
W V> , Joplm. Jun-
.au. Kr.o>v>ll«. N<w
York. Pitltburih
Si Loux. Salt Laite,
Spohan*
COMPRESSORS AIR UFT DIAMOND DRILLS
FORGE HAMMERS COAL CUTTERS ROCK DRILLS
SHARPENERS FORGES
DRILLING CONTRACTORS
MACHINERY COMPANY
Salisbury House, London E.C.2. England.
I
FOREIGN
SALES OFFICES
Algiers. Bruxrll,
Calcutta. Chnttianii.
Durban. Natal. Hava-
na. Lima, London,
Madrid. Mciico City,
Pan*. San Juan. San-
tiaEo, Shanghai. Syd-
NSW .Toliyr.
Tor
Tur.
Tun
15
nil MiNi\(. m.\(;a/i\"I':
DREDGES
For
GOLD
ctf^
For
TIN
"EMPIRE" PROSPECTING DRILLS.
PLACER MINING EQUIPMENT.
Write for the Catalogues.
NEW YORK ENGINEERING COMPANY
2, RECTOR STREET
NEW YORK, USA
The Citj' of San Francisco, after
two years of experimenting witli
various types of machines, have
decided that the Myers - Whaley
Shovelling and Loading Machine
13
is the best, and recently placed an
order for Nine additional machines,
thus making in all no less than 13
niacliines on the undertaking of cut-
ting the great Iletchy Hetcliy tunnel.
MYERS-WHALEY COMPANY, INC.,
KNOXVILLE, TENN., U.S.A.
FREDK. A. PERRY.
63. QUEEN VICTORIA ST..
LONDON, E.G. 4.
SOLE AGENT FOR THE U.K.
16
THE MINING MAGAZINE
BUCYRUS DREDGES
Are Digging in all parts of the
World for Tin, Gold, Platinum, etc.
7n cu. ft. DreHge complete for Andrada Mines, operating in Portuguese East Africa.
GOOD ALL ROUND
Chief among the reasons why the Bucyrus Company has durmg the
past quarter of a century gamed a reputation as bemg one of the fore-
most manufacturers of dredgmg machinery m the world is this —
every dredge is buih to withstand the strain of hard digging.
The wearing parts, like bucket lines, tumblers, etc., are made o( alloy steels developed
especially to insure the maximum life ol these parts.
The ability of Bucyrus Dredges to solve any dredging problem has been proven
by the strongest test of all — PERFORMANCE — which is confirmed by the records
which they are making in South America, Federated Malay States, Slam, Africa,
Russia. Alaska, and other parts of the world.
ENGLAND: Bucyrus Company. London. BRITISH AFRIC.4 : Fraser & Chalmers (South Africa), Ltd., Johannesbure
FRANCE: Brunner&Marchand, Paris. BELGIUM : P. & M. Dutry & Cd. Brussels. HOLLAND : Wynmalen & Haus-
mann, Rotterdam. SPAIN : Gumersindo Garcia. Madrid. ITALY : Ine. F. Fiorenlini & Cie., Rome. PORTUGAL :
Monteiro Gomes. Limitada. Lisbon. NORWAY: Pay & Brincli. Kristiania. SWEDEN A'<tiebolaBel Jarnvagsmaterial.
Stockholm. FINLAND: Akiiebolagel Maskinaffar Osakeyhlio, Helsingfors. AUSTRALIA: Wra. Adams & Co.. Ltd.,
Sydney. JAPAN ; Mitsui & Co., Ltd.. Tokio, SIAM : D. Couper-Johnslon & Co.. Bangkok. FEDERATED MALAY
STATES: The Borneo Company. Ltd.. Singapore. INDIA: McLeod & Co., Calcutta and Bombay. NEW ZEALAND;
BlairReed& Co.. Lid. .Wellington. PHILIPPINE ISLANDS: Frank B.lngersoll, Manila. COLOMBIA : We.selhoe(l &
Poor. Barranquilla & Bogata. VENEZUELA : Wesselhoeft& Poor Caracas.
We also build Steam and Electric Shovels, Dragline Excavators of all types and sizes.
BUCYRUS COMPANY
®
(Regiatered Trade Mark ;
•BUCYRUS.")
South Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.A.
Cable Address :
"Bucyrus. South Milwaukee."
®
Till" MlS;iN-('. MAC.AP^IXK
7ft. HARDiNGE MILL
The above Bntish-built Mill embodies
new features in design. Note the large
diameter trunnions for handling large
tonnages of coarse feed.
This Mill has been ordered by an English
Company to grind 3" hmestone. Hardinge
Mills are built in sizes ranging from
3' in dia. to 10' in dia.
Prompt Deliveries.
Reduced Prices.
:EQKLDNl}DKm:i
NEW YontC N V 120 BROADWAV
OEMVER COLO, FIRST NATIONAL BANK BUILDING
SPOKANE WASH . QUO NATIONAL BANK 3UILDING ,
SALT LAKE CITY. UTAH. NEWMOUSE OUILDING
I HUDIKGMIL I
lONOOK"
m
IcS
tHE MINING MAGAZINE
PNEUMATIC ROCK
DRILLS
for Mine and Quarry Work. Also for Road
Repair Work and Demolishing old Buildings, etc.
o
o
z
o
-I
>
u
o
3
<
o
o
<
An
BQ-46 Hammer Drill demolishing heavy concrete.
ideal tool for removing surface pavement m laying conduit for telephone and
circuits and in the construction of- gas and water mains.
Wrile. for 'Parliculars.
_i
M
0)
□
a.
<
a.
a
HI
O
o
z
J
UJ
h
ighting
THE CONSOLIDATED PNEUMATIC TOOL CO., Ltd.
EGYPTIAN HOUSE, 17 O, PICCADILLY, W. 1.
Branches and Agencies all over the World.
6—2
19
Tin-: M1X1N(", MACAPTNE
TELEGRAMS :
"BULLIVANTS.
(Feni LONDON.'
AERIAL ROPEWAYS
TELEPHONE :
Av. 2108
(3 LINES)
AERIAL ROPEWAYS
ON ALL SYSTEMS.
4
Wlllllllil
vwnnwnn
REGISTERED OFFICES: 72, MARK LANE, LONDON, E.G. 3.
WORKS: MILLWALL, LONDON, E.14.
THE DORRCO PUMP
For controlling and ele-
vating the discharge from
Dorr Thickeners. Simple
to operate and requires
very little power.
As used in the Dorr
System of Continuous
Countercurrent Decanta-
tion.
Is in successful operation
in many different types of
metallurgical and chemical
plants for handling both
dilute and thick sludges.
No. 4 Quadruplex Self-conlained.
THE DORR COMPANY,
DENVER, U.S.A.
1009, 17th Street.
Engineers,
16, South Street,
LONDON, E.C.
NEW YORK, U.S.A.
lOl, Park Avenue.
20
THE MINING MAGAZINE
Diamond Rock- Drilling
Machinery
(System — Craelius)
SWEDISH DIAMOND ROCK-DRILLING MACHINERY
AT WORK AT SHIMONOSEKI STRAITS IN JAPAN.
Svenska Diamantbergborrnings Aktiebolaget
" The Swedish Diamond Rock-Drilling Co., Ltd."
Telegrams :
' Adamante. Stockholm."
STOCKHOLM,
SWEDEN.
Codes :
A.B.C.(5th Edition).
McNeill (1908 Edition).
21
THE MINING MAGAZINE
ii^.^iii.5£l'<i»
w
THE NICEP COMPANY
LIMI
TIN MINING
INDUSTRY
The Company has a fully-
equipped Mining Depart-
ment and is prepared to
provide staff for Mining
proper! i e s, undert ak.e
Assays, etc.
NIGER RIVER
RANSPORT SERVICE
REGULAR Service of First-Ciass
Steamers between Burutu (Forcados)
and Baro (Kano Railway Termi-
nus), calling at the following intermediate
Ports : Assay, Aboh, Onitsha, Idah, and
Lokoja.
Passengers and Cargo Services connect wilh both
oulward and homeward Steamers at Forcados.
Passengers for Northern Nigeria and ihe Tin Fields
travel by "The River Roule." thus avoiding tran-
shipment and ensuring comfort, promptitude, and
economy.
LOWEST POSSIBLE THROUGH RATES QUOTED
ON TIN ORE FROM MINING PROPERTIES TO
LIVERPOOL WAREHOUSE.
Terms and Conditions for Transport of
Passengers and Cargo on application.
The Niger Company, Ltd.
Central Buildings, Blackfriars, E.C. 4.
Cable Address: " Nigrelia, London."
The Niger Company, Ltd., Burutu (Forcados),
Nigeria, West Africa.
Cable Address; "Nigrelia. Burulu."
22
THE MINING MAGAZINE
The NEW HARDY
"WATER-JACK" ROCK DRILL
for Driving, Raising, Sloping
Construction
of valve ensures
durability and
efficiency.
Front head
of machine
fitted w^ith re-
newable bush-
ing for square
or octagon
shanks.
No collars
on steels.
Sole Makers-
The Hardy Patent
No dust
problem ; w^ater
is fed through
the anvil block
and steel to the
bottom of the
hole.
Up, dow^n,
inclined, or flat
holes driven
with equal
facility.
Co.,
ShefTield, Eng^land
LTD.
Branch Office : 17, Queen Victoria Street, London
TUF MINlXr, :\I\C,AZINF,
f NICKEL ANODES (Rolled and Cast).
99 100 NICKEL SHEET AND STRIP.
I NICKEL ROD AND WIRE.
NICKEL SALTS (for Nickel Plating, etc.) 99 100%
COPPER SULPHATE "Maple" Brand (Powder or Crystals) 98/99
The MOND NICKEL Co., Ltd.
39, Victoria Street, LONDON, S.W.I.
1^ — -^
1
^fi
^^^lW^
w~ *
li
The
"CURVILINEAR"
ORE
CONCENTRATOR
has
NO WEARING PARTS.
A HALF-SIZE TABLE WITH FULL-SIZE CAPACITY.
The "Curvilinear" is an Australian Invention, for which Letters Patent have been granted.
Now that the merits oF this Concentrator are becoming more widely known and appreciated, it is no
longer looked upon as a freak. On the contrary, many mining engineers are quite enthusiastic about it,
especially for concentratmg very fine material.
Considering that the "Curvilinear" is only half the size of standard tables, yet has greater efficiency,
makes it a very economical and attractive proposition.
Price, packed, £90: shipping measurement, 70 cu. ft. ; weight, 15 cwt.
Manufactured only by
GUTHRIDGE, LIMITED, Mining Engineers, SYDNEY, N.S.W.
(AUSTRALASIAN AGENTS FOR THE DORR COMPANY).
Cable Address: "Patience. Sydney." All Codes.
LONDON AGENTS : JAMES SMITH & PARTNERS. LTD.. 36. CAMOMILE STREET. E.G. 3.
Ask for New Bulletin No. 6.
24
Air Compressors
VERY HIGH Mechanical efficiency is
ensured in Sandycroft Air Compressors.
Designed to deliver the largest possible
volume of air per unit of space occupied,
construction embodies all the latest
improvements.
Air valves and passages have exception-
ally large areas — giving unrestricted flow
to the air. A system of complete water-
jacketing gives maximum cooling effect.
The vertical position of the valves on the
sideof thecylinder makes the whole of the
cylinderhead available for water-cooling.
Large bearing surfaces, automatic
splash and forced lubrication, and perfect
balance and proportion of moving parts
ensure thorough efficiency.
Sandycroft Air Compressors require
practically no attention and can be safely
left in chargeof inexperiencedattendants.
Being totally enclosed, the bearings are
fully protected against grit or oil.
Manufactured in a range of varying
sizes and capacities.
Cofiiplcte
Milling Equipinciits
Every possible mining need can be
filled fiom the .S.indycroft Works
from complete equipments down to
the smallest individual unit.
Crushing and Ore
Dressing Plants.
Prospecting Outfits.
Screens.
Stamp Mills.
Trommels.
Tube Mills.
lircikers.
Chile Mills.
Rolls.
Agitators.
Hall Mills.
Classifiers.
Pans, etc.
Concentrators.
Pumping and W
inding Engines.
Metallurgical Plant.
Electric Motors.
Electric Starters.
( Generators.
Phase Advancers.
SandvcroftB
LONDON &_ CHESTER
Head Office: 4, Broad Street Place, London, E.G. 2.
Works : Sandycroft, Chester.
TITK :\ITXINr, MAGA^INfi
(Trade MSrkJ
ROLLER BEARINGS
for Trucks. Trnnis. Tub.s
& Light Railways.
50%. Sc\vii\g in Haulage Costs.
Double the number of trams per trip without extra
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Hyatt Bearings play a definite and important part in
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•.iO
The Mining Magazine
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Vol. XXV. No. 6. LONDON, DECEMBER. 1921,
Price Is. 6d.
C O N T E N T S
Editorial
Memorials to the Dead 330
Particulars are given of the two Jleniorials erected
by the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy and
the Institution of Mining Engineers, respectively,
in the honour of their members who fell in the
Great War, with an account of the ceremony of
unveiling performed by Earl Haig.
The Huelva Rocks and Ores 332
A paper on this subject was read by Mr. Henry F,
Collins before the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy at the November meeting. The
editor gives an outline of Mr. Collins's suggestions
with regard to the processes of enrichment of the
pyrites.
The Rhodesia Broken Hill Fossils. . . 333
Brief mention is made of the animal remains found
in the limestone caves at Rhodesia Broken Hill,
in particular of the prehistoric human skull.
James Wickett 334
The editor records his appreciation of the beneficent
life of the Redruth stockbroker who did so much
for Cornish and Malayan mining.
Review of Mining
Articles
Mining Possibilities in Burma.
335
Harry D, Griffiths 339
The author shows that the mineral resources of
linrma are not fully appreciated by the general
public, and presents evidence that there are many
opportunities for profitable ventures, particularly
in connexion with gold- dredging.
Ventilation and Working Efficiency. .
Bernard W. Holman 350
The author discusses the modern principles of
ventilation and working conditions as applied to
hot and deep mining.
Book Review
Rickard and others' '* Concentration by
Flotation " 358
News Letters
Perth, W.A 361
Oil ill the Kimberley District.
PAGE
Toronto 363
Porcupine ; Kirkland Lake ; Cobalt ; West Shining
Tree.
Vancouver 364
The Britinnia Disaster i Cariboo j Sheep Creek;
Oil Activities.
Personal 366
Trade Paragraphs 367
Metal Markets 367
Statistics of Production 370
Prices of Chemicals 373
Share Quotations 374
The Mining Digest
Mineral Resources of Uganda
E. J. Wayland and W. C. Simmons 375
Genesis of Spanish Pyrites .H. F. Collins 380
Corbould's Copper Extraction Process
P. Bmbidge 381
Petrol from Natural Gas.^. Beeby Thompson 385
Occurrence and Origin of Helium
G. S. Rogers 386
Mining in British Guiana 387
Flotation for Rand Ore E. Homersham 387
Nickel Metallurgy W. Kent and R. J. Gill 388
Treatment of Electrolytic Zinc Residues . . . 388
Short Notices 389
Recent Patents Published 390
New Books, Pamphlets, etc 390
Company Reports 391
Bisichi Tin ; Burma Corporation ; Gaika Gold ; Glynn's
Lydenburg; Luipaards Vlei; North Broken Hill; Simmer &
Jack ; Weardale Lead.
EDITORIAL
Memorials to the Dead
On Novoinhci'il, l-itkl-Matshal ICarl ILuk
iinvoilcd the Memorials erected in the honoiu-
of the members, associates, and students of
the Institution of Mining and Metalhngy,
and of the members of the Institution of
Mining Engineers who fell in the Great War.
After brief intro-
ductory remarks by
Mr. F. W. Harbord.
president of the In-
stitution of Mining
and Metallurgy, and
by Colonel \V. C.
Blackett, president
of the Institution of
Mining Engineers,
Earl Haig said : —
" Two good rea-
sons urged me to
accept 3'our invita-
tion to come here
to-day to unveil
these two Memorials
toyourgallant dead.
"The first, and
more general one, is
that on all such
occasions I am able
to pay personal
tribute to a section
of those many thou-
sands of brave men
who fought under
my command in
France, and under
my command paid
the last and greatest
sacrifice that love of
King and Country
can demand of true
and loyal citizens.
" The least that I
can do, I, who act-
ing myself in the
asked and obtained
The Memorial erected by the Institution of
Mining Engineers.
execution of my duty,
so much from them in
the execution of theirs, is to join with those
who knew and loved them in honouring their
names.
" My second and more particular reason for
wishing to come here is that you afford me
the opportunity to say a few words of especial
thanks to a body of men whose work in France
seldom (hiw upon ilsill nnuli notice or glory
at the time ; but was surjxissed by none in
the diiuands it made u])on tin: skill, courage,
and resolution of the individual concerned
or in the service it rendered to the Army as
a whole.
" One thinks naturally of the battle of
Mcssines, and of the mighty series of
explosions that tore
great gaps in the
German line on
June 7, 1917, and
gave the signal for
one of our most
successful attacks.
That was the work
of the special ser-
vices to which you
sentso many gallant
men ; and it was
indeed a signal
triumph of British
mining in war. Yet
few, I think, outside
those who took part
in the work or saw
and benefited by its
results, realize the
immense amount of
steady and per-
sistent toil, in every
circumstance of
peril, surrounded by
danger in a form
that might well ap-
pal the stoutest-
hearted, that went
to the preparation
of that triumph.
Fvw, I know, realize
how vast and how
important to the
safety, comfort, and
success of our
troops, was the
other work of our miners ; work that was
little commented upon in the Press, but yet
went on steadily and continuously day after
day and year after year all along the I3ritish
front.
" There was no truce at any time to the
warfare that went on underground ; no re-
spite from the toil that the needs of the Army
imposed upon those who were the masters
330
DECEMBER, I'J'il
331
of the art of digging underground. Only,
there were periods of redoubled activity,
or more than common strain. Every
offensive undertaken by us, right up to the
days of the last great series of advances,
meant a fresh call upon the energy, industry,
and courage of these special services upon
whom the due preparation of those offensives
so largely depended. Tunnelled approaches
had to be constructed
for great distances,
dug-outs built for
headquarters, dress-
ing-stations, and shel-
ter generally. Every
big offensive made de-
mands of this kind.
An immense amount
of work was done for
the Somme. The
preparations for the
battle of Arras at-
tracted little atten-
tion compared with
those for the Messines
battle, but were no
less valuable. Then,
later, when the day
of the elaborately
mounted attack was
over, the tunnelling
companies found a
new work, hardly less
arduous or dangerous,
in the discovery and
removal of many
thousands of German
mines.
" I am talking to
those who themselves
know something of
these things ; but it
is right that others
should know, too, and
here where you are
met to pay a last
honour to comrades. The Memorial erected
members of your In- Mining .ind
stitutions who
actually accomplished these things and died
nobly in the doing of them, I am glad to
thank anew — not for myself only, but on
behalf of the whole Army — a most gallant
body of men.
" This is an occasion for deep sympathy
with those who have lost so much and see
in these memorials the commemoration of
their private sorrow. It is an occasion, too,
for admiration and gratitude towards men
who gave so much, all that men could give,
for the liberty and honour of their fellow-
countrymen. It is more even than that. It
is an occasion for us who remain to take
courage from the example of those who have
so bravely gone before us. The cause for
which these honoured dead gave the last
full measure of their devotion is still ours to
uphold. The task to
which they gave their
lives is laid upon us
and our children to
complete.
" Therefore as days
go by we should look
upon these memorials
with quiet sorrow, but
with lasting pride.
They should be to us
lessons not only of
what men have done,
but of what true men
can do. Then shall
we and generations
to come after us draw
hope and inspiration
;^ from the memory of
what these men ac-
complished in the
strength of their faith
and patriotism. So
that in the days of
difficulty, now and
hereafter, the great
commonwealth of na-
tions to which we all
belong, which we all
love, shall never lack
for men who will — as
did these whose names
are here written —
count their own lives
as nothing in their
country's service."
BY THE Institution of
Metallurgy. The Memorials are
installed in the hbrary
of the pew house of the two institutions in
City Road. That of the Institution of Mining
Engineers consists of a mural plaque of
marble, on which is a draped female figure in
bronze. Underneath is a bronze plate
bearing the dedicatory inscription, and on
the marble are carved the names of the fallen.
The rising sun about the base of the figure
is done in gold mosaic. The sculptor was
XVI
Till-; MININt. MAL,.\ZINE
l\Ir. Allan ('i. W'voii. Tlu- Monioiial civctixl
by tho Institution of Mining and Mctallurj;y
was dcsifjncd and cxocutod by Lieut. -
Col. Peter N. Nisscn, a member of council
of the Institution. Colonel Nissen's idea
was to portray the work done by the
tunnellcrs, and the main figure represents
a second-lieutenant in the act of exploding
a mine. For the purpose of description of
this memorial we cannot do better than
quote some verses written by a visitor
who was present at the unveiling ceremony.
THE MEMORIAL
erected by the
Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
To THEIR Glorious De.'XD.
Would they, the brave ones early dead and K"'i''>
Desire that we should carve their names in stone,
Krcct memorials in their honour, and
Inscribe their deeds upon the roll of fame ?
With humble self-effacement they might say
That they did not regret the sacrifice,
They only fought for duty, not for praise,
That those who fought and lived deserve
An equal recognition ; or they might
Prefer the glory to be given to Him
Who sent them strength and heart to lay the foe
And so preserve the freedom of the world.
Thus is the monument designed to show
The work the miners did throughout the war.
That both their friends and those who follow on
Shall look on it with thankfulness and pride.
To render glory unto God we need
No sculptured figure with symbolic aim ;
Sufficient is the record of good deeds.
Portrayed by deft and reverential hands.
But best of all to please both dead and quick
Is that the monument should be designed
By one who was himself upon the field
And could present the actual scenes of war.
High on a pedestal of malachite
Stands a young officer of engineers.
With strained attention ready to explode
The charge and force the climax of attack ;
The boots, the mud, the sand-bags, and the tins
.Show the environment in which he worked.
The sculptor has recorded other scenes.
Familiar to the miner in the war.
In bas-relief in panels 'neath the plinth ;
Field and machine guns, scouting aeroplanes,
A Flanders road with all its trees destroyed,
A bridge to span a Belgian waterway,
A tunneller listening with the geophone,
A warship, and a poison chemist's den ;
The habitations on the firing line
In which the men took cover or sought rest :
The unseen hut, the dug-out, and the house
Battered by shell and falling to the ground.
On silver plates are cut the names of those
WTio died, with glowing words of true regret.
The bronze, the malachite, the silver, all
Suggest the missions of the fallen men
Before the battle called them to the front.
Complete it stands upon a base of oak.
Oak, British oak, that still denotes the strength
And steadfastness of Britain's sons.
Farewell ! Yet not farewell, ye noble dead,
your name shall surely live for evermore I
The Huelva Rocks and Ores
The pajier reati by Mr. Ilenrv 1'". ("ollins
before the Institution o\ Mining and Metal-
lurgy on November 17, entitled " The Igneous
Rocks of the Province of Huelva and the
Genesis of the Pyritic Ore-bodies," is an
important contribution to the study of the
economic geology of that celebrated mineral
region. The ])roblem of unravelling the
nature and sequence of the great variety of
igneous rocks found there and the origin of
the ore deposits has never received the
attention of the mining companies working in
the South of Spain in the way it deserved.
The reason for this neglect is to be found in
the fact that the ore-bodies are too large and
continuous to require the aid of science in
their discovery. It was rather the jiroljlem
of dealing with the ores, from tlie standpoint
of the metal and chemical industries, that
called for close study of the companies.
In other words, it was the destination, not
the origin, of the ores that absorbed attention.
The chief literature on the subject hitherto
published has come from Spanish, German,
Swedish, and French geologists, of whom
Gonzalo Tarin, Vogt, and Klockmann are the
best known ; and in the early days the
only contributions of note coming from an
Enghshman were those by the late Mr. J. H.
Collins, father of the present author. Some of
these writers took the view that the deposits
were of sedimentary origin contemporaneous
with the enclosing slates ; others that they
were formed by magmatic segregation from
the igneous rocks ; while the Spanish and
French geologists mostly adhered to the
view that they were in the main vein de-
posits formed by ascending solutions. Of
geologists with more modern ideas who have
visited Huelva province, the first to write a
convincing account of the rocks and ores was
the late Dr. A. M. Finlayson, then a student
at the Royal School of Mines. Finlayson
was a young New Zcalander, and he under-
took, while at South Kensington, the petro-
graphic study of a number of mineral
districts for the purpose of winning his
D.Sc. of London. It is a remarkable circum-
stance that he should have grasped the
meaning of the Huelva rocks and ores in so
short a time, and that so young a man
should write a paper that almost immediately
was accepted as a classic. His untimely
death early in the war was regretted by all
who knew him, for it is clear that mining
geology thus lost one who promised to become
DECEMBER, 1921
333
an exponent of the highest rank. His work at
Huelva was confined to only one part of
the mineral zone, and some of his con-
clusions, of minor importance, were based on
incomplete data ; but in spite of this draw-
back his exposition of the geology of the
district is nowadays universally taken as
a convenient basis for the study of these
rocks and ores.
The paper written by Mr. Henry F.
Collins represents the results of his detailed
investigations during the eight years of his
management of the Huelva Copper and
Sulphur Company's group of mines. His
intention was to prepare a geological map of
the whole mineral province, but his limited
leisure during mine management and the
extraordinary complexity of the rocks com-
bined to make it impossible for him to
complete his task before leaving Spain.
He had, however, collected a vast amount of
evidence which enabled him to draw certain
conclusions with regard to the nature of the
rocks, and the history of the ore-bodies.
This evidence and his arguments based
thereon form the substance of the present
paper. Extracts from the paper are given
in the Mining Digest elsewhere in this issue.
Mr. Collins's evidence generally confirms
Finlayson's main conclusions, but in some
cases his new evidence tends to modify
them in detail. He entirely confirms
Finlayson's conclusions as to the origin of the
ore : " The ore-bodies are in the main replace-
ments of zones of rock, which, owing to
crushing and shearing, or to other causes, was
specially permeable to the passage of
mineralizing solutions." Mr. Collins adds to
this general conclusion that the ore-bodies
are sometimes replacements, not merely of
the crushed and sheared zones of a particular
rock, but also of narrow residual belts of
slate or schist that had become enclosed
between two similar or dissimilar dykes of
igneous rock ; and that replacement has
occurred in many instances at a contact
between slate or schist and igneous rock ;
moreover, that there is plenty of evidence of
the gradual replacement of rock by ore,
particularly in the schists, where the banded
structure is still preserved.
An interesting part of the paper is that in
which Mr. Colhns advances theories to
account for the various enrichments of
copper in the pyrites, in addition to the
theory of secondary enrichment already well
known. As the enrichments referred to by
Mr. Collins took place during the formation of
the deposits or shortly afterwards, he calls
them " primary " enrichments. He divides
them into two classes, those coming from deep-
sea ted sources, and those coming in laterally.
As regards the former, he holds that, as the
circulation of the mineralizing solutions
became less violent owing to cooHng and to
the local cessation of earth movement, the
solutions became relatively more highly
charged with copper than with iron, and
produced local primary impregnation in
the pyrites already deposited. As to the
latter, he believes that an enrichment with
chalcopyrite has in many cases been effected
through the infiltration of solutions laterally
from the dykes of diabase and porphyry
which so frequently run parallel to the lodes
at a short distance from them. These
theories, especially the latter, have helped
in locating the parts of the ore dejjosits richest
in copper, and therefore deserve serious
consideration.
There are one or two other points in con-
nexion with Mr. Collins's paper to which
attention may be drawn. One is his implied
protest against the recommended abandon-
ment of the term " diabase " by the com-
mittee of British petrographers. A second
is the author's analysis of the rocks for
pyrites and chalcopyrite, which shows the
remarkably regular presence of these minerals
throughout the igneous rocks and slates.
The full significance of the condition thus
revealed is by no means clear ; at any rate,
it is on a par with the results obtained by
Lincoln and others that gold and silver are
to be found in all igneous rocks. It would
appear to confirm Mr. Collins's theory of
lateral primary enrichment. A third item
of note is the author's statement that
throughout the various igneous masses signs
of contact metamorphism are by no means
plentiful. This revives the query that has
often been given a place in our pages as to
the possibihty of molten matter passing
through solid rock without affecting its
surface in any way ; but this is too big a
subject to broach on this occasion.
Rhodesia Broken Hill Fossils
The Rhodesia Broken Hill mine is not
only noted for its ores containing lead, zinc,
and vanadium, but it has provided many
interesting studies for the zoologist owing to
the immense collection of animal remains
found in the caves. Some years ago
Messrs. Franklin White and F. P. Mennell
wrote of the discoveries here. Cave-hunting
334
Till
MINIXC. MAC iA/ INI
provides tlii- romance of gooloj^ical study,
and in this country the limestones of York-
sliire and Durham have become famous in
this connexion. At Rhodesia Broken Hill
the caves have yielded fossils for years, and
many of these have been sent to the Natural
History Museum at South Kensintiton, but
hitherto the bont's discovered have been the
remains of animals closely related to those
that now live in the district. The importance
of these caves has jumped suddenly to the
front by the discovery of a skull of a pre-
historic man. This was uncovered by Mr.
\\'. E. Barren, a member of the staff of the
company, and it was brought to London by
Mr. Ross Macartney, the manager. It now
lies at the Natural History Museum, where it
is attracting the attention of the zoological
savants. Communications relating to its
antiquity have appeared in the Times
and Nature, emanating from Dr. Smith
Woodward, Dr. Elliott Smith, Sir E. Ray
Lankester, Sir Arthur Keith, and others.
These authorities agree that the skull
belonged to a being combining human and
ape-like characteristics, but far nearer to
any modern type of man than to the ape.
Comparisons are made between this skull
and those discovered at Piltdown, in Java,
in South Africa, and in the caves of Belgium
and France, and as far as can be gathered
the judgment is that the Rhodesian skull
belongs to a new type and is perhaps later
than the others named.
James Wickett
The late Mr. James \\'ickett, who died at
his home at Redruth on November 12, at the
the age of 79, was one of the best friends of
metalliferous mining that ever lived, from
the points of view alike of the professional
man, the miner, and the investor. He never
claimed to be brilliant and never aspired to
be smart, but he had a sound knowledge of
the business of mining, and a conscientious
and altruistic method of dealing with the
three classes of people connected with this
industry. He was always an optimist, but
never altowed his natural inclination to believe
in and hope for the best to bias his judgment.
The object of his investments in mining was
to reap a reward in the way of dividends
earned by extracting metals from the ground,
not to seek to create a boom in his shares
and unload on his clients and the public ;
and all his recommendations as regards
purchases of shares were based on the same
lines. His cHents looked for the profits
out of diviiknds and fioni llie cajnlal
appreciation of their holdings arising solely
from the intrinsic worth of the mines. He
had no parent financial company to float and
control his Malayan group of tin mines, so
that shareholdi'rs were not saddled with big
]iromotion and agency expenses and com-
missions, and the market for the .shares in the
mining comiianies was free and not influenced
by the Stock Exchange requirements of such
a parent company. The working costs at
the mines were always kept within reasonable
limits, and the charges for administration at
till' home offices were, we almost might say,
ridiculously low. In this policv he was well
backed by the engineers, willi whcim he was
so long associated.
At tlie meetings of the companies of which
he was chairman he many a time gave
reminiscences of his early experiences. He
used to tell how his father made money out
of Tincroft in its palmy days, and that he
was indebted for his liberal education to the
funds thus made available. Then he told of
his first business engagement with Mr. J. M.
\\'illiams, of Gwennap, and of his position as
confidential agent with Williams, Foster &
Co., of Swansea. For forty-two years, up to
the time of his death, he conducted a stock-
brokers' business at Redruth, most of the
time being associated with Mr. Samuel
Abbott, and latterly with his sons, Mr. Tom
Wickett and Mr. Stanley Wickett.
It is about thirty years since the firm of
Osborne & Chappel, of Ipoh, Perak,
approached him with the view of obtaining
capital to increase the development of the
property now so well known as the Gopeng.
After careful study and inquiry he and his
friends subscribed the £5,000 required, and
thus laid the foundation of a business that
has had many and varied beneficent
influences in mining circles, both in this
country and the Malay Peninsula. The
Gopeng has paid handsome dividends for
thirty years, and promises a further life of at
least fifty years. Other successful enter-
prises have followed, of which the Tekka,
Tekka-Taiping, Rambutan, and Pengkalen
are the best known. As for the future, Mr. F.
Douglas Osborne succeeds to the chairman-
ship of the Malayan companies, and he and
his partners, Mr. Chappel, Mr. Mair, and
Mr. Glenister, will continue to exercise the
technical control, while Mr. Wickett's sons
will still attend to the financial and the
stockbroking sections of the bu.siness. The
high traditions are safe in their hands.
REVIEW OF MINING
Introductory.— The signing of a pre-
limniaiy treaty with Sinn Fein has given
general satisfaction in commercial circles, for
it is felt that with Ireland settled it will be
possible for the Government to devote more
attention to the man}' financial problems in
this country awaiting solution. Let us hope
that the treaty will prove acceptable to all
Irishmen, and that the new proposals will
be given a fair chance by everybody. In
mining circles the most interesting feature
of the month is provided by the arrange-
ments for gold prospecting in Nigeria. The
metal markets have been more cheerful, and
the prospects for the resumption of copper
mining in America are distinctly brighter.
Transvaal. — News as to labour conditions
on the Rand continues to be of varied
character. The Government announcement,
to which reference was made last month,
did not have as much impression on white
labour as was hoped at the time. The
unions are now engaged in disputing multi-
farious points of detail. In particular, there
has been a strike at Crown Mines, and the
operations were entirely suspended for a time.
Cable messages and other news sent to
London do not elucidate the position, e.xxept
that a conference has been called between
the Chamber of Mines and the unions with
a view to discussing possible economies.
The question of all-slim.ing, with or without
ehmination of amalgamation and stamps,
continues to present a subject for discussion
in this country, where no e.xact details of the
new proposals are obtainable. The latest
pronouncement on the subject, received by
cable from South .\frica, comes from Mr. J. G.
Lawn, who mentioned in his speech at the
meeting of the Johannesburg Consolidated
Investment Company that the New State
Areas plant would embody the principle of
all-sliming. The new plant will have a
capacity of .30,000 tons per month, and it is
to be ready early in 1923. Speculation as to
the nature of the process is naturally
attractive to the average metallurgist, and
in this case the question is, first, whether there
will be any amalgamation, and, second,
whether the cyaniding will be done in vats
or by the counter-current system.
The meeting of the Consolidated Gold
Fields was the occa.sion of another attack
on the directors by ^Ir. Aubrev Hvman,
a stockbroker with Johannesburg con-
ne.xions. It is just eight years since he made
a similar onslaught. On the present occasion
he had omitted to till the company's require-
ments as regards qualilication for voting or
speaking at the meeting, but by the grace of
the board and of the shareholders he was
permitted to make his speech. Nobody,
however, came to his support in moving the
resolution he had prepared, so the matter
dropped.
Owing to continued losses, production at
the Rooibcrg tin mines was suspended at
the end of September until the tin market
recovers. Development is being continued,
as also is the sluicing of alluvial deposits.
Rhodesia. — The output of gold during
October was returned at 53,424 oz., as com-
pared with 52,436 oz. in September and
47,343 oz. in October, 1920. The outputs
of other products of Southern Rhodesia
during October were : Silver 13,342 oz.,
coal 49,306 tons, copper 271 tons, asbestos
629 tons, arsenic 112 tons, and mica 21 tons.
The meeting of the Gaika company, one of
the Gold Fields Rhodesian Development
group, was occupied in much the same way as
that of the Consolidated Gold Fields. Here
Mr. Stanley Edwards agitated for a change
of control, and the basis of his complaint was
the old one about the disadvantages of a
controlling company watching the share
market as well as managing the mine. There
is no denying the fact that a parent company,
as a dominant shareholder in a subsidiary,
has an advantage in the share market over
the other shareholders, and it is therefore
easy to fling unpleasant accusations broadcast
though not so easy to produce definite
evidence. In this case the decisions as to
mine policy depend on current development
owing to the erratic nature of the ore-bodies,
and, moreover, Mr. Cyril Parsons, the con-
sulting engineer, is not a man to write reports
to order, so that the present hints are out of
place. However, when the voting came, it
was found that the shareholders wanted a
change in the directorate, so Mr. Edwards
was elected in the place of Mr. James
Prinsep, the chairman. We understand that
Mr. Edwards is now desirous that two other
Gold Fields directors shall resign, and that
Messrs. R. Rawdon Johnson and H. W.
Edncy shall join the board.
West Africa. — The reports of Prestea
Block A and .\bbontiakoon for 1920 were
issued early this month. As mentioned some
time ago the labour scarcity on the Gold
Coast hit the gold mines badly last \'ear.
Prestea Block A treated 115,670 tons during
the year, yielding gold worth £256,678, of
which £"61,923 represented premium ; against
335
331)
11
MIMNc, .MAl.AZlM:;
this wiTi' costs of /'2N(>,(i()0. At Alibontiakoon
SI,1SI):> tons of oil.' yavc gold worth /j2l)().7;!S,
of which ;;{,"17,0>S2 accrued from picniiuni,
while the costs were £187, 112. The ore-
reserve position at Prestea Block A is giving
rise to great anxietj'. Developments at
Abbontiakoon have added considerably to
the reserve, but, on the other hand, the lode
has not yet been found on the Uith level.
Nigeria. — The Bisichi company has issued
a statement relating to the exceptionally
important developments on one of its
properties, which was originally secured for
the company by Mr. A. W. Hooke when he
w-as in charge. It will be remembered that
about a year ago this company absorbed the
properties of its neighbours, w-hicli were
under the same control, the l-'orum River,
Ninghi, and Northern Nigeria Trust. The
rights to the particular property in question
were held jointly by the Bisichi and Forum
River companies. Since the amalgamation
this ground has been systematically tested
under the direction of Mr. H. E. NichoUs, of
the firm of Lake and Currie. The area is
SJ square miles in extent, and is flat in the
centre, with slightly undulating country
bcj'ond. The Forum River and its tributaries
wind through the flats. On the northern
bank of the present river there is an old river
bed more or less parallel, and it is this ground
that received first attention. By the end of
June the deposit had been proved for a
distance of 4,330 ft., averaging 970 ft. wide,
to a depth of 21 ft. In all 577 bores and pits
were sunk, and it is calculated that the area
so tested contains 3,266,740 cu. yd. averaging
3 lb. of cassiterite per yard. Further pitting
has since been done, and the results appear
equally good, though exact data are not yet
available. There remain lengths of I and
i mile respectively at the two ends still to
be prospected, and also the flats on the
other side of the river. This discovery is the
most important made on the Bauchi P'ateau
for several years.
Prospecting for lode gold in the belts
passing from south-west to north-east
through Jebba, Birnin Gwari, and Kano
continues to form an important feature of
interest, and a number of exclusive pro-
specting licences have been applied for. On
these, working options have been granted to
several Nigerian and West Australian com-
panies, among the latter being the Great
Boulder Proprietary, whose manager, Mr.
Richard Hamilton, has sent over one of his
trusty prospectors, Mr. James Shea, to
I'ouduct the search on behalf of this company.
Of individuals participating fmancially in
the prospecting of tliis belt, Mr. John
Waddington deserves special mention. He
and Mr. Hamilton rely on Mi. Shea for a
sound judgment as to liie practical
possibilities of the new gold areas, and there
will be no rash promotions as far as they are
concerned. It is generally believed that other
individuals and companies taking interests
in the same district will adopt the same
cautious attitude.
The Nigerian Chamber of Mines has been
pressing for reductions in charges of various
sorts incidental to tin mining. A reduction
in smelters' returning charge from £14 to £10
per ton has been secured for next year, and
there seems a probability of railway rates
lieing reduced before long.
Australia. — The companies at Broken Hill
consider that metal prices have recovered
sufficiently to warrant some extension of
mining operations. The British Broken Hill is
to restart mining, and the North and South
mines are to increase their output. At the
British mine, recent development at depth
has given excellent results, particularly on
Nos. 11 and 12 levels.
During the year ended September 30 the
Mount Lyell company smelted 45,235 tons
of North Lyell ore, 93,107 tons of Mount
Lyell ore, and 14,343 tons of concentrate.
The yield of blister copper was 5,786 tons,
containing 5,738 tons of copper, 178,380 oz.
silver, and 4,744 oz. gold. Recent diamond-
drilling has indicated the presence of a large
amount of additional ore. The profit was
£51,830, but owing to present general con-
ditions no dividend is paid. The directors
are now applying to the Arbitration Court
for a reduction in wages to agree more nearly
with the reduced cost of living.
The Electrolytic Zinc Company of Austral-
asia announces that the first unit of the new
plant at Risdon, Tasmania, started running
on November 22. The horse-power of this
unit is 15,000, and the yearly output of
zinc is estimated at between 20,000 and
22,000 tons. The second unit, of similar
capacity, will be ready in about a year's
time. The company will require additional
capital to complete the plant.
Owing to the excessive cost of supplies and
labour, it is no longer possible to win ore at
a profit at the Bullfinch mine, and all
operations have been suspended for a time.
Options have been secured on territory in the
Nigerian gold belt.
DECEMBER, 1921
337
Hampton Celebration announces that a mill
is to be erected, with a capacity of 100 tons
per day. This should be ready to start in
April. The proved ore above water level
is estimated at 50,000 tons, and out of the
profits accruing from its treatment funds are
to be applied to sinking the main shaft further
and testing the lode in depth.
Papua.— As the results obtained by the
joint venture of the British and Australian
Governments for exploring for oil in Papua
have not been satisfactory, the British
Government has withdrawn from the scheme,
but the Australian Government intends to
continue the investigations.
Burma. — The report of the Burma Corpora-
tion for 1920, just published, is not exactly
cheerful reading, but in the present circum-
stances of the world's metal trade this is only
to be expected. Particulars of output and
reserves are given elsewhere in this issue.
Conditions have rendered it necessary to
postpone the erection of a new smelter, and
to suspend the construction of the zinc works
and the development of the Namma coalfield.
Thus the company finds it is obliged to con-
tinue the policy of smelting ores, and later
concentrates, high in lead and silver. The
report does not mention the fact that
Mr. E. P. Mathcwson, the doyen of American
metallurgists, is now in Burma, sizing up the
position from both the technical and com-
mercial points of view. It is to be hoped
that the board will take his advice and give
him a free hand. There is one point in the
report of Mr. R. G. Hall, who recently
completed his service as engineer in
charge, that has proved disconcerting to
shareholders ; we refer to his remarks
about the difficulty in securing suitable
labour. This question has not been men-
tioned in previous reports, but it is fully
appreciated by those who know Burma,
and has often received attention in the
Magazine, particularly in contributions by
Dr. A. M. Einlayson and Mr. H. D. Grifiiths.
As regards the Bawdwin mines, there is no
suitable local labour, and the Yunnanese
who come to the mines in seasonal ebb and
flow cannot be induced to stay in Burma
during the rainy season from June to October.
The Burma Corporation is now endeavouring
to form settlements of members of tribes
from the borders of the Shan States and
Yunnan. We believe that these tribes, which
are neither Shan nor Yunnanese, formed one
of the difficulties when the boundary between
Burma and China was settled, for each party
wanted to hand over the territory to the
other owing to the tribes not being amenable
to discipline. It is gratifying to find now
that these races are showing signs of being
desirous of settling down to industrial life.
Elsewhere in tliis ifeue we publish an
article by Mr. Harry D. Griffiths on the
mineral resources of Upper Burma, in which he
draws attention once more to the possibilities
in connexion with the gold dcpo.sits of that
country. Upper Burma is a comparatively
new country as far as British mining
operations are concerned. It was annexed
in 1885, and for some time afterwards it
was so unsettled as to be unfit for outsiders.
In 1892 the Indian Government geologists
had decided that King Thebaw's gold mines
were not worth acquiring on pubhc behalf.
With such a judgment circulated broad-
cast it was clear that private enterprise
would not be able to raise adequate funds
for prospecting and exploitation. Con-
sequently the early pioneers, such as Messrs.
C. M. P. Wright, A. H. Bromly, and Trafford
Wynne, worked under every sort of dis-
advantage, and had some pretty hard things
to say of Government methods. In fact,
the last named put it on record at a meeting
of the North of England Institute of Mining
and Mechanical Engineers in 1896 that the
word " absurd " was the only one suitable
for describing the mining laws and
regulations imposed by the Indian Govern-
ment. Things have improved lately, as
Mr. Griffiths mentions, and there is now
more encouragement for mining operations.
Means of communication also have been
improved, and fevers can be more easily
combated. There has never been any doubt
as to the great extent of the alluvial and
cluvial gold deposits, but nowhere have
deposits been found that can be called rich.
Mr. Griffiths makes no claim for any such
deposit, and looks to bucket-dredging on a
large scale as the means for profitable work.
When the Indo-Burma Oilfields, Ltd.,
was formed last year the intention was to
start work on the company's main property
in Yenangyaung. Owing to the delays in
receiving the plant, the engineers occupied
themselves in prospecting the company's
properties at Yenanma and Padaukpin,
and the results were so satisfactory that well-
sinking was commenced at those centres
instead of at Yenangyaung. The reports now
being received relating to oil-flow are most
encouraging. The company has made a
rearrangement of its policy. It will confine
338
HI': MIXINC, MAC. AZINIC
its drilling oiHMations to Ycnannia and
Padaukpin, and has made a deal wluTi-by
its Ycnangyaung property will be drilled
on a co-operative basis by the Yomah (Ml
Co. The refining is also to be done conjointly
with the Yomah, anil a company called the
United Refineries Burma, Ltd., has been
formed to inaugurate and carry on this work
at Rangoon. Dr. .Murray Stuart, late of the
Geological Survey of India, has been
appointed geologist to the company. It will
be remembered that Dr. Arthur Holmes is
geologist and also manager of the Yomah.
The British Burmah Petroleum Companj'
is issuing £(500, ()()() iSj"o second mortgage
debentures for the purpose of financing
ail augmented development and drilling
programme, both at Ycnangyaung and at
properties in a hitherto undeveloped oil
area ; also for the purpose of completing the
electric installation in the field and to extend
and modify the plant at the refinery.
Malaya. — During the year ended July 31
the output of tin concentrate from the
Pahang Corporation's mines was 2,269 tons,
extracted from 169,931 tons of ore. In
addition, 1-13 tons was obtained from alluvial
ground, making the total 2,412 tons. The
tonnage was less than during the previous
three years, but the yield per ton higher.
The cost continued to increase, and the fall
in the price of tin had a serious effect on the
income, so that the profit was only £9,260,
as compared with £152,279 during the
previous year. Development in depth has
.still been restricted owing to water troubles,
but as the new pumps are now on the spot
a resumption may be expected shortly. The
reserve is estimated at over three years'
supply to the mill.
Canada. — As mentioned in a recent issue,
Mr. W. H. Goodchild was commissioned to
make a geological examination of the Tough-
Oakes, Burnsidc, and Sylvanitc properties
belonging to the Kirkland Lake Proprietary.
He has now returned, and is submitting a
report. Both he and Mr. S. C. Thomson,
the consulting engineer, consider the present
developments most encouraging. There is
strong hope that it will be possible to
start milling by the end of March.
United States. — The Tomboy company
has suffered during the last few years from
the worries that are general among gold mines
in the United States, namely, increase of
cost of labour and supplies without any com-
pensating advantage accruing from a gold
premium. The report for the year ended
June 30 last shows that during the first
]>art of the year the policy was to work as
much of the better grade ore as possible,
and to restrict the tonnage ; subsequently the
new manager, Mr. N. F. Kelsey, found that
the best ore was rajiidly diminishing, so he
adopted the policy of working a maximum
amount of average ore. The total ore milled
was 197,.").')7 tons, an increase of .")1, 191 tons
as compared with the previous year. The
yield of gold as bullion and in concentrates
was worth £223, 691, and the working profit
was £18,006. After allowances for depre-
ciation and taxes the year ended with
an adverse balance of £2,681. During the
last year or two development has necessarily
been restricted, owing to lack of suitable
labour, and in addition many of the workings
fell into disrepair. Development of the
Virginius vein, which contains ore of a better
class, is now being pushed, and it is hoped
this source of ore will be available shortly.
Mexico. — The directors of the El Oro
company report that conditions in Mexico
have improved recently, and that, in con-
sequence, the costs have been reduced
§100 per ton. Thus it has been possible to
work ore of lower grade. During the year to
June 30 last, gold worth §2,515,416 was
extracted from 383,043 tons of ore, resulting
in a profit of $357,010, or £95,202, Railway
profits were £54,273, and interest and
dividends brought £31,124. The company
is saddled with big taxation, having to pay
§333,297 in Mexico and £56,800 here. The
shareholders received £57,375, being at the
rate of 5%. Owing to poor results and the
great heat, development has been abandoned
on the 2,200 ft. level on the San Rafael vein.
The reserve is estimated at 282,124 tons,
averaging S7-96 in gold and 2-11 oz. silver.
China. — The Chinese Engineering &
^Mining Company reports that th(.' net profits
of the Kailan Mining Administration (the
company that controls the marketing of the
coal produced by this company and the
Lanchow company) for the year ended
June 30 were §7,313,448, of which the com-
pany's share was §3,850,012, equivalent to
£527,371. Out of the profit £261,220 was
allocated to British taxation accounts, and
£308,000 was distributed as dividend, being
at the rate of 22% tax paid. The sales of
coal by the Kailan Administration during the
year were 3,775,379 tons. Investigations
are still proceeding with regard to the
establishment of an iron works at Chin-
wang-tao.
MINING POSSIBILITIES IN BURMA
wolfram rapidly decreased and the price
quoted for tungsten ore very quickly became
nominal. By the end of 1919 it is reckoned
that the Government had on hand some
6,000 to 10,000 tons of wolfram, which
presumably it proceeded to sell. The
By HARRY D. GRIFFITHS. A.R.S.M., M.lnst.M.M.. M.lnst.C.E.
The Author shows thai the mineral resources ot Burma are not fully appreciated by the general public, and presents
evidence that there are many opportunities tor profitable ventures, particularly in connexion with gold-dredgmg.
Introduction. — Burma attained some
fame as a mineral-producing country during
the Great War, when the production of
wolfram under pressure from the Govern-
ment of the Province was brought up to a
high figure. Many of the mercantile firms
in Rangoon, which previously had not been
particularly interested in mining operations,
were urged to devote some of their capital
to the mining of wolfram. The industry was
controlled by the Government, which bought
the tungsten ore at a price of .57s. 6d. per
unit, and made also an allowance to cover
the ifuctuatuig price of the rupee. Many
properties in the district of Tavoy, Lower
Burma, were equipped and manned by the
best available labour, and by the beginning of
1918 the production of that district was at
the rate of over 6,000 tons per annum,
practically equal to the pre-war production
of the world.
In most instances the ore was obtained
from surface quarrying of the veins, and very
little underground work was done. Advance
development was totally neglected, and the
mines had only a hand-to-mouth existence.
The cost of labour and material having
largely gone up during the war, the mining
enterprises at the best just paid their way,
.and it is very doubtful if the commercial
'firms engaged made a 10% profit on their
outlay.
The price guaranteed by the Government
was to continue until twelve months after
the end of the war, and on the strength of
this several of the regular mining companies
enlarged their equipment and staff so as to
place themselves on a footing appropriate
to their resources. Less than six months
after the Armistice, the Government with-
drew their guarantee and offered a com-
pensation commensurate with what each
mine should have produced during the full
period. The compensation was liberal in
the case of individual mines or miners
that had no outlay in machinery and plant,
but proved totally inadequate for those
serious enterprises that had spent large sums
of money in equipping themselves in a proper
workmanhke fashion. The demand for
Map of Burma.
quotation promptly dropped to about
12s. 6d. The result, as far as Burma was
concerned, was a practical stoppage of the
industry.
That a partial stoppage was to eventuate
sooner or later, even with a fair price for
the metal, was foretold by the writer, who
pointed out that surface scratching of
339
310
Till': iMIMNd MAiiAXIXl':
lodes could not last long win ii no ckxclop-
mont in depth luid hvcn undcitaki'n. Mad
the local Govcinniont insisted npoii a per-
centage of the profit obtained by the small
owners being devoted to underground
development, a potential industry would have
been established, and would have been in a
position to restart as soon as prices hail
again become reasonable. As it is, however,
with the exception of a few of the serious
enterjirises already mentioned, the wolfram
industry of Jiurnia will not be of any im])ort-
ance in the future Unless a large amount of
capital be put into develojament and plant.
The few companies which are still holding
on manage to do so on account of the tin
ore which exists in connexion with their
wolfram deposits. The largest producing
mine yields ore containing half tin and half
wolfram, and the next one in importance is
now working the foot of a detrital talus,
which produces practically clean tin ore.
The production of tin in Burma has
never been an important one, as for many
years the only tin ore exported was that which
occurred with the wolfram, and from which
it was separated. During the early part of
1920 the abnormal price prevailing for tin
induced a search for tin ore, and led to many
discoveries being made, which will be referred
to later.
As regards other base metals, Burma has
proved itself of some importance. The
company operating the Bawdwin mines
has spent a lot of capital in opening out
and equipping the well-known deposit of
zinc-lead-silver ore. The development con-
tinues in a most satisfactory manner, and
there is no doubt that on completion of their
new smelter a handsome profit will be
obtained. Gold mining has also been tried
in the past, but owing to a concatenation
of adverse circumstances has not been
profitable and came to a stop.
The present position of Burma as far as
metal mining is concerned, is therefore
that it is undoubtedly a metal-bearing
country, but that it has not yet given any
profit on the capital invested in mining. This
fact has led a good many engineers,
after a short sojourn in the country, or the
examination of some particular spot, to
state that Burma is not a mining country.
The writer has now been in continuous
and intimate touch with Burma for the last
eight years, and has probably done more
individual prospecting, testing, and develop-
ment than any other engineer, and he has
come to the conclusion that there are many
mining propositions capable of bi'ing worked
profitably. These will be describeil later.
Some of the main drawbacks to mining
have been the difiicultics of comnumications,
and the reluctance of the Government of
India to allow any adequate expt'nditurc on
roads and tracks to mining districts. It is
a pleasure to state, however, that the local
Government seems disposed now to help
the development of the country by every
possible means. A new post of Development
Connnissioner has been created, and already
it has shown its anxiety to be of all possible
help to the industries of the country.
Questions relating to mining are now con-
sidered by the Development Commissioner,
instead of going through the routine of several
other dejjartments, whose decisions, owing to
want of intimate knowledge, were slow and
mostly unfavourable to the miner. Mining
matters are promptly attended to by the
Development Commissioner, whose depart-
ment is provided with special powers and
funds to be devoted to any urgent work.
It generally took from two to three years for
an application for a mining lease to be
signed and delivered. Now it can be all
fixed up inside of si.x months.
Causes that h.ave retarded Mining
Development. — Before considering a mining
country it is essential to carefully consider
the reasons why the pioneer mining com-
panies have failed to make good. Un-
fortunately this is not often done, and the
layman, judging by past results only, is
prompt and emphatic in his condemnation.
Burma has had to struggle through all the
same difficulties as other mining countries
have had to contend with, and is still under a
cloud. There is not any doubt whatever that
with a little more confidence in the industry
and its present leaders, Burma will emerge
from the cloud, and will become an
important factor in Imperial production.
The foremost industry of the country, that
is, the petroleum industry, has been the
only one so far that has gone prosperously
from the start. Its success has undoubtedly
diverted a lot of capital which otherwise
might have found its way into prospecting
mining ventures. That industry is still
making vast strides. Systematic search is
conducted continuously, and new discoveries
of oilfields are being made. Virgin oil
ground, in the writer's opinion, exists west
of Mandalay and the Irrawaddy, also in the
Upper Chindwin, and recently a discovery
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341
of oil-shales, reputed to be higher in oil
contents than the Scottish shales, has been
made in the Moulmein district. The
Akayab district, also, has not yet said its
last word. If, therefore, the oil industry
could legitimately be classed as a mining
industry, Burma would indeed be reckoned
as a foremost mining country.
The jadeite mining industry is unique to
Burma, but owing to the condition under
which exploitation is allowed, there is no
room for any investment or commercial
expansion in that line, and the Government
derives little from this source. The ruby
industry has been carried on for many years
past, but of late, owing to conditions created
by the war, it has not been remunerative.
The gem-bearing ground is very far from
being exhausted, and, in fact, new ground is
constantly being opened out, and there
can be little doubt that the industry will
soon again become a profitable one. In
the base-metal line, one of the most
important deposits in the world of zinc-
lead-silver ore has been, as already
mentioned, opened out in a very extensive
way at the Bawdwin mine. Lead and
silver only are being extracted at the present
time at a very substantial profit, and as
soon as the new smelter is completed the
production will be on a very large scale,
and the shareholders will receive hand-
some dividends on their investment. Had
it not been for the unavoidable delays due
to the war, to the subsequent dislocations
of home industries, and lack of Government
assistance in the way of providing means
of communication, that result would have
been achieved by this time.
The wolfram mining industry has had to
contend with many difficulties in the shape
of patchiness of the lodes, pinching or
impoverishment in depth, inefficient labour
and management, want of necessary
machinery, etc., and can be said to have
been remunerative only during the period
of the war. The best and most durable
mines have been exploited by means of
English capital, but the bulk of the war
production has been produced by individuals
or small local concerns working small reefs
and patches at the surface. On resumption
of mining when the rise in the price of
wolfram has taken place, those properties
only which have been scientifically equipped
and managed will be successful.
Tin-mining has become a regular industry
only since the end of the war, and the
practical cessation of wolfram mining. Most
of the tin now produced is obtained from
alluvial ground and eluvials. Tin-dredging
h.as been carried on very successfully for
many years in the Tavoy district by two
enterprising miners. Some two years ago
this enterprise was acquired by one of the
leading mining companies in Rangoon,
who at once proceeded to erect a large and
up-to-date bucket-dredge. This dredge com-
menced operations this year when the price
of tin was favourable, and gave magnificent
returns, which should have enabled the
company to distribute immediate dividends.
Unfortunately the price of tin suddenly
dropped down to an undreamed of figure,
and has since continued at that low level,
so that although the returns even now more
than cover the costs, dividends are not likely
to be forthcoming until the price of tin
reaches at least £175. Had it not been
for this misfortune the tin-dredging industry
would bv now have firmly established itself
as a remunerative one. This desideratum
is, however, only postponed, and is sure of
achievement.
One other large company which was
working wolfram had to cease that class
of v.-ork when there was no market for
wolfram. Fortunately, however, a tin
deposit has been discovered at the foot of
the huge talus which provided most of
the wolfram, and all the hydraulicking plant
was turned on to it. The tin production
soon become an important one, and at the
price then prevailing for tin a handsome
profit was in view. The sudden drop in the
price since the beginning of this \^ear has,
however, destroyed the hope of dividends,
and the mine can now no more than pay
its way.
Two other large companies working on
wolfram-tin ores have had lately to cease
operations for the same reasons, although
they had been dividend-paying concerns
previous to that.
Some years ago attention was paid to
gold mining, and four dredges were put to
work in the upper reaches of the Irrawaddy.
This work was carried on with variable
fortune. The operations were confined to
the actual river-bed, and apparently little
was thought of the gold wash in the bank.
The work of the dredges was very irregular
owing to machinery troubles, and to time
being wasted in working round the river
bars to look for intervening pockets ; and
although at times one dredge could return
342
111
MINIM. M.\(V\;^1\"K
1,000 oz. per month, the operations as a
whole were unprolitable and came to an end.
The reasons ascribed for this failure appeal'
to be many, among which were suspected
gold thieving, expensive management, over-
stafling, and poor knowledge of gold deposits.
The failure of this concern put a complete
stop to all gold-prospecting operations in
Burma, and created a strong adverse feeling
towards gold mining.
At about the same time another property,
which had been inspected and reported upon
favourably by two well-known and trust-
worthy engineers, was lloatcd, and a dredge
was ordered. The dredge was duly received
in Rangoon and then forwarded on to the
spot. The only way to reach the property,
however, was by going up a small and
shallow river sonie 120 miles. This journey
could only be accomplished during the rainy
season, when the river Ix'came practically
a swift rushing torrent. The machinery
placed in shallow-draft country boats began
its journey, and a succession of accidents
deposited it all at the bottom of the river.
No part of this machinery, it is beUeved,
ever reached the property, and another
disappointment was thus added to the
experience of the gold-mining investor.
One gold-quartz proposition was
capitalized, equipped, and started. The
returns were sutficient to enable paying
back a debenture issue, and dividends to
the shareholders, when suddenly the manage-
ment reported that the reef had " dropped
down " too deep to be exploited successfully,
and the concern was wound up before the
investor had had his investment returned
in full. Thus was one more nail added to
the coffin of gold mining, but it is only fair
to say that the pioneers of this venture
worked under very disadvantageous condi-
tions and discouragements.
Recently a well-known engineer, repre-
senting the biggest gold-mining firm in
India, visited this mine, and it is whispered
that after having put in a short cross-cut
he struck the faulted reef and obtained high
values. In any case the fact is that active
development has since been carried on at
that mine, and that considerable extension
of development is being considered.
Several other occurrences of gold have been
reported, but owing to there being no
adequate means of communication, and alack
of confidence, the schemes for exploitation
came to nothing.
Taken as a whole, therefore, but with the
exceptions mentioned, mining in Burma has
not been tackled properly and seriously.
Minerals in Burma. — -That Burma is
destined to become a mining country is
shown by tlie following list of metals and
minerals that are now being exploited, or
whose existence has been delinitely
ascertained ; —
(1) Now being exploited (mineral oil
excepted) : Wolfram, tin, lead, copper,
zinc, silver, gold (by natives), jadeite,
rubies, and zircons.
(2) Ascertained or in course of develop-
ment : Gold, platinum, bismuth, antimony,
graphite, oil-shales, coal, etc.
The writer has explored many parts of
Burma, and his observations have led him to
the conclusion that, outside of present
exploitations, great possibilities exist (in
order of importance) in gold, platinum, and tin.
The list may not be a very large one
when compared to some other countries,
but it makes up in containing those
particular metals for which there is at
present, or soon will be, a great demand.
Gold.— All the early explorers are
unanimous in mentioning the occurrence of
gold in many parts of Burma, and at the
present time there are many thousands
of natives working gold in many directions.
The production from this source does not
appear in the Government's official returns,
for the good reason that it is not declared,
and finds its way out of the country or to
the local bazaars without any benefit to
the Government. It will, however, astonish
many to see what the official gold production
has been during the last few years, in spite
of the fact that only at the most two properly
constituted companies were at work. The
production has been as follows : —
Value per
Estimated
Value in
Year.
1905
1906
1907
1908
1909
1910
1911
1912
1913
1914
191S
1916
1917
1918
1919
Totals and
Averages
Ounces.
621
2,301
3,837
6,950
8,488
5,996
6,421
5,068
5,393
3,704
3,182
1,892
1 ,078
171
38
Rupees.
36,278
1,32,830
2,23,844
4,59,060
4,91,972
3,45,740
3,65.662
2,90,058
3,11,501
2,14,425
1,85,025
1,15,638
63,718
11,089
3,421
ounce in
Rupees and
Annas.
58 6
57
58
66
58
57
56
57
57
57
58
61
59
66
90
11
5
8
14
3
12
14
2
o
14
14
55,140 32,50,261 58 14 = £4.
DECEMBER, 1921
343
The gold occurrences of Burma can be
classed into three groups : The Upper
Chindvvin, the Bhamo district, and the
River districts.
Upper Chindwin. — In this district the
older rocks are covered by an enormous
area of a loose conglomerate which carries
gold. The denudation flow has apparently
been from north-east to south-west to the
Uyu Chaung (a tributary of the Chindwin
River), which can be considered as the
southern limit. The conglomerate com-
prises enclosures in the shape of well-
rounded boulders of all the older rocks to
be found in the vicinity, including boulders
of jadeite, as well as granites, quartzites,
and other rocks, which so far have not been
found in that part of the country. In some
instances this detrital deposit attains an
enormous thickness, and in a portion of the
right bank of the Uyu can be seen rising
perpendicularly for 300 ft. from the river's
edge. The boulders are generally cemented
by fine grit and sand, with little clay, but
in places iron infiltrations have taken place,
and have transformed the conglomerate into
a hard one.
Subsequent denudation has bared the
underlying country rock in places, and has
caused a concentration of the gold aU
along the Uyu Chaung and its tributaries
on the right bank. Every creek on this bank
is prolific in gold, and many hundreds of
Cochins exploit it after each rainy season. In
some of these two natives, fossicking among
the boulders produced, at the time of the
writer's visit, from ^ to 1 oz. per day. In
these small valleys and creeks the writer
found gold in all parts of the conglomerate,
and many cross-sections tested gave an
average of 3 to (5 grains per yard.
The particular feature of the gold is that
it ii almost invariably associated with
platinum. The average sample taken by the
writer yielded 75% gold and 25% platinum,
which could easily be separated. The
fineness of the gold is between 825 and 900.
The washing of the conglomerate bulk
samples was done in a very rough sluice-
bo.\, cut out solid from a small tree, and, of
course, the fine gold was not recovered.
Along the course of the Uyu River there
are many bars running across, above and
below which coarse gold and platinum
are found. An attempt has been made
to exploit these, either by diverting the
river, or by means of divers, but owing to
the presence of large boulders the operations.
6—4
as was to be expected, were not successful.
There are also many " flats " along this
river in which the conglomerate is
exposed, and which, given a sufficient area,
would render dredging operations possible.
In many parts, the conglomerate could be
exploited by hydraulicking, but the difficulty
lies iii the want of storage places for water.
Near the river itself water could always be
obtained by pumping, but this method would
probably not prove remunerative. The
writer has only explored a small portion of
the area, but has seen sufficient to con-
vince him that further systematic
exploration will reveal many portions worth
exploiting. The boulders of jadeite in the
conglomerate occur mostly to the south of
Tamaw, where the celebrated jadeite has
been exploited for many years. They are
not very numerous, but make up by their
being of large size, and containing the dark
green variety of jadeite so much prized by
the Chinese, and which is now unobtainable
in the Tamaw mines, and realizes a high figure.
In this particular portion of the gold con-
glomerate, it has been reckoned that the
realization of the jadeite boulders would
cover the costs of hydraulicking, leaving the
gold as profit.
In contemplating exploitation of the
Upper Chindwin conglomerate some serious
drawbacks will have to be reckoned with
and overcome. During the monsoon season
communication with either Mogaung or
Myitkyina is almost impossible, owing to
lack of roads, bridges, etc., and at other
times the whole of the traffic is done by
mule transport. A remedy to this state of
affairs is not impossible, but it would
necessitate assistance on the part of the
Government. Fever is bad in the district,
and the whole native population for that
reason, and also because no work is possible
during the rains, migrates en bloc to higher
ground, to return when the sun again shmes.
The local inhabitants do little cultivation,
and confine their efforts almost exclusively
to working the jadeite deposits, which
absolutely belong to their chiefs, who only
pay a small royalty to the Government.
They would not do for steady employment,
but Yunnanese coolies, who are physically a
fine race, with greater powers of endurance
than the local natives, could be obtained in
any number from across the eastern
border. These Yunnanese have the monopoly
of mule transport in that part of Burma,
and stream across the border with their
Ill
nil
MININC. MACA/IXl
hundreds of ponies wlien the rains cease.
The local natives are peaceful enough, as
long as there is no interference in what they
consider their rights, and it is certain in
the case of some properties on the Uyu
River, where they now exploit the gold
in the creeks, that some amicable arrange-
ment would have lu i)r brought about
before starting work on a huge scale.
These drawbacks are, after all, no greater
than miners have encountered in other
countries, and with a little perseverance and
Fig. 1. — Gold Wash in Terrace above
River Level.
tact can be overcome, but so far they have
been sufficient to retard enterprise.
In addition to the syndicate which was
formed to exploit the Uyu river bed, only
one other local syndicate has made an effort
at exploitation. The failure of the latter
was not due to the poorness of the gold wash,
but to the difficulty of impounding water
for hydraulicking in quantity sufficient
to last over the dry season, and want of cash
to hold on until the next rains arrived. In
these two cases, again, local want of con-
fidence in gold-mining seriously interfered
with the securing of valuable data.
It is hoped that the detailed Geological
Survey, which is extending in that direction,
will give valuable indications as to likely
gold dejiosits, as it did in the case of wolfram
and tin in Lower Burma.
Bhamo District.— The district is very
easily accessible and possesses rough tracts
running parallel to the Irrawaddy and
skirting the foot of the hills that rise from
the Irrawaddy basin to China, and several
of the trii)utarirs of the Irrawaddy can be
utilized for trans]X)rt of maeiiinery. Several
tracks also radiate from P.hamo to China
(Yunnan) across the hills, and during the
dry season a large amount of traffic to and
from China, by pony transport, takes place.
The hills form the eastern edge of the
Irrawaddy basin, which at one time, between
tlu^ first and the second defile, was probably
a huge lake, the western shore being repre-
sented by the range of hills running south
from Myitkyina. Several rivers whose
source is" in "the high country of Yunnan
have cut their way through the ranges,
flowing in a westerly direction, and cutting
through the fiats until they reached the
Irrawaddy. A large flow of denudation has
taken place from east to west, and has
resulted in the deposition of a dctrital gold
wash all over the western flank of the
hills, over a distance of many miles, say,
from Mandalay to Myitkyina. This wash
has filled in the inequalities of the slopes
until the rivers and streams flowing west
have cut through. The principal of these
rivers are from south to north, the Shweli,
which merges into the Irrawaddy south of
Katha, the Taping River, 24 miles north of
Bhamo, the Mole River, 30 miles further
north, and the Namsang River, a further
12 miles. The original denudation brought
the detrital matter right into the Irrawaddy
lake, where with the assistance of the sub-
sequent streams it became a typical alluvial
deposit, filling up the lake and producing
the present flats. This alluvial has been
spread right across the basin to the hills
west of the Irrawaddy. For many years
past the terraces of the original detrital
wash have been exploited on the flank of
the hills by natives. The flanks are dotted
by innumerable pits and quarries, but in
the flats, owing to their being waterlogged,
no work has been done. The gold wash in
the flats is undoubtedly a re-sorted deposit,
from which have been eliminated certain
enclosures of friable and easily decomposed
rocks, which arc found in the original deposit
in a very decomposed state, thus leaving
water-worn enclosures such as quartzites,
hard schists, and quartz.
DECEMBER, 1921
345
A difference in the appearance of the two
kinds of wash will be evident from the
accompanying photographs. Nos. 1 and 2
show quarries in the terraces high above
water-level, and No. 3 the re-sorted wash
on the river bank.
The writer has put in more than two years
of exploration of these deposits, and is still
wondering why such enormous wealth has
so long remained undeveloped. The detrital
terraces are richer than the re-sorted wash
in the flats, and where tested by extensive
sluicing have yielded a value of 8 to 11 grains
in this district have been taken up and
thoroughly tested by an enterprising local
syndicate, called the Tavoy Tin Syndicate,
which had been formed originally to look
for alluvial tin deposits in the Tavoy district.
The syndicate's work in this line will be
detailed further on. The three gold
properties have been selected at those
points where the Taping, Mole, and Namsang
Rivers emerge from the hills on to the flats,
and where naturally the greatest amount of
concentration of the re-sorted deposit has
taken place, and the prospecting has fully
I'lr
-GoLD \\as}i i.x Terrace 3n , r. above River Level.
per cubic yard. A large number of bores in
the flats have given an average of 6 to 8 grains
per cubic yard, and have proved conclusively
that from the foot of the hills the bed-rock
slopes at a very slight angle so that at
a distance of 2i miles it lies at a depth of
only 60 ft. This helps to support the con-
tention that the flats were at one time
represented by a shallow lake, and that
there is an untold quantity of ground to be
worked at very reasonable depth.
The feature of the re-sorted wash is that
at all points it carries gold from its very
top, and the increase of contents with depth
is very rapid.
The three most important properties
confirmed the deductions of the syndicate's
engineer. All these properties • contain
terraces of the original wash, as well as
a large extent of the re-sorted wash. For
instance, the Mole property contains over
150 million cubic yards of 6 grain wash,
the Taping property 30 million cubic yards
of old terraces of a value of, say, 8 grains
(some spots yielded 1 dwt. 12 gr.) and
2,000 acres of dredging wash, and the
Namsang property has some 3,000 acres of
wash. These three properties are the only
ones which have been taken up so far, and
they show as mere dots on the map of the
area that is covered by gold wash.
The local prejudice against gold is still
nir.
Till'. MININC. MACAZINF,
so strong that in all probability Ihc capital
needed for tlie exploitation of these properties
will have to be secured abroad. Tempting
offers from America have been reci'ived
for the purchase of these properties, but,
imfortunatel}', the Burma laws do not allow
any foreigner to hold more than a -lO"/,',
interest in a mining propertj', and, of course,
American money could only be put up on
the condition of American control.
It is quite certain that had such an
extensive field been found anywhere in or
near the United States dozens of powerful
dredges would have been at work long
ago. The bucket - dredging conditions
throughout the district arc ideal, good
even soft (decomposed schists) bottom, no
clay, no large boulders, no sunken logs,
water for paddocks always abundant. The
terrace and re-sorted wash is quite loosely
cemented, and in no place so far has any
laterite been found. The gold is generally
line, but easily concentrated, and has a fine-
ness of 900 to 925. An occasional trace only
of platinum has been spotted, but galCna
very rich in silver, native silver, etc., are
found in the concentrate.
The writer has explored the hills right up
to the China border, but has failed to locate
any veins, the denudation of which might
account for the presence of the gold in the
wash. In fact, the boulder enclosures of the
wash are mostly of rocks, which only occur
a long wa}' east in the high mountains of
Yimnan. The failure of proving the
existence of gold reefs is of no consequence
when one considers the huge amount of
detrital gold which is begging to be extracted.
The writer is confident that in time the
Bhamo district will become an enormous
goldfield.
The Shweli river joins the Irrawaddy
through a series of hills, below the great
Irrawaddy basin. It does not emerge into
extensive flats like the properties described,
but along its course it has many basins or
fiats, filled in with wash of high value. The
successful exploitation of these is dependent
upon their extent and contents, and also
on their accessibility. At the present time
access to these fiats is difficult, and often
several ranges of hills have to be traversed
to reach them, but there is no doubt that
in the future the present difficulties will
be surmounted.
The River Districts. — These may be
said to comprise the river and immediately
adjoining flats of the Irrawaddy from, say.
100 niiKs north-east of Myitkyina to the
second ilelile south of Bhamo, and the whole
of the course of the Sahvin River with all
its tributaries inside the borders of Burma.
As already described, a serious attcm])t,
I'nding in failure, has in the jxist been made
to exploit the Irrawaddy bed in the vicinity
of Myitkyina. 'Jhe probable reasons of tlu'
failure have been described, and it has struck
the writer that the work has been too much
localized in a southerly direction from
Myitkyina, where both banks of the river
arc rocky and eventually rise to form the
first defile, and that sufficient attention has
not been paid to the flatter portions to the
north, where the banks of the river show
a re-sorted wash similar to that of the
Bhamo district. A broad view of
exploitation does not seem to have been
considered, and the greatest effort was
directed to the cleaning out of the rich
pockets in the actual bed of the river.
Wash is also obtained south of the first
defile mentioned, and is undoubtedly the
western continuation of that obtained in
the eastern portion of the basin. This wash,
being in some instances 15 miles away from
the point where it began to be re-sorted,
may not prove as high in value as at, say,
the Mole River, but there is no evidence to
show that it is of unprofitable value. The
fact that at Mole River the wash at a
distance of 2 J miles from the foot of the
hills does not show any appreciable decrease
in value, as compared to the nearer ground,
would give hopes that even much further
away it would probably still be rich enough
to justify exploitation. The flats above the
defile have a better chance as they are very
much nearer to the foot of the hills,
over which the wash has poured west.
In places, owing to the inequalities of the
old lake bottom, the wash wiJl be found to
extend beyond practical dredging depths,
but it is thought that the majority of it
will be obtained within 50 to 70 ft.
Below the second defile, and for some
considerable distance to the south, gold
wash is occasionally seen in the bank of the
Irrawaddy, especially in the vicinity of the
confluence of the Shweli river.
On looking at a map of the country, it is
at once seen that the name of many of the
villages, streams, hills, etc., begin with the
prefix " Shwe ", which in Burmese means
gold or golden, and this goes to show that
for many generations the presence of gold
has been ascertained.
I
DECEMBER, 1921
347
Fig. 3. — Gold Wash in River Banks
Fig. 4. — Two-foot Sluice-box used in Bulk
Sampling.
Fig S. — Dredging Flats of Bhamo District.
••118
Till' MIMNt, M \(",.\/I\"I':
All the early explorers who attempted to
penetrate China by following the course
of the Salwin River have reported large
native gold workings all along its banks.
Later exploration has shown that gold is
still being worked on many of the tributaries,
either just above water-level in the low
ground or up the hills at a considerable
height above.
Unfortunately the river Salwin is very
difficult to navigate, owing to its many
rapids, etc., and its access from the Burmese
side is a very difficult one, owing to the rough
nature of the country which has to be
traversed. Some of the smaller rivers west
of the Salwin and running parallel to it have
been proved to contain gold. In fact, one or
two properties have actually been tested
by boring and quarrying, and have shown the
re-sorted wash to be of about the same value
as that in the Bhamo district. As far as can
be ascertained, there are only a very few
places where intense reconcentration in
certain creeks has made the gold contents
sufficient to repay individual diggers, and
most of the deposits will only prove
remunerative on being worked on a large
scale by up-to-date methods.
The occurrences thus described are
sufficient, it is thought, to dispel all doubts
as to the presence of gold in remunerative
quantities in Burma.
Tin. — A systematic search for tin can only
be said to date from the end of 1919.
Previous to that j'ear very little work was
done on tin deposits and the Burma output
was practically all obtain ed from the separation
of the tin ore occurring with the wolfram.
Dr. J. Coggin Brown, whose name is very
familiar to the readers of these columns,
happened at that time, and since early during
the war, to be mining adviser and chief
inspector of mines to the Government, and in
that capacity examined geologically the whole
of Lower Burma. He particularly pointed
out such places in the Tavoy district where
alluvial tin might be looked for, but did not
get very much response from prospectors.
At that time the Tavoy Tin Syndicate had
begun its existence, and was prospecting or
securing such properties as would be likely
to prove tin-dredging propositions.
Prospecting was done on eight different
properties. In every instance tin wash was
obtained. With the exception of one or two
properties, however, the tin ore proved to be
unevenly scattered, and the wash in
quantities too small to justify exploitation.
The one exception proved tn l)i' a II, il in the
Pauktaing River, below the poiuL wluri- a
.suction-cutter dredge had worked successfully
for several years. Hundreds of bore-holes
proved the value of the ground to be | lb.
]ier cubic yard of 70% cassiterite. As far as
the writer has been able to ascertain, not
many dredging properties will bo fovuid in the
Tavoy district, but there are many detrital
deposits containing tin which will lie
exploitable by hydraulicking methods.
The tin resources of Burma are found
principally south of the Tavoy district, in
the Mergui district. Here tlie topographical
conditions are somewhat different. The
detailed geology is also different, and more
akin to that encountered in the Federated
Malay States. Limestone, pegmatites, and
phyllites make their appearance, but granite
intrusions arc few. In many parts of the
district these older rocks are covered over
by Tertiary deposits. In the hilly ground
north of the Tenasserim river, wolfram lodes
have been worked, and all the streams
flowing to the river to the south, or to the
sea to the west, contain patches of tin wash.
Many of these are exploited by individual
miners, and are made to pay for themselves,
but it is doubtful whether there arc any
patches large enough to justify bucket
or suction dredging. South of the Tenas-
serim, the Mergui series appear to contain
more quartzites and phyllites. These are
generally largely impregnated with tin, in the
shape of well-defined crystals along all the
bedding- and cross-planes, forming in places
a regular stockwork. This cassiterite is of
great purity and very black. In parts of
the district, the denudation of these
quartzites, sandstones, and phyllites has
resulted in some important alluvial deposits,
and extensive talus on all the western slopes
of the ranges. Another prolific source of tin
in the district is the presence of large masses
and intrusions of pegmatites. At the
surface these are highly decomposed and
can easily be washed down, but in depth they
become so hard as to necessitate blasting.
Near the surface these pegmatites yield from
1 to 3 lb. per cubic yard, and in depth,
where tested, the maximum value has been
5 lb. The denudation of these has filled in
many depressions in the valleys with a wash
carrying tin in profitable quantities. Many
of these fiUcd-up basins are worth exploiting
by dredging methods. Going further to the
south, there are numerous flats, valleys, etc.,
both on the mainland and in the islands,
DECEMBER, 1921
349
containing tin wash, and this continues to
Victoria Point, the southern boundary of
Burma, just beyond which the Renong
Company, the Siamese Tin Syndicate, etc.,
are being operated so successfully. It can,
therefore, be said that the whole of the
country south of the Tenasserim to the
border is tin bearing.
The means of communication overland
are nil, and the country is gradually being
penetrated from the sea border.
One of the most important discoveries of tin
in the district is the Thabawleik mines,
which lies some 70 miles from the sea-coast,
and is reached by navigating up the
Tenasserim and Little Tenasserim rivers.
Here an enormous valley is filled in with
typical alluvial tin wash, of a depth of
15 to 25 ft. The deposit is very even and has
been actually shown to exist over many
hundreds of acres. A large number of bore-
holes have given an average of l'4 1b. of
75% cassiterite per cubic yard. The whole
of this deposit lies on Tertiary and Devonian
rocks lying horizontally, and which contain
important seams of coal. One of these
being opened up by the Thabawleik mines
for their own use is of excellent quahty, and
much superior to the Rawang coal, which
is so extensively used by the dredging com-
panies in the Federated Malay States.
It is supposed to be of Devonian age, and on
analysis by a specialist gave the following
results : —
o/
/o
Moisture .T'S"
Volatile hydrocarbons 3-' '5
Fixed Carbon 47'5°
Ash 1505
loo-oo
Calorific Vahie 12,214 B.T.U.
The coal gives 62-55% of good hard cake
carrying 2-33°o of sulphur.
Above this property a huge talus at the
foot of the hills carries cassiterite in large
quantities up to 15 lb. per cubic yard, and
the slopes of the hills show stockworks
in sandstones capable of exploitation by
hydraulicking.
" The writer is convinced that this part of the
Mergui district, down to the south boundary,
is destined to become in the near future a
very important tin-field. Its development
is necessarily slow, owing to the difficulties
of access and the limited amount of local
cash available for exploration, but it is
satisfactory to note that a certain amount of
exploration is already taking place, which is
financed from abroad, and success will
inevitably be achieved in the near future.
Till- ]\Irr,i;ui district is destined to help the
Empire maintam its preponderance in the
world's tin production, in spite of many
difficulties which may be encountered. The
only thing needed is fresh capital, which a
small country like this cannot itself furnish,
and which it must try and secure abroad.
The conditions of tenure of mining
ground in Burma are not at all onerous, the
titles are unchallengeable, and the Govern-
ment royalties are very much less than in
any other country. For instance, gold is
subject to a royalty of 2i% ad valorem, tin
and wolfram to 30 rupees per ton. Ground
rent and quit-rents are also charged for, but
for any producing property, in which the
amount of royalty exceeds the total of the
rent, only the royalty is payable, and vice
versa. The royalty on coal is 6 annas per
ton, and only 2 annas for coal used on the
property itself.
Co.^L. — So far this has never attained a
place in the products of Burma. Inland
the industries are dependent upon a very
large and cheap supply of wood, and on the
sea-border a good deal of coal imported
mostly from India is used.
Huge deposits of mostly Tertiary coals
have now been ascertained, and some of them
are now being opened out, in such districts
as are handy to meet local demand. The
coal everywhere appears of very serviceable
appearance, and similar to that described
above. Owing, however, to its light specific
gravity and low calorific value, it cannot
be expected to compete against Indian
coal for bunkering. It will, however, serve
for coke making, use in smelters, on rail-
ways, river boats, and in all the numerous
rice, oil, timber, and cotton mills of the
country.
Conclusion. — The subject of Burma's
mining future has of necessity been dealt
with very briefly m the above notes, but it is
hoped that it may draw the attention of
our leaders of industry to a bright prospect.
British mining enterprise has never been one
afraid of difficulties, and the few drawbacks
of Burma will be considered as very small
compared to others which have been success-
fully surmounted. A handsome reward
awaits the enterprising miner and investor.
VENTILATION AND WORKING PZFFICIENCY
By BERNARD W. HOLMAN. O.B.i:.. A.R.S.M.. Assoc.Inst.M.M.. I'.C.S.
Lcclurer in Mining, Royal School of Minci
Tlie Author discusses the modern principles of ventilation and working conililions as appliL-d to deep and \\ol mines.
(Concluded front November issue, page 286.)
The Usk of the K.\t.\-thermometer.
— To use the instrument for measuiing
purposes the bulb is heated in warm water
at about 80" C. (this can be carried about in
a Thermos flask) until the spirit (coloured
red) rises into the top reservoir. The column
must be free from bubbles, and care must
be taken not to let the top reservoir fill,
otherwise the instrument may burst. The
instrument is then allowed to cool, and the
time in seconds taken in cooling from the
100° mark to the 95° mark is noted with a
stop watch. The first reading should be
neglected so as to allow the glass time to
get into equilibrium. The mean of three or
five readings may then be taken as desired.
This mean time (T) divided into the factor
(K) of the particular instrument gives the
cooling power (H) directly in millicalories
per square cm. of cooling surface per second.
One millicalorie per square cm. per second
is equal to 0-4 milli B.T.U. (thousandths
of a British Thermal Unit) per square foot
per second. Each instrument is carefully
calibrated by the makers and the factor
(K) engraved on the back of the stem. This
factor is determined by observing the dry
kata cooling power in still air at a standard
temperature, t. When the temperatures
are expressed in degrees Centigrade, and
365 is the mean temperature of the kata
during the observation time T, the factor is
given by the empirical formula K = 0'27
(36-5 — t) T. But we also have by definition
K=Hd T, where Ha is the dry cooling power.
If the difference between this mean
temperature and the temperature of the
working place be expressed by 0, we get
the dry kata cooling power H in milli-
calories per square cm. per second represented
by the formula Hj = 0-270, where the air
is still, but when it is moving Dr. Leonard
Hill found by experiment that Hj =
(0-27 t 4- 0-49 Y"-') 0, where V is the velocity
of the air current in metres per second
(1 metre per second = 2 24 miles per hour).
Hence if & is known the velocity of the air
current can be determinr'd by taking the dry
kata reading. This method, as has been
already mentioned, is useful for measuring
very low vtlocities, but breaks down with
an alternating or badly eddying current.
With low continuous cut rents an acciu'acy of
10"o may be expected, as compari'd with only
80"„-100"n with an anemometer. The only
method, then, is to supply heat at a known
rate to the air current electrically ; or to use
a hot-wire anemometer. Further ex]-)eriiuents
gave the ecjuation : -
H,, = Hj (0-27+0-49 V"--)-|-(0-0S+()-10 V"-3)
(F -f)K
where H„ is the wet kata cooling power,
F" = vapour tension of saturated air at
36'5° C, and /= vapour tension of the air
observed. From this equation the cooling
power due to evaporation only (H„. — H,i) is
seen to be represented empirically bj'
(0-08 + 0-10 V"-'),!. It may be noted that
0-26 metres per second was the lowest
observed velocity, but the mean experimental
results agreed well with this equation up to
4 metres per second (9 m.p.h.) which is more
than concerns mine ventilating engineers.
These formula; (with more places ot
decimals than are given here) are based on
tests carried out by Dr. Leonard Hill for his
papers before the Royal Society and for his
book, The Science of Ventilation. The
experiments were made chiefly at East
London College. Subsequent experiments
which agreed well with each other were made
at the National Physical Laboratory in their
4 ft. and 7 ft. wincl tunnels, and at Oxford
with a rotating arm machine. These tests
may be taken as more reliable than the earlier
ones, and give : —
For velocities greater than 1 metre per
second : —
H,i = fO-13 -f 0-47 V"-')0.
H„, = (0-10 + 1-10 Y''-"')0'.
and for velocities less than 1 metre per
second (200 ft. per minute) : —
Ha = (0-2 -\- 0-4 W"-")e.
H„. = (0-35 + 0-85 V°-'-')e'.
where e' = (36-5° C. — t'), t' is the wet bulb
temperature of air in degrees centrigrade, and
V equals the velocity in metres per second.
These two latter formulse expressed in feet
per minute and degrees Fahrenheit become : —
350
DECEMBER, 1921
351
Hd = (0-11 + 0016 V-^'-ja
H,, = (0-19 +008 V''-''')^'.
It will be observed that with the aid of
the above formula the wet kata cooling
power can be calculated if the temperature,
vapour tension, and velocity are known. In
the case of surface conditions the prevailins;
wet kata cooling power could be calculated
from the published meteorological records if
the wind was steady and the effect of sun-
shine was neglected. The effect of depth or
increased barometric pressure is naturally to
increase the cooling power. The percentage
change in cooling power is approximately
How cooling power varies withvelocity and
temperature is shown from the latest
determinations in Fig. 8. Fig. 9 shows the
curves connecting cooling power and velocity
as arranged for the estimation of the latter.
Application of the Kata-Thermometer.
— The most immediate use of the kata-
thermometer in mining is for the purpose of
investigating the cooling effect obtainable
in hot mines from artificially produced air
currents and the reduction of body clothing.
Mr. E. H. Chfford, in his paper on the
City Deep (see Bibliography) shows what a
1.5 le 17 16 19 20 HI aa 25 S'^ £3 £6 27 £0 £9 50 51 C
air temperatvre
Fig. 8. — Kata Temperature- Velocity Curve.
one-fourth the percentage change in pressure.
The formula which has been checked by
experiment is : —
H. = J H, (1
^P>
Conversely cooling power decreases with
altitude. At the altitude of the Rand where
the pressure is about 20% lower than at sea-
level the cooling power will be but five per
cent lower than at sea-level, an amount which
can be neglected for most practical purposes,
particularly as the formula only applies to
cooling in still air. For the case of the Rand
Mr. H. S. Ireland gives the modified dry
kata formula as : —
^ = 0-26 +0-44 V°-^
orHd=(O-26-fO-44V°-^)0.
J
~h
lO
9
1
1
/
1
/
/
/
/
/
1
/
b
1
/
/
^
i
f
a
1
V
^
/
f
i
/
/
/
/
^
ii
/
o
o e o-s oi OJ o6 0-7 oeo9 lo ii le 15 i '^ I6 16
VALUES OP %
Fig, 9. — Kata Cooling Power-Velocity Curve.
useful guide kata readings may be when one
has to deal with a saturated atmosphere.
Kata readings do not give an exact index of
physiological effect, but they do give actual
cooling power, and that has been .shown to be
the chief factor influencing the capacity for
physical work. On the City Deep a wet kata
reading of 15 millicalories per square cm.
per second was considered the lower limit
for physical work, while 30 was taken as the
upper limit. The best conditions for physical
work without much clothing corresponded to
a reading of 20. Wet kata readings were
considered most because on this mine it is
necessary to keep the air saturated for the
purpose of allaying dust. The foregoing
figures assume the absence of excessive
velocity or excessive dryness, both of which
are injurious, even though the wet kata
;?r»2
Till': MINIM, MAi.AZlM':
loadiii!; bi" satisfactory. Wln-ro clothing' is
worn. wlu'tluT it bo wi't or dry prolouiuily
at^'cct.s the actual coolins; jwwcr of any given
air current on the body. With warm air
this difference between actual and indicateil
cooling power is greatest with light wet
clothing in dry air and least with no clothing
in saturated air. Generally speaking, a wet
kata reading of about 20 or a dry kata
reading of about 10 indicates satisfactory
conditions for phj-sical work with little
clothing. Dr. Leonard Hill gives dry 10 and
wet 30 to 35 for manual work. Jlr. H. J.
Ireland finds 6 and 18 respectively suflicieiit
for a slightly clothed native.
The basal metabolism of the average man
when breathing 20 cubic feet per minute will
correspond to a heat loss of about one
millicaloric per square cm. of body surface
per second. Waste may bring this up to
three millicalories when breathing 60 cubic
feet of air per minute. The rise of body
temperature itself to about 102° F. during
muscular exertion facilitates cooling con-
siderably where conduction is relied on.
It is true that in the general ventilation
of a mine a quantity of air sufficient to keep
the mine at a low enough temperature must
be supplied, as velocity cannot always be
varied from place to place. But the kata-
thermometer supplies the means of testing
reliably where this velocity is too low or
where the air has warmed up too much for
efficient work as distinct from prevention of
work. Such readings could well be marked
on the mine's quarterly ventilation plan. An
air current at nearly the same temperature
as the body is far less noticeable than an
appreciably slower one at a much lower
temperature. This point is important in
considering the comfort of the worker.
In the case of metal mines situated in
places where considerable seasonal variation
takes place in surface humidity and
temperature and where the mine air is not
saturated with moisture owing to the
necessity for allaying siliceous dust, the
kata-thermometer may be employed to effect
great economies in the quantity of air
required for efficient work. Owing to the
comparatively few deep metal mines being
worked as yet this has not been made the
object of much study. The number of such
deep mines nmst unfortunately increase
greatly in the near future.
In such cases a continuous record of the
cooling power of the air in the main levels
might be found of value. For such purposes
an instiument called a " Caleometer " has
ahead\' been designed by Dr. Leonard Hill
and Mr. (), W. (irifhth. It is an electrical
instrument which automatically measures
as electrical energy the amount of heat
energy required to kee]) a small coil of wire
at body temperature, and, therefore, can
record the cooling effect of the air current in
which the coil is placed. (This instrument is
made by Robert W. Paul, of the Newton
Avenue Woiks, New Southgate, London, N.)
The record of up to eight coils in di.rferent
places can be taken on the same roll. For
a record corres])onding to wet kata rt'adings
the coil is surrounded by a ta])e hanging in
a pot of water. The ordinary kata-thermo-
meter is also made in a recording form by
the same company.
.'\ctual observation (Daniel Harrington) on
the miners themselvc's has shown that a
minimum air velocity of 25 ft. j)er minute is
most desirable in even cool dry mines (dry
bulb temperature of 75° F.) for efficient work,
but that a velocity of 100 ft. per minute is
required where the humidity is over 85%.
In hot wet mines a velocity of over 500 ft.
per minute may be required. It was found
that men could work without inconvenience
in velocities as high as 1,000 ft. per minute,
and this in spite of an oxygen depletion
of 1% (the air containing 20% oxygen
instead of 21% as at surface) and a CO.j
content of 0-30% or more.
The utility of the kata-thermometer for
checking such results is great, particularly
where saturated air at about blood
temperature has to be used and is circulated
at high velocities by small fans and canvas
tubing. .A reduction of the relative humidity
from saturation by even a sni.3ll amount, say
to 95%, renders the effect of velocity far
more pleasant to the worker. The subject of
retaining such a reduction without interfering
with the allaying of dust was dealt with in
the discussion on Mr. Clifford's paper before
the Institution of Mining and Metallurgy
(March, 1921), and is a matter which requires
investigation more urgentlj'' the deeper and
hotter our mines become. Such investiga-
tions are rendered far easier of prosecution
by the invention of the kata-thermometer.
In Mr. Harrington's paper (p. 21) on Ventila-
tion and the Use of Small Fans (see
Bibliography) this instrument does not seem
to have been used. In another paper on the
use of booster fans where the air was above
blood temperature, the wet bulb temperatures
were taken as the index of cooling effect and
DECEMBER, 1921
353
the volume of air necessary to keep down this
temperature was measured. The amount
found necessary was 600 cubic feet per man
per minute, instead of tlie 400 cubic feet used
elsewhere in the mine. Of course, where tlie
general, as distinct from the local, ventilation
of a wet mine is increased, a slight reduction
of temperature is caused by the concomitant
increase in the quantity of water evaporated
underground to give a saturated condition of
the air. Only 0-30 grm. is required to cool one
cubic metre of air 1° C. Mr. C. Mezger gives
the following example to show the order of
effect to be expected from this cause.
Assuming the temperature at bank and shaft-
bottom to be respectively 10° C. and 19'5° C,
and the saturation 90% in both cases, the
absorption of moisture per cubic metre of air
will be 6-6 grammes consuming 3-96 calories :
the temperature will therefore be lowered
13-2° C. Auto-compression in the shaft and
friction and conduction throughout the mine
have a warming effect. Therefore the actual
reduction in air temperature is naturally less
than the calculated fall. The effect on the
body of air temperature (but still more of
velocitj') is, of course, modified by clothing as
it hinders both evaporation and conduction.
This can be investigated quantitatively by the
kata-thermometer. The instrument, with a
light wire shield, can readily be placed between
the skin and the clothing of a man. The
heat loss of the human body lightly clothed
is approximately one sixth of the dry kata
cooling power where this is normal, and is
about 60% of the heat loss of the naked body.
In estimating the total heat loss advantage
may be taken of the empirical rule : surface
in square metres = 0'r23W3 for men where
W is the weight in kilogrammes, but the
subject is a rather complicated one. In
Chapter VIII, Vol. II, of The Science of
Ventilation, Dr. Leonard Hill gives a
summary of the present knowledge on this
subject, but in the case of hot and deep mines
it may be assumed generally that for manual
work clothing will be discarded.
In connexion with the subject of kata
cooling powers interesting tests have been
carried out (Zuntz) on the amount of water
vapour (perspiration) lost from the body
during exertion. In tests on a number of
fully equipped men in uniform the thinnest
only lost 953 grammes, while the fattest
lost 2,575 grammes of moisture. Taking
800 grammes loss per 1,000 calories expended
in saturated air at 50° F. as the standard, the
amount was diminished 4 grammes for each
1 "v, reduction in dryness and 70 grammes for
each unit increase in wind velocity (on a scale
of ten units). A rise in temperature increased
the loss by onlv 0-2 grammes per degree
Fahrenheit.
These tests confirm the importance of
velocity as shown by the kata-thermometer,
but also show that at moderate temperatures
training has a far greater influence than cither
humidity, velocity, or change in temperature.
This is curious considering how many a good
old Cornish miner is not exactly slim. Still,
fatness is partly a thermal reserve for heavy
work, and is not entirely due to lack of
fitness. A normal man carries about 18%
of fat, which on a weight of 11 stone corre-
sponds to a thermal reserve of about 12,000
calories, three days full food supply.
.\s temperature increases the influence
of humidity and velocity on perspiration
becomes greater in proportion, so that the
taking-off of clothes is essential in hot places
in order to obtain full advantage of the
ventilation. Where cooling by conduction
and convection has to be relied on this is
even more necessary, as the clothes hold
a layer of insulating air in contact with the
skin. (See Science of Ventilation, Vol. II.)
Different materials act differently in this
respect.
Application of the Ergometer.— -With
regard to the individual efficiency of work
performed in hot and deep mines, the
working efficiency of the miner is not only
affected by the temperature, velocity,
humidity, and composition of the air in
which he works and by the approximation
to optimum effort which he exerts and by
the amount and condition (wet of dry) of
his clothing, but also by his fitness and
stamina, as influenced by his health, general
h3'gienic conditions, diet, acclimitization,
physical training, and individual
idiosyncrasy. Interest in the work, con-
tentment, and an adequate wage, combined
with the absence of any artificial enhance-
ment of his standard of living (for instance,
meat, boots, and bicycles for Kaffir boys)
are also necessary factors. The length of
time worked underground and the number
and duration of rests during the shift also
affect the efficiency on a given output.
Of the above factors only those dealing
with adequate ventilation can be measured
with the kata-thermometer. The remaining
factors at first appear hopelessly numerous
and diverse, but their sum total effect can
be estimated by means of measuring the
354
Till' MIMNC. MAGAZINE
niccli.inical efficiency of the man and liis
degree of liability to fatigue. l'\itigue is
here used in tlie nudical sense to mean that
condition of the body which results from too
heavy a demand for physical work havins;
been" made on it, that is a load wb.ich lias
caused an additional consum])lion of actual
nitrogenous musc\ilar tissue as distinct from
a mere oxidation of the stored fat an<l
tinuously. If rest, sulTuient lo allnw for
the restorati<jn of tlie purilN' of the blood,
is not allowed, j^eneral fatigue results, which
affects the whole body and may even cause
death. ]")r. Orenstein says the chief results
of over-fatigue " are lassitude, loss of mental
alertness, craving for stimulants, decreased
resistance to disease, increaseil liability to
chill, nervous irritability, discontent, and
Fig. 10 Ergometer for Muscular Fatigue
Fig. 11. — Ergographs.
carbohydrate (glycogen). Nervous fatigue,
the saturation of the blood with CO.^, and
the production of lactic acid and other
deleterious substances in the blood from only
partially oxidized tissues are other physical
accompaniments of fatigue. When fatigue
has commenced a man is positivel}? unable
to work at his proper efficiency, and his
expenditure of physical and nervous energy
on a given amount of work increases con-
lowering of efficiency in
the
an enormous
performance of work."
Hence the determination of the conditions
causing fatigue must go hand-in-hand with
determinations of mechanical efficiency, and
are particularly important in determining
the fitness of a man for special exertion,
as in mine-rescue work or hand-drilling.
An absence of protein in the diet is one
cause of fatigue. Protein was for long
DECEMBER, 1921
355
regarded chiefly as a fuel for the muscles, and
100 grammes (3J oz.) per day was laid down
as the minimum necessary. Its function is
reall}' to replace worn muscular tissue. It
has been shown (Cathcart, 1912, p. 109)
that so long as the task does not result in
excessive fatigue (overload) no increase of
nitrogen content can be detected in the
urine as due to such work, altho\igh it has
often been stated that the nitrogen content
of the urine is proportional to the amount
of work done. Hindhede (1913), of the
Nutrition Institute of Copenhagen, canied
out observations on a man (11 stone in
weight) who worked as a mason and labourer
for 95 days on a diet containing only IJ oz.
of protein equivalent to only 170 calories
out of a total of 5,000 calories, the energy
value of his daily diet. Its " specific dynamic
energy " certainly makes a larger ration
desirable, but such a ration does not prevent
an increase of the nitrogen content of the
urine being used as an index of overload
on the human machine, nor make the nitrogen
content proportional to the total work done.
The most direct method (Fig. 10) of
determining muscular fatigue (see Mosso's
book on Fatigue) is by the use of ergographs
or charts showing the time taken to com-
pletely fatigue a given set of muscles by
repeatedly contracting them, and also
showing the relative force of the contraction
for a given amount of energy in each con-
traction. In Fig. 11, it is seen that fifty-
two contractions were performed before
the muscles were completely fatigued. Two
hours were required for complete recovery.
If only half the number of contractions had
been performed the muscles would have
required but one-quarter the time to recover ;
moreover, the amount of work performed
would have been not half, but appro.ximately
two-thirds of the whole (see Dr. Orenstein's
paper). The application of such results to
manual labour problems is obvious. The
acceleration of fatigue by rise of temperature
can also be tested in this manner, but such
results give local not general fatigue, and do
not indicate the degree of mechanical
efficiency.
. From what has been said earlier in this
article, it might be expected that increased
consumption of protein would also be
indicated by a fall in the R.O., and that
this fall would afford an index of fatigue,
but this is masked in practice by a quite
large drop in the COo content of the expired
air, due to the lung ventilation being
incapable of supplying the increased demand
of the over-loaded human machine for
o.xj'gen. and also due to the dilution of the
expired air by hard panting. On normal
heavy loads oxygen-want causes quick
and rather shallow breathing, owing to the
effort to get an increased volume of air into
the lungs. Similarly on overloads in normal
air oxygen-want causes the same effect.
A high atmospheric content of CO.^ on normal
loads, be it noted, causes deep, slow
breathing, due to the effort to obtain greater
pulmonary ventilation.
It is for these reasons that plotting the
percentage of CO2 in the exhaled air against
load gives such useful results when the
ergometer is being used in conjunction with
determinations of the Respiratory Quotient
for estimating the mechanical output and
efficiency of an individual.
The percentage of COo in exhaled air
increases with the load from about 4%
up to about 7% on full load ; if the load
be increased further the percentage of
CO2 falls for the reasons already mentioned.
Hence, on plotting the results obtained for
a given individual a dome-shaped curve is
obtained. (See Fig. 12, next page.) The rate
of doing work indicated at the crest of this
curve makes the change from load to overload
and the commencement of fatigue ; that is,
the man can sustain loads up to the crest
load for some considerable time, as his
o.xygen input is adequate to deal with such
rates of work, but he can only bear loads
slightly above the crest value for a short
period. (Second Mining Rescue Apparatus
Report, p. 55.)
The most remarkable thing about such
curves is the striking way in which they
show not only the strength and the stamina
(power of supporting sustained physical
effort) of a man, but also his degree of fitness
(physical training for heavy work). This
latter is arrived at by testing the man with
both ordinary and oxygen-enriched air.
Wlien ordinary air is breathed during exertion
the man in good physical training exhales
a higher percentage of CO., and a lower per-
centage of oxygen, and also breathes less air
for a given consumption of oxygen or out-
put of work than does the man in bad
training. The fit man not only works at a
higher food efficiency, but, on a given load
more completely utilizes the air he breathes.
But when he is tested with enriched air he
shows but little increase in the CO, content
of his flue-gases. In fact, enriching the
356
Till'. MININT. MAC.AZINI':
oxygen above 60°'o seldom gives an\-
advantage at all with a fit man.
A man who is in bad training, on the other
hand, immcdiatclj' responds on load to
enrichment of the air supply, and on pure
oxygen almost catches up the trained man,
so far as his thermal efficiency is indicated
by the percentage of CO., expired. The
crest load of a man on ordinary heavy work
(1,800 ft. -lb. in Subject I and 6,100 in
Subject II, Mg. 12) is sometimes expressed
as a percentage of 10,000 ft. -lb., an arbitrarily
chosen crest load, and called his percentage
fitness. This is a purely relative figure. A
more useful method of expressing the fitness
of a subject is to divide the crest ordinate of
the air-curve by that of the oxygen curve,
3"75°(, CO.j being chosen as the datum level
SUBJECT 1 .
8
dfU'iiniiKitions witli tlie cycle ergometer
i)V Professor Henry Hriggs give a figure of
about 23^0 crest efficiency for average
citizens, and 'M% for fit, trained, manual
workers ; 37% is his highest recorded figure.
The average of Professor Langelois'
determinations in France is about 33%,
while Benedict and Cathcart got about 33%
quite independently in America. This is
a high figure compared with a steam engine
at Vl%. but the human machine cannot
maintain crest loads for 21 hours a day.
The steam-engine, on the otluT hand, requires
no sleep.
Professor Waller and Miss (i. de Decker
have gone somewhat fmther (sec
Bibliography), and have investigated tlie
physi(3logical cost of iiiuseular woik in
SUBJECT H.
-J
I'
I.
I
to
tc ,
<^: •
o
v~
^j
(C
kj
!».
/
"~ -^
/
^ir
-^
^
/
~
■\ ~~~~ -.
4
4/
4
V
0 3000 6000 9000
FOOT- POUNDS PEP MINUTE
Fi.;. Vl.~
0 3000 6000 3000 12000
FOOT- POUNDS PER MINUTE
-Ergometer Curves
from which to measure. By this method
the fitness of Subjects I and fl are 46°, {, and
100% (a sedentary person and a special!}'
selected instructor in physical drill re-
spectively) instead of 50°,j and 70% by the
arbitrary method. By the former method
the fitness of a healthy working miner is
generally about 75% (Briggs). This method
of measuring fitness by physiological response
to o.xygen during muscular exertion really
tests the fitness of the lungs alone. Where
these are fit the rest of the body is generally
fit, but apart from this the test is particularly
valuable in mine-rescue work and in
determining the fitness of a man for work in
high altitudes or at great depths.
With regard to the thermal efficiencj' of the
human machine, as distinct from fitness.
various different industries, and the calories
consumed per square metre of body surface
per hour on both piece work and time
work.
Determinations on the cycle ergometer,
combined with observations of the R.(}.,
may thus be most useful in mining work
for testing not only the strength of a man
but also his capacity for heavy exertion and
the amount by which his output can be
increased by training. The value of such
tests for men in the Army has been recognized
in France, where tests are made on the
capacity of men to march at varying speeds
with different weights of equipment in
flat and hilly country. A travelling escalator
belt, whose inclination and speed can be
varied, is used so that the man marching
DECEMBER, 1921
357
remains at a constant distance from the
C0.> recorder (Professor Langelois).
In mining, working efficiency tests, as
mentioned, already find a use in testing men
for mine-rescue work and for work at liigh
altitudes. The greatest practical use for
such tests seems to be on the one hand
for determining the effects of diet, training,
depth, temperature, and adequate ventilation
on the working efficiency and stamina of
selected men, particularly with a view to
employment in hot and deep mines, while,
on the other hand, such tests should be
useful in testing the efficiency and fitness
for mining work of freshly recruited white
labour and of natives from new areas. The
old method of trial by death rate on large
batches of native labour recruited from
new areas is, at times, troublesome and
expensive.
A study of the amount of effort expended
is the first step after hygienic conditions
have been obtained, then the optimum effort
and the rests and amount of work per shift.
After that comes the basic economic question:
does the human machine pay better than
electricity or compressed air under the
given circumstances ?
One of the simplest cases in which it does
not as a rule pay is that in which the human
machine is used instead of mechanical
haulage for taking men to and from their
work in deep mines. It is for the mining
engineer to decide this.
In the words of one of our greatest pioneers
in this new branch of mine engineering, the
effect of physical conditions on human work-
ing efficiency: "It is felt that both the
apparatus and the theories have reached a
stage of development in which they can
be presented to the mining world for
verification and modification."
Bibliography.
Herewith is a list of books and papers
that may be consulted in studying this
subject. Papers particularly useful to mining
men are marked with an asterisk.
The Human Machine.
*The Human Machine. By Professor Henry
Briggs, A.R.S.M. The Mining Institute of
Scotland, February 5, 1921. Reprinted in
the Colliery Guardian for February U, I9.;i,
p. 413. Discussion, October 14, 1921, p. 1,072.
*The Respiratory Exchange of Animals and Man.
By A. Krogh. Longmans, 7s. 6d.
The Physiology of Protein Metabolism. By
E. P. Cathcart. Longmans, 7s. 6d.
Oxidations and Reductions in the Animal Body.
By D. D. Dakin. Longmans, 7s. 6d.
Principles of General Physiology. By W. M.
Bayliss. Longmans, 3f)s.
Reports of Industrial Research Board. By
'Professor Waller. For the latest of these see
the British Medical Journal for May 7, 1921,
p. 669.
" The Oxidases and other Oxygen Catylists con-
cerned in Biochemical Oxidations " By J. H.
Kastle. Bulletin 59, Hygienic Laboratory,
Public Health and Marine Hospital Service of
U.S.A.
Physiological Economy in Nutrition. By Russel H.
Chittenden, 1905. Heinemaun.
*The Physiology of Industrial Organization. Pro-
fessor Jules Amar. The Library Press, 30s.
Ki^viewedm Engineering, January 3, 1919, p. 21.
Effects of Oxygen Deficiency on Small Animals
and Men. Technical paper No. 122. Bureau
of Mines, Department of "interior, U.S.A., 1915.
The Ergoincter.
*Second report of the Mine Rescue Apparatus
Committee, 1920. H.M. Stationery Office, 2s.
*.\ Contribution to the Study of Mine Atmospheric
Conditions on Fatigue. By A. J. Orenstein
and H. J. Ireland. Journal of the South
African Institution of Engineers. Vol. xix,
March, 1921, p. 126, and Vol. xx, October,
1921, p. 44.
Mine Rescue Work. By H. F. Bulman. Crosby
Lockwood. 1 2s. 6d.
Testing the Human Machine. Scientific American,
September, 1921, vol. 125, p. 187.
Ventilation.
* Reports of the Committee on the Control of
Atmospheric Conditions in Hot and Deep
Mines. First report, Inst. Min. Eng., April,
1920, p. 231. Second report, June, 1920,
p. 323. Third report, June, 1921.
Metal Mines Ventilation. Engineering, August,
1920.
Ventilation in Metal Mines. By D. Harrington.
Engineering and Mining Journal, April 30,
1921, p. 735.
The Cooling Effect of Ventilating Current. By
C. Hezger. Colliery Guardian, July 22, 1921,
p. 235.
*Ventilation in Metal Mines. By D. Harrington,
Bureau of Mines, Department of Interior,
U.S.A. Technical Paper, No. 251, 1921.
The Kata-Thermnmeter.
*The Kata-Thermometer and its Practical Uses
in Mining. By H. J. Ireland. Journal
of the Chemical, Metallurgical, and Mining
Society of South Africa. Vol. xxi, November,
1920, p. 84.
*The Science of Ventilation. By the Medical
Research Committee (Dr. L. Hill). H.M.
Stationery Office. Vol. i, 1919, 10s. ; vol. ii,
1920 (Theory), 6s.
♦Report on Ventilation and the Effect of Open Air
and Wind on the Respiratory Metabolism.
Local Government Board, 1914. H.M.
Stationery Office, 9d.
Dr. Leonard Hill's paper in the Phil. Trans.
Roy.al Society. Series B, vol. ccvii, pp. 183-
221, or separately as B. 339, price 3s. See
also " The Effect of Velocity on Cooling
Effect," pp. 198-203, and " Heat Loss at
Body Temperature by Convection, Radiation,
and Evaporation."
358
nil. MINIM, MAt.AZJM';
The Kata Thermometer. Mining and Scientific
Press. September 17, 1921, p. 387.
♦Scheme for workiny the City Deep Mine at a depth
ot 7.01)0 ft. Hy v.. II. Clillord. Institution
of Mining ami Metallurgy. Bulletin 197.
February, 1921 ; Discussion, Bulletin 198,
March. 1921.
The Comfort Meter Leaflet. Given by James j.
Hicks of 8. Hatton Garden, Ji.C, with the
Kata-Thermonieter, when purchased.
In the foregoing works various useful
references to the Journal of Physiology, the
American Journal of Physiology^ tlie
Proceedings of the Physiological Society, the:
Proceedings of the Institute of Hj'gicnc, and
the Year Book of the Carnegie Institute, will
be found. A short bibliograjihy of the
subject is given by Dr. Leonard Hill in the
Philosophical Transactions of tlie Koyal
Societj' already quoted.
-Vniong the chief actual workers on this
subject are Dr. Leonard Hill, F.R.S., of
the Medical Research Council, Pro-
fessor Henry Briggs, D.Sc, A.R.S.M., of
JCdinburgh, Dr. J. S. Haldane, F.R.S., ol
O.xford, Sir John Cadnuui, of liirininghani
University, Professor IC. P. Cathcart, D.Sc,
of Glasgow, Professor Waller, of the
University of London (The Industrial
Research Board), Professor Martin, of the
Lister Institute, and Professor Macdonald,
late of SlulVu'ld, now Professor of Physiology
at Liverpool. In America Professor V. G.
P>t'nediet and Dr. W. Atwatcr have done
much laboratory work on this .subject at
the Carnegie Institute, Boston, for various
United States Government Departments.
The pioneer workers on the apjilication of
this work to metal mines are Dr. A. J.
Orenstein, C.M.G., M.D., etc., and Mr. H. J.
Ireland, M.B.E., B.Sc, of the Transvaal
Chamber of Mines.
New papers by any of the above authors
on the subject of Ventilation and Efliciency
can be relied on to be of interest to mining
engineers.
BOOK REVIEWS
Concentration by Flotation. Compiled
and edited by T. A. RicK AKD. Cloth, octavo,
690 pages, illustrated. Price 42s. net.
New York : John Wiley cS: Sons ; London :
Chapman & Hall, Ltd.
Just as there have been continual legal and
commercial disputes about flotation, so have
there been plenty of antagonistic views
among writers in the Press and among com-
pilers of books, when deahng with this
subject. Most of the literature so far made
accessible to the public has come from the
United States or from American authors,
and the views expressed and the information
given by these writers are almost always
unfavourable to the status of Minerals
Separation, Ltd. This company has secured
the validity of its patents in all the courts of
the world, after very lengthy arguments, so
that ex parte statements in the Press and in
books with regard to the history of the
invention no longer really serve a good
purpose. On the other hand, the fact that
Minerals Separation exercises its monopoly
to the fullest extent allowable by law,
naturally raises considerable opposition and
ill-feeling among its past and present
enemies, so that post-patent agitation arises
urging that the possession of such a monopoly
is contrary to public policy. It is also
questioned whether the ownership of patents
by a corporation which means to derive
its benefits entirely from licences was con-
templated when the original patent laws
were drawn up. Thus the opponents of
Minerals Separation would wish to put the
company in the position of Shylock, who is
first told that the " law allows it and the
court awards it," and afterwards is informed
that if he, an alien, attempts to collect his
dues, he will be outlawed for conspiring
against the worthy citizens of a great State.
No doubt in many quarters there is an out-
cry against the business and legal methods
of Minerals Separation ; but after all the
law is on its side, and that not through any
accidental circumstance.
We have said that most of the literature
on flotation comes from the opposite camp.
Much of it is published with the intention of
belittling the claims of the patentees to
greatness ; some is published to give helpful
information as regards both practice and
theory ; and some is obviously intended
to draw discussion and obtain records of
experience from other investigators. It is
a pity, of course, that Minerals Separation
does not allow its engineers, chemists, and
physicists to write articles for the Press
and to publish records of experiments and
authentic accounts of the origin of the various
improvements in the process, for thus many
lacun;e would be filled and there would be
a variation in tne atmospheric effects.
Iving John and Louis XI suffered in the
estimation of posterity because they allowed
DECEMBER, 1921
359
their enemies to write the history of their
times without protest or counterblast ;
in the same way Minerals Separation takes
no steps to tell the true and full inside story
of the development of flotation.
Thus it comes about that we have a book
on flotation, edited and compiled by
Mr. Rickard, which is like the play of Hamlet
without the Prince of Denmark as one of
the characters. There is a vast amount of
history, theory, and practice in its pages,
but being written without the aid of the chief
inventors and investigators there are many
places where the information is incomplete
and even inaccurate. Moreover, the
arguments and the interpretation of the
history are admittedly and obviously hostile
to Minerals Separation and its technical staff.
If the reader bears the foregoing remarks
in mind he will find much useful aid and help
in the pages of the book. It must also be
mentioned that as the book consists of a
reprint of a great variety of articles by many
authors published in the Mining and
Scientific Press during the years 1915 to
1920, the quality of the reading matter is
variable, and separate sections are
occasionally contradictory, no attempt
having been made to co-ordinate or
reassemble the subject matter of the articles.
In all forty articles have been reprinted
in this book. Of these eight are contributed
by Mr. Rickard, while other weU-known
names in the list of contributors are Ralston,
Glenn Allen, Clennell. Hebbard, Shellshear,
Henderson, Evan Simpson, and Coghill.
Mr. Rickard writes on the history of flotation,
the principles of flotation, and flotation
litigation. He also contributes descriptions
of practice at Utah Copper and of the
smelting of flotation concentrates at Garfield.
There are articles on testing ore for flotation,
the disposal of flotation residues, the flotation
of oxidized ores, the Bradford process, the
Horwood process, the flotation of silver ores,
the cyanide treatment of flotation concen-
trates, and several others of similar practical
character. The remaining papers deal with
the theory, and this section of the book is
the weakest.
To proceed now to a few details that
deserve criticism. In the first place the
glossary at the beginning of the book is
quite unworthy of the subject, and the reader
is apt to wonder whether the errors are due to
ignorance or to blunders on the part of the
stenographer and the typist. It is surely
not necessary to define such words as buoy,
6—5
skin, scum, agitation, emulsion, molecule,
grease, froth, pulp, metallic, gangue, bubble,
fat, and film. With regard to " skin," this
word is said to be derived from the Anglo-
Saxon " scinn," ice. The word " ice "
has been copied from an etymological
dictionary, and should be " Ice.," which is
a contraction for " Icelandic," and
evidently refers to the remainder of the
quotation from the dictionary, which has
been lost during its transmission to the
glossary. The definition of oleic acid given
in the glossary says that it is the " fatty acid
contained in olive oil combined with
cresoline." Presumably " cresoline " should
read " glycerine," but even so olive oil is
not combined with glycerine. Then, again,
the word " flotation " is said to be derived
from the French " flottaison," the meaning
of which is given as " water-line." This is
not the meaning of the French word. Any-
way the English word was not derived from
the French, but was invented at home.
When we get to the definitions of the more
technical words such as colloid, adsorb,
surface-tension, and gel, all we need say
is that most physicists will not agree to the
wording.
In Mr. Rickard's history of flotation we
miss any reference to Jason's expedition to
capture the Golden Fleece, which is generally
held to indicate the accumulation of gold
particles on sheep-skins placed in the
auriferous rivers of Asia Minor during
flood-time. Then, again, it is impossible
to accept the statement that it is due to the
" patient empiricism of Hoover, Callow,
and other technicians " that flotation was
developed as a workable process, for, as a
matter of fact, Mr. T. J. Hoover was engaged
by Minerals Separation some time after the
process had been proved to be a success,
while Mr. Callow only appeared on the scene
in 1913. If the expression " and other
technicians " had been expanded, and the
names of, say, Mouldcn, Hebbard, Chapman,
Bradford, Horwood, Broadbridge, and Shell-
shear had been added in front of Hoover and
Callow, the real case would have been
presented. Another statement in this section
of the book to which exception may be taken
relates to the origin of the slide machine
used in testing. Mr. Rickard says that this
" machine was designed by Hoover and
perfected by many others." As a matter of
fact, the machine was designed by
Mr. Sulman, and the first was made by
Mr. Picard before Mr. Hoover had any
3ti0
Tin: MLMXC, .MAC.AZINE
connexion with flotation. Tliis original
machine was exhibited in e\'idencc during
the htigation in the Uniteil States.
As has already been said, the sections of
the book devoted to the theory and physics
of flotation arc the weakest. Here we miss
any article by Dr. Wilder D. Bancroft, who
knows more about the subject than anyone
else in the United States. There are brief
references to i:)r. Bancroft's evidence against
Minerals Separation in the American
litigation, but a summary of his evidence,
or, better, a special article by him, would
have added greatly to the value of the book.
The theory of flotation demands an
extensive acquaintance with the most
intricate problems in physics and chemistry,
and as the articles on flotation in the volume
under review have not been written by
trained physicists, a high standard of
accuracy could hardly be anticipated. I"or
the most part the}' have been written by
authors who are groping after an elementary
knowledge of the scientific aspect of the
question. Perhaps the best paper is that on
" Molecular Forces and Flotation," b}'
Coghill, but much of this article is devoted to
exposing fallacious statements which could
scarcely be entertained by anyone con-
versant with the fundamental laws of physics.
It is noticeable that Coghill gives a fairly
accurate account of the mechanism involved
in the flotation of solids denser than water
at the surface of water ; his explanation
serves to show that these particles do not
float by adsorption.
Anderson's paper contains a number of
mis-statements, a few of which may be
mentioned. On page 286 it is stated that
" a bubble of air is spherical in shape, and
this shape can only be maintained if
the external pressure exceeds the internal
pressure." The reverse is the fact ; of course,
the internal pressure must exceed the external.
On page 278 it is stated that " all acids will
lower the surface-tension of water." Rontgen
and Schneider have found that as the con-
centration of sulphuric acid in water increases
the surface-tension rises, until the liquid
contains about 48% of acid, and then
decreases as the concentration of the acid
increases. A 70% solution of sulphuric acid
in water has a surface-tension almost
identical with that of pure water. This
statement is not a mere slip, as the action
of acid is likened to that of oil on page 279.
Hardy Smith's paper contains many wild
and misleading statements. The statement
(page 2G9) that " the surface of the liquid
in contact with the particle nnist be con-
siilered as tending to have surface-tension,
although the tendency is opposed by the
adhesion " is really quite incomprehensible,
although Hoover's book on Concentrating
Ore by Flotation is quoted in support. The
statement (page 271) that contaminating
agents are added so as to comiteract the
difference in vapour pressures of large and
small bubbles in order to prevent them from
coalescing, has also no foundation in fact ;
a contaminating agent will reduce surface-
tension of a bubble and so slightly reduce the
pressure of the gas contained therein, but
its effect on vapour pressure is negligible. The
statement that the siu'facc-tension becomes
zero at the boiling point (I'age 273) is, of
course, quite inaccurate, and is contradicted
by Coghill on page 302. On page 275 we
find the statement : "As soon as a bubble
has expanded to an appreciable size, the
vapour pressure of the liquid is in excess of
that necessary to balance the surface-
tension, and the bubble expands so rapidly
that it literally explodes." No such explosion
occurs, and the vapour pressure of the li<]uid
has nothing to do with the stability of a
bubble. On page 274 diagrams are given
showing mineral particles enclosed in bubbles
just as they might be in glass bulbs;
elementary observation shows that such
conditions never occur.
Mr. Rickard's article on the Principles of
Flotation contains several very questionable
statements. There can be no doubt that the
surface layer of a liquid, instead of being
denser than the rest of the liquid, as stated
on page 57, is really less dense. The state-
ment (page 61) that, when an alcohol is
added to water, the change of viscosity
enables a froth to be formed, cannot be
supported. The stability of an armoured
bubble (page 63) is not due to viscosity.
This can be understood best by a simple
analogy. It would be impossible to build
a bridge using only liquid cement, but, by
the aid of stones, the building of the bridge
is rendered easy. The statement, page 73 :
" Any substance that will lower the surface-
tension of water and be adsorbed by mineral
particles would appear to promote flotation "
is not correct ; some substances, such as
tannic acid, do both, with the result that
flotation is rendered impossible. It is stated
on page 75 that " the needle that floats on
tap-water will sink in distilled water;
although contaminants have lowered the
DFXEMBER, 1921
361
surface-tension of tap-water, it has more
sustaining power on account of its aeration."
As a matter of fact, a needle will float on
distilled water, if this is not contaminated
by grease, as often is the case, and the surface-
tension of tap-water is not lower than that
of distilled water ; finally, the sustaining
power derived from aeration is a myth. On
page 77 is found the statement : "No
longer is the mineral supposed to be buoyed
by the bubbles, as if tied to a cork, but the
minute particles of mineral are believed to
be drawn into the bubble film." This state-
ment is in direct contradiction with the
explanation given by Coghill ; it also involves
a still more fundamental fallacy. In a foot-
note on page 76 it is stated that the layer of
liquid subject to surface-tension has a thick-
ness less than the radius of molecular action,
and the " bubble film " mentioned by
Mr. Rickard obviously refers to the layer
subject to surface-tension. Various estimates
of the radius of molecular action have been
given, and these vary between 10^" cm. and
10"" cm. According to Langmuir's recent
theory the layer responsible for surface-
tension is only one molecule thick. Taking,
however, the largest estimate of the thickness
of a surface-layer, namely 10"'^ cm., the
diameter of a slime particle that could pass
through a 200-mesh screen would be about
five thousand times as great as the thickness
of the bubble film into which it is believed
to be drawn.
Instances such as those given above could
be multiphed, but, without going further,
it will be conceded readily that explanations
involving so many mis-statements of
fundamental principles which could have
been avoided by reference to ordinary text-
books on physics are not likely to carry much
weight.
1^^ Copies of the books, etc., mentioned under the heading
" Book Reviews " can be obtained through the Technical Book-
shop of The Milling Magazine, 724, SaUsbury House, London
Wall, London, E.C. 2.
NEWS LETTERS
PERTH. W.A.
October 20.
Oil in Kimberle'v District. — Much has
been heard of the discovery of indications
of petroleum deposits in Kimberley district,
in the north-east section of West Austraha.
A statement has been made on this subject
by Professor Sir Edgeworth David, who has
recently been making investigations. This
statement is the first connected and rehable
account of what is going on, and, moreover,
it discusses the find in conjunction with
other investigations elsewhere in Australia.
It is therefore worth quoting in full here.
The area so far preliminarily tested is
at Price's Creek, to the east of the junction
of Christmas Creek with the Fitzroy River.
This is approximately 200 miles south-west
of the area where the asphalt glance has been
found, and about 160 miles in a direct line
south-east from Derby, and roughly 250
miles south-west from Wyndham. At
Price's Creek indications of oil are now
forming in small seepages which yield a
distinct smell of petroleum. At one spot
on the Rough range in this vicinity the grass
will not grow on account of the oil seepage.
While Mr. Blatchford was at Price's
Creek Mr. Freney had a bore put down
by hand on the adjacent hill to a depth of
'M ft. Mr. Blatchford watched closely the
minutest details of this boring, and collected
all the samples and brought them under seal
to Perth. There they were tested by Dr.
Simpson, who found that true mineral oil
was present, although in small quantities, the
proportion increasing slightly with depth.
The mineral oil is there contained in sandstone
and thin limestone. The actual weight of the
oil compared with that of the rock is only
one part in 4,000, but this relatively small
amount should be sufficient to supply
quantities which under favourable con-
ditions for concentrating and observation
may be sufficiently extensive to be of
economic value.
As regards the structure of the Kimber-
ley oil-bearing region, Mr. Blatchford's
observations and reports show that broad
gentle arches exist over a very wide area
in this district. For example, at Mount
Wynne, which is about 100 miles west-north-
west of Price's Creek, there is an anti-
clinal arch upon which is situated a hot
spring, with a temperature of about 110° F.,
yielding continuous bubbles of gas. It is
not yet certain that this is oil gas, but it is
certain that the anticlinal structures extend
throughout the whole of the area between
Price's Creek and Mount Wynne. Tests
are being made of this gas.
As regards the geological age of the strata
at Kimberley which have yielded traces of
oil and asphalt, Mr. Blatchford considers
.i(>2
Till' MINING MAGAZrNP:
that tlic\' are of Lower Carboniferous age,
that is, of an antiquity greater than that of
the coalfields of Newcastle, Irwin River,
the Collie, and so on, and probably at least
six times as old as tlie water-bearing strata
in the great artesian basin of Central
Australia. In tliis latter basin at Roma.
(Queensland, a considerable volume of natural
gas has been evident at intervals for many
years past. Mr. Henderson, the (iovernnient
Geologist of that State, has said that while
the bulk of the gas is methane, there is also
present some gas derived from petrol.
Mr. Cameron, the Assistant Government
Geologist there, has spent .some time in-
vestigating the cjuestion, and he is strongly
of the opinion that theri> is oil under Roma.
The gas, however, was ta])ped at a depth of
no less than 3,700 ft. below the surface,
and as artesian water in considerable
volumes was struck at a higher level, it was
found extremely difficult to materially reduce
the great pressure of water in this bore so as
to admit of the gas forcing its way to the
surface without hindrance. If oil really
exists in this region, and the pressure of the
gas is insufficient to lift a column of water
3,700 ft. high, it will be necessary to take
measures to seal off the artesian water in future
boring, so that the gas may be allowed to rise.
Expressed in terms of actual years, the
Roma deposit may date back to the order of
something like 50 millions of years ago,
while that of Kimberlcy would be at least
300 miUions, but the great antiquity of
this area does not preclude the possibility
of oil occurring in probably payable
quantities. In North America and Canada
large important oilfields are found in
rocks not only of the Lower Carboniferous
age like those of Kimberley, but in even
older rocks such as the Devonian, Silurian,
and Cambrian, while the indications at
Kimberley, both as regards the genuine
mineral quality of the oil and the structure
of the rocks containing it, appear to be
quite feasible.
To judge by the reports of Mr. Maitland
and his officers, the public may be cautioned
against assuming that necessarily there will
be a payable oilfield in that region. In
many parts of the world, for example in
New Zealand and Papua, even stronger
indications of oil have been known to exist
for some scores of years, and yet up to the
present all attempts to work these deposits
successfully have failed. In the case of
Papua there is no question that there exists
a continiialion eastwards of the great oil
belt, only ])erhaps about a tenth as old as
that of Kimberley, which runs from lUunia
through Sumatra, Java, Borneo, and Timor
to Dutch New Guinea and Papua. There
are numerous actual oil-bearing springs
and oil-gas wells in Papua, .\ccording to
Mr. Hlatchford's examination the Kimberley
icgion is far more settled in its sinictures
than that of Pa])ua and so should have the
advantage over the latter region.
The next step to the possible develojiment
of Kimberley should be an immediate
careful geological survey to locate at once
the most favourable anticlinal arches for
prospecting operations. Many oilfields have
been given a bad name through hasty
prospecting in wrong places. So soon as this
survey by comixtent geologists shows the
most favourable lines for boring, bores
should be put down, and a plant provided
capable of drilling to considerable depths.
If necessary, the boring should go to some
thousands of feet. The di.scovery at Kim-
berley, so far as is known, is the first
recorded occurrence of true mineral oils
in Australia, and while caution is needed,
the prospects from a geological point of view
appear to be distinctly encouraging. If
payable oil is struck there anywhere, it will
probably be found to extend over a con-
siderable area.
Further interesting and encouraging in-
formation regarding the prospects of
discovering mineral oil in the North-West is
contained in an interim report by the
Assistant Government Geologist (Mr. T.
Blatchford) on what is known as " Oakes's
Find " in North-East Kimberley, which
was laid on the table in the Legislative
Assembly on October 11 by the Minister for
Mines, Mr. J. Scaddan. After explaining
at the outset that Oakes's Find is situated
about half a mile up the Negri River from the
junction of that stream with the Ord River,
about 1-i- miles down stream from the spot
where the Ord River Sration-Wyndham
Road crosses the Negri, the report proceeds
to deal extensively with the geology of the
neighbourhood. Later, Mr. Blatchford
points out that the find was first brought to
departmental notice by Mr. Oakes forwarding
samples of glance pitch. That discovery,
says Mr. Blatchford, is certainly the most
definite surface indication of mineral oil
residue that has been found in West
Australia. There is every reason to believe,
he says, that the pitch has come in the form
DECEMBER, 1921
363
of mineral oil from unexposed underlying
beds, which has, by a process of inspissation,
left the pitch residual behind filling the
cavities in the rock through which it has
migrated. The question now is to ascertain
whether the oil still exists, by means of a
systematic survey.
TORONTO
November 9.
Porcupine. — The mine managers have for
some time been anxiously considering the
power situation, fearing a repetition of the
experience of last winter, when operations
were greatly curtailed owing to a shortage of
electric energy. These apprehensions have
been allayed, so far as the near future is con-
cerned, by the official announcement of the
Northern Canada Power Co. that they have
now sufficient water in storage to supply the
Porcupine mines with power until the end of
March. A big dam has been completed near
the head of the Mattagami River, which will
back up the water for about 30 miles, and
raise the level about 10 ft. While an ample
supply may thus be assured for present
requirements, it is realized that the existing
sources of supply are inadequate to meet the
greatly increased demands resulting from the
steady expansion of the gold-mining industry,
and that the projects of leading companies for
greatly increasing their output cannot be
carried out unless more power can be secured.
The question is now being closely considered
by the power company and the mining
interests concerned.
The Hollingcr Consolidated during October
treated 108,024 tons of ore, being an average
of 3,858 tons per day. The management
has planned the sinking of a six-compartment
shaft to a depth of approximately three-
quarters of a mile, considerably lower than
has hitherto been attempted in connexion
with Canadian gold mining. It is proposed to
increase the capacity of the mill to about
6,000 tons of ore daily by a change in the
grinding equipment, replacing the 200 stamps
now used with ball mills. The company is
now employing 1,970 men, and has upwards
of 100 machines in operation underground.
A statement covering the operations of the
Dome Mines for the si.x months ended
September 30, shows a total income of
$513,863. Deductions for taxes, deprecia-
tion of plant, and exhaustion of mine,
totalling §369,712, leave a profit of $144,151.
During September the tonnage handled was
over 1,000 tons daily, yielding approximately
$7 per ton. A large ore-body found on the
7th level yielding high-grade ore has been
proved by diamond-drilling to extend down-
wards for at least 150 ft., but owing to its
irregular shape its extent at depth is yet
uncertain.
Work has been resumed at the Davidson
with George E. Bent as manager. High-
grade ore has been encoimtered in driving on
the 600 ft. level. Diamond-drilling is in
progress to prove the main ore-body at depth
before proceeding with shaft-sinking and the
erection of a mill. At the Mclntyre some
difficulties have been experienced in the
treatment of the ore from the lower workings
owing to the occurrence of carbon in the ore.
Various experiments have been tried, and
it is now believed that a process of oil
flotation can be successfully adopted. The
Premier-Paymaster is now in operation. The
occurrence of a large ore-body has been
proved, which has been opened up on the
200 ft. level. The shaft will be put down
further. The Beaumont will explore the
property at depth bj^ diamond-drilling before
attempting further extensive development.
KiRKLAND Lake. — The output of the four
producing mines of this camp amounts
approximately to $5,000 daily, which is
hkcly to be largely increased next year when
additional mills will be working. The Lake
Shore during September produced $40,928
from the treatment of 1,622 tons of ore, the
average extraction being $25-23 per ton. A
dividend of 2%, the third disbursement
during the present year, has been declared.
The Tcck-Hughes is developing the rich ore-
body occurring on its fourth level, the down-
ward continuation of which has been
established. Development work towards
this body is being pushed on the lower levels.
An electrically driven mining plant is being
put in operation on the Sylvanite for sinking
a new thrcc-compartmcnt shaft. At the
Bidgood the main shaft is being put down to
the 400 ft. level to open up at that depth the
ore-bodies developed on the 300 ft. level.
The Kirkland Lake mine is treating upwards
of 4,000 tons per month, and development on
the 900 ft. level has placed a quantity of
high-grade ore in sight. The Granby-
Kirkland is showing up well under develop-
ment, 14 veins having been found, one of
them about 6 ft. wide carrying good gold
content. The shareholders of the Montreal-
Kirkland have decided to resume operations
and authorized the sale of 75,000 shares of
treasury stock to raise the necessary funds.
361
Tin: MlXIXf, MM.A/INI'.
Lardkr Laki:.— The past fmv weeks hayc
witncssed a great increase of activity in this
district. Hundreds of claims, wliich bad been
abandoned after the boom of twelve years
ago subsided, ha\-e been restaked, and pro-
spectors arc now eagerly searching any small
areas which may have been overlooked.
The Costello vein, a strong body of highly
silicilied basalt, varying from 15 to 00 ft. wide,
which has a known length of 1 mile and is
stated to carry gold in commercial quantities,
extends over several properties, and is being
opened up by the Canadian Associated
tioldiields and' the Crown Reserve. The
foniagas, of Cobalt, has entered the held,
and taken over 300 acres on option.
Cobalt. — The Nipissing during September
mined ore of an estimated net value of
$197,536, and shipped bullion from Nipissing
and custom ore of an estimated net value of
$164,405. The new vein found in August
has been driven on, and a section of 60 ft.,
3 in. wide, contains ore averaging 2,500 oz. to
the ton. During the first nine months of the
year the company produced approximately
2,022,000 oz. of silver, which is 15% less than
the output of last year for a corresponding
period. The decrease in value is about
a million dollars.
The gross earnings of the Bailey custom
mill in October were §14,363 from the
treatment of 4,787 tons of ore. The shaft
of the Victory is being sunk from the 300 ft.
level to a depth of 500 ft. A cobalt vein
showing some silver, 2 to 5 ft. in width, has
been encountered at the 185 ft. level, which
is to be tapped at the 500 ft. level. The Right
of Way Co. has been declared insolvent and is
being wound up. The Peterson Lake has
adopted a new scheme of financing by the
issue of silver certificates bearing 10";,
interest and redeemable in two years.
The company pledges its silver reserves as
security for the payment of the certificates
when due. It is hoped to raise $100,000 in
this way. The shaft on the Waldman
property of the O.xford-Cobalt is down 70 ft.,
at which point the vein is reported to be
strong, carrying considerable cobalt. The
annual statement of the Hudson Bay for the
year ended August 31 shows a loss of S20,347.
Work on the Chambers-Ferland mine has
been suspended.
West Shixing Tree. — There has latterly
been some renewal of activity in this area,
which is attracting a good deal of attention
as a field for investment. The Hollinger Con-
soHdated, of Porcupine, has taken over thirteen
claims on (iranilc Lake on option, and will
make a test of the property by diamond
drilling. A (juartz vein 14 ft. wide runs
across the group. An I'^nglish syndicate has
purchased outright the Kingston property,
comprising 120 acres, at a price stated to be
the largest ever jxrid for any propeity in the
district. The .Atlas will shortly be reopened
and the shaft put down to a depth of 300 ft.,
the necessary funds having been secured by
a sale of treasury stock. i\t the White Rock
a vein has been stripped for 600 ft., and a
shaft put down. On driving at the 05 ft.
level the vein was found to have widened
from 2 to 0 ft. and to carry ore averaging
$12 per ton.
VANCOUVER, B.C.
November 11.
TiiK ISkitannia Disaster. — Heavy rains
throughout nearly the whole of the southern
part of British Columbia between October 12
and 28 have done an immense amount of
damage to property and have completely
isolated the cities of Vancouver and Victoria
from communication with Eastern Canada.
In many places the rainfall for the 16 days
was in excess of 10 inches, while on the 28th
the fall in some places amounted to 3 inclies.
Disaster fell with a particularly heavy hand
at Britannia Beach on the night of October 28,
when at half-past nine part of the Britannia
Mining & Smelting Company's water-im-
pounding system collapsed, and a roaring
torrent of water swept down the mountain
and through the settlement, carrying houses,
trees, and everything in its path into Howe
Sound, and leaving a tangled mass of ruin
in its wake. Men, women, and children to
the number of not less than forty were either
crushed by the falling timbers of their homes
or carried into the Sound to be drowned.
For several days before the catastrophe the
company had kept a constant patrol on the
banks of the creek, to see that everything
was kept clear, but it appears that the
continuous rains had caused landslides in the
higher reaches of the creek, and these must
have formed an immense dam at some point,
which suddenly gave way, and the torrent of
water brought down an enormous quantity of
debris, breaking down some of the dams and
forcing the water out of others. Both of the
men that were patrolling the creek at the
time were drowned, evidently in an effort to
warn their fellow workmen and their families
in the settlement below. The first rush of
w^ater put the electric-lighting plant out of
DECEMBER, 1921
365
commission, and the darkness added to the
confusion.
This is the third serious calamity that has
befallen the Britannia Mining & Smelting
Company and its employees within the last
seven years. In the spring of 1915 an
avalanche of snow and earth slid down the
mountain side, demolished the boarding-
house and eight other buildings, collapsed the
aerial tramway, and killed 54 men who were
in the boarding-house at the time. Last
February fire destroyed the 2,500 ton mill,
which was the largest mill and the first
flotation plant to be erected in the Province.
On the day before the catastrophe
Britannia Beach was rejoicing over the
rescue of two miners, who had been trapped
by a cave in the 3,100 level, and who had
been rescued by the indomitable pluck and
energy of their fellow workmen, after con-
tinuous hard work in relays for eight days,
without taking time to support dangerous
ground. The rescued miners, who had been
without food all this time, were able to
walk out of the mine, and, after a meal and
a night's sleep, were little the worse for their
harrowing experience.
Cariboo. — What promises to be an im-
portant new placer-gold discovery has been
made recently at Cedar Creek, Quesnel Lake,
in the Cariboo district. The original dis-
coverers have cleaned up a considerable
quantity of gold by rocking, and the whole
creek has been staked in bench claims.
Unfortunately the wet weather set in before
the extent of the pay-streak could be
determined, none but the original discoverers
succeeding in reaching bedrock.
A. Sanders, who has been prospecting for
the mother-lode of the Cariboo placers for the
last three seasons, has made a promising
discovery on Proserpine mountain, near
Barkerville, consisting of a 30 ft. belt, which
on the surface is composed of oxide of iron
intercalated with numerous quartz veinlets.
At fairly shallow depths the oxide turns into
sulphide. The gold seems to be contained
in the oxide, rather than the quartz. Assays
of the oxide, which always gives a long
tail on panning, have ranged between S380
and §450 per ton. It is Hkely, of course, that
there has been a surface concentration, and it
is improbable that these values will be found
in the sulphide ore. A trial shipment is
being taken out, but, with the present con-
dition of the roads, it will be some time before
it can be sent to the smelter.
Sheep Creek. — There has been a marked
revival of gold mining in the Sheep Creek
district, some 35 miles from Nelson. The
Nugget Gold Mines, Ltd., which is operating
the Nugget and Mother Lode groups, restarted
early in the season, and, despite a stop of
some six weeks on account of a shortage of
water, has produced $60,000 worth of gold
up to date this year. There are seven veins
on the property, but only two, the Nugget
and the Mother Lode, have been developed
to any extent. These veins have been
developed to a depth of 1,000 ft., and the
company is about to start another tunnel,
which will cut the veins at 1,500 feet. The
mine is equipped with a ten-stamp mill,
pebble mill, and cyanide plant. No gold is
recovered by amalgamation. The plant is
operated by water power obtained from
Sheep Creek, which generally fails for a
month or six weeks during the heart of the
summer.
Oil Activities. — The California oil com-
panies appear suddenly to have reahzed that,
with the price of coal still ranging from |12 to
S13 per ton in Victoria and Vancouver, and
with the considerable shipping business that
takes place from these ports, there is a big
opportunity for the sale of oil. Recently the
Union Oil Co. bonded the British Columbia
Refineries property on Burrard Inlet, and
purchased the old Kirkpatrick shingle mill,
which is to be converted into a distributing
station. In all probability a modern refinery
will be built on the British Columbia
Refineries' property. Directors of the Shell
Oil Co. were in Victoria last week, negotiating
for a site on the old Songhees Indian reserve,
near the city. The Canadian Pacific com-
pany's new ocean liners, which are to be put
into commission next year, are oil-burners,
and those already in use are to be ronverted
into oil-burners : the Canadian Pacific
Railway's coastal boats also are being con-
verted into oil-burners ; add to this the
industrial and domestic demand, which is ever
growing, and it will be seen that it is likely
that there will be a good market for oil in
the coast cities of British Columbia.
The exploration for oil in the Canadian
North-west has been disappointing. Nothing
new has been found at Fort Norman, and the
original discovery well has not yet been
developed into a commercial producer. The
Imperial Oil Company, undaunted by failure
to date, is not only continuing the explora-
tions in the province of Alberta, and in the
North-west Territories, but has started geo-
logical reconnaissances in British Columbia,
366
Tin
MINIM, M\(;\/INI':
ami if tlicsc {;ivc piomisiii!^ results the groniul
will be tested by drills next year.
Probably one of the most favourable
indications that the Imperial company
has met up to now has been at Ponce Coupe.
There the company has been sinkini: since the
middle of the summer, and at a tle])lh of some
1,800 ft. struck a strong flow of " wet " gas,
estimated at about two million cubic feet
per daj'. Drilling was stopped and the boiler
was moved back, as it was feared that the
fire might ignite the gas. After this had been
done the drill was re-started, and had been
in operation only 15 minutes when a still
stronger flow of gas, estimated at eight
million cubic feet per day, was struck. This
gas is still blowing off as vigorously as when
first struck, and it is so " wet " that it has
the appearance of steam coming from the
21 in. bore. It is proposed to cap this gas,
and use it as fuel for drilling a number of
other holes. Pouce Coupe is situated far
more conveniently as regards transport than
many of the other places where the company
has been exploring. It is on the Pouce
Coupe River, a tributary of the Peace River,
and is only about 75 miles from a branch
line of the Canadian National railway system,
and already a survey has been made to
connect Pouce Coupe witli that system.
A large number of oil claims have been
staked near Terrace and Burns Lake, both
on the Grand Trunk Pacific railway, and both
places are to be tested by one or two drills
next year. Companies have been organized
and the drilling outfits purchased for this
work. The Provincial Government has
sunk two or three bores in the vicinity of
Hud.son's Hope, in the Peace River district,
but has obtained no results.
PERSONAL
Clyde Allan left last month for Nigeria.
Ernest Bottoms has left for Nigeria.
George Bottoms is expected from Nigeria.
Vicars W. Boyle has returned to Nigeria.
Sir John Cad man has been appointed chief
technical adviser to the Anglo-Persian Oil Company.
He is now in the United States.
G. W. Campion is here from West Africa.
A. B. Climas has left for the Ervedosa tin mines,
Portugal.
A. W. CoOKE is back from Alaska.
W. H. Cusworth has been appointed works
manager for Hadfields (Australia), Ltd., Sydney.
Dr.J. R. F.\LCONER is returning to Nigeria next
month.
R. J. Frecheville has moved his office from
Salisbury House to ,S, London Wall Buildings.
O. T. Gorton has returned to Portugal.
W . |. 1 IrMPllKllcs has led fur rrcslr.i. West
AlrH.i.'
11, K. lluESTON is expected from Nigeria.
C. K. JoBLiNG has left for West Africa.
S. J. Lett has left for Rhodesia and Zambesia.
W. J. I.ouiNC. was I'lectcd for a second year as
president of Die .'\merican Mining Congress.
Ross Macartney is here from Rhodesia.
B. Hope Nicolson has left for Nigeria.
I''. Douc.LAS Osborne has been elected chair-
man of the Gopcng, Tekka, and other Malayan
tin mining companies, in succession to the late
James Wickett.
R. W. Palmer, of the Geological Survey of
India, has been appointed lecturer in geology in
the Manchester University.
W. Pellew-Harvey has retuiiied from Australia
by way of Canada.
J. H. Rich is returning to Tronoh.
William Russell, of the Dorr ('o., is on a visit
to South Africa, and is not expected to return before
February.
R. R. Simpson has been appointed Chief Inspector
of Mines in India.
Dr. L. Dudley Stamp has resigned as demon-
strator in geology at King's College, London, and
is leaving for Burma to undertake geological
advisory work.
Dr. F. L. Stillwell has resigned as geologist
to the Bendigo .Amalgamated Goldfields, Ltd.,
and is now intending to visit South Africa, North
.America, and London.
Ralph S. G. Stokes has sailed for South Africa.
E. O. Teale is expected from Tanganyika
Territory.
R. .\rthur Thomas has been on a professional
visit to Upper Silesia.
A. Beeby Thompson has gone to Burma for the
.Anglo-Burma Oil Company.
W. E. Thorne has returned from Nigeria, and
has gone to California.
George H. Thurston is back from India.
E. R. Weidlein has been appointed director of
the Mellon Institute of Industrial Research,
Pittsburgh.
R. B. Wham has returned from Nigeria.
Alpheus F. Williams is here from South Africa
and i'^ going to the United States.
W. R. Wolton has left the Poderosa company,
and has joined the staff of the Corocoro copper
mines, Bolivia.
Arthur Blackman, a London solicitor, well-
known for his excellent work in connexion with
mining companies, died on December 3, after a
long illness.
F. E. .\rmstrong, professor of mining in the
University of Sheffield, died on October 28 at the
early age of 42. He had extensive experience in
coal-mining in this country, and also in Mexico
and British Columbia. Not qualifying for war
service, he volunteered for ambulance duty at the
front, and remained in France for three years.
Subsequently he returned to take control of the
labour section of the Coal Mines Department of
the Board of Trade.
E. Windsor Richards died on November 12 at
the age of 90. In early days he was connected
with the Tredegar Iron 'Works, and later became
chief engineer at the Ebbw Vale Steel Works.
From 1876 onwards he was general manager and
subsequently chairman of directors of Bolckow,
DECEMBER, 1921
367
Vaughan & Co., of Middlesbrough. His chief
service to metallurgy was the development of the
Gilchrist-Thomas basic liesscmcr process. He was
a past-president of the Iron and Steel Institute and
the Institution of Mechanical Engineers.
Henry Wilson Fox died in London last month,
aged 58. He was educated at Cambridge and was
called to the bar by Lincoln's Inn. Subsequently
he went to Johannesburg as a member of the staff
of the Consolidated Gold Fields. He assisted
John Hays Hammond in framing the Rhodesian
mining laws, and among ether and various activities
he was editor of the South African Alining Journal
and public prosecutor for Rhodesia. He returned
to England in IS97 and was later appointed manager
for the British South Africa Company, with which
he had ever since been connected.
TRADE PARAGRAPHS
The Westinghouse Electric International
Co., of New York and London, send us their
monthly magazine for December, and also circulars
relating to the wide applications of electricity.
The Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing
Co., of East Pittsburgh, U.S.A., send us their
Christmas number of Contact, a paper giving the
popular side of the firms' many manufactures.
Vanadium, Ltd., of 64, Victoria Street, West-
minster, agents in this country for the Vanadium
Corporation of America, have issued an illustrated
booklet giving particulars of the corporation's
mining and dressing plant in Peru.
Bells' United Asbestos Co., Ltd., of Southwark
Street, London, S.E. 1, send us their new catalogue
relating to their Poilite sheets and tiles. Poilite is
made of asbestos and portland cement, and is
extensively used in building construction where
freedom from fire risks is desirable.
Boving & Co., Ltd., of 56, Kingsway, London,
W.C. 2, announce that they have a complete new
set of lantern slides showing examples of modern
water-turbines and hydro-electric installations
suitable for lecture purposes. These shdes are
available for lending to institutes, technical
schools, etc.
Edgar Allen & Co., Ltd., of the Imperial Steel
Works, Sheffield, send us a copy of the Edgar Allen
News for December. This contains articles on
modern electric furnaces for heat treatment, and steel
castings for cement-making machinery, and on
certain points in connexion with the care and
treatment of drill steels.
.A double-acting two-stage air-compressor made
by the Atlas-Diesel Company, of Stockholm
(London office: 35, Surrey .Street, Strand), is
described and illustrated in Engineering for
November 11. This is said to be the largest air-
compressor ever made in Sweden. It was bnilt for
one of the iron-mining companies in Swedish
Lapland.
Daniel .Adamson & Co., Ltd., of Dukinfield,
near Manchester, send us their new catalogue
entitled " Cheap Power for Every Need." This
gives details of steam turbines, turbo-blowers,
turbo-pumps, turbo-generator sets, condensing
plant, Lancashire and Cornish boilers and boiler-
house plant, piping installations, chimneys, boiler
setting, and everything for traction, lighting, and
indu5trial supply.
HoLMAN Brothers, Ltd., of Camborne, have
won a notable success with their " C.H.2 " ciadle
hammer drill at the Van Ryn Deep. The results
are believed to constitute a world's stoping record.
The following are the details : Period, September 2
to October 1, 1921 ; number of machines, 3 :
working shifts, 26 ; machine shifts, 78 ; total
fathoms broken, 248 ; fathoms per machine shift,
3-18 ; stope width 69 inches.
H. R. Marsden, Ltd., of Leeds, were well
represented at the Public Works, Roads, and
Transport Exhibition held last month at the
Agricultural Hall, Islington, specializing in their
breakers intended for producing stone suitable for
roads. Their Blake-Marsden " X " type is a
breaker intended for heavy duty ; its desi.gn is
simple, the construction strong, the adjustment
easy, and it is economical of power. The jaws are
in two equal pairs, instantly reversible top to
bottom respectively, thus ensuring maximum
working life ; the main bearings are away from
the dust, the working parts are accurately machined,
and the frame is strengthened by ribs extending
round both sides and front. The Blake-Marsden
" Y " type is an eccentric-motion machine, and is
designed to combine strength, simplicity, and
efficiency. The jaws are arranged as in the " X "
type. "The pitman has special arrangements for
lubrication : the renewal of working parts is
simple ; and strengthening ribs extend all round
the frame.
METAL MARKETS
Copper. — The standard copper market in London
was steady during November, such price movements
as took place being comparatively small. Though
sentiment became slightly more optimistic on the
good American advices, little encouragement was
offered by the aspect of the position in this country,
where consuming demand continued unsatisfactory.
As already indicated, the market here was
dominated by the firmness in the United States,
where the cent price of electrolytic rose from
13 cents to 13.f cents during the month. The
.American revival is undoubtedly genuine ; domestic
demo.nd has broadened substantially, and this,
coupled with quite a good export business, is
responsible for the appreciable increase recently
recorded in sales. That sentiment has taken a
decidedly good turn in America is shown by the fact
that rumours have been current that some of the
mines now closed might shortly reopen. Il appears
unlikely, however, that such mines will resume
operations before the spring or summer of next
year. Producers in the United States, meanwhile,
have gained control of the market there, and values
are likely to be steady, if not firm, in the near
future. It might have been expected that values
of standard would advance in sympathy with
New York, but any possibility of a substantial
rise here was scotched by the firmer tendency
of the sterling exchange. .An event of note during
the month was the liquidation of the whole of the
British Government stocks of copper, amounting
to some 9,000 tons.
Average price of cash standard copper :
November, 1921, ^66 13s. 6d. ; October, 1921;
£67 8s. Id. ; November, 1920, /84 18s. 6d. ;
October, 1920, /;93 10s. Id.
Tin. — The tendency in the standard tin market
in London during the past month was distinctly
towards higher levels, and on balance values closed
at a substantial advance. Various factors assisted
:iC8
1111': MINING MACAZINK
Daily London Mktal Prichs : Official Closing
Copper, Lead, /inc, and Tin per I-on« Ton
Coppnii
St.ind.ud Cask
Standard (3 mos.)
Electrolytic
Wire Dars
Best Selected
Nov.
t *•
d.
i s.
d.
£ s. d. £ s.
d.
I ».
d. i s.
d.
£ 3. d. £
s.
d.
£ 5.
d.
£ J. d.
10
136 5
0
to 66 7
6
07 0 0 to 07 2
0
74 0
0 to 70 0
0
75 0 0 to 70
0
0
11
liO 10
u
to 06 12
6
07 5 0 to 07 7
0
74 0
0 to 70 0
0
75 0 0 to 76
0
0
07 10
0
to
00 10 0
14
67 0
0
to 67 2
6
07 15 0 to 07 17
0
75 0
0 to 77 0
0
76 0 0 to 77
0
0
—
—
15
(X) 15
0
to 06 17
n
07 12 0 to 07 15
0
75 0
0 to 77 0
0
76 0 0 to 77
0
0
68 0
0
to
70 0 0
in
66 i:j
6
to 6() I'l
0
67 12 6 to (>7 15
0
75 0
0 to 77 0
0
70 0 0 to 77
0
0
17
6U i>
0
to 06 2
0
67 0 0 to 07 2
6
71 10
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0 to 70
in
0
18
•X 10
0
to 66 12
0
67 7 (1 to 07 10
0
74 10
0 to 70 10
u
75 10 0 to 70
10
0
67 0
0
to
OU 0 0
21
66 7
6
to 60 10
0
07 7 0 to 67 10
0
74 10
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0 to 70
10
0
— -
—
22
66 12
G
to 66 15
0
07 12 0 to (i7 15
0
74 10
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0 10 70
!0
0
67 0
0
to
09 0 0
23
6« 15
0
to 06 17
6
07 12 0 to 07 15
0
75 0
0 to 7(i 10
0
76 0 0 to 70
la
0
—
—
24
06 12
6
to 66 15
0
07 15 0 to 07 17
6
75 10
0 to 77 0
0
76 10 0 to 77
70 10 0 to 77
0
0
. —
—
25
6(> 15
0
to 06 17
6
07 15 0 to 07 17
6
75 10
0 to 77 0
0
0
0
67 10
0
to
69 10 0
28'
67 7
6
to 67 10
r
OS 7 0 to OS 10
0
75 10
0 to 77 0
J)
70 10 0 to 77
0
0
—
—
29
67 10
0
to 07 12
0
08 10 0 to 68 12
6
75 10
0 to 77 10
0
70 10 0 to 77
10
0
68 10
0
to
70 10 0
30
Dec.
1
S7 0
0
to 67 2
6
68 0 0 to 68 2
6
75 10
0 to 77 10
0
70 10 0 to 77
10
0
—
—
67 2
0
to 67 5
0
68 n 0 to 08 2
0
75 10
0 to 77 10
0
70 10 0 to 77
10
0
to
2
67 0
0
to 07 2
0
87 17 6 to 68 0
0
75 0
0 to 77 0
0
76 0 0 to 77
0
0
68 0
0
to
7(1 0 u
5
07 2
B
to 67 5
0
08 0 0 to 68 2
6
75 0
0 to 77 0
0
70 0 0 to 77
0
0
to
ti
67 5
0
to 67 7
6
08 2 0 to OS 5
0
75 n
0 to 77 0
0
76 0 0 to 77
0
0
08 0
0
to
70 0 0
7
67 7
6
to 07 in
0
68 5 0 to t'8 7
0
75 0
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0 to 70
10
0
to
8
67 2
0
to 67 5
0
68 2 0 to 03 5
0
75 0
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0 to 70
10
0
—
to
— ■
0
66 15
0
to 66 17
0
07 15 0 to 67 17
0
75 0
0 to 70 10
0
75 10 0 to 70
10
0
67 10
0
to
60 10 U
to bring about the better tone. It had been felt
for some time past that the price of tin in London
was decidedly low, and that whatever adverse
elements the situation might contain were
sufficiently discounted in the depressed quotation.
With this state of opinion prevalent, the bad
statistical position was practically ignored, while
confidence was evident in an early establishment
of something approaching equilibrium between
supply and demand. This optimism was duly
justified, for the statistics published at the
beginning of December revealed an appreciable
decrease in visible supplies during the month
under review. Meanwliile. licmand from British
tinplate works continued fairly satisfactory, and
towards the end of the month America came in
as a buyer on a good scale despite the f.act that
the sterling exchange was moving unfavourably
for the United States. This would indicate the
extent of the present revival in the American
tinplate trade. There was a fair Contmental
demand during the month. Sales in the Straits
were on a good scale during the first two weeks or
so, but later — as is so often the case when the
London market looks like being in for a substantia)
rise — sellers there became more reserved. Batavia
and China sold practically nothing during the
month.
Average price of cash standard tin : November,
1921, /159 Os. 2d. ; October, 1921, /156 lOs. 4d. ;
Noveniber, 1920, /241 5s. 6d. ; October, 1920,
/258 Ss. 8d.
Lead.- — The London lead market was con-
sistently firm during the month. Holders appeared
to have the situation well under control, and with
arrivals of fresh metal restricted, values naturally
had a hardening tendency. There was a diminution
rather than an increase in the volume of English
consuming demand, but a fairly keen inquiry from
the Continent resulted at times in a very active
business on 'Change. At the present time there is
little doubt that Europe generally is suffering from
a shortage of supplies, and Germany — herself a
producer — is buying largely. There is very little
Spp.nish metal arriving at British ports, the bulk
of current shipments going to the Continent ;
and although some American lead has been coming
in, the quantities involved have been insufficient
to turn the scale. Prospects of any increase in
arrivals in the near future are poor ; for, although
it is understood that metal is afloat from Australia,
Burma, and Africa, the amount involved is not very
large. There is little doubt that so far as the English
consuming trades are concerned, lower prices are a
necessity ; and from this point of view every rise
in the price is to be regretted.
Average price of soft Dig lead : November, 1921,
^24 4s. lOd. ; October, 1921, /23 10s. 8d. ;
November, 1920, /32 5s. 6d. ; October, 1920,
f35 2s. Id.
Spelter. — Sentiment on the London spelter
market was rather changeable during November.
Tlie tendency of values at the beginning of the
month was somewhat easy, owing to fears of larger
shipments from Silesia on the transfer of the spelter
mines and works there from Germany to Poland,
while, furthermore, the fact that arrivals during
October were comparatively heavy was not without
its influence. During the middle of the month,
however, a steadier tone was evident, while, later,
sentiment became more optimistic and values rose,
a small advance on the month being registered.
On the whole, the situation during the inonth under
review experienced a little improvement. Demand
from English galvanizers continued fairly satis-
factory, and although there was perhaps no actual
shortage of supplies, holders at no time displayed
much eagerness to offer. As a matter o: fact, stocks
in the United Kingdom are still dwindling, which is
a good indication of the present ratio of demand
and supply. As has been the case for some time
past. Continental producers offered very little,
and it is fairly obvious that consumers there are
absorbing the bulk of the output. It is worthy of
note that the Belgian output is slowly broadening.
Nothing materialized during the month from the
scheme to resume operations at the Engli-sh smelters,
but it is possible that a restart may be made in the
DECEMBER, 1921
369
Prices on the London Metal Exchange.
Silver per Standard Ounce ; Gold per Fine Ounce.
Lead
Standard Tin
Silver
Zinc
Spelter)
Gold
Sort Foreign
EngUsh
Cash
3 mos.
Cash
For-
ward
I s.
d. I s.
_
d.
I s.d.
i ?•
d. £ 5.
d.
i s.
i. I s.
d.
C 5.
d. £ s.
d.
d.
d.
s. d.
Nov.
24 0
U to 23 12
6
25 0 0
25 7
6 to 26 5
0
156 7
6 to 150 10
0
158 12
6 to 158 13
0
39
385
104 2
10
24 2
6 to 23 13
0
25 0 0
25 12
6 to 26 10
0
158 0
0 to 158 5
0
160 0
0 to 160 3
0
38|
3si
38
104 6
11
24 2
G to 23 15
0
25 0 0
25 15
0 to 26 12
6
157 13
0 to 157 13
0
159 12
6 to 159 15
0
37J
104 5
14
24 7
(i to 23 17
6
25 5 0
25 17
6 to 20 12
6
157 7
0 to 157 10
0
159 7
6 to 159 10
0
388
372
103 9
15
24 7
0 to 23 17
6
23 5 0
25 17
6 to 26 12
6
157 15
0 to 158 0
0
159 15
0 to 100 0
0
3Sa
37h
103 6
16
24 5
0 to 23 15
0
25 5 0
25 17
0 to 20 10
0
139 5
0 to 139 10
0
161 5
0 to 101 10
fi
383
383
102 8
17
24 5
U to 23 15
0
25 5 0
25 17
6 to 26 10
0
13S 15
0 to 159 0
0
100 13
0 to 101 0
0
39
385
103 0
18
24 10
0 to 24 0
0
25 10 0
25 13
0 to 26 7
6
160 12
6 to 160 15
0
162 10
0 to 162 15
0
39.1
385
102 11
21
24 15
0to24 5
0
25 15 0
23 17
6 to 20 10
0
161 10
0 to 101 15
0
103 5
0 to 103 10
0
38
37}
103 3
22
25 5
0 to 24 12
6
26 5 0
2G 17
6 to 26 10
0
160 10
0 to 160 15
0
162 5
0 to 162 10
0
381
3SJ
J02U
23
25 2
6 to 24 10
0
20 5 0
26 5
0 to 26 15
0
100 10
0 to 160 15
0
102 10
0 to 162 13
0
381
375
102 11
24
23 10
6 to 24 15
0
26 15 0
26 5
0 to 20 15
0
101 10
0 to 101 15
0
163 10
0 to 103 15
0
37S
372
102 11
25
25 17
0 to 25 5
0
27 0 0
26 7
0 to 20 17
0
163 10
0 to 163 12
0
135 5
a to 105 10
0
37S
37Z
103 0
28
26 0
0 to 25 5
0
27 0 0
26 7
6 to 20 15
0
103 5
0 to 163 10
0
165 0
0 to 105 5
0
37i
37^
103 2
29
2S 0
0 to 25 3
0
27 0 0
26 7
6 to 26 17
6
162 10
0 to 162 15
0
164 10
0 to 164 15
0
37i
37i
102 11
80
Dec.
1
26 0
0 to 25 3
0
27 0 0
25 10
0to27 0
0
163 3
0 to 163 7
6
165 2
6 to 163 7
6
373
37J
102 7
25 5
0 to 24 12
6
26 10 0
28 5
0 to 26 15
0
164 12
6 to 164 17
6
16(i 5
0 to 166 10
0
37i
37}
101 3
2
25 7
fi to 24 10
0
26 10 0
26 5
0to20 15
0 i 167 0
0 to 187 2
6
!08 15
0 to 108 17
0
368
363
101 8
5
25 7
0 to 24 12
6
26 10 0
26 2
6 to 20 15
0
167 17
0 to 168 0
0
100 10
0 to 169 12
0
30a
361
101 2
0
25 12
6 to 24 13
0
20 15 0
26 5
0 to 26 17
6
167 5
0 to 167 10
0
ion 0
0 to 109 5
0
301
36
100 0
7
25 10
Oto24 15
0
26 15 0
26 7
6 to 26 17
6
166 0
0 to 166 5
0
168 0
0 to 168 5
0
34?,
34i
10011
8
25 10
0 to 24 15
0
2C 15 0
23 10
0 to 26 17
6
IfiS 2
6tol6S 5
0
109 13
0 to 170 0
0
34a
34J
100 3
9
near future. Meanwhile, the big Risdon plant in
Australasia has commenced production. The
market in America was firm during the first part of
the month, but later on fell away somewhat. In
view of the advance in sterling, this brings the
possibility of American offerings to this country
appreciably nearer.
Average price of spelter: November, 1921,
/26 43." lOd. ; October, 1921, t26 10s. 7d. ;
November, 1920, /35 Us. 7d. ; October, 1920,
;£40 5s. 6d.
Zinc Dust. — Prices are steady ; Australian
high-grade /50, American 92 to 94% /47 IDs., and
English 92 to 94°^ £45 per ton.
Antimony. — Quotations are a little easier as
follows : English regulus ordinary brands ^^34 to
£37, special brands £'35 5s. to £39, and. 98 to 99%
/25 to £28. Foreign ma.terial is quiet at £22 to
£14 IO3. for spot.
Arsenic. — The price of Cornish white, 99%,
is well maintained at £42 lOs., delivered London.
Foreign material is cheaper.
Bismuth. — Holders continue to quote Vs. 6d.
per lb.
ft' Cadmium. — Business is a little better at the
unchanged price of Be. per lb.
Aluminium. — Home producers still ask £120
for home and {125 for export business ; foreign
metal can be had at £95 f.o.b. Continent.
Nickel. — Domestic makers ask £185 for both
home and export business ; foreign material,
however, is offering at about £175.
Cobalt Metal. — The market is quiet, with the
price at 14s. per lb.
Cobalt Oxide — Values are unaltered at IO3. 9d.
for black oxide and !2s. per lb. for grey.
Platinum and Palladium. — The market is
steady ; manufactured platinum £19 lOs. per oz.,
raw £18 ; manufactured palladium £19 IO3., raw
£13 to £14.
Quicksilver. — Towards the end of November
the leading interests advanced their price. The
present quotation for second-hand material is
about £10 7s. 6d. per bottle.
Selenium. — The price of powder is 9s. 6d. per lb .
Tellurium. — Sellers quote 70s. to 80s. per lb.
Sulphate of Copper. — The price is easier at
£27 to £28 for both home and export business.
Mang.\nese Ore. — Business is quiet, the
quotation being Is. 2d. per unit c.i.f.
Tungsten Ore. — A weak market at around 12s.
c.i.f. for 65% WO3.
Molybdenite. — Values have weakened and
sellers of 85% would now accept 30s. to 32s. 6d. c.i.f.
Chrome Ores. — Business is quiet and the
quotation nominal at £4 to £4 5s. c.i.f.
Silver. — The price of spot bars on November 1
was 40Jd. Some support from China was seen,
and the quotation rose to 40^d. on the 2nd.
Subsequently the price fluctuated within narrow
limits, falling to 38Jd. on the 12th. A rise then took
place, and on the 19th and 21st 39Jd. was quoted.
By the 26th, however, the price was down again to
37|d., owing to absence of support. On the .30th
the closing quotation was 37id.
Graphite. — Sellers now ask £20 to £23 c.i.f.
for Madagascar 80 to 90%. Business is quiet.
Iron and Steel. — It was expected that further
reductions in pig iron quotations would be delayed
until ne.xt month, so that when it was announced at
the end of November that pig iron would be cheaper,
a certain amount of surprise was evident. No. 3
Cleveland G.iM.B. is now £5 a ton, representing a
fall from £11 5s. at the beginning of the year.
Business, however, has been slow, and it remains
to be seen whether buyers will be sufficiently
attracted to place substantial orders. Hematite
has been weak owing to the competition among
makers to find buyers of their products as they are
made, rather than have to put iron into stock.
Italy has bought a little, while South Wales has also
been a purchaser. East Coast mi.xed numbers are
flat at 107s. 6d. to 110s. As regards finished
material, a little more business has been coming
in, but works are still only partly employed.
Continental business is waning, owing to increasing
difficulties in procuring supplies, except for far
forward dates, from that side.
370
MININT, MAl.A/lNI'.
STATISTICS
I'RODVCIION or GOID IN iim
Tkansvaai..
i Rand
Ehc-
wliere
Total Trice ol
Ol.
Ol.
Or. Gold per on.
October. 1920
November
becciubcr
645,819
618,525
C17,.M9
16.653
15,212
14,060
s. ri.
662,472 117 6
f 33,737 117 6
632,215 115 0
Total, 1920 7,949,038
Jonuory, 1921 ..•: 637,425
Febniary , 543,707
March 650,572
April 005,309
Mav 671,7.W
Jmie.... 063,383
luly 073,475
AiiRust 095,230
September 674,157
October OiU 1,348
204,587 ;8,15S,025
—
14,108
051.593
105 0
14,370
588,137
103 9
14,551
071,123
103 9
16,073
081,882
1C3 9
10,020
687,770
103 9
15,107
078,490
107 0
10.080
089,555
112 6
10,290
711,520
HI 0
10.939
691,000
110 0
17,477
707,825
103 0
Natives Employed in the Transvaal Mines.
1 Gold Coal
mines mines
Diamond
mines
Total
October 31, 1020 ... . 159,420
November 30 158.773
December 31 159,671
13,858
14,245
14,263
4,214 177,498
3,5C4 176,522
3,840 177,274
January 31, 1921 ... 165,287
February 28 171,518
March 31 ' 174,364
14,541
14,097
14,900
2,319 18,3,147
1,612 187,827
1,364 190,634
Anril 30 172.826
14,008 1,316 1 180,050
May 31 170.595
June 30 108.152
lulv 31 100,009
14,510
14,704
14,688
14,440
14,244
13,936
1,302
1,317
1,246
1,207
1,219
1,223
180,407
184,173
182,933
August 31 100,008
184,601
September 30 , 171,912
October 31 1 175,331
187,375
190,490
COST AND Profit on the Rand.
Compiled from official statistics published by the
Chamber of Mines.
Transvaal
Work'g I Work'g Total
Yield cost profit- ! working
per ton per ton per ton ' profit
1 s. d.
October, 1020 1,871,140 1 39 9
November . . . 1,799,710 40 2
December ... 1.797,970 39 11
January, 1921 1,895,235 i
February 1,. ^75,320
March 1,95.8,730
April 1,901.815
May 1.955.357
June I 1,960,349
July 1 2,010,230
August I 2,050,722
September ...! 1,997,080
35 0
35 6
34 5
34 5
35 3
35 10
37 2
37 3
30 8
s. d.
20 1
26 3
20 8
20 3
28 6
26 1
25 10
26 2
25 10
25 7
25 4
25 2
s. d.
13 8
13 1
13 3
{.
1,278,385
1,255,749
1,193,672
8
9
829,430
7
n
550,974
R
4
813,636
8
7
854,533
9
1
889,520
10
(1
979,769
11
7
1,163,505
11
11
1,226,282
11
6
1,151,127
Production of Gold in Rhodesia.
1919
1920
1921
January . . .
February . .
March — .
April
May
Jime
July
August . . . .
September .
October ...
November .
December .
Total .
£
211,017
22n,as5
225,808
213,160
218,057
214,215
214,919
207,339
223,719
204,184
186,462
158,835
oz.
43,428
44,237
45,779
47,000
46,266
45,054
4fi,2(«
48,740
45,471
47,343
40,782
46,190
2,499,498
552,498
oz.
46,9.56
40,810
31,995
47,858
48,744
49,406
51,564
.53,200
52,430
53,424
Transvaal Goid Outphs.
I SrptcniluT ]
October
Aurora West
Drakpan
City Deep
Cons. Lanelaayte
Cons. Main Kecf
Crown Mines
D'rb'nKoodcpoortDcep
F.ist Kand P..\l
Fcrreira Deep
Geduld
Geldenhuis Deep
Glynn's I.ydcnburg ...
Goch
Government C.M. Areas
Kleinfontein
Knight Central
Langlaa^te Estate ,
Lnipaard's Vlei ....
Mcyrr vS; Charlton . .
Mo;ldcrfontein, New
Moddcrfontcin H . .
Mudderfontein Deep
Mo<idcrfontcin East.
New llnified
Nouiise
Primrose
Randfontein Central
Robinson
Kobinson Deep ....
Roodepoort United
Rose Deep
Simmer & Jack I
Springs
Sub Nigel
Transvaal G.M. Estates.
Van Ryn
Van Ryn Deep
Village Deep
West Rand Consolidated
Witw'tersr'nd (Knights)
Witwatersrand Deep . .
Wolhuter
rrcated
Yield
Treated
Yield
Tons \
Oi.
Tons
Oi.
10,800
i:i0,145t
10,130
£13,872«
57.500
22,113
58,(KI0
22,435
80,000
30,729
90,000
87,097
44,000
£72,037t
45,100
jC08,0'J9»
50,000
17,719
50,000
17,038
193,000
58,984
198,000
59,831
24,350
0,502
27,000
0,OIKI
124,000
33,052
127,000
38,270
32,200
10,206
32,500
10,070
45,(«0
16,185
46,500
17,282
49,520
12,680
47,321
12,591
8,075
<:7,102§
4,003
£8,000!
17,100
£20,280t
17,200
£ly,544«
140,000
£318,700t
140,000
£3(J9,n87«
49,700
13,017
51,000
13,912
28,000
6,761
2S.50O
6,572
41,000
j(;68,012t
43,600
£60,1 UO*
22,200
£27,020t
^42,1 sot
21,100
£23,80(i*
13,200
14,5M
£43,133*
101,000
46,994
107,000
40,278
59,000
30,730
59,(X)0
• 30,061
43,000
23,355
43,300
24,110
25,(HI0
9,791
27,000
9,724
10,900
fl3,9.58t
11,200
£13,488*
41,200
15,002
44,500
14,767
20,700
f25,715t
21, two
£23,326*
130,000
£202,792t
118,500
£180,830*
40,000
7,701
40,200
7,989
03,000
18,480
61,3C0
19,167
22,000
iC23,188t
20,500
£20,(;03*
54,000
13.076
57,700
13,977
55,200
13,298
60,000
13,941
30,250
16,075
41,400
17,507
10,200
5,513
10,200
5,810
1.5,445
£27,9981
16,040
£27,C59t
31,030
£50,287t
33,300
£47,9911'
40,400
£144,960t
53,400
£151.944*
48,100
15,308
53,200
10.750
32.000
;£48,092t
34,100
£40,974*
40,000
£56,758t
40,500
£52,200*
33,630
9,717
33,170
9,785
32,200
7,939
33,200
8,005
• Gold at £5 3s. per oz. t £5 10s. per oz. t £5 Is. Od. per oz.
f £5 8s. 3d. per oz.
Rhodesian Gold Outputs.
Cam & Motor
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phoenix
Jumbo
London & Rhodesian . .
Lonely Reef
Planet-Arcturus
Rezende
Rhodesia G.M. & I. . .
Shamva
Transvaal & Rhodesian
September.
Tons
Oz.
13,900
15,419
4,098
0,013
1,300
2,473
4,950
5,700
5,700
270
55,300
1,620
£24,50n
2,672*
1,373
6,304
504
£3,054
4,418
2,611
2,607
305
£42,945t
£4,981t
Oz.
13,000
4,823
15,890
2,92.511
4,181
1,400
0,241
6,061
1,6,50
505
3,554
£4,135
5,100
4,010
6,010
2,530
5,800
2,761
310
316
56,600
£42,129§
* Also 255 tons copper. t At
§ Gold at £5 25. Od. per oz
par. II Also 275 tons copper.
t Gold at £5 5s. per oz.
West African Gold Outputs.
September
Tons
Abbontiakoon ! 6,825
Abosso : 6,397
Ashanti Goldfields j 7,685
Obbuassi I 095
Prestea Block A I 8,122
Taquah 3,300
482,459
• At par. t Including premium.
DECEMBER, 1921
371
West Australian Gold Statistics. — Par Values.
, Reported
for Export
Oz.
Delivered
to Mint
Oz.
ToUl
Oz.
Par
Value £
February. 1921
March
April
May
684
10
607
474
153
1,641
110
380
1,010
156
26,872
47,875
46,602
47,638
28,194
44,917
61,731
50,728
51,286
46.429
27,556
47,885
47,209
51,503
28,347
46,558
51,841
51,108
53,196
46,585
117,050
203,401
200,635
217,495
120,410
July
197,774
220,205
September
217,092
225,959
November
197,879
Australian Gold
Outputs.
West
AustrJilia
Victoria
Queensland
New South
Wales
1921
oz.
oz.
oz.
I
January .
51,458
4,587
4,582
20,463
February.
27,557
10,940
9,046
21,575
March . . .
47,880
12,383
6,690
24,344
April
47,273
5,954
2,591
34,101
May
48,113
10,280
2,077
15,356
June
28,347
10,431
1,602
11,640
July
4(5,558
6,528
1,531
16,416
August. . .
51,842
8.941
1,413
15,946
September
—
—
—
16,942
October .
—
—
—
—
November
—
—
—
—
December
—
—
—
—
Total..
349,034
69,047
29„532
176,983
Australasian Gold Outputs.
September
Oct
;ber
Tons
Value £
Tons
Value {.
Associated G.M. (W.A.)
5,789
7,51211
6,176
7, 58811
Blackwater (N.Z.)
3,159
6,372'
3,262
6,549*
Gold'n Horseshoe (W.A)
10,128
5,325}
10,194
6,376{
Grt Boulder Pro. (W.A.)
8,312
27,01411
9,333
32,6651!
Ivanhoe (W.A.)
14,804
6,041t
15,031
6,030t
KalgurU (W.A.)
—
2,2076
—
— ^
Lake View & Star (W.A.)
6,550
12,229tll
5,339
13.27211
Mount Boppy (N.S.W.)
—
Oroya Links (W.A.) . .
1,541
7,61Sti:
1,415
7,521t|l
South KalgurU (W.A.)
7.610
13,53211
7.542
13,95411
Waihi(N.Z.)
4,236
1 3,540t
1 35,144§
13,560 \
3,752i
19,S38S
„ Grand Junc'n (N.Z.)
6,280
1 4,321§
5,910 1
l,494t
4,1SS§
Yuanmi (W.A.)
6,393
18,757'd
' Including premium ; t Including royalties ; t Oz. gold (
§ Oz. silver ; || At par. b Profit, d Four months.
Miscellaneous Gold and Silver Outputs.
September
October
Tons
Value £
Tons
Value f,
Brit. Plat. & Gold (C'lbia)
283P
imp
El Oro (Me.\ico)
34,250
2Cl,000t
33,250
118,000t
Hsperanza (Mexico)
438e
l,584e
Frontino & Bolivia (C'lbia)
1,780
7,536*
1.950
8,002*
Keeley Silver (Canada) . .
— .
—
102,000s
Mexico El Oro (Mexico) . .
—
—
—
Mining Corp. of Canada .
—
148,892s
—
Oriental Cons. ( Korea) . . .
19,398
83,775t
92,870t
Ouro Preto (Brazil)
6,500
2,37511
7.100
2,350
Plym'th Cons. (Calif'mia
8,5CX)
10,082*
8.500
8,600*
St. John del Rey (Brazil).
—
39,.500*
—
43,500*
Santa Gertnidis (Mexico)
29,817
17,009t
29,927
13,161t
1 omboy (Colorado)
18,000
73,C00T
18,000
78.500t
• At par. t U.S. Dollars. J Profit, gold and silver. ]! Oz. gold.
P Oz. platinum and gold. s Oz. silver. e Profit in dollars.
Pato (Colombia): :J2 days to November 12, $10,6% from 128,251
cu. yd.
Nechi (Colombia) : 31 days to November 14, 519,727 from
28U,111 cu. yd.
Indian Gold Outputs.
Balaghat
Champion Reef . .
Mysore
North Anantapur
Nundydroog . . . ,
Ooregum
September
October
Tons
Fine
Tons
Fine
Treated
Ounces
Treated
Ounces
3,200
2,563
3,300
2,371
11,050
4,848
11,766
4.869
17,417
10,531
17,512
10.504
700
898
500
602
8,771
5,318
9,011
5,344
12,900
8,484
12,900
8,496
Production of Gold in India.
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
Oz.
January
44,718
41,420
38,184
39,073
34,028
February . . .
42,500
40,787
36,384
38,872
32„529
March
44,617
41,719
38,317
38,760
32.576
April
43,726
41,504
38,248
37,307
32.363
May
42,001
40,889
38,008
38,191
32,6.56
June
42,924
41.264
38,359
37,864
32.207
July
42,273
40,229
38,549
37,129
32,278
August
42,591
40,496
37,850
37,375
32,498
September . .
43,207
40,088
36,813
35,497
32,042
October
43,041
39,472
37,138
35,023
32,186
November . .
42,915
36,984
39.628
34,522
—
December . .
44,883
40.149
42,643
34,919
—
Total ..
.520,362
485,236
461,171
444,532
325.973
Base Metal Outputs.
Sept. October
Broken Hill Prop.
Burma Corporation.
f Tons lead cone. .
I Tons zinc cone. . .
Broken Hill South . . . .Tons lead cone. . . .
I Tons refined lead
1 Oz. refined silver
( Tons copper ....
Mount I.yell - Oz. silver
{ Oz. gold
iLT it, r> 1 TT-n ' Tons lead cone. . . .
North Broken Hill , ^ons zinc cone. . .
Pilbara Tons copper ore ....
Rhodesia Broken Hill Tons lead
c. 1 v-j ^ ,■ I Tons lead cone, .
Sulphide Corporation . . -j ^^^^ ^.^^ ^^„^ _ _
Tanganyika Tons copper
™. ^ .■ [ Tons zinc cone. . .
Zmc Corporation | .^^^^ ,^^j ^^^^ _
1,117
1,312
4,322
5,798
2,949
3,627
2,534
3,198
294,102
401,300
602
610
20.152
17,519
412
382
1.200
1,240
1,360
1.340
75
5S
1,J31
1.320
1,922
1.84G
3,230
3.085
2,783
2.807
9,400
9.000
902
791
Imports of Ores, Metals, etc., into United Kingdom.
I September October
Iron Ore Tons
Manganese Ore Tons
Iron and Steel Tons
Copper and Iron Pyrites Tons
Copper Ore, Matte, and Prec Tons
Copper Metal Tons
Tin Concentrate Tons
Tin Metal Tons
Lead, Pig and Sheet - Tons
Zinc (Spelter) .Tens
Quicksilver Lb.
Zinc Oxide Tons
White Lead Cwt.
Barytes, ground Cwt.
Phosphate Tons
Mica Tons
Sulphur f Tons
Nitrate of Soda Cwt. .
Petroleum : Crude Gallons;
Lamp Oil Gallons
Motor Spirit Gallons;
Lubricating Oil Gallons
Gas Oil Gallons
Fuel Oil Gallons,
Paraffin Wax Cwt. .[
Turpentine Cwt. .
89.379
140,508
3.731
3,164
206,127
172.769
19,520
21.030
8,515
3,257
5,700
6.869
2,320
1,524
1,974
3.735
11,9,54
0,225
4,480
11,078
7,800
10,202
474
358
4,344
6,369
32,892
34.228
42,249
29.256
96
91
. —
497
57,411
148,138
11,160,374
15,432,610
8,668,040
8,558,514
20,024,380
21,049,631
1,239,582
5,351.509
7,530,440
5,269,963
46,421,748
54,178.363
37,550
62,269
1.5,038
58,886
372
Till-: MINlNf. MAGAZINE
OuTi-UTS or Tin Miniso Compakius.
In Toil! ol Coiicciilralc.
Production op Tin
l;sli[iMt«l at 70% of
Nigeria :
Aswciated Nigerian
Bisichi
Bongwclli
Ch»iin>ion (Nigeria)
Dua
Ex-Lands
Filani
Gold Coast Consolidated . . .
Gurtim Klvcr
Jantar
Jos
Kaduna
Kadiina Prospectors
Kano
Ketli ConsolidatiKl
Lower I^i^icbi
Lucky Chance
Minna
Mongu
Naraf uta
Naraguta Kxtended
Nigerian Consolidated
N.N. nauchi
Offin Kiver
Rayfleld
Ropp
Rukuba
South iiukeru
Sybu
Tin 1-ieIds
Yarde Kerri
Federated Malay States :
Chenderiang
Gopeng
Idris Hydraulic
Ipoh
KamuQtiog
Kinla
Lahat
Malayan Tin
Pahang
Kambiitan
Sunyei Besi
1 ekka
Tekka-Taiping
Tronoh
Other Countries :
Aramayo Mines (Bolivia). . . .
Berenguela (Bolivia)
Briseis (Tasmania)
Deebook Konpibon (Siam) . .
Leeuwpoort (Transvaal) — .
Macreedy (Swaziland)
Renong (Siam)
Rnoiberg Minerals{ Transvaal)
Siamese Tin (Siam)
Tongkah Harbour (Siam)
Zaaiplaats (Transvaal) . .
August
Tons
30
23
13
6
73
45
GO
24
9
82J
26
128
11
7
89
191
195
35?
43;
83J
216'
15
48
37
36
174
28
10
21J
111
.50
121
113
Sept.
Tons
40
30
ei
3
12
17J
12J
21
51
475
50
25
83]
24
165
5
13
14
7
75*
39
20J
IS
74«
355
47;
77i
220
151
48'
39
30
17
200
32
13
30
93*
905
50
1021
84
Oct.
Tons
45
61
2
11
8
19
13J
20
8i
00
50
25
6i
55
20
133
1
11
15
7
92
ISl
25J
415
53i
77i
211
18
48
39
23
15
220
29
20
30
841
119
GO
Three months.
Nigerian Tin Production.
In long tons of concentrate of unspecified content.
Kote.—Tktse fii^ures are takm from the moiiMy returr.s made hy
individual companies reporling in London, and probably represent
85% o/ the actual outputs.
1916"
1917
1918
1919
1920
1921
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tons
Tods
January
531
667
67S
613
647
438
528
646
668
623
477
370
March
547
655
707
6nfi
505
445
April
486
555
5S4
546
467
394
May
536
509
625
4S3
383
337
510
506
498
473
479
551
492
545
.571
484
481
616
435
484
447
423
lulv
494
477
535
538
521)
561
.628
595
October
584
578
491
625
62o
546
November ....
679
621
472
536
544
—
December
654
655
518
511
577
—
Total
6,594
6,927
6,771
0,685
6,022
4,499
■ I 1017
Tons
January 3,558
1-ebrnary 2.755
March 3.280
April 3,251
May ! 3,413
June 3,489
July S,2,'-)3
August ' 3,413
September 3,154
October 3,430
November I 3,300
December 3,525
i 39,833
IN FnonRATBO Malav Statks.
Concentrate shipped to Smellers
Long 'Ions.
1920 1921
1918
37,370
1019
Tons
Tons
8.030
3,765
8,197
2.734
2,609
2,819
3,308
2,858
8,332
8,407
3,070
2,877
3,373
3,7!)fi
8,2.59
2,956
3,157
3,161
2,870
8,221
3,132
2,972
3,022
2,409
36,935
Tons
4,265
8,014
2,770
2,600
2,741
2,940
2,824
2,786
2,784
2,837
2,573
2,838
34,928
Tons
8,298
8,111
2,190
2,602
2,884
2,752
2,734
3,051
2,338
3,161
28,211
Stocks of Tin.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co.
Long Tons.
Straits and Australian Spot ...
Ditto, handing and in Transit
Other Standard, Spot and Landing
Straits. Afloat
Australian. Afloat
Banca, in Holland
Ditto, Afloat
Billiton, Spot
BiUiton, Afloat
Straits, Spot in Holland and
Hamburg
Ditto, Afloat to Continent . . .
Total Afloat for United States
Stock in America
Total ■ 20.777
Sept. 30
1,748
510
4,226
2,000
190
3,934
954
241
130
425
4,663
1,756
Oct. 31
2,168
968
5,194
1,655
175
3,916
1,250
126
63
840
4,497
2,041
22,891
Nov. 30
2,112
483
5,948
1,060
70
4,360
2611
121
31
900
4,(i71
1,316
22,247
Shipments, Imports, Supply, and Consumption op Ti.n.
Reported by A. Strauss & Co. Long tons.
Sept.
Oct.
Nov.
ShiDments from :
Straits to U.K.
1,870
a,ix)o
430
615
25
390
324
1,675
2,075
775
475
50
210
1,275
1,395
1,985
685
Straits to other places
Australia to U.K
250
150
800
Imports of Bolivian Tin into
Europe
977
Supply :
5,300
25
100
1,085
811
4,525
50
63
1,975
290
4,005
150
31
1,233
Standard
559
Total
7,321
6.903
6,o;is
Consumption:
1,707
329
2,605
9M
1,808
255
2,280
446
2,330
427
American ,,
Straits, Banca & Billiton, Con-
3 250
675
Total
.'■,,581
4,8?9
6.682
DECEMBER, l92l
373
Outputs Reported by Oil-producing Companies.
Tons..
August
Sept.
Oct.
Aoglo-EgyptiaQ
14,324
13,451
12,865
AagJo-Uaited
Barrels
9,550
9,500
10.500
Apex Trinidad
. ..Barrels
94,398
48,305
9,100
Astra Romana
Tons..
27,013
—
— •
British Bumiah
Barrels
81,40'i
74,940
70.412
Caltex
Tons. .
13,340
305
12,630
278
13,032
Dacia Romaaa
Tons .
250
Kem River
. . . . Barrels
96,001
97,118
106,790
....Tons. .
9,169
?,.')88
8,(31
2,276
8,911
Roumanian Consol . . . .
Tons. .
2,222
Santa Maria
Tons..
1,286
—
1,357
Steaua Romana
Tons..
23,760
19,485
19,331
Trinidad Leaseholds . .
Tons..
11,800
10,950
11,900
United of Trinidad ...
Tons..
4,291
5,700
6,215
Quotations of Oil Companies* Shares.
DenominatioQ of Shares f^i unless otherwise noted.
Anglo-American
Anglo- Egyptian B
Anglo-Persiau 1st Pref. . . .
Apex Trinidad
British Borneo (lOs.)
British Bumiah (8s.)
Burmah Oil
Caltex ($1)
Dacia Romano
Kem River, Cal. (lOs.)
Lobitos, Peru
Mexican Eagle, Ord. ($5) .
Pref. ($5)
North Caucasian (10s.) . . . .
Phoenix, Roumania
Roumanian ConsoUdated . .
Royal Dutch (100 gulden)
ScottL'^h American
Shell Transport, Ord
„ Pref. (£10)
Trinidad Central
Trinidad Leaseholds
United British of Trinidad
Ural Caspi<in
Uroz Oilfields (IDs.) ,
Nov. 7
Dec. e
,
1921
1921
£ s.
d.
£ s.
d.
4 16
»
5 5
0
1 2
fi
1 10
0
1 1
9
1 3
0
1 12
«
2 0
0
6
6
11
3
1 0
0
16
3
5 15
(1
5 15
0
3
0
3
0
13
9
15
0
1 1
3
19
6
3 15
(1
4 10
0
3 7
6
4 1
3
3 2
(i
3 18
9
11
3
12
6
7
3
6
6
6
9
8
0
36 10
(1
36 0
0
2
0
2
0
4 12
n
4 15
3
8 2
fi
8 5
0
2 12
H
3 7
6
1 12
fi
1 10
3
12
6
15
1)
8
1)
It
3
6
0
7
0
Dividends Declared by Mining Companies.
Date
Nov. 15 .
Nov. IG .
Nov. 19 .
Nov. 21 .
Nov. 21
Nov. 23
Nov. 23
Nov. 24
Nov. 30
Dec. 5
Dec. 6
Dec. 9
Dec. y
Dec. y
Company
New Heriot
Great Boulder ......
Siamese Tin
Pengkalen
Tekka-Taiping
Cassel Cyanide
Pahang Consolidated
Ashanti Goldfields . .
Central Mining ....
Ivanhoe Gold
Shell Transport ....
Sulphide Corporation
Pato Mines
Oroville Dredging . .
Par I
Value of,
Shares I
Amount of
Dividend
£1
2s. 6d.
£1
I Pref.
10rd.£l
£1
5s.
Pre£.il
4s.
£8
£5
Ord.£l
Pref.£l
£1
£1
6d. less tax.
2s. less tax.
5% less tax.
3d. less tax.
8d. less tax,
3J% less tax.
25% less tax.
6s. tax paid.
Is. 6d. less tax.
2s. tax paid.
5%
7s. less tax.
9d. less tax.
* Second distribution on liquidation.
PRICES OF CHEMICALS. December 7.
These quotations are not absolute ; they vary according
quantities required and contracts running.
Acetic Add, 40% P^ <^w'*
80% M
,, Glacial per ton
Alnm ,,
Alumina, Sulphate ,,
Ammonia, Anhydrous per lb.
„ 0880 solution per ton
„ Carbonate per ib.
„ Chloride, grey per ton
,, „ pure per cwt.
,, Nitrate per ton
,, Phosphate ,
,, Sulphate ,,
.Antimony, Tartar Emetic per lb.
„ Sulphide, Golden „
Arsenic, White per ton
Barium Carbonate ,
„ Chlorate per lb.
,, Chloride per ton
,, Sulpliate ,
Benzol, 90% per gai.
Bisulphate of Carbon per ton
Bleaching Powder, 35% CI
Liquor, 7% ,
Borax , ,
Boric Acid Crystals ,,
Calcium Chloride
Carbolic Acid, crude 60% per ga!
„ „ crystallized, 40' per lb.
China Clay (at Runcorn) per tun
Citric Acid per lb.
Copper, Sulphate per ton
Cyanide of Sodium, 100% per lb.
Hydrofluoric Acid , ,,
Iodine per oz.
Iron, Nitrate per ton
,, Sulphate ... ,,
Lead, Acetate, white ,
„ Nitrate ,
„ Oxide, Litharge ,,
„ White
Lime, Acetate, brown ... ,,
„ greySO% ..
Magnesite, Calcined
Magnesium, Chloride ,
,, Sulphate „
Methylated Spirit 01' Industrial per gal.
Nitric Acid, B0° Tw per ton
Oxalic Acid per lb.
Phosphoric Acid per ton
Potassium Bichromate per lb.
„ Carbonate per ton
,, Chlorate per lb.
„ Chloride 80% per ton
„ Hydrate (Caustic) 00%
Nitrate
,, Permanganate per lb.
„ Prussiate, Yellow ,
Red
„ Sulphate, 90% per ton
Sodium Metal per Ib.
,, Acetate per ton
„ Arsenate 45%
„ Bicarbonate , ,
„ Bichromate per lb.
„ Carbonate (Soda Ash) per ton
„ „ (Crystals) ,
„ Chlorate per lb.
Hydrate, 76% per ton
,, Hyposulphite „
Nitrate, 96%
,, Phosphate ,.
„ Prussiate per lb.
,, Sihcate per toa
„ Sulphate (Salt-cake) ,,
„ „ {Glauber's Salts) „
„ Sulphide »
„ Sulphite ...
Sulphur, Roll „
„ Flowers
Sulphuric Acid, Fuming, 65^ „
„ ,, free from Arsenic, 144" ... „
Superphosphate of Lime, 30%
Tartaric Acid per lb.
Turpentine per cwt.
Tin Crystals per lb.
Titanous Chloride ,,
Zinc Chloride per ion
Zinc Oxide „
Zinc Sulphate
f s.
d.
1 2
6
2 5
0
58 0
0
16 0
0
14 10
0
2
2
28 0
0
4
37 0
0
3 5
0
40 0
0
75 0
0
14 10
0
1
6
1
3
40 0
0
10 0
0
11
15 0
0
8 0
0
3
0
56 0
u
16 0
(I
6 0
0
31 0
0
65 0
(1
9 0
y
1
7
6i
1 10
il
5
29 0
0
1U
V4
1
0
8 0
0
3 0
U
43 0
0
46 0
u
37 0
0
44 0
(!
8 0
0
11 0
0
21 0
0
V?. 0
0
8 0
0
5
u
28 0
0
9
33 0
0
8
23 0
0
K
12 0
0
33 0
0
49 0
0
1
1
1
3
2
3
IS 0
0
1
4
27 0
1)
42 0
0
12 0
0
V
15 0
U
7 0
(1
4
26 13
0
16 0
U
15 0
U
20 0
u
7
11 15
0
4 0
0
5 0
0
22 0
n
12 10
0
13 0
0
13 0
(»
24 0
0
6 5
0
5 10
(1
1
5
3 11
0
1
5
1
0
22 10
fl
41 0
0
17 0
0
371
THE MINING MAGAZINE
SHARE QUOTATIONS
Shares are £i par value except where otherwise noted.
GOI.n, SILVER.
DIAMONDS:
Rand :
BraKpnn
Dec.
1920
/C s.
2 17
7 5
G
2 7
1 1
15
13
18
2 7
10
6
7
8
2 8
6
4 2
1 4
6
4
13
3
4 7
3 8
1 10
2 2
1 1
1 7
8
2 8
2 15
11
7
12
IG
3
1 15
13
16
13
3 12
8
IG
12
C
5
10
9
13 0
3 0
G 10
S
13
10
11
1',)
2 lu
2 15
1 10
2
7
15
2
11
3
3
2
17
6
1
3
6
1 2
12
13
2
1
6
G
7,
d.
6
0
e
6
3
0
0
8
e
0
0
0
fl
9
0
e
u
3
G
9
0
6
9
0
6
3
6
6
9
0
6
G
6
3
0
6
9
6
9
G
G
3
G
6
3
0
G
0
0
0
r,
G
(i
0
G
0
0
0
G
6
0
0
3
0
0
3
6
9
G
9
3
G
G
0
6
6
0
6
Dec. C,
1921
C s. d.
2 10 0
Central Mining (£8)
6 5 0
City & Suburban IL4)
2 9
2 5 n
Consolidated Cold I'iclds
13 9
Consolidated LanKlaaj;te
13 9
9 G
Consolidated Mines Selection (10s.) .
14 0
1 17 0
Daggafonlein
2 6
4 G
5 0
7 G
Geduld
2 0 3
5 0
Goveniment Gold Mining Areas . . .
Johannesburg Consolidated
Kleinfontein
4 2 6
1 1 G
5 3
Kuij;lit Central
4 6
11 G
I.uipaards \'lei
3 0
Meyer & Charlton
4 0 0
Modderfontein, New (10s.)
3 15 0
Modderfontein B (5s.)
17 6
2 2 6
Modderfontein East
7 G
113
2 2 G
Kand Selection Corporation
2 10 0
10 0
Robinson (fS)
9 Q
Robinson Deep A (Is.)
7 G
Rose Deep
13 G
Springs
1 18 9
11 3
14 6
12 0
3 8 9
8 6
Sub-Nigel
Union Corporation (12s. Gd.)
Van Ryn
\'an Ryn Deep
Village Deep
11 3
12 G
WolLuter
8 3
4 C
8 0
OrHER Tr.\nsvaal Gold Mi.nes :
Gh-nn's I.ydenburg
Transvaal Gold Mining Estates
Diamonds i:» South Africa :
De Beers Deferred (£2 10s.)
Jagersfontein
7 6
9 10 0
2 2 6
Premier Deferred (2s. Gd.)
Rhodesia :
Cam & Motor
4 5 0
9 G
11 G
4 3
10 0
Chartered British South Africa
Falcon
Gaika
Globe & Phanix (5s.)
Lonely Reef
2 3 9
3 5 0
1 to 0
2 0
Rezende
Shamva
West Africa :
Abbontiakoon (10s.)
At>osso
G 6
14 G
1 6
8 6
3 3
Ashanti (4s.)..
Prestea Hlock A
West Australia :
Associated Gold Mines
Associated Northern Blocks
2 0
1 0
12 6
5 6
1 0
Golden Horse-Sboe (/51
Great B.iulder ProprTetary (2s.) . .
<~,T-^t F'ne'-U (10s)
Hampton Properties .^
4 3
Ivanhoe(£5)
Kal^nrli
Lake View Investment (10s.)
17 G
17 3
7 0
' n
Oroya Links (5s.)
Sons of Gwaba
South Kalgurli (10s.)
1 3
3 6
7 6
tiOLi), Silver, cont.
Others in Australasia :
lUackwater, New Zealand
Waihi, New Zealand
VVaihi Grand Junction, New Z'lod..
America :
Buena Tierra, Mexico
Camp Bird, Colorado
El Uro, Mexico
Esperanza, Mexico
Erontino & Bolivia, Colombia
Kirkland Lake, Ont.ario
Lc Roi No. 2 (ih), British Columbia
Mexico Mines of lil Oro, Mexico ....
Nechi (Pref. 10s.), Colombia
Orovillc Dredginj^, Colombia
Plymouth Consolidated, California. .
St. John del Key, Brazil
Santa Gertrudis, Mexico
Tomboy, Colorado
Russia ;
Lena Goldfields
Orsk Priority
India :
Balagbat (10s.)
Chatnpion Reef (2s. Gd.)
Mysore (10s.)
North .\nantapur
Nundydroog (10s.)
Oorcgnm (lOs.)
COPPER :
Arizona Copper (fjs.), Arizona
Cape Copper (£2), Cape and India...
Esperanza, Spain
Hampden Cloncurry, Queensland ...
Mason & Barry, Portugal
Messina (5s.), Transvaal
Mount Elliott (£5), Queensland
Mount Lyell, Tasmania
Mount Morgan, Queensland
Namaqua {£2), Cape Province
Rio Tinto {i5), Spain
Russo-.-Vsiatic Consd., Russia
Sissert, Russia
Spassky, Russia
Tanganyika, Congo and Rhodesia ..
LE.\D-ZINC:
Broken Hill :
Amalgamated Zinc
British Broken Hill
Broken Hill Proprietary
Broken Hill Block 10 (£1U)
Broken Hill North
Broken Hill South
Sulphide Corporation (15s.)
Zinc Corporation (10s.)
Asia;
Burma Corporation (10 rupees)
Russian Mining
Rhodesia :
Rhodesia Broken Hill (5s.)
TIN:
Aramayo Mines, Bolivia
Bisichi (IDs.), Nigeria
Briseis, Tasmania ,
Chenderiang, Malay
Dolcoath. Coniwall
F-ast Pool (5s. 1. Cornwall
Ex-Lands Nigeria (2s.), Nigeria . . . .
Geevor (ills.), Cornwall
Gopeng, Malay
Ipoh Dredeing, Malay
Kamunting, Malay
Kinta. Malav
Lahat, .Malay
Malayan Tin Dredging, Malay
Mongu (10s.), Nigeria
Naragittq, Nieeria
N. N. Bauchi, NigeriadOs.)
Pahang ConsoUdated (5s.), Malay...
Rayfaeld. Nigeria
ReDong Dredijing. Siam
Ropp (4s ). Nigeria ,
Siamese Tin. Siam ......
South Crofty (5s.). Cornwall
Tehidy Minerals. Cornwall
Tekka, Malay
Tekka-Taiping, Malay
Tronob, Malay
Dec. 7,
1020
£ ». d.
8 8
1 10 0
8 9
G 3
8 <i
12 G
1 1 3
8 9
15 0
4 0
6 0 0
K
1 3
17
0
9
G
14 6
14 3
15 0
10 0
G 0
2 3
12 G
5 0
2 G
10 0
1 17 C
17 0
5 0
7 6
1 10 0
4 0
10 0
10 G
12 6
1 7 G
24 10 0
10 6
11 3
15 0
15 0
1 1 3
1 5 0
2 G 3
17 G
1 17 G
1 16 3
15 9
14 0
8 0
Deo. 6,
1921
C 8. d.
2 G
1 1 3
7 0
1 9
3 0
H a
15 0
& 0
1) 0
2 6
3 10 0
4
1 1
0
3
9
IB 0
5 6
B 0
5 0
5 0
7 3
1 6
10 9
2 6
7 9
10 9
17 6
10 0
5 0
5 0
15 0
3 0
10 0
13 9
13 6
17 6
26 15
7
7
IS
15 0
10 3
1 8 9
12 6
1 12 6
18 9
10 3
U 0
5 0
4 6
5 3
2 17
6
1
15
0
8
(1
5
9
4
3
3
0
15
n
111
0
1
H
9
8
n
3
0
2
6
1
li
G
3
2
(>
1 12
fi
1
13
9
13
9
•
7
G
2 10
0
1
0
0
2 0
0
1
12
6
12
(1
10
U
1 10
0
1
1
3
15
0
12
G
12
«
13
9
3
3
2
0
9
G
0
6
5
V,
4
0
1 15
(1
1
3
9
7
9
ft
9
2 15
0
1 13
9
10
6
3
3
11
3
5
U
1 0
0
17
G
1 2
6
1
0
0
1 7
6
I
1
3
THE MINING DIGEST
A RECORD OF PROGRESS IN MINING. METALLURGY, AND GEOLOGY
In this section we give abstracts of important articles and papers appearing in technical journals and
proceedings of societies, together with brief records of other articles and papers ; also notices of new
books and pamphlets, lists of patents on mining and metallurgical subjects, and abstracts of the yearly
reports of mining companies.
THE MINERAL RESOURCES OF UGANDA
The first annual report of the Geological Depart-
ment, Uganda Protectorate, covers the year ended
March 31, 1920, and it is written by E. J. Wayland
and W. C. Simmons. Chief and Assistant Geologist
respectively. We give herewith some quotations
relating to the general geology and the mineral
occurrences. One part that we omit deals with the
theory of the Rili Valley. It may be mentioned
here that the Rift Valley was the subject of a paper
by Mr. Wayland read before the Royal Geographical
Society last month.
Geology. — The rocks of Uganda may be divided
among eight age-groups. They are dealt with in
the order of their comparative antiquity, which is
as follows ; —
(1) The Archajan Complex.
(2) The Argillite Series.
(3) The Post-Argillite Intrusives.
(4) The Older Lateritic Deposits and Associated
Gravels.
(5) The Mount Elgon Series.
(6) The High-level Gravels and Recent Lateritic
Deposits.
(7) The Mufumbiro Volcanics.
(8) Recent Deposits.
(1) The basement of Uganda, like that of Africa
in general, is composed of a series of very ancient
crystalline rocks, which are almost certainly
Archaean in age. Among them a moderately fine
grained biotite-gneiss, or gneissose-granite, is
conspicuous ; but associated with it are many
other types of granitic, foliated, and schistose
rocks, most, if not all, of which may be paralleled in
other parts of the continent. The biotite-gneiss
frequently contains monazite and zircon, so that
material for an age-determination by radio-active
methods is not lacking. Quartz-schists and mica-
schists are both present. In the former the ferro-
magnesian constituent, which is always recessive,
is represented by a white mica, commonly sericite,
while both biotite and normal muscovite schists
occur. Near Seconyoni, Archaean outcrops display
some highly cnmipled sericite-schists, which are
probably the metamorphic equivalents of highly
felspathic quartzose rocks. In some parts (north-
east of Soroti, for example) every gradation can be
traced between a biotite-schist and an augen gneiss
on the one hand, and between the same augen rock
and a porphyritic granite on the other. Rocks with
well-developed augen structure are of local
occurrence ; a tine example is to be seen near
Moroto Post. It occurs in association with what
may be provisionally regarded as a sheared
pegmatite, and consists of greyish felspar pheno-
crysts, with indefinite boundaries, merging mto a
white granular felspathic matrix, which is divided
by dark mica flakes into eye-shaped pieces varying
in length from half an inch to several inches.
The irises of many such " eyes " are represented
by grey felspar phenocrysts. Imbedded in the
6—6
more micaceous parts are reddish to mauve crystals
of zircon, which may reach a quarter of an inch in
length.
More or less hornblendic rocks are common in the
Archaean group, as are hornblende-schists, and
hornblende - epidote - schists. These are well
developed in the Eastern Province, where actinolite
and kyanite schists occur, as do sillimanite-bearing
rocks, and dolomitic marbles. The granites and
gneissose-granites sometimes contain (as at Soroti.
for example) dark inclusions of an older basic rock,
the composition of which has yet to be determined.
Many of the porphyritic granites show a very
remarkable parallelism of the phenocrysts, traceable
over wide areas and coincident with the strike of
the country.
While no order of sequence of the Archaean rocks
is yet certainly known, there is some evidence for
supposing the more schistose representatives to
occur with the dolomites in the upper part.
Intruded into the Archaean complex is a pyroxene
granite, bearing strong resemblance to the
charnockite of South India and Ceylon. In general,
it appears to be pre-argillite in age, but Mr. Simmons
has recorded an instance where a pyroxene-bearing
granite has apparently been intruded into a post-
argilUte fault ; the field relations of this occurrence,
however, are not verj' distinct.
Gabbros and diorites occur in the Archaean group,
and a highly quartzose frequently finely jointed
and much crumpled rock is characteristic.
In many places pegmatites, which may be more
or less normal or may be differentiated into highly
quartzose and highly felspathic reefs, cut across
or run parallel with" the foliation of the gnei.sses
and schists. The local abundance of pegmatites in
the ancient crystalline complex, and their almost
entire absence in the neighbouring argillites, suggests
a pre-argillite age for these intrusives. A few
instances of normal pegmatites cnttmg the
argillites are known, but these may be correlated
with a later granite.
The most extensive development of Archaean
rocks in the country appears to be in the Northern
and Eastern Provinces. They occur in many
places in the Buganda and Western Provinces,
faulted in among the argillites and coming to grass
in blocks and ridges, particularly in connexion with
the curious low-lying areas described under the
name of " arenas." Traced in a westerly direction,
through the Buganda and Western Provinces, the
crystalline rocks become increasingly conspicuous
and occupy successively higher altitudes, until
Ruwenzori is reached, where they attain their
maximum height in the continent of Africa.
(2) Resting unconformably upon the foliated beds
of the Archa;an is the Argillite Series, a thick series
of clay-like rocks varying considerably in com-
position and colour. Although those strata among
them that have suffered little from the more drastic
375
376
THM MlNIXr. MACAZINK
forms of inetamorpliism vary considerably in
appearance "antl hardness, gradations between
extreme types are so common that tliere can be no
doubt that the series is essentially one, and
although they vary in composition from practically
pure hydrated silicate of alumina to a hiKhly
siliceous deposit, the gradations arc so fine that there
is no alternative but to adopt a single name for the
whole. Since clay is no longer a term of chemical
significance, the name .\rgillitc Series is tentatively
proposed in recognition of the essentially clay-like
or shale-like appearance of the majority of its
members. The name is purely provisional, and has
obvious disadvantages ; it will be replaced by
another when the age of the beds is known. It is
probable that they will turn out to be of Karoo age.
Red and brown are the more usual colours of the
clay members of the Argillite Scries, but grey,
yellowish shades, banded white, blue, and black
arc among the variations recorded. The rocks are
extremely fine grained and rather absorbent, a
characteristic -which is noticeable in the more
siliceous varieties. They do not, as a rule, display
jointing to any marked extent. Hollow cavities
resembling the salt pseudomorphs of the British
Trias are locally abundant.
Interbedded with the clay rocks are quartzites,
conglomerates, and sandstones. The first of these
frequently carry pyrites and pyrrhotite scattered
through them ; the second often resemble very
closely the banket of the Rand ; while the last
recall some beds of the millstone grit of Britain.
(3) The Post-.\rgillite intrusives may be broadly
divided into acid and basic groups. Among the
former quartz reefs are the most obvious, since they
do not laterize and often stand out in bold relief
from the red soil surrounding them. Frequently
they carry iron ores which sometimes become very
conspicuous ; hematite is the commonest of these
ores. It often happens that hematite is replaced
by goethite at the surface. Ouartz-tourmaline reefs,
associated with highly tourmalinized argillites, are
locally developed, while pegmatites and tourmaline-
pegmatites, in which the tourmaline seems to take
the place of mica, are known. Large granitic
intrusions, probably laccolitic in form, make their
presence felt in some areas ; with them, probably,
the smaller and more highly differentiated intrusives
are genetically connected. The intrusions belonging
to the basic group are chiefly of the nature of
diabases, picrites, and pyroxenites. The basic
intrusives generally give rise to a brilliant red
soil, which appears to be extremely fertile. Not
infrequently they can be traced for a mile or more
in approximately straight lines. One of these
picrite dykes holds back the Nile at the Ripon Falls,
another at the Owen Falls near by.
(4) The Older Lateritic Deposits, which do not
appear to be forming to-day, cap flat-topped hills
which characterize Uganda and the adjoining
countrj-. They do not present any exceptional
petrographical features, and may be matched in
many other places in the tropics.
(5) With the exception of a basement of
sedimentary (often conglomeratic) beds, which in
all probability do not strictly belong to the series,
the Mount Elgon Series consists entirely of volcanic
rocks.
(6) As regards this division, high-level gravels
and silts are very extensively developed in Uganda ;
they are associated with all the larger rivers and
lakes, and are found at varying levels up to
the 4,000 ft. contour in the case of the old lake
deposits. They are to he found in small feeder
valleys, where they may be more than 4,000 ft.
above sea-level, as well as flanking large river
valleys. In all instances investigated at present
the main dejiosits have been shown to rest on old
valley or lake bottoms above those of the present
waters. The bottom gravels arc flood-like in
character, and the pebbles are often highly polished.
Terracing occurs, two terraces being generally
traceable. It is to be noted that the terraces are
carved out of the gravel deposits by descending
rivers ; they are not cut out of the rocks. The fact
that pot-holes are .sometimes to be found on the
ancient bottoms, which are overlapped by reason
of the great horizontal spread of the alluvials above
them, suggests that at one time the rivers rose con-
.siderably ; in which case we should expect to find
corroborative evidence in the lake depressions.
The Albert Nyanza affords a good example ; an
old lake bottom (mud) well above the ])resent level
of the water and extending landwards to the base
of the escarpment is overlain by extensive alluvial
deposits which attain an altitude of more than
100 ft. above lake level ; they arc horizontally
stratified, and are composed of a heterogeneous
collection of boulders, stones, sand, and clay.
The boulders, which are generally subangular,
grow less common as the series is ascended. The
horizont.al stratification shows that the beds are not
talus accumulations ; while their constitution
declares them to be of the nature of flood deposits.
(7) The Mufumbiro volcanoes rise from a plain
well below the general level of the country to the
east and north of it. The cones are well formed and
large, the greatest (Karissimbi), situated within the
boundaries of the Belgian Congo, reaches an
altitude of 14,630 ft. They bear all the indications
of recency, and one, Namlagira (? Namalagira),
also in Congo territory, is still mildly active. As
the necessary materials for the production of good
petrographical sections are yet awaited little has
laeen done in the matter of detailed rock
determination, but it would appear from a few
specimens examined that a good deal of the Kigezi
lava is of the nature of olivine basalt. It is to be
noted, too, that the olivine, which is sometimes
present in individuals of i in. or more in length,
is remarkably fresh, while the lavas and ashes
themselves can be shown to have been spread over
a landscape which is essentially that of the present
day. They cover soils which must be com-
paratively recent. At the junction of the soils and
the volcanic deposit, springs, the result of rain
soakage through the latter, make their appearance.
When the volcanic beds overlying such a soil happen
to be ash beds they tend to slide over the surface
of the soil, which is rendered slippery by the
percolating water, and come gUding down to lower
levels as land slips. Larger falls may be expected.
Not all the craters in Kigezi are of the usual lava-
emitting type. Many of them, especially' those
situated close to and among the surrounding
argillite hills, are explosion craters blown through
the rocks ; they have emitted large quantities of
ashes and bombs which now cover the country for
miles around. Craters of this type probably repre-
sent an early phase in the volcanicity of the region.
It would appear that these explosions were due to
steam generated from water, which once occupied
the depression in which the craters now stand.
The eruption started, in fact, in the floor of a lake,
DECEMBER, 1921
3-77
UGANDA
PROTECTORATE
Scale of Miles
10 W 60 BO
TANGANYIKA
lERRlTOfff
the remnants of which are still to be seen around
the volcanoes. The lava cones were formed sub-
sequently, probably immediately after the
explosion phase. Many of the explosion craters
were obliterated by the immense flows of lava which
were subsequently poured out. No doubt many
passed from explosion craters into lava craters ;
some, however, chiefly those in among and against
the hills, were preserved by virtue of their screened
position. There is evidence, too, to show that the
main cones in the vicinity gave vent to three
outpourings of lava, for they are still to be traced
in horizontal sheets, whose edges form step-like
terraces one above the other running east and west
and facing northwards. Exactly when the major
outpourings took place in the Kigezi district is
uncertain, but the most conspicuous are, geologically
speaking, very recent. Sections are not wanting
which show that the present scenery and soil are
continued beneath the ashes and lavas, and it can
hardly be doubted that most, if not the whole, of
the deposits have been spread over the area within
human times. But it is possible that those situated
further west are directly connected with the
formation of the West Rift, with which the
earliest outpourings might be contemporaneous.
Other volcanic rocks, some of which are
moderately recent, are to be seen in the extreme
west of Ankole and along the eastern side of
Ruwenzori to some way beyond Fort Portal.
Here, too, explosion craters are common, though
small lava cones occur as well. At Kichwamba,
on the eastern side of Kazinga Channel between
Lakes George and Edward, the eruptions belong
to two distinct periods ; for the sub-aqueous
tuffs by which the older volcanics are repre-
sented have been drilled through by explosions,
a few of which have produced large circular
:^78
THE MINIXc; MAf.AZIXE
chimneys witli vertical sides. A good many
of these craters hold water, tlierehy giving
rise to the famous crater lakes of the district ;
one of these contains water rich in soda and other
salts. Near Fort Portal volcanic tnfls containing
the impression of fossil leaves can be seen over-
lying ancient lake deposits, which are now high and
dry above the neighbouring streams. Most of the
tuffs contain a high percentage of calcium carbonate.
It is probable that the older tuffs of Ankolc, which
form the western fault escarpment of the rift in this
part, are connected, as may be those of Klgon,
with earth-movements that preceded and
eventually led up to the final phase in the formation
of the African rift valleys. Provisionally, at any
rate, the older Ankole tuffs may be correlated with
the Mount Elgon lavas, while the newer tuffs
and more recent cones of Ankole and of Toro may
be grouped with the Kigezi volcanics. Whether
the Congo volcanoes are situated within the rift
depression or not, it is impossilile to say, but there
i.s no evidence to .show that the high ground to the
east of the Mufurabiro mountains in Uganda is
separated from tlie low country frimi which the
volcanoes rise by a fault ; indeed, there is evidence
to the contrary.
(8) The Recent Deposits consist of the usual
clays, muds, sands, and gravels forming at the
present day. They call for no special remark.
The Kafu Alluvial Deposits. — Investigations
were made of the geology of the Hoima district,
Bunyoro, in order that some evidence might be
obtained as to likely deep-lead deposits. The Kafu
river is a big swamp system, and though it contains
little water now, except when heavy rains have
flooded the papyrus-choked swampy flats, and
never any big flow, yet it is obvious from the size
of the flat valley and the extent of the flood gravel
deposits that it must, at one time, have been a big
river. The present Kafu rises in a system of
swamps, from which also the Nkussi river runs
the opposite way into Lake Albert. It has been
pointed out by the geologists that the Kafu must
have risen at one time on the dome which has been
let doAvn by the rift faults to form the Lake Albert
depression, and the River Nkussi has captured the
head-waters of the Kafu and now flows back into
the depression. The K^afu deposits have been found
to contain small quantities of gold and more
appreciable amounts of stream tin, so that these
problems are not of purely academic interest, but
beccSme of the utmost importance in trying to locate
richer deposits of these minerals.
The Kafu is now a papyrus-choked swamp,
varying in width from a third to half a mile and
more, and with a small water channel in the centre.
The papyrus stands either in stagnant or feebly
running water or in moist clay, according to the
season or situation. At the sides are clay flats
overgrown with rank grass and studded with
acacia-thorn and other swamp-loving trees, and
at the margins of this flat are slopes of gravel
which spread out to the valley sides. The valley
is of small slope and it is always difficult to draw
a boundary between the laterite deposits of the
sides and the true alluvials. Near the Kafu ridge
on the Kampala-Hoima Road, the river deposits
are about 2 miles wide, and this is about the
average width, though they may extend to 3
miles or narrow to only a few hundred yards, as at
the Mugabi ridge. The Kafu having been once
a vigorous stream able to transport huge flood
gravels and deposit them over its bed, it follows
that the ancient gravels (or rather the gravels of
the middle period, the most ancient being in
terraces at the sides) might lie at the bottom of its
valley under the later clay deposits, if its history
since the loss of its watershed had been simply a
dying off in the flow of water and a consequent
" su<ldi:ig-up " of tlie channel. Tliis is only ])artly
the case, anil thougli it has not been ffnind possible
to prospect the swamp near the river in the papyrus-
belt by pits, owing to flooding, yet such evidence
as is obtained points to the probability that the
present stream deposits 'n the centre of the r'ver
are the lowest, though the ancient gravels are found
to lie, under a thickn'e.ss of clay up to 20 ft., at a
level which is below the present stream bottom,
but not nece.ssarily below the present or recent
erosion valley, which is now filled with mud. This
is a point which will be easy of investigation when
it is possible to put some small trial bores in the
papyrus-belt. The rather hopeful results that are
detailed here have been obtained from prospect
pits only, on such sites as it was found possible to
dig them.
The Chief Geologist, during his preliminary
reconnaissance, had put two pits on the Singo
side of the Kafu, one near the river and another
a mile away on the gravel terrace, and he obtained
a concentrate with small quantities of gold, which
led to his pronouncing the gravels hopeful. The
Assistant Geologist was therefore instructed to
carry on with the prospecting of the gravels, and he
started excavation on the Bunyoro as well as on
the Singo side of the river, where the Kampala-
Hoima road crosses it. The Bunyoro side is very
different from the Buganda side at this place,
for whereas on the Singo side the gravel flat is a
mile wide, and the 3,600 contour lies 3 miles up
from the stream, on the Bunyoro side the flat is
narrow and the 3,600 contour is only a mile off.
The first pit on the Bunyoro side bottomed on a
white quartz reef at 9 ft. in the gravel of the
terrace and yielded no gold, while on the Singo side
the thin gravels just below the terrace yielded
only minute traces of gold. It was then decided
to dig a pit through the lay, nearer the stream on
the Bunyoro side. This pit showed 15 ft. of stiff
clay, which was most difficult to excavate, but at
the bottom a gravel averaging 6 in. thick was
struck, which rested on the decayed gneiss, a
mixture of kaolinized felspar and quartz which had
been found in all the other pits, and which at
depth becomes harder and merges into more easily
recognized gneiss. The bottom gravel here yielded
fine gold and a few coarser grains, which gave
distinct encouragement to continue prospecting.
A pit was now put at the edge of the swamp on the
Bunyoro side, and it was here found that after
passing through 5 ft. of clay there was a sand bed
of 9 ft. 6 in. thickness on the gravel bed, which was
only 6 in. thick, and rested on a broken-down
mica-schist in place of the gneiss. The gravel
contained boulders of small size and yielded a
much greater quantity of gold, though actual
amounts were still far from approaching payable
values. The gold occurs in little flattened grains,
two or three of these grains of gold in every pan,
and tine gold in appreciable amount. On the
Singo side other pits failed to yield more than small
traces of gold, so work "was now confined to the
Bunyoro side, and pits were put as near the present
river-bed as the water would allow. The beginning
DECEMBER, 1921
379
of the rains hindered the work at this stage and
pit sites had to be chosen on the drj'er places in the
sides. Pit 1 1 was 350 ft. up stream from Pit fi, and
it yielded concentrate in much greater amount from
a grave! and boulder bed that was only 3 in. thick
overlain by 3 ft. of clay on 1 1 ft. 6 in. of sands,
which were easy to remove. This concentrate was
sent to headquarters, and the Geologist was able to
make a separation with the somewhat crude
apparatus at his command, and found that this
concentrate which was obtained from 6J cu. ft. of
gravel, overlain by 370 cu ft. of barren deposits,
weighed 865 grammes, of which about 1 20 grammes
(or 4i oz.) were tin and the gold rather less than
one grain. Among the gold was one larger grain
than usual, about J in. long. It has been calculated
from these figures that the values obtained for the
pay dirt were about Is. 6d. to the cubic yard for
this pit, and it is to be noticed that the over-
burden here is quite barren but easy to remove.
Other pits were put down near this site, and about
the same amounts of concentrate obtained, but the
best results were from Pit 15, which was 200 yards
up stream from 11 ; here 18 in. of the gravel was
overlain by 15 ft. of stiff grey clay, which was
difficult to remove. The gravel was thicker and the
yield of concentrate per yard considerably more,
and gold about the same Pits further up stream
failed to yield any more concentrate or gold, as it
seemed that the deep channel had swung away
out from the Bunyoro shore. The ancient meanders
of a sudded-up river whose channel is filled with clay
deposits are difficult to follow, and to expedite the
work simple boring apparatus would have much
helped. Pit 16 was about 350 yards up from 15,
and yielded a little less concentrate and about the
same quantity of gold from a gravel bed 3 ft. 6 in.
thick under 1 1 ft. of clay. Because it was found
that the deep channel now swung away from the
Bunyoro side a move was made up stream to
Mugabi, where a ridge of quartz-gneiss strikes
across the stream and the Kafu swamp narrows
down to 250 yards across, though the ridge is also
breached in another place north of the Kafu, and
the river must once have used both gaps. The
Mugabi site was chosen, partly because it was the
only place accessible to the Kafu about there, and
partly because it seemed that evidence would be
there obtained as to whether the old valley was
eroded deeply or not The Mugabi ridge must have
held up the river and caused a back-water, so that
the usual gravels were not deposited there, or have
been removed later. The lead was partially located
well out in the swamp (as far out as a pit could be
dug), and the usual concentrate with gold was
obtained in small quantity in a coarse sand and
boulder bed overlain by 16 ft. of moist clay. A line
of pits was dug parallel to the Mugabi ridge, behind
it, and extending from the Kafu to past the other
gap, now occupied by only a small swamp. No
further traces of gold, and only small patches of
the gravels were located in these pits, thus proving
that the lead lies out in the centre of the Kafu at
this place. Rains had now begun to delay the work
very much, and it was found advisable, for the want
of boring apparatus, to leave the Kafu and take up
the geological survey of part of Bunyoro.
The concentrates from the pits nearest to the
swamp from the whole length of the river prospected
are very uniform in character. They consist
essentially of the following ; —
Dark grains, black, brown, etc. : Ilmenite,
magnetite, tin-stone, monazite, etc.
Pink grains : Garnet.
Bright red grains : Garnet, etc.
Gre^n grains : Epidote and diopside.
Colourless grains : Zircons, apatite, quartz, etc.
The concentrate also yielded gold in coarse
grains, of two types, flattened discoidal and much
worn, and also more irregular shaped grains, with
always very fine gold. On the average it seems to
consist of about one-seventh part of its weight of
tin -stone and to yield about two or three grains of
gold to the cubic yard. So that the value of a cubic
\'ard of the gravel is probably about Is. 6d., but the
thick, barren overburdens decrease this value
very much.
The gravel consists almost wholly of quartzose
rocks, either pure colourless quartz, or white, yellow,
and brown quartz, and quartzites of various types,
and differing much in the coarseness of grain. The
pebbles are nearly all round or ellipsoidal and very
much waterworn, so much so that the few fragments
that are not waterworn can be soon sorted out.
These angular ones vary in size from boulders a
foot in diameter to minute fragments, and consist
of the following : .A. hard, red, siliceous rock,
resembling an impure jaspar, agate fragments,
a few black siliceous rocks, fragments of quartz,
and a few odds and ends. These angular fragments
occur sparingly in the terrace gravels, but are more
abundant, though never very abundant, in the
gravel from the bottom of the valley. There they
occur with boulders usually cuboidal in shape, and
with partly rounded edges in some cases. Practically
all the sources of these boulders have been located
close above their place of occurrence. For instance,
" greenstone " from an outcrop between the river
and the road, gneiss of hard quartzose type from a
ridge striking across the river 2 miles up from
the road, quartzose boulders from the Mugabi
ridge, etc. Also all the other subangular fragments
(with the exception of the agate and jasper not
located, but suspected to occur in the Argillite
Scries) can be ascribed to sources not far distant
from the place in the river bed where they are found.
The gravel always has a quantity of quartz in it,
varving in size from the largest pebbles down to
the minutest sand, and quite commonly the gravel
has also a clayey matrix binding it into a hard mass;
but in most of the pits yielding the best con-
centrates the clay is absent, and the bed is a brilliant
yellow sandy gravel. Some of the pebbles in the
bottom gravel bed are highly polished, and a few
stone tools of human workmanship, also polished
by Nature subsequently to the working, were found
in the gravel in Pit 15. The pohshing in not easy to
explain, but it is best exhibited by hard siliceous
vellow-ochreous pebbles from a rock probably
belonging to the Argillite Series, and there are most
of them to be found in pits where the floor is an
altered mica schist. The occurrence of Palaeolithic
implements in the auriferous gravel in Pit 15 is
interesting, and serves to prove that the bed was
deposited either during or subsequent to the
Pal.Teolithic age. Very much more data are needed
before the sequence of events in these river deposits
can be unravelled, however.
(To be conliiiued.)
:?,so
Jini MIXINC, MACAZINi:
GENESIS OF SPANISH PYRITES
At the meeting of the Institution of Mining and
Metallurgy, held on November 17, H. V. Colhns
presented a paper entitled : " The Igneous Kocks
oi the Province of Huelva and the tK-ncsis of the
Pyritic Ore-bodies." We give herewith the
summary, followed by extracts from the paper
relating to the author's suggestions as to methods
of enrichment. Firstly the summary : —
The igneous rocks of the province comprise con-
temporaneous lava-flows, tuffs, and ashbeds, as
well as the granites, diorites, diabases, and
porphyries described by previous writers. They
all show a certain similarity marking them out as
belonging to a definite petrographical province,
particularly in regard to the universally low pro-
portion of alkalis and high proportion of iron, and
to the general occurrence of oligoclase and augite
as the predominant felspathic and ferro-magncsian
constituents respectively, the latter being in great
part altered to chlorite.
All the rocks contain notable quantities of
copper, zinc, and pyrites as accessory constituents.
The diabases and porphyries are most closely
related to the ore-bodies ; they appear to belong
to the same general period, antedating that of the
latter, and to exhibit almost every gradation in com-
position between a basic olivine-dolerite and a
siliceous trachyte-porphyry.
As to the relative ages of the igneous rocks, it is
easy to dogmatize but thoroughly unsafe to do so
in the absence of more detailed study and definite
information. The author was formerly inclined
to consider the granite as the earliest in point of
time of the intrusions, and the diabase as the latest,
but only from analogy and on general grounds,
since evidence is lacking to justify any positive
pronouncement on the subject.
The pyritic ore-bodies have been formed by
gradual replacement along shear-zones, mostly at
or very close to contacts between the tilted
sedimentary rocks and the porphyries and diabases.
The sheared rock replaced is in most cases slate,
but sometimes porphyry. The solutions that
efiected the mineralization doubtless had their
origin in the underlying magma, from which all the
igneous rocks now visible at surface were derived
by differentiation.
The pyrites formed bj' the primary replacement
was, beyond the influence of superficial secondary
(chalcocite and covellite) enrichment, almost
invariably poor in copper (2°^ and under, generally
under 1%).
As the circulation of mineralizing solutions
became less violent, owing to cooling and to the
local cessation of earth movement, the solutions
became relatively more highly charged with copper
than with iron, and produced local primary
impregnation in the pyrites already deposited,
which may be called " deep-seated primary enrich-
ment."
A further enrichment with chalcopyrite has been
in many cases efiected through the infiltration of
solutions laterally from the dykes of diabase and
porphyry which so frequently run parallel to the
lodes and at a short distance from them ; this may
he termed " lateral primary enrichment."
We proceed to quote the author in detail as to
the enrichments mentioned in the preceding two
paragranhs.
Tlu' occurrence and extent of what is ordinarily
known as secondary enrichment in these pyrilcs,
lodes, and masses, due to the percolation down-
ward of .solutions containing copper sulphate deriveil
from the leaching out of the gossan zone, or of tlu^
portion of the lode removed by denudation, and the
precipitation of the copper (chiefly as chalcocite)
upon the underlying unaltered pyrites, are already
sufficiently well known. The extent to which the
enrichment has progressed downward depends
partly upon the depth of ore leached or denuded
away, and partly upim the height of the outcrop
above the local drainage level of the near-by ravines.
It is too often assumed, however, that all local
enrichments of the ore-bodies owe their origin to
this cause, and that the course of the enriching
solutions has been invariably downwards. The
author distinguishes in these ore-bodies two other
kinds of enrichment which, although both posterior
in their occurrence to the formation of the masses,
may yet be called " primary " to distinguish them
from that resulting from the purely " surface "
agencies referred to. These he refers to as " deep-
seated " and " lateral " primary enrichment
respectively.
In the first-named type the primary chalcopyrite
may take the form of myriads of interlacing strings
and small patches distributed over a considerable
area of the cupreous pyrites, or it may form bunches
many pounds in weight of nearly pure chalcopyrite.
The author believe'! that this first type owes its
origin to the gradual dying out of energy and falling
off of the iron and sulphur contents in the
mineralizing solutions, accompanied with a lowering
of temperature due to cooling, coupled probably
with a lowering of pressure, the result of contraction
and possibly also ot denudation. The first solutions
were most highly charged with iron and sulphur,
and the first process of mineralization was to
produce enormous quantities of the pyntous slates
(with all proportions of pyrites from 20% up to
>^0°<)), which are found everywhere throughout the
district, and which are known as "azufrones";
these are invariably poor in copper. They are
frequently found on the margins of lodes, but
frequently alone in large masses unaccompanied by
workable ore-bodies. This first stage of
mineralization was probably rapid, and brought
about by the circulation of large volumes of solution
highly charged with sulphur and iron. As cooling
proceeded in the intruded and underlying magmas
the solutions carried a less proportion of iron and
sulphur, and became more highly charged relatively
with copper, thus depositing concurrently the
intimate mixture of pyrites with chalcopyrite
which is known throughout the world as cupreous
pyrites. The richness in copper of this primary
ore very likely depended largely upon the rapidity
of its deposition, for even if the solutions every-
where carried about the same amount of copper
(a surmise which would appear to derive some
support from the relatively uniform copper contents
of all the eruptives in this petrographical province),
a higher grade of cupreous pyrites might be
deposited from solutions carrying less iron and
sulphur or circulating less rapidly and vice versa.
An interesting fact in connexion with this type
of " deep-seated primary " enrichment is that with
the chalcopyrite is frequently associated blende
DECEMBER, 1921
381
and galena in notable quantities, as well as more
rarely tetrahedrite and bournonite. The two
former minerals occasionally predominate over the
pyrites, makin a complex banded ore, which when
rich in copper and comparatively low in lead and zinc,
is often smelted for its copper contents, but when
high in zinc and lead is sold for shipment to works
that make a specialty of extracting these metals.
When neither the copper nor the zinc is high enough,
these ores are sorted out from the copper ores and
form a waste product of the mining operations.
The other type of " primary " enrichment to
which attention should be drawn is of a very
different nature, and lends itself to much interesting
speculation in regard to the channels taken by the
mineralizing solutions. Thirty or more years ago
a Spanish engineer first drew attention to the fact
that in a considerable number of cases the ore
appeared to be richer in that part of a pyrites
mass which was nearest to the dykes of porphyry
or diabase that so frequently run parallel with
the lodes. The author has examined many of the
ore-bodies, with special attention to any shoots
of ore that might be noticeable and to their possible
origin. Shoots distributed longitudinally are not
very common, and they appear to be always
explainable on the theory of reopening and later
mineralization. Apart from these, however, there
are many examples of transverse shoots, and these
appear to be generally associated with transverse
joints running from wall to wall, somewhat
obliquely. Such transverse joints are sometimes
very frequent, and they are very often filled with
a mixture of chalcopyrite, quartz, and other
minerals.
The author gives a number of instances, of
which those at the San Platon mine are from the
point of view of lateral enrichment more interesting
than almost any others in the province. There are
at least four principal ore lenses, overlapping both
in dip and strike, and they occur wholly in the slate
formation, a large dyke of porphyry showing,
however, on the hanging-wall, north side, at about,
100 yards distance. In the old mine, worked by
open-cut, only one lode was known (the southern-
mo.st), the other two beine " blind." At the capping
of these two lodes they are very narrow and consist
of cupreous schists and complex zincy ore with
some chalcopyrite, but soon widen and yield rich
cupreous pyrites. The extreme northernmost lode
or lens, for instance, where first discovered by
cross-cutting on the fifth floor, was little more than
a joint, as on the fourth floor ; on the sixth floor,
however, it widened out to 1 m. to 5 m., yielding
ore of 4% to 8% copper. The main or south lode
yielded rich ore (4% to 6%) at surface from the
opencut, being secondarily enriched with chalcocite,
but at the fifth floor this ore contains only 0-8%
copper, and at the sixth only 0-.30%. At the fourth
floor on the south or foot-wall side it contains
0-8% to 1% copper ; on the north or hanging-wall
side 1J% to 2%. .'Ml the lodes show many trans-
verse joints from wall to wall, nearly at right
angles, but there is little sign of motion in these
and practically no joint filling ; the transverse
joints, however, mark off transverse blocks in the
ore-body, each of which is either richer or poorer
than the adjoining block, that is, there appears to
have been impregnation by chalcopyrite subsequent
to formation, and limited in a sense longitudinally
to the ore-body by the cross-joints. Like the south
lode, the other two show more chalcopyrite
impregnation on the north or hanging-wall than
on the south or foot-wall, the average difference
being about 1%, for instance, 2J% copper on the
hanging side, and 1J% on the foot-wall. A still
more interesting feature is that the west end of
each lens is always rich and the east end invariably
poor Upon closer examination it appears that it
is always the part of each lens which is overlapped
by the next that is rich. Taking, for instance, the
second or so-called north lode, this is rich through-
out on the fifth floor (the north lode being always
1 % richer on the average than the foot-wall side)
and does not much fall off in grade on the si.xth
floor until the northernmost or new lode comes in
to overlap it at its eastern end. Similarly with the
other lenses, as each becomes overlapped on its
strike and dip by the next successive lens (the
general axis of all the lenses being on a line pitching
steeply to the NNE.), it becomes impoverished in
copper, or rather it is only the part of each lens
not so overlapped that has become enriched. The
foregoing facts can only be explained upon the
assumption that there has been a chalcopyrite
enrichment which has come in laterally from the
north side of all the ore-bodies alike, that is from the
porphyry dyke, which is a very prominent feature in
the landscape about a hundred yards to the north
of the ore - bodies. Since the enrichment is of
chalcopyrite and not of chalcocite, it must be
considered as primary in the sense of not being due
to the superficial agencies that have caused the
ordinary secondary enrichment.
In connexion with this lateral secretion theory,
it may be mentioned that the author has shown that
the whole of the rocks of the mineral belt of the
province of Huelva, whatever their origin and
composition, and whether comparatively near to
ore-bodies or remote (in some cases at a distance
of many miles), contain both copper and pyrites.
It is noteworthy also that it is by no means those
rocks which are nearest to the ore-bodies that con-
tain the highest proportion of these ore-forming
constituents ; in several instances, indeed, the con-
trary would appear to be the case.
CORBOULD'S COPPER EXTRACTION PROCESS
The Proceedings of the Australasian Injtitute of
Mining and Metallurgy No. 42, 1921, contains a
paper by Percy Burbidge describing the process
for leaching low-grade copper sulphide ores, worked
out by W. H. Corbould, manager of the Mount
Elliott mine, Queensland. This process was
mentioned in the Mount Elhott company's last
vcarly report, to which reference was made in the
Magazine for January of this year, and it is believed
that it will be applicable to the large reserves of
low-grade ore available at that company's mines.
The essentials of the process are as follows : —
(1) Fine grinding followed by a sulphatizing
roast.
(2) Agitation with acid solution produced within
the process by electrolysis.
(3) Purification of a portion of the mother liquor
and electrolytic deposition of the contained copper,
382
111! MINIM, MAt.AZlNI':
n
Fig. 1. — Revolving Roasting Furnace for Corbould's Process.
1. — Furnace. 2.— Charing gates. 3.— Roasting chamber. 4.— Fitter boxes. 5.— Worm drive. 6.— PyTometer. 7.— Stuffing box.
S.— Exhaust valve. 9 Exhaust fan. 10.— Pressure v.ilve. 11.— lilower. 12.— .Mr receiver. 13.— V.irial)le cam gear. 14. — Flue.
j5._Xon.return valves for air pressure to advance to fitters and check exhaust being drawn. 16.— Tunnel and drag conveyer.
17.— Charge bin. 18. —By-pass for SO2 gas. 19. — Section of re-inforced moulded radiating tubes— moulded in short lengths laced on
12 steel rods— full length of roasting furnace. .■\s each section is placed in jjosition slag-sand concrete under pressure forced in holes to
fill space between steel rods and walls of holes. Inside tube lined chrome brick. 20.— Supporting struts for radiating tubes. 21.— Safety
valves. 22. — Guide ring rendering safety valves inoperative in down position. 23.— Section of porous fitters. 24. — Fuel gas cleaning
plugs. 2.J. — Gas burner. 26.— Pons for conveying waste gas from radiating tubes to slack.
thereby producing sufficient, free sulphuric acid in
solution for the next charge of calcine and further
requirements.
(4) Partial purification of the remaining mother
liquor, together with the first wash solutions and
precipitation of the copper content as hydrate
by milk of lime.
(5) Dissolution of the copper in the hydrate
precipitate by means of a solution of ammonia,
followed bj' distillation of the ammonia liquor,
producing pure copper oxide, and recovering the
ammonia by condensation.
(B) Reduction of copper oxide to metallic copper.
(7) Treatment of the residue from (5) for the
production of a by-product and the recovery of
any remaining copper.
(8) Treatment of the washed slime residues from
the ore charge for gold and silver by the cyanide
process.
(9) Use of producer gas for the whole of the
metallurgical operation as heating gas and to
provide sulphate of ammonia.
The dried ore is crushed to 1 in. size, and then
ground to 30 mesh.
As regards roasting, the essential requirements,
temperature control and large capacity, demand a
radical departure from existing types, and to obtain
them the furnace shown in Fig. 1 was evolved.
In the operation of this furnace the ore charge is
subjected to heat by radiation and conduction
through the internal tube system, and at the same
time to alternate pressure and exhaust through the
filter-boxes. The Corliss-type gear is so arranged
that a rapid change from pressure to exhaust or
change of r.atio of duration of pressure and exhaust
can be effected by means of the adjustable duplicate
cams. This arrangement has great advantages in
heating up the charge to the reaction temperature
(about 56()° C.) without the danger of over-roasting,
and allow.-^ the charge to be maintained at the correct
temperature during the time necessary to complete
the catalytic action. During the first stage of the
roasting the valves may be set to produce a gas
rich in sulphur dioxide, which will be compressed
and stored for use in a later stage. When sufficient
gas has been thus obtained, the cams may be
quickly adjusted while the furnace is in motion to
introduce more air.
The furnace is heated by gas as shown, and the
products of combustion pass forward and back
along the internal tubes, thence by further pipes
along the wall of the furnace and finally to the
stack. This arrangement allows of a high
temperature at the point of combustion without
overheating the ore bed. The air delivered to the
ore charge is pre-heated by passing through the
stack, thus further utilizing the waste heat of the
combustion gases. In operation, the furnace is
charged about half-full and revolved at a speed
of a quarter to half a revolution per minute. The
completion of the roast is ascertained by with-
drawing samples of the charge from conveniently
arranged plugs, and making a simple test of the
amount of water-soluble copper. The finished
charge is released by turning down the furnace
over the tunnel provided with a flight conveyor
and opening the discharge gates.
The hot calcine passes to the cone mixer, to which
is simultaneously added sufficient sulphuric acid
solution to form a I to 1 pulp for the dissolving
DECEMBER, 1921
383
fcfJltr -
Fig.
-Dissolving and Washing Plants for Corbould's Process.
tanks. For an ore containing 5% copper, the stock
solution made up from by-passed electrolyte will
contain about 3-5<"„ free H.,S04 (100%) and about
1% Cu. FijT. 2 shows the dissolving tank. The
tank is charged through the launder (1) arranged
to distribute pulp evenly round the tank. Light
slimy liquors or wash waters flow under arches
(2) through sand into the annular compartment (3)
and over adjustable sills (4) into circulating box
compartment (5), and are forced up by an air lift (6)
through the acid-proof stuffing box (7) and four-
way piece (8), thence along pipes (9) to vertical
pipes (10) in wooden vertical agitating arms (11),
and from thence the cycle is repeated. Agitating
arms (lli are held in cast-steel sockets (12) fastened
to the revolving girder-frame, supported in the centre
on ball-bearings (13) mounted on the central pillar
(14). The outer periphery of the revolving frame
is supported on wheels (15) running on a circular
rail round the top of the tank. Two wheels are
geared to electric motors (16). After the driving
motors have been stopped, mother liquor or various
slimy wash solutions flow to box compartment (5)
for slimes from annular compartments (3) to be
sent back to the dissolving tank. Air is then
shut off, and the liquor in the tank allowed to
settle, which settled liquor is now drawn off over two
central adjustable sills (17) into the annular com-
partments (3) to flow into box compartments [5]
thence through cock (IS) to filter to clarify liquor.
In discharging, air lifts (19) are in duplicate. The
pulp from the air lifts goes to a cone settler to
denude it of coarse sand. The overflow from the
settler goes to a Dorr thickener. The overflow
from the thickener gravitates back to the dissolving
tank to provide water to complete the emptying
of the tank. The last water in the tank is dis-
charged through the sluice-valve (20).
Air, preheated by waste heat from furnaces or
gas coolers, is used in the air lifts. Copper
sulphate and oxide being much more soluble in
hot solutions than in cold, the utilization of heat
in this way causes a great reduction in the time of
contact necessary. All wash solutions go to
separate tanks, the second wash solution becoming
the first wash for the following cha.rgc, and so on,
with the exception of the solution required for the
gas plant. Clean water is used for the final wash,
and owing to the use of milk of lime precipitating
the copper from solution, a most efficient washing
of the residues may be conducted, which in other
methods would be impossible on account of the
accumulation of a large tonnage of solution too low
in copper to be utilized profitably.
The quantity of mother liquor taken for separate
treatment is calculated so that the amount of copper
contained will provide by electrolysis only sufficient
free H.jSOj for the following purposes : —
{a) To dissolve the acid-soluble copper in the
ore charge.
(6) To react with all the acid-consuming minerals
such as the carbonates of lime and magnesia which
remain unaltered after a sulphatizing roast.
(c) To acidulate the following mother liquor after
neutralizing the purifying, before sending it to the
electrolytic tanks.
(d) To dissolve the small percentage of copper
and iron remaining in the CaSOj residue from the
ammonia treatment.
The liquor, as calculated for the above require-
ments, is run to a special cone-bottomed vat and
subjected to thorough oxidation by compressed
air. Very finely divided (slimed) carbonate of
lime is gradually added, only sufficient in total
quantity to neutralize the free H2SO4 and precipitate
the greater proportion of the iron or other impurities.
The precipitate is filtered off and washed in an acid
filter press, the filtrate being returned to the same
vat and the washings sent to the main wash-
solution storage-vats. The residue is treated later
and marketed as a fertilizer.
Agitation is recommenced in the same vat, the
temperature maintained, and according to the iron
remaining in solution, a calculated amount of pure
CuO from the ammonia process is added, pre-
cipitating the iron after the well-known reaction of
Hofman. The residue is filtered off and washed as
before, but in this case it is returned to the furnace
bins for roasting with the next ore-charge, the iron
of the residue remaining insoluble and the copper
being recovered in the dissolving tank.
The purified solution of CuSOj is now acidulated
by means of by-passed electrolyte to the extent
of 1% free H2SO4 and is sent to the electrolytic
3S1
MlMNu M \(,.\/lNl'.
tank house. Hlcctrolysis is coiulucloil witli a
current of 12 amperes per sq. ft. of c.ilhodo surface,
the anodes beiuK of graphite and with arrange-
ments for introducing S(\. gas under pressure into
Urn electrolyte for depolarization. In the pretence
of SO3 the electrolysis of CuSOj solution results
in the production of 23 lb. of free H.jSOj per lb.
of copper deposited. L'sing this factor {2-3), the
amount of free acid to be produced is calculated in
advance, all electrolyte being by-passed from the
tank house with a copper content of 2%. On
account ot the iron in the electrolyte being main-
tained below 0 2% (20 gm. per litre), it is possible
to use graphite anodes yielding about 3 lb. of copper
per kw.-hour with a current density of 12 amperes
per sq. ft. Current ctliciency is thus kept high, a
most important consideration wdiere power is
expensive.
The first wash solutions, together with the
remaining portion of the mother liquor, go to a
similar cone vat where they are given the same
treatment with air and carbonate of lime for
neutralization and ])artia' precipitation of the
iron or impurities. After the residue is filtered
out and w-ashed as before, the warm solution is
agitated with gradual additions of milk of lime to
produce as near as possible a selective action,
that is, to precipitate most of the remaining iron
with very little copper. The precipitate from this
treatment is filtered off, the filtrate returned to the
vat and the residue sent to the furnace bins with the
next ore-charge. Further milk of lime is added,
until all the copper is precipitated as hydrate, which
readily settles and filters in a warm solution. On
filtering the clear solution is utilized to make up the
stock solution for the following roasted ore-charge
by diluting the calculated quantity of acid
electrolyte by-passed from the tank house.
The filtered residue, a concentrate of all the
copper of the above solutions in the form of hydrate
together with CaSOj and a little iron is immediately
transferred to a sealed agitation vat and agitated
with a solution of ammonia. The ammonia solution
of a strength slightly in excess of two parts of
NHg (100%) to one part of copper by weight,
rapidly dissolves the copper hydrate, and on com-
pletion of the dissolution, the pulp is forced through
a filter-press, the filtrate passing to a steam-jacketed
still. The first washings of weaker ammonia
solution are also passed to the still, and subsequent
ores are stored for use on the next charge. All these
operations are conducted in an ammonia-tight
system, the storage vats for the weaker washings
being arranged so as to be hermetically sealed.
The treatment in the still consists simply in forcing
steam into the copper-ammonia solution and con-
densing the ammonia driven off, the still being
heated by steam in the jacket. The distillate is
stored in steel tanks for the following charge. When
complete elimination of the ammonia is effected,
the steam is shut off, the precipitate allowed to
settle and the clear solution decanted through a
filter to the coolers at the gas ])lant, where the CaS04
in solution is concentrated. On the solution
becoming saturated the CaSOj drops out, is
recovered, and converted to pure plaster of Paris.
.\ny ammonium sulphate in solution is similarly
recovered.
The settled precipitate of CuO is washed by
decantation and the amount required for the
purification of the mother liquor for electrolyte is
withdrawn to storage. The remainder of the
CuO is conveyed to a small revolving furnace similar
to the roasting furnace, where it is healed in an
atmosphere of water gas. The reduced material
is conveyed to a melting furnace where the metal
is fused, jioled, and cast into ingots as best selected
copper. This method of reduction obviates the
production of a ijuantity of hi,i.;h-grade copper slag.
The washed residue from the ammonia treatment
is discharged to a mixer and sufficient by-passed
electrolyte is added to dissolve the contained iron
and copper hvdrates and convert the little ammonia
still remaining into sulphate. The pulp is filtered
and the residue of CaSO,, is washed and treated with
previous CaSOj residues for the manufacture of
fertilizer. The filtrate and washes are treated
selectivelv with milk of lime to eliminate iron. The
precipitHtc resulting is returned to the furnace with
the next ore-charge. A portion of the solution is
now passed through the ammonia absorbers of the
producer gas plant. The NH., of the water gas
combines with the CUSO4 in solution, producing the
characteristic azure-blue colour. On transferring
this blue solution back to the remaining portion ot
treated solution, the cop])cr in both portions is
immediately thrown down as hydrate, which is
filtered off, dried, and conveyed to the reducing
furnace to be converted to metal by water- gas.
The filtrate is now concentrated to recover
ammonium sulphate, a portion of which product
is heated with lime to obtain ammonia. Purified
weak wash solutions from the dissolving tank are
given a similar treatment to the above when
required to absorb the balance of NH,, produced
from the coal. .\ny excess of ammonium sulphate
above that required to make up the waste of
ammonia in the process is disposed of as fertilizer
with the CaSO^.
In most cases the precious metals in the ore are
combined with the copper minerals, and after the
extraction of the copper, the gold and silver con-
centrate in the slime. On agitating this slime with
cyanide the precious metals are extracted together
with some copper, of which there remains about
0-3% in the tailing.
To start up operations a special charge is roasted
and the water-soluble copper extracted. After
purifying the liquor obtained, a small quantity of
purchased acid is required for the necessary
acidulation and the subsequent electrolysis will
provide free acid for the future operation of the
plant. The ammonia required will have to be
procured until the producer gas plant is in operation,
after which the lo.sses to be made up will be no more
than in good freezing plant practice. Water con-
sumption will be the amount of moisture discharged
with the residues, the amount evaporated, and the
waste steam of the power plant not condensed,
including that required in the producer plant.
Solutions after treatment with milk of lime are
perfectly free of copper. The CaSOj formed in the
hot solutions causes no trouble in pipe lines.
Throughout the process all solids filter readily.
Keagents are regenerated or converted to by-
products. There are no foul solutions, no solutions
are discarded, and no copper is tied up in unfinished
products. The process is a chemical one, and each
step may be calculated chemically. If excess
CaCOa be used to purify solutions, the excess will
be coated with an o.xide of copper. Coarse CaCO.s
has little or no action in purifying. Milk of lime
should be as free as possible of CaCOs. Solutions
of CuSO^ should be warm, not boiling, when under
DECEMBER, 1921
385
treatment. Milk of lime should be gradually added,
otherwise precipitation is impeded and excess of
lime precipitate is accumulated. Copper hydrate
precipitate should not be kept too long before
treatment. Ammonia solution for dissolving should
be about 20% NKj and only the final wash for the
residue from the ammonia treatment should be
clean water. Previous washes should all be weak
ammonia solutions, otherwise Cu is precipitated out
of solution. As power is expensive at most mines,
it is much cheaper to produce electrolytic copper
from a portion only of the liquors as required to
produce the necessary H.^SOj, and to convert the
e.xcess copper in solution to oxide, thence to metal,
than to electrolyse the whole of the solutions from
the ore charge.
Petrol from Natural Gas. — In his paper, read
before the Institution of Petroleum Technologists
on November 8. A. Beeby Thompson reviewed the
question of prevention of waste in oilfields, and
mentioned a great variety of ways in which waste
may be eliminated. One of hiS points, well known
to American oil-men, but usually neglected else-
where, was that petrol or gasoline can be recovered
from the gas coming from the oil-wells. We quote
herewith Mr. Beeby Thompson's reminder on this
subject : —
There are few oilfields which do not yield gases
containing hydrocarbons that can be recovered by
absorption or condensed to a liquid form by com-
pression, refrigeration, or both. During the early
career of oilfields the gaseous products may be
very largely methane, but there is usually also a
portion of the higher homologues of the paraffin
series, and their proportion increases with the
development of the field. The largest amount of
condensable hydrocarbons are present where a
partial vacuum is applied to the wells, that is,
when a field is approaching exhaustion. Subjected
to pressure or refrigeration, or both, hydrocarbons
whose boiling points fall below the temperatures
and pressures applied are liquified, and on exposure
to atmospheric conditions they do not entirely
revert to the gaseous form. Generally on liberation
from the high-pressure condenser they boil, and
the losses may be considerable, but if the lighter
fractions are allowed to escape slowly without too
violent agitation of the mass a varying quantity
of a fairly stable product remains. The weathering
of gasoline products extracted by pressure is,
however, a wasteful procedure, as with some gases
the greater part may spontaneously volatilize,
leaving but a small fraction of that produced.
It is by blending with heavier refinery distillates
that the condensates of gas plants can most
economically be retained and marketed. Mixed
in suitable proportions with heavier gasolines they
will lighten the gravity and not raise the vapour
tension of the whole beyond that dictated by caution
or permitted by law. The rising price of gasolme
in the United States has caused those casing-head
gases rich in gasoline to become a valuable and
most sought for commodity, and high prices have
been paid for installations that had secured gas
rights over large areas at low rates.
The usual compression plants consist of compound
compressor units of 200,000 to 5,000,000 cubic
feet per day at 130 to 300 lb. pressure, either direct
or belt driven from gas engines using some of the
treated gas. The compressed product is passed
through a water-cooled condenser from which the
condensate is automatically trapped, while the
escaping dry gas, after being e.xpanded in a chamber
forming the last section of the cooler, is led away
for fuel requirements. Only careful consideration
of each individual case will make it possible to say
what gasoline contents can be made payable in
any particular area, as it depends upon the cost of
collection or purchase of gas, facilities for blending
and transporting the desired products, the cost of
installing the plant, and the uses for residual gas.
Rarely can compressor plants be profitably operated
with gas containingTess__than^one_gallon of gasoline
per 1,000 cubic feet.
Some gases containing sulphur products cause
such rapid corrosion of the valves and cylinders
that the use of compressors is impossible, and at
other times large percentages of carbon dioxide,
or nitrogen or of air, in the case of air propulsion,
may render compression unprofitable"even if^the'gas
contains heavy hydrocarbon vapours. Such factors
as the foregoing, together with the impossibility
of profitably treating low-grade gases, led to the
introduction of absorption processes which are now
displacing the compression and refrigeration types.
Most absorption processes rely upon the absorptive
properties of certain petroleum distillates for
lighter hydrocarbons, which later can be expelled
by heating, and the recovered absorbent after
cooling used over and over again ; indeed, a con-
tinuous cycle can be maintained of absorbing,
expelling, and returning the chilled absorbent.
By means of ab.sorption, gases can be profitably
treated under favourable circumstances with con-
tents as low as 1 pint per 1 ,000 cubic feet. Inflowing
gas under as high a pressure as possible is allowed
to meet a descending flow of suitable absorbent
in vertical towers where convenient baffling is
interposed to ensure intimate contact of the two
fluids. The liquid from the towers is conducted to
a still, where, during passage through a series of
chambers, its light contents are expelled by heat,
and the freed absorbent is returned to the towers,
being subjected to cooling in its progress. By
counter-flow arrangements the outflowing hot
liquid is made to heat up the inflowing absorbent.
Even with this process the gasoline is often wild,
and unless somewhat intricate complications are
included that provide for the condensation and
return to the circuit of products evolved on release
of pressure much light-density petrol is lost. The
process does, however, appear to yield a more stable
product than compression, and varying methods
of absorption undoubtedly influence the quality
of the product.
One step further has now been reached by the
discoveries of Messrs. Burrell it Oberfell, who, by
using " activated " charcoal as an absorbent, are
able to obtain a much larger proportion of stable
gasoline products than by any other process,
larger, indeed, than that theoretically attainable
by past recognized methods of testing. A con-
densation of carbon molecules has been suggested,
but it is likely that the difference is due to
mechanical features. This recent development
opens up a new line of study that may influence
the future of this indu.stry.
As already stated, at present practically no
treatment of gas for gasoline contents has been
undertaken on a large scale outside America.
In 1919 no less than 300,000,000 gallons of casing-
head gasoline was produced in the United States,
;}86
ill
.MlNlNc, .MAt.AZJNE
being about K<'\, i>l ilu' nx.il gasoline prndiictioii,
ultliuugh only a part of the gas available had been
so far treated. The value of this gasoline con-
stituted much more than the 13% of the total
United States gasoline values, which later were
estimated at 45% of the value of all American
produced oil products in 1919, although its quantity
represented but 25% of the crude produced.
From numerous tests made it is clear that the
gaseous emanations of most oilfields contain
products that would well repay their extraction,
provided there were convenient means for their
disposal, and it is this latter feature, which has
probably been one of the chief hindrances to obvious
savings that are annually being accentuated by
the rising prices of petrol.
Occurrence and Origin of Helium. — Professional
Paper Xi>. 121, issued by the United States
Geological Survey, and written by G. Sherburne
Kogers, is the most complete monograph on helium
yet published. It gives a detailed review of the
history of the discovery of this gas, with full
references, and it contains also the results of the
author's studies of the occurrence of helium in
natural gas. The author's brief r6sum6 of the
occurrences and theories as to origin are repro-
duced herewith.
Helium constitutes from 0-5 to 2% of certain
nitrogen-rich natural gases in Kansas, Oklahoma,
and Texas, and occurs in smaller proportions in the
gases of many other districts in the United States.
"The gases richest in helium are confined to strata
of upper and middle Pennsylvanian age and occur
close to the surface, the hehum content usually
decreasing v\-ith increasing depth. Gases containing
from 0-25 to 0-5°(, of helium occur in the lower
Pennsylvanian (Carboniferous) of the Mid-
Continent area, in the Mississippian and Silurian
of Ohio, and in the Cretaceous of Montana, although
in general the pre-Pennsy!vanian gases are poor
in helium, and the Cretaceous and Tertiary gases
carry only traces or none at all. The helium-rich
areas are not marked by igneous activity or by
unusual structural conditions. There is no evidence
as to whether or not the rocks in these districts
are abnormally radio-active.
Helium has been detected in European natural
gas in proportions as great as 0-38%. The richest
gas was found in a deep test-hole in Alsace, probably
in lower Mesozoic strata ; the Tertiary gas in this
locality is very poor in helium and the Tertiary
gases of Germany, Austria, Italy, and Tran-
sylvania are also poor. The helium content of these
gases appears to vary roughly as their radio-activity.
A great variety of minerals have been found to
contain at least traces of helium, and apparently
only a few species are helium-free. Minerals rich
in the radio-elements may contain several times
their own volume of helium ; ordinary rock-
forming minerals are usually poor. In general the
amount of helium in a mineral is proportional to
its radio-activity and increases with age, indicating
that the helium has been generated by the decay
of the radio-elements ; but certain beryls contain
far more helium than can be explamed in this way.
The gases of French and Belgian coal mines carry
helium, and though the proportion is small the total
volume emitted yearly is large. The coals them-
selves are very poor in the radio-elements, and
helium is evidently not being generated in the coal
nearly as fast as it is being emitted. There is,
therefore, no evidence to connect the helium in
the mine gases -ivith radio-activity.
The gases of many Kuropean mineral springs
contain helium in i>rt)por(iiius as great as 10%.
The volumes of helium emitted yearly by some of
the springs represent all the helium that would be
generated yearly by many tons of radium : hence
this helium like that in mine gases, probably repre-
sents the overflow or leakage of a great under
ground accumulation. Furthermore, the proportion
of helium in the gases bears no relation to their
radio-activity.
Small proportions of helium occur in the gases
of certain Italian fumaroles, where there is no
evidence to connect it directly with radio-activity.
Helium constitutes 0-0004% of the atmosphere
near the earth's surface. In the upper atmosphere
its proportion is greater.
Helium is a prominent constituent of the solar
chromosphere and of many nebuUe and stars,
though the r.adio-clements have not been identified
with certainty in any celestial bodies.
As the radio-elements generate helium in the
course of their spontaneous disintegration, each
occurrence of radio-active material connotes the
presence of helium ; but the radio-elements,
because of their activity, can be detected in far
smaller (juantities than can the helium to which
they give rise. The radio-elements are very widely
disseminated through terrestrial materi.ils, being
present in minute proportions in practically all
minerals and rocks, in the atmosphere and in river
and ocean water. Most petroleum and natural
gas apparently contain some radium emanation.
The helium generated by the radio-elements dis-
seminated through ordinary rocks amounts to
almost half a cubic foot per year per cubic mile of
rock.
From the foregoing evidence certain broad con-
clusions may be drawn as follows : —
The helium in most minerals is probably of radio-
active origin ; and, as the radio-elements are dis-
siminated through ordinary rocks in proportions
sufficient to generate large volumes of helium in
the course of a few million years, much of the
helium in rocks has probably also originated
through radio-activity.
As helium is very prominent in celestial bodies,
whereas the radio-elements are not, it is probable
that helium can and does occur in the universe
entirely apart from the radio-elements, and that
these elements may be regarded as compounds
of helium and lead which form only under certain
conditions. Accordingly, much of the helium
in the earth may never have been associated with
the radio-elements and may therefore be primordial
helium.
As the volumes of helium in some mineral-spring
and mine gases are so large that incredible quantities
of the radio-elements would be necessary to generate
the helium as fast as it is emitted, it is probable
that there are great stores of helium underground,
the leakage or overflow of which appears in the
spring and mine gases. These stores of " fossil "
helium may be accumulations of the small volumes
liberated by the disintegration of radio-elements
through geologic time, or they may in large part be
primordial. The helium in natural gas may there-
fore be primordial or it may have been liberated
through the decay of the radio-elements. As a
great volume of helium is contained in the atmos-
phere there is the third possibility — which is not
concerned with the ultimate origin of the element — •
that the helium in natural gas has in some way
been derived from the atmosphere.
DECEMBER, 1921
387
Mining in British Guiana. — ^We extract the
following paragraphs from the report of the Lands
and Mines Department of British Guiana for the
year 1920 :—
The output of gold for 1920 from all sources was
12,692 oz., of the value of ^46,803, being a decrease
of 3,524 oz. on the production for 1919. The
decrease is due to the fact that fewer persons were
engaged in the gold-mining industry than formerly
owing to the high price of provisions, which rendered
it more or less impracticable for the small claim
holder and tributer to make a profit ; also to the
fact that the diggers who formerly worked gold
were attracted to the diamond fields by the high
price that ruled for precious stones during the early
part of 1920. A number of men were also influenced
to stay on the coast lands by the satisfactory rate
of wages obtainable on the sugar estates and sea
defence works.
An amount of 6,454 oz. was produced by placer
washing, a decrease of 3,998 oz. on the production
for 1919.
The Guiana Gold Company operated m the
Konawaruk River wnth four dredges, and the
Minnehaha Development Company operated with
one dredge in the Mahdia Creek. The gold obtained
by these two companies from dredging during the
year was 6,238 oz., an increase of 1,001 oz. on the
previous year's production. The Commissioner is
of opinion that dredging is the most suitable method
of winning gold from the larger creeks and flats
with deep overburdens in the auriferous portions
of the Colony. The substitution of a tax on profits
in lieu of a royalty charge in the case of gold won
by dredging will, it is confidently hoped, act as an
incentive and, in time, when the financial slump at
present existing throughout the world has passed
away, mining capitalists will turn their attention
to gold dredging and hydraulicking on a large scale
in this Colony.
No quartz mining operation were carried out
during the year. In No. 2 Mining District, however,
explorations were carried out by the Minnehaha
Development Company in the vicinity of " Look
and Weep," Upper Minnehaha Creek, with a view
of ascertaining whether the values of ore existing
in that locality and the neighbourhood would
warrant milling operations being carried out on a
large scale. The result of such investigations were
not made pubhc by the end of the year.
During the year 234,456 diamonds, weighing
39,362 carats, of an estimated value of /21 1,829,
were declared at the Department. Of these
144,348 stones weighing 25,898 carats were from
the Mazaruni Rive'r ; 54,404 diamonds weighing
9,444 carats were from the Puruni River ; 22,386
diamonds weighing 2,738 carats were from the
Cuyuni River, and 13,318 diamonds weighing
1,281 carats from the Potaro River. The notable
features with regard to the year's production are
the working of diamonds on the Potaro River,
between Kangaruma and Amatuk, and the large
increase in the total production for 1920, amounting
to 149,990 stones weighing 22,656 carats over the
output for 1919. These diamonds were all from
alluvial workings and the entire output averaged
six to the carat, but there were many stones of a
carat and over. The sixteen largest stones presented
at the Department during the year weighed
respectively 21ft, 9}(|, 91, 9^g, Si, H, 8, 7i, 6|.
6i, Sfs, 5i, 5i-'g, 5i, 5i, 5iV carats.
The Demerara Bauxite Company earned on
mining operations at .\kyma, Demerara River,
throughout the year. The construction of the
light railway from Akyma to Mackenzie and the
erection of the crushing, washing, and drying plants
at Mackenzie were completed during the year, all
of which contributed to the more expeditious
and economical handling of the ore. The total
quantitvof dehydrated ore shipped during the year
was 31,379 tons'.
Examinations for oil on behalf of D. E. .Alves, of
London, were made in the North-West District and
other parts of the Colony by B. F. Macrorie and
J. .A. Bullbrook. Their results were not made public
during the year, but it was generally understood
that the opinion of the experts was unfavourable
as to the occurrence of mineral oil in the Colony.
It is, however, worthy of record that no prospecting
bore-holes were put down and that this opinion is
therefore based solely on the surface examinations
made, coupled with the results of previous similar
investigations by G. B. Reynolds, made in 1919.
Flotation for Rand Ores. — Interest in the
application of flotation to Rand ores has been
revived recently, and the paper by F. Warten-
weiler, quoted in our .September issue, has helped
to draw attention to this subject. E. Homersham
lately went to Johannesburg as representative of
Minerals Separation, Ltd., and a laboratory has
been opened there. Mr. Homersham gives some
particulars of tests in the South African Mining
and Engineering Jourml for October 22.
(1) Crude ore from mine : Assay-value of ore,
9-9 dwt. ; ore crushed to 80 mesh ; value of con-
centrates, 65-9 dwt. ; percentage of concentrate
caught, 14-8; residues, 0-42 dwt. ; recovery,
98-5% ; cost of reagent, 7d. per ton.
(2) Slimes untreated : Assay-value of slimes,
1-34 dwt. ; assay-value of concentrates caught,
7-2 dwt. ; percentage of concentrates caught,
16-4%; residues, 0-20 dwt. ; recovery, 88-1%;
cost of reagent, 4d. per ton.
(3) Black Reef tailings ; Assay of crude sample,
245 dwt. ; assay-value of concentrates, 24-6 dwt. ;
percentage of concentrates caught, 8-6% ; residues,
0-42 dwt. ; recovery, 86-3°o ; cost of reagent,
Sd. per ton.
(4) Sand residues from Rand ore: (1) The first
tests were on sand as received without further
grinding. There was no difficulty in concentrating
by flotation the free mineral consisting of iron
pyrites. The concentrates averaged 10 dwt. in
value, and were about 6°o of the bulk treated.
The original value of sand in this test was 1-4 dwt.
and the residues averaged 0-85 dwt. It was quite
clear that a large proportion of gold was locked up
in sands and could only be floated by further
grinding. (2) The next test was made as follows :
Assay of crude sand, 1-75 dwt. ; concentrates,
12-6 dwt. ; percentage of concentrates caught,
10-3 ; residues, 0-45 dwt. ; recovery by flotation,
74T% ; crushing, 80 m.esh ; average cost of
reagents 4d. per ton.
In view of the above results, even allowing for
the cost of regrinding sand, it appears probable
that these particular sand residues can be profitably
retreated by flotation.
A fairly large scale test of i ,870 lb. run in London
recently gave a 0-55 dwt. residue on a grade of ore
assaying 22 dwt. If the ore had been of a lower
grade, undoubtedly a far lower residue would
have been obtained ; as it is, this result indicates
a recovery of from 96 to 98%. From tests done
^ss
THE MININ(^. MAC.AZINE
in Johannesburg .and in Limilou it appears probable
that on a 4 chvt. ore a residue of 0-15 to 0-2 dwt. may
be looked for, the residue rising more or less slowly
as higher grade ore is treated.
It is believed that the process, if applied to
current reduction works, wovdd mean a large saving
in working costs. Instead of treating the whole of
the crude ore by cyanide, it is believed from the
results obtained up to date that a 10% concentrate
can be obtained containing from 9.3 to 97% of
the gold in the ore, and that this concentrate can
be easily Irr.iUil by the ordinary cyanide method.
Nickel Metallurgy. — The Bullclin of the Canatlian
Institute of Mining and Metallurgy for November
contains two brief notes on points relating to the
smelting of nickel-copper «orc3 in the Sudbury
district.
William Kent writes on a false chute for skimming
converters used at the smelter of the International
Nickel Company. With the large basic-lined
copper-converters now in use, the common practice
is to do all charging, skimming, and casting through
the throat of the converter. Most of these converters
are rotated by means of electrically operated worm
gear, and it is possible to turn them through a
complete revolution. The converters at the
International Nickel Company's smelter, however,
are turned by means of cables actuated by pistons
in horizontal cyhnders, and hence the extent of the
rotation is limited by the stroke of the piston.
Owing to this method of rotation, the skimming
and casting have to be done through a chute at the
side of the shell. The limited extent of the rotation
also renders it necessary to have the opening through
the shell, at this chute, about .30 in. high, in order
to be able to carry the converter full of matte while
blowing, and to be able to drain out the last of the
finished matte when casting. Before charging the
converter the opening in the shell is blocked up with
magnesite brick to within about 6 in. of the top,
the chute outside being filled with clay to the same
height. A cake of clay covers the remaining opening
during the blow and is removed when ready to skim.
During the successive skims the slag running over
the clay in the chutes permeates it and bakes it to
such an extent that a very hard mass is formed.
When ready to cast, about three-quarters of the
matte is poured from the converter in the same way,
tending to still further harden the clay. To drain
out the final quarter of the matte, it is necessary to
dig the clay out of the chute and remove the bricks
from the lower part of the breast opening. The
removal of the clay entailed a good deal of hard
work with bars and hammers, and, in addition,
caused considerable delay. All this is now obviated
by the use of a false chute, which fits just inside
the fixed chute and does not interfere with the
regular procedure in any way. The false chute is
provided with short chains at the corners, and_when
the time comes for the removal of the clay, the
crane comes along and lifts out both chute and clay,
leaving the breast exposed. It is then only necessary
to remove the bricks and complete the casting.
When cold the false chute is easily cleaned out and
is again ready for use.
R. J. Gill read a paper on improvements to
settlers at the British America Nickel Corporation's
smelter at Nickleton. The settler practice at the
British America smelter is somewhat unusual for
the Sudbury district. A great portion of the
matte is tapped from the settler by means of so-
called syphons. The principle is similar to that of
the Orford settler, or of the Watson settler. The
last-named is a modification of the Orford used at
the I.advsmith plant of the Tvee Copper Company.
At Nickleton the 10 by 30 ft. settlers ari' lined with
chrome brick. The Uoor is made up of three courses
of chrome brick laid on 0 in. of fireclay. The top
and bottom courses are laid on edge, and the inter-
mediate course flat. The walls are three bricks
thick, the outside row being firebrick. An additional
row of chrome brick was added for part of the height
of the wall, as the settler must always contain about
10 in. of matte. The front wall was also increased
in thickness to about 2'2 in. The shell of the settler
is J in. steel plate. Originally there were four matte
tap-holes at the front and two slag overflow
openings at the back. To convert the settler into
a syphon settler a wall of chrome brick 15 in. thick
was built across the settler, a little over 2 ft. from
the front w?ll. A wall at right angles to this divided
the portion thus cut off into two wells. For
admitting the matte an opening approximately
24 in. wide bv 8 in. high was left in each of these
w-ells at the floor of the settler. Thus, so long as the
matte level in the main settler is kept above the
opening, no slag can enter the well. An opening
was made in the front wall just deep enough to
ensure that when the bath in the settler is raised by
blocking the slag overflow, the matte will flow out
of the well into a launder from the top of the settler.
The flow of matte is stopped without difficulty
by opening the slag overflow and letting the bath
down. Two of the original tap-holes are retained,
one from each well. Magnesite blocks, 8 by 8 by
8 in., are set in these, without a cooling jacket of
any kind. They are held in place by cast-iron plates
secured by wedges. .\11 the matte drawn from the
settler must pass through the openings into the
bottom of the wells ; but after several months of
service the brick in the arch over the opening
showed little sign of wear. Owing to the large
quantity of matte and the inferior quality of the
refractories at hand, it was extremely difficult to
keep the tap-holes in good condition. This syphon
was devised to overcome this trouble, and has been
a complete success. The tap-holes are now kept
open more for use in case of an emergency than for
any other reason. The matte well shows no
tendency to chill, due probably to the fact that it is
contained in the settler ; the only loss of heat
by radiation is through the thick front wall.
Treatment of Zinc Residues. — Chemical
Engineering ani Alining Review (Melbourne) for
August gives some particulars of the direct method
of dissolving fume in acid adopted in the treatment
of zinc residues at the works of the Electrolytic
Zinc Company of Australia, Risdon, Tasmania.
In the electrolytic method of treatment the con-
centrates are first roasted and then leached with
sulphuric acid solution. The residue left after the
leaching operation contains a certain amount of
zinc, together with lead and other metals, and it has
been customary to treat this residue for the
formation of fume by mixing it with a reducing
agent, such as coke, and subjecting the mixture to
a blast of air on a Wetherill grate or some such
suitable furnace. This fume is sometimes sold as
a leaded zinc pigment, but is often leached with
sulphuric acid to produce electrolytic zinc. The
method of fuming as applied to the residue from the
leaching operation has also been applied directly
to the ore either roasted or unroasted. Various
patents have been taken out for processes aiming at
DECEMBER, 1921
389
the conversion of zinc into fume, and its collection
therefrom. In 1904 (Commonwealth 264) J. C.
Clancy proposed blowing sulphide ore into a highly-
heated chamber to transform the zinc sulphide into
oxide, which would be condensed and leached out
with HoSOj. In 1907 Hommel and Sulman
(Commonwealth 10,362) patented an elaborate
process in which the sulphide ore is roasted and
mixed with coal and suitable fluxes, placed in a
furnace on heated fuel, and air blown through.
The zinc is recovered from the condensed fume by
leaching with sulphuric acid. J. H. & P. M. Gillies
(Commonwealth 171) in 1916 proposed to fume
lead and zinc, leaching the zinc from the condensed
fume with HoSOj. Another patent (Common-
wealth 6,456) "taken out in 1918 by. the same
investigators, related to a similar leaching process.
Laist, of Anaconda, patented a combination leaching
and smelting process for electrolytic zinc residues
in 1917 (Commonwealth 6,018), in which the residues
are dried, mixed with fine coal, and smelted to
produce a matte, slag, and fume containing the lead
and zinc, which is collected and leached with dilute
H.^SOi for the recovery of the zinc. In all these
methods, however, the expensive means of collection
by bag-houses or electrical precipitation have been
involved. In cases where it is subsequently intended
to leach the fume, it would be a matter of great
benefit if the above methods of treatment were
modified so that in this fuming operation the bag-
house or similar collecting means were replaced
by a cheaper method. Experiments have
accordingly been carried out by the Electrolytic
Zinc Co., at Risdon, with a view to evolving a
process by means of which the fume may be
directly leached without the intervention of a
bag-house or other collecting means. The resulting
new treatment, which is proposed to be put into
operation on a large scale, consists in passing
fume from the Wetherill furnaces upward through
a tower checkered with suitable packing to give
a large area on contact and to prevent accumulations
of the insoluble portion of the fume. Down this
tower H.,SOj solution (spent electrolyte) is caused
to flow against the ascent of the fume so as to be
brought mto intimate contact with them, causing
the soluble constituents, which consist principally
of zinc compounds, to be dissolved in the descending
solution, which is run into a receptacle at the bottom
of the tower. The solution and solid residue thus
collected are treated by known metallurgical
methods for the recovery of their valuable metal
contents.
SHORT NOTICES
Rapidity of Boring. In the Iron and Coal
Trades' Review for November 11, A. E. Ritchie
gives comparisons between British, German, and
American boring practice, exemplifying his points
by reference to bore-holes in the Kent coalfield.
British boring was too slow, and on the other hand,
German boring was too rapid for securing satis-
factory records of the strata passed through.
The Sullivan Machinery Co., of Chicago, has done
rapid work in this country, and though not quite
so rapid as the German firms, gives better geological
records.
Diamond - Drilling. In the Colliery Guardian
for November 4, J. A. MacVicar gives some records
of experience in boring in the United Kingdom by
means of the Sullivan diamond-drill.
Ventilation at Broken Hill. — At the meeting
of the .\ustralajian Institute of Mining and
Metallurgy, held in August, a paper was presented
by R. T.' Slee, describing the ventilation system
at the Broken Hill Proprietary mine.
Acidity of Mine Waters. In a paper published
in the September issue of the Journal of the
Chemical, Metallurgical, and Mining Society of
South .\frica, F. W. Watson and R. K. Cooper
revive the question of the neutralization of acids
in mine waters.
Air-Lift for Tailings. In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for November 19, H. G. S.
.\nderson describes the air-lift for raising tailing at
the Chino copper mine, New Mexico.
Broken Hill South. — At the meeting of the
Australasian Institute of Mining and Metallurgy
held in August, W. E. Wainwright and J. C.
Cunningham presented a paper describing the new
concentration plant at the Broken Hill South mine.
Filter-Presses. The Journal of Industrial and
Engineering Chemistry for November contains
reports of a great many articles on filter-pressing
practice presented at the meeting of the American
Chemical Society held in September.
Chloridizing-Volatilization.— In the Engineering
and Mining Journal for November 2, H. R. Layng
gives some instructions for improvements in
the methods of conducting the chloridizing
volatilization process, in particular with the object
of preventing accretions.
Sulphuric Acid. — In Chemical and Metjllurgical
Engineering for November 9, A. M. Fairlie com-
mences a series of articles on modern improvements
in the method of producing sulphuric acid.
Uranium Steel. In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for October 26, H. S. Foote discusses
the properties imparted to steel by varying per-
centages of uranium.
Chromium Steel. In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for November 2, F. P. Zimmerli
gives a historical bibliography of chromium steels.
This bibliography gives a brief abstract of most
of the entries.
Determination of Chromium. The Journal oj
Industrial and Engineering Chemistry for November
contains an article by G. L. Kelly and J. A. Wiley
on the determination of chromium in ferro-
chromium by electrometric titration.
Radium. In Chemical and Metallurgical
Engineering for November 2, H. D. d'Aguiar
describes the method of producing radium com-
pounds in America.
Cornish Geology.— The Geological Magazine for
November contains a paper by E. H. Davison on
the primary zones of Cornish lodes.
Grecian ' Magnesite.— In the Engineering and
Mining Journal for November 12, H. C. Boydell
gives an account of the magnesite deposits in the
island of Euboea, Greece.
Tin in Queensland. The Queensland Govern-
ment Mining Journal for September contains a
report by E. C. Saint-Smith, Government Geologist,
on the Ewan Tin Syndicate's properties in the
Kangaroo Hills district.
Uganda. — The Geographical Journal for
November contains an account of the Lake .Mbert
Rift Valley, Uganda, by E. J. Wayland, Govern-
ment Geologist.
Low -Temperature Carbonization. The Iron
and Coal Trades Review for November 11 publishes
a report made by Sir Percy Girouard on the process
300
Tin: MiNi.w; .mac.azixe
and plant of the Low Toniperature Carbonization
Co., Ltd., at Uarnslcy, the present company that
niake.'i " eoahle."
Coalite. I\iigi>ieerii>g for October 28 gives an
ilhistratod description of the plant of Low
Temperature Carbonization, Ltd., at Barnsley,
which make's coa'ite and various by-products.
Venezuelan Petroleum. — The Ungiiuering and
Mi>in:g Joiiiiut! for Noveml'er 12 publishes an
oflicial report by A. H. RecUieUl on the petroleum
industry of Venezuela during the year 1920.
Colorado Shale Oils. In Chemical and
Mdiilliirgiidl I'ltgiiiccriiig for October 19 and 26,
A. J. Frank gives an account of the oils obtainable
from Colorado shnles.
Gas from Wood Refuse. The Engineer for
November IS describes a gas producer designed for
using waste wood, made by Ruston &■ Hcrnsby,
Ltd.. of Lincoln.
C. W. Purington. The Engineering and Mining
Journal for November 5 gives a brief biography
of C. W. Purington.
Alfred James. — The Engineering and Mining
Journal for November 19 contains a biographical
notice of Alfred James.
RECENT PATENTS PUBLISHED
Hl^" A copy of tkf specification of any of the patents mentioned in
this column can be obtained by sending Is. to the Patent Office,
Southampton liuildings, Chancery Lane, London, W.C. 2, tvith
a note of the number and year of Ifie patent.
6,921 of 1920(169,467). Chemische Fabrik
Rhen.\nia, .\achen. Germany. Method of re-
covering sulphur from sulphuretted hvdrogen.
10,078 of 1920 (169,473). J.' & A. Ross,
Uddington, Scotland. Signalling apparatus for
mines.
10,293 of 1920 (170,026). C. E. Cornelius,
Stockholm. Furnace for treating zinc dust for the
production of spelter.
16,587 of 1920(169,764). E. E. N.\ef, Notting-
ham. In the manufacture of copper the treatment
of finely divided copper sulphides with solid caustic
soda or potash, or mixtures thereof with any or all
of the following : sodium carbonate, common salt,
sodium sulphate, sodium sulphide, calcium oxide
and hydroxide, at temperatures generally from
300° to 800° C, with or without the addition of
finely divided coal, or in presence of hydrogen
and gases containing such, or in presence of both
coal and hydrogen.
18,669 of 1920 (146.814). Maschinenfabrik
Westf.-^li.iv. Gelsenkirchen, Germany. , A
channelling rod for mining machines of the rod
tvoe.
"18,979 of 1920 (147,030). K. H. Westling,
San Francisco. Method for producing pure
manganese dio.xide.
19,253 of 1920 (147,186). P. Schermuly,
Frankfurt-am-Main, Germany. A new form of
divining rod.
19.363 of 1920 (147,457). .\mpere Gesell-
SCHAFT, Berlin. Method of producing a tungsten-
iron allov used in the jewellery trade.
19.364 of 1920 (147,458). Ampere Gesell-
SCH.\FT, Berlin. Method of producing ferro-
chromium low in carbon.
19,755 of 1920 (147,752). W. P. Thompson,
Liverpool. Method of making white lead.
19,959 of 1920(170,082). Metallbank and
Metallurgische Gesellschaft, Frankfurt-am-
Main, Germany. Method of producing zinc
oxide by precipitation from sul])hate solutions
sull'iciently free from sulphate of lime to make it
suitable for smelting (or zinc.
20,248of 1920(148,334). M. SciiLiJTTUK, Berlin.
.\n electroplating process for producing a I'lrmly
adhering deposit of tin.
20,522 of 1920 (148,539). Spkengluft
Gesellschaft, Charlottenburg, Germany. Method
of making cartridges of carbonaceous matter
suitable for absorbing liquid air, to be used for
blasting purposes.
20,526 of 1920 (148,543). A. R. Ahrendt &
Co., Berlin. ..\pparatus for producing a respirable
air from liquid air.
20.518 of 1920 (148,535). C. A. Baldus and
.A. KoWASTCii, (■h.uli)llenburg, Germany. Fuses
for igniting blasting cartridges in which liquid
aid is used.
20,525 of 1920 (148,542). P. MEFFERT.Coblenz.
Germany. Iiiqiroved receptacles for holding
blasting cartridges containing liquid air.
20,885 of 1920 (170,100). L. H. Diehl,
Darmstadt, (Icrmany. The treatment of material
containing iron and zinc in a blast-furnace, so as
to recover the zinc by volatilization and the iron
bv reduction and melting.
21,787 of 1920(170,404). L. A. LEVvand K. H.
D.wis. London. A respirator useful in atmospheres
containing carbonic oxide.
21,988 of 1920(170,651). W. K. Nettle, P.
Seiuv, J. Blvthe, and J. H. IIolman, Johannes-
burg. Mechanism for supplving water to rock-
drills.
25,892 of 1920 (170,474). Badische Anilin &
SoD.\ Fabrik, Ludwigshafen am Rhein. A
fertilizer consisting of ammonium sulphate and
ammonium nitrate. [This mixture is said to be
explosive and to have caused the disaster at
Oppau.l
29,801 of 1920 (163,023). Rhenisch-
Nassauische Bergwerks und Hijtten Gesell-
schaft, Stolberg, Rhineland, Germany. Improved
methods of rabbling in Spirlet roasting furnaces.
13,621 of 1921 (164,725). Societe d'Electro-
Chimie et D'ELECTRo-.MiiTALLURGiQUE, Paris.
Improvements in the electrolytic method of
producing iron.
NEW BOOKS, PAMPHLETS, Etc.
fc=5'Copies of the books, etc., mentioned below can be obtained
through the Technical Bookshop of The Mining Magazine,
724, Salisbury House, London Wall, E.G. 2.
Catalogue of British Scientific and Technical
Books. Prepared by a Committee of the British
Science Guild. Cloth, octavo, 390 pages. Price
10s. net. London : The British Science Guild,
6, John Street, Adelphi, London, W.C. 2. This is
an ambitious work, but covers far too much ground,
ranging from dermatology and aeronautics to
textiles and tobacco culture. Then, again, a cata-
logue is of no use to English readers unless it includes
American books. The classification is by no meaiis
perfect, and the preface acknowledges this
difficulty ; but we did not expect to find Julian
and Smart's Cyaniding Gold and Silver Ores under
the heading of ore-dressing.
Preliminary Report on Petroleum in Alaska.
By G. C. Marti.x. Bulletin 719 of the Unf.ed States
Geological Survey.
Mineral Industry of the British Empire : Phos-
phates. Pamphlet. 70 pages. Price 2s. net. London :
Imperial Mineral Resources Bureau.
DECEMBER, 1921
391
Geology and Mineral Resources of the Serb-
Croat-Slovene Slate. By D. A. Wray. Foolscap,
paper covers, 110 pages, with maps and other
illustrations. Price 3s. 6d. net. London : The
Department of Overseas Trade. This is a report
prepared for the British Economic Mission to Serbia,
by a member of the Geological Survey of Great
Britain.
Practical Chemistry of Coal. By A. E. Findlev
and R. Wiggington. Cloth, octavo, 150 pages,
illustrated. Price 1 2s. 6d. London : Benn
Brothers, Ltd.
Geological Survey of West Australia. Bulletin
79 : Mining Geology of Comet Vale and Goongarne,
by J. T. JuTsoN ; Bulletin 80 : Mining Centres of
Quinn's and Jasper Hill, by F. R. Feldtmann ;
Bulletin 81 : The Warriedar Gold-Mining Centre,
by F. R. Feldtmann.
Permeation of Oxygen Breathing Apparatus
by Gases and Vapours. By A. C. Fiei.dner,
S. H. Katz, and S. P. Kinney. Technical Paper
272 of the United States Bureau of Mines.
Miners' Consumption in the Mines of Butte,
Montana. By L). Harrington and A. J. Lanza.
Technical Paper 260 of the United States Bureau
of Mines.
Relative Safety of Brass, Copper, and Steel
Gauzes in Miners' Flame Safety Lamps. By L. C.
Ilsley and A. B. HookliR. Technical Paper 228
of the United States Bureau of Mines.
Income Tax Guide, 1921. By H. W. Palmer.
Price Is. net. London : The Financial Times.
The incidence of the income tax does not become
any the less inexplicable, nor does the tax itself
grow any less burdensome, and we should be grateful
to those who try to help us to bear and to understand
one of the most serious of hfe's many troubles.
The management of the Financial Times have
produced a new and revised edition of their Income
Tax Guide, which tells us all about income, excess
profits, and corporation taxes, what to pay, and
how to obtain relief, with tables and examples.
The booklet is based throughout on official data,
is thoroughly up to date, and is so written that it
may be understood even by those to whom the mere
mention of income tax involves an immediate and
dermanent clouding of the brain.
COMPANY REPORTS
Weardale Lead. — This company has been working
lead mines in Weardale, County Durham, since
1883. The control is in Newcastle-on-Tyne,
Professor Henry Louis is consulting engineer,
and H. S. Willis is manager. The report for the year
ended September 30 shows that owing to the fall
in the price of lead it became necessary to restrict
operations to the more profitable places. Inaddition,
the mines were entirely idle for twelve weeks owing
to the coal strike. The output of lead concentrate
was 1,563 tons, and of fluor-spar 6,870 tons, com-
paring with 2,774 tons and 9,374 tons during the
previous year. The accounts show a loss of ;£10,828
on working account, and ;*^8,229 has to be provided
for income ta,x. On the other hand, /8.821 pre-
viously paid as excess profits duty has been recovered.
The year began with a credit balance of ;^4,005,
and ^2,936 was received as dividends on invest-
ments. The year ended with a deficit of /3,286.
The question of wages has been frequently dis-
cussed with the men, and the latter have agreed to
e— 7
reductions in keeping with the general state of the
labour market. Some substantial economies have
been effected by the installation of electric haulage
and new dressing plant. These two facts encourage
the directors in the belief that profits will be made
once more in the early future.
Burma Corporation. — The history of the various
companies that have successively operated the lead-
zinc-copper-silver deposits at Bawdwin, Northern
Shan States, are already sufficiently well known,
so that no reference to earlier reports is necessary
here. Suffice it to say that the property
was transferred in December, 1919, to a company
registered in Rangoon. The report now issued by
this company covers the year ended December,
1920. During this period 93,038 tons of ore,
averaging 38-1% lead, 23-6% zinc, 0-4% copper,
and 37-3 oz. silver per ton, was sent to the smelter ;
and 30,424 tons, averaging 33-8% lead, 24-5% zinc,
0-2% copper, and 31-7 oz. silver, was sent to the
concentrators for the separation of the sulphides.
The first unit of the water-concentration plant was
started in July, 1920, but owing to the scarcity of
suitable labour only a few machines were started at
a time. In fact the work throughout the vear was
in the nature of training labour. The flotation plant
was not started until 1921. During 1920 the smelter
treated 136,450 tons of material, averaging 29-57%,
15-5% zinc, and 26-72 oz. silver per ton, and
28,484 tons of lead bullion was produced. The
refinery produced 23,821 tons of lead and
2,869,727 oz. of silver. The reserve is estimated at
4,429,458 tons, averaging 25-3% lead, 17-7% zinc,
and 23-2 oz. silver per ton ; of this total 335,681 tons
is copper ore averaging 11% copper, 12-8% lead,
7-7% zinc, and 23-2 oz. silver. Owing to the
depressed position of the metal market, it has not
been possible to proceed with various expansions
contemplated, and it has been necessary to continue
the policy of obtaining an income by the treatment
of the sections of ore richest in lead and silver.
The contemplated yearly output is 45,000 tons of
lead and 4,500,000 oz. of silver. The construction
of the zinc works in India has been suspended owing
to the Government withdrawing its financial
help and owing to the Tata Company being desirous
of limiting its participation. Also the construction
of the new smelter is deferred, and the development
of the Namma coalfield. For the first time in the
reports the labour position is mentioned, and the
conditions revealed are not calculated to comfort
the shareholders. Reference to this matter is made
elsewhere in this issue. The report also mentions
that the engagement of R. G. Hall as resident-
manager was not renewed when his term expired
in September, 1921, and that P. E. Marmion has
been appointed to the position. The accounts show
receipts of £1,081,380 (with the rupee at Is. 4d.)
derived from the sale of lead and silver, and a net
profit of /246,770, which was carried forward.
North Broken Hill. — The report now issued
covers the year ended June 30, 1921. Operations
were resumed on a restricted scale when the long
strike terminated on November 10, 1920, the
restriction being necessary owing to the low price
of and poor demand for lead, together with the
high wages and costs and the limited capacity for
smelting. The result of the operations from
November to the end of the company's financial
year was a loss of /62,242, without any provision
for depreciation, taxes, or royalty. After the fire
at the Port Pirie smelters of the Broken Hill
302
Till': MIXIXC". MACAZrVE
Associated on January 25, lead concentrate was
sent to the Cockle Creek works of the Sulphide
Corporation (or treatment. During the year
43.0'21 tons of ore was raised from the mine, and
3'2,;W0 tons was treated at the concentrators,
which produced 6,461 tons of lead concentrate,
averaging evS-S";, lead, 7-3"ja zinc, and 28'4 or..
silver per ton, and 6,010 tons of zinc concentrate
averaging 48-1 '];, zinc, 7-4 "„ lead, and 96 oz. silver.
The old contract by which the zinc tailing was
delivered to the Amalgamated Zinc (Dc Bavay's)
for treatment expired on April 30, 1919, a few
days before the commencement of the long strike.
On the resumption of operations, the company's
new plant was started, and both lead and zinc
concentrates are now produced. .^s already
mentioned, the year's work ended in a loss of
/62.242, but as there was another item of income,
2^70,370, derived from the sale of concentrates
produced before the strike, there was an actual
credit balance of /8,128.
Bisichi Tin. — This company was formed in
1910 to acc)uire alluvial tin properties south-cast
of Bukeru, on the Bauchi Plateau, Nigeria. Toward
the end of 1920 the properties of adjoining com
panics, the Forum. Ninghi, and Northern Nigeria
Trust, were absorbed with the object of securing
greater economy in administration. The report
now issued covers the year 1920. During this
time the output at the Bisichi section was 133 tons
of tin concentrate, and the output at the acquired
properties was 128 tons. The working result was
a loss of /2,498. Accompanying the directors'
report is one bv Lake & Curric, engineers to the
company, dated' October 31, 1921. H. E. NichoUs,
partner in this firm, has recently returned from a
visit to the properties extending over five months.
This report shows that on E.P.L. 1060 of the Forum
section prospecting by bores and pits has recently
proved ground estimated to contain 6,747 tons of
cassiterite. This discovery will have an important
bearing on the future operations of the company.
Lulpaard's Vlei. — This company has operated
property in the far west Rand since 1888, and the
control is now with the Hamilton-Ehrlich group.
Operations have never been very profitable, and no
dividends have been paid since 1916. The report
for the year ended June 30 last shows that
206,695 tons of ore was sent to the mill, where
48,152 oz. of gold or 4-66 dwt. per ton was extracted
by amalgamation and cyaniding. The gold was sold
for ^269,867, or 26s. Id. per ton, the price realized •
averaging 112s. Id. per oz. The working costs was
;^253,712, or 24s 6d. per ton, leaving a working
profit of /16,154, or Is. 7d. per ton. Other items
of revenue brought the profit to /22,960, from which
is deducted ;^ 17,584 allowed for depreciation. The
reserve is estimated at 624,766 tons, a reduction
of 77,081 tons on the year. Additional areas on
the west have been acquired during the year,
and these are estimated to contain 260,000 tons of
ore. Connexion with these deposits is being made
from the main workings on the 12th, 14th, and
17th levels. The position at the mine depends on
the gold premium and on the prospect of a reduction
in white wages. It is not considered likely that the
cost of stores will drop appreciably.
Simmer & Jack. — This company belongs to the
Consolidated Gold Fields group, and has worked
an outcrop mine in the Central Rand since 1887.
For the last six years or so the dividends have been
to be developed other than that recently acquired
from the Simmer Deep and Jupiter companies.
The report for the year ended June 30 las! shows
that 784,200 tons of ore was mined, anil after the
rejection of waste, 702,000 tons was sent to the
mill. The yield of gold by amalgamation was
93,474 oz., aiul by cyanide 67,247 oz. ; in addition,
86 oz. was recovered in by-products, bringing the
total to 160,807 oz. The revenue from the sale
of gold was /890,83), of which /21 1,766 accrued
from premium. The working cost was (771,580,
leaving a working profit of /1 19,253. The yield
per ton at par was 19s. 4d., and the premium 6s.,
making a total yield of 25s. 4d. The cost per ton
was 21s. lid., leaving a profit of 3s. 5d. It will be
seen that w-ithout the premium a loss of 2s. 7d. per
ton would have been incurred. The shareholders
received ,.(75,000, the dividend being at the rate of
2i%. During the year the development disclosed
payable ore over .594 ft., averaging 13-7 dwt. over
33 in. The reserve at June 30 was estimated at
1,081,000 tons, averaging 5-71 dwt. over 76 in.
The sinking of the Rhodes incline shaft has been
completed to the 39th level. The ore from the claiziis
acquired from the Simmer Deep and Jupiter will
be hoisted through this shaft.
Glynn's Lydenburg. — This company has worked
gold mines in the Lydenburg district of the Trans-
vaal since 1895. The Transvaal Consolidated Land
and Exploration Co., Ltd., are the secretaries, and
the Central Mining and Investment Corporation,
Ltd., has technical control. The report for the
year ended July 31 shows that 40,140 tons of ore
was sent to the mill, and that 5,957 oz. of gold was
extracted by amalgamation and 9,347 oz. by
cyanide, making a total of 15,304 oz., equal to
7'62 dwt. per ton. The revenue derived from the
sale of the gold was £86,358, including premium,
and the working cost was /70,853, leaving a working
profit of /15,504. It will be seen that but for the
premium there would have been a loss. Dividends
at the rate of 8|%, absorbing /1 4,875, have been
distributed. The directors have adopted a policy
involving a considerable increase in prospecting
and development, and it is probable that for some
time all the profits will be allocated to this purpose.
Gaika Gold. — This company was formed by
the Rhodesian E.xploration and Development Co.,
in 1902, to work a gold property near the Globe
and Phrenix, in Rhodesia. Control passed to the
Gold Fields Rhodesian Development Company in
1912. The report for the year ended June 30 .shows
that 40,127 tons of ore was raised and treated,
vielding 9.156 oz. of gold bv amalgamation and
5,824 oz. by cyanide, a tota'l of 14,980 oz. The
income derived from the sale of the gold was
;(82,580, of which about /19,000 represented
premium. The profit was £32,613, and /34,186
has been distributed as dividend, being at the rate
of 12J%. The ore reserve at June 30 was estimated
at 73,000 tons, averaging 13-2 dwt. per ton, as
compared with 64,000 tons, averaging 15-7 dwt.
the year before. There has been much discussion
lately as to whether it would not be possible to
increase the tonnage and assay-value of the ore
treated, but Cyril E. Parsons, the consulting
engineer, is against such a policy, as he holds that
the position does not warrant such an increase.
At the meeting of shareholders held last month the
agitators for an increase carried the day, and their
leader was elected to the board. Reference to this
matter is made in the Review of Mining.
THE MINING MAGAZINE
BISICHI TIN COMPANY, LTD.
Directors: James Gardiner (ChainitiDi). W. S. Coutts, W. Graham. H. E. Nicholls, A. li. Young. Eiii;i>iters :
Lake & Currie. Secre/ary : W. W. Kvans. Office: 33, Cornhill, London, E.G. 3. Formed 1910; alisorljed
the Forum River, Ninghi, and Northern Nigeria Trust companies in 1920. Capital Issued: ^372,039.
Business : Operates alluvial tin properties on the Bauchi Plateau, Nigeria.
The tenth annual general meeting of the Eisichi nevertheless the additions to the reserves proved
Tin Company (Nigeria). Ltd., was held on
November 30 at the Cannon Street Hotel, London,
E.G., Mr. James Gardiner (Chairman of the com-
pany) presiding.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report and accounts for the year 1920, said that the
delay in submitting these was due entirely to the
protracted nature of the liquidation of the accounts
of the absorbed companies, the final audit of which
had only just been completed. The issued capital
now stood at ;{^372,039, the increase being due to the
purchase consideration for the absorbed com-
panies, full details of which were issued at the
time the amalgamation was carried into effect.
The item under the heading contingent liability
represented a liability not in cash but in fully-paid
shares in, and contingent only on, the Lan-
carrow property in Cornwall being floated as a
separate concern. Although the item had been
inserted at the request of the auditors it was in
reality no liability at all. The exploration account
showed an increase of about /8,500, but this was
money well spent, and the progressive policy
adopted by the directors in respect of acquiring
new areas had been fully justified by the very
large additions to reserves.
There were remarkable developments which had
taken place since the occasion of their last meeting.
This was dealt with in the report of their engineers,
Messrs. Lake & Currie, which, for the purpose of
giving the fullest and latest available information,
had been brought as nearly up to date as possible.
At the last annual meeting reference was made to an
area then held jointly with the Forum Company, and
which was now, of course, wholly their own property,
which promised to develop into one of considerable
value, and it was with the greatest satisfaction
that he was now able to tell shareholders that these
anticipations had not only been realized, but that
the discoveries had been so highly important as to
exceed even their most sanguine expectations.
The ground in question held under exclusive
prospecting licence 1060 was large in extent ; to
be exact, it had an area of 3'87 square miles. On
a small portion of this there had already been
proved by prospecting no less than 6,747 tons of
concentrates (70% metal), the gross value of which,
even at the price of tin ruling to-day — namely,
£163 per ton — was no less than /750,000 sterling.
Attention was drawn by their engineers to the fact
that this was a continuous deposit, and in that
respect, as far as they were aware, the largest of its
nature yet discovered. At any rate, it was one of
the chief, if not the most important, of the
discoveries made in Nigeria. The possibilities of
this area were by no means exhausted, and he had
every confidence that prospecting, which was still
being carried out, would eventually substantially
increase the figure given.
While this discovery was, of course, the most
important development during the last year.
on other sections of their property were by no means
negligible, and a total of nearly 1 1 .000 tons of proved
reserves, with a gross value at to-day's price of the
metal of almost ;(^1, 250,000 sterling, was a figure
which could be viewed with complete satisfaction.
One other point was the fact that, apart from the
potentiahties of the very large areas ot new ground
yet to be tested, the possibilities of the old leases
were by no means exhausted, for already in several
instances payable ground had been found to exist
where it was least expected. In the statement of
reserves in the report no allowance was made for
ground known to be payable but not sufficiently
tested to enable definite calculations to be made,
and therefore the figure given might be taken as a
strictly conservative one. Although work had
been restricted in other directions, prospecting
was being continued, and also the development of
the various areas by construction of dams and
leats was in force, so that they might be in a position
to increase output and take advantage of any
improvement in the price of the metal.
Another subject to which he wished to refer was
one which affected not only their own company,
but also the industry as a whole. Just as in the
Malay States, where, with the working out of the
shallower deposits, hand labour had perforce to
be superseded by mechanical appliances, so was
history repeating itself in the case of Nigeria. Here,
again, the more easily won tin was becoming
exhausted, and what might be termed the transition
stage in methods had now been reached. In future
mechanical methods must be increasingly adopted,
and with this would arise the serious question of
motive power. This could only be effected by three
agencies — namely oil fuel, coal, and water-power,
the first of which was almost ruled out by its
prohibitive cost, while cheap coal from the Udi
field would not be available until the mining field
had been connected with it by the railway now
under construction, a matter, however, of some
years yet. There remained the third source, and
those companies who had water to generate power
were singularly fortunate, and it was therefore a
matter of congratulation that their own properties
were very favourably situated in this respect, a fact
which would undoubtedly facilitate the economic
development and exploitation of their very e.xtensive
areas of ground.
In conclusion, without wishing to assume the
role of prophet — indeed, he would be a rash man
who would indulge in prophecies under existing
circumstances — he ventured to say that when the
present world-wide state of depression came to an
end, as come it must, tin would be one of the first
commodities to be favourably affected by the
improvement, and that their company would be in
a position to reap its full share of the benefits
resulting from an improvement in conditions.
Mr. \V. S. Coutts seconded the resolution, and it
was carried unanimouslv.
29
THE MINING MAGAZINE
IDA H. MINING CO., LTD.
Pirulon: Sir George C. Denton (C/iainiian), John Waddingtoii, St. John Winnc, A. O. Caulk')'. Sfor/aiy :
P. S. Fitzer. Offiic : Blomfield House, London Wall, London, E.G. 2. J'onmd 1900; ri-coustrurlcd UVJO.
Capital Issued : /^46,742 in shares of 5s. each.
Business: Conducts exploration work in Nigeria.
The first annual general meeting of the Ida H.
Mining Co., Ltd., was held on November 29, at
Blomfield House, London, EC. 2, Sir George
C. Denton (Chairman of the company) presiding.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report and accounts for the year ended April 30
last, said the directors' views on the question of
the Monguna area were fully set out in the report.
Personally, he tliought Mr. Wham showed that a
satisfactory condition of affairs existed on that part
of their property, and he believed there was a good
future for the company there, provided that the
price of tin did not fall lower than it was at
present. If, as time went on, circumstances
justified the erection of the pipe-line recommended
by Mr. Wham, he had every reason to believe that
the development of this area would prove a success.
They would notice from the report that they had
some ten tons of tin in Nigeria. So far they bad
not sold it, because the price of tlie metal had been
very low, but as, even at the present rate, it should
realize between /700 and /800. it might be desirable
to have it sent home at an early date.
He wished lie could give as good an account of
the Damo area. They would no doubt remember
that when the Ida H. Mining Company was formed
the directors had before them excellent reports on it.
Unfortunately, the manager whom they sent out,
and who came to them with very good testimonials,
had failed to discover tin in payable quantities.
Naturally, the directors had done their best to
investigate matters, with the result that they found
views of a very conflicting nature were held on the
point. After careful inquiry the directors were not
satisfied that the manager might not have been too
hasty in his conclusion, and for that reason it was
their intention to adopt the course mentioned in
their report.
Shareholders would be aware that there were said
to be very favourable prospects for gold mining in
Nigeria, and in this connexion they had, through
the good offices of Mr. John Waddington, been
fortunate enough to secure a year's option over one
square mile in what was known as the Jebba district.
From information that had reached him he believed
that this ground had a future before it, and he was
told that an eminent geologist had formed a very
favourable opinion of it and had even gone so far
as to say that if the quartz shown him came from
Jebba — which it did — it was the most important
discovery that had ever happened in Nigeria.
They had not been behindhand in this matter, and
he beheved that Ida H., being one of the first in the
field, had the right to expect that its square mile
would be very favcurably situated, as selections
were made in the order in which prospectors com-
menced operations.
So far he had refrained from referring to the
very depressed conditions of all commercial under-
takings at the present time and, having regard to
the cost of production, the ruinously low price tin
was realizing. It was a little better now, and
they hoped the trouble might be only tcn>]iorary
and that there would be a further improvement in
the tin market at an early date, but low prices had
gone on for some time now and they seemed rather
firmly established, he was sorry to say. It was
true that the Nigerian Government, recognizing the
position, had granted concessions in respect of
royalties and rents which must be of great assistance
to the tin industry and they were thankful to them
for what they have done, but — and it was a big
" but " — the railway freights were still very high —
exorbitantly so, he was told — when compared
with those ruling in other colonies. At present he
was afraid there was not much use in agitating for
a reduction, but the matter must not be lost sight
of and if a favourable opjiortunity arose for a
representation to the Government advantage should
be at once taken of it and the Colonial Office
approached.
Mr. C. G. Lush, the company's consulting
engineer, said that the report on Damo was most
disappointing to himself, because they had such
men as Mr. Carpenter, who worked the property on
tribute and who found it highly payable ; they had
Mr. Roche, a very successful miner, working his own
property in Nigeria, and who had been there for
some 15 years, and who in consequence of his
working his own property was worth more than he
was— he had made /20,'000 to £30,000 in Nigeria
through working tin economically — and who said
this was a very good property ; and then they had
Mr. Speed, who said the property was good. "There-
fore he thought that the views of their late manager
were wrong. He would remind them that in the
early days of Nigeria the first men who went there
said there was no payable tin in the place. He could
mention dozens of mines which had been turned
down in Nigeria which afterwards proved highly
payable, so be thought that their late manager had
made a mistake and the sooner they got another
man there the better. If he might make a sugges-
tion to the directors he would like them to select
Mr. Wham, if he had the time to undertake the work.
Then there was a reference made to the gold. In
1914 he went out there andsawtv^o areas owned by
the Champion Company, and he could not under-
stand why those areas were not developed. There
were places where free gold is found in the outcrop.
The Champion Company took some 5,000 odd ounces
of alluvial out of the river, which cut through the
reef. In any other country they would have had
a shaft sunk before this. However, there were great
prospects for gold in Nigeria, but like other countries
there would be good patches and bad patches.
Mr. R. B. Wham said that one of his- main
ideas in coming home was to try and push along
the pipe-line, by means of which they could further
prospect their Monguna leases, and also produce
tin. They had a very good show out there, but it
wanted further prospecting.
The resolution was seconded by Mr. St. John
Winne, and unanimously carried.
30
THE MINING MAGAZINE
INDO-BURMA OILFIELDS (1920), LTD.
Direc/on: Earl of Denbigh
C. Perkins, R. F. M. Scott.
The first annual general meeting of the Indo-
Burma Oilfields (1920), Ltd., was held on
December 1 at Winchester House, London, E.C. 2,
the Earl of Denbigh (Chairman of the company)
presiding.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report and accounts to March 31, 1920, referred to
the change made by the directors in the pro-
gramme of the company from what was outlined
in the prospectus issued when the company was
formed. The prospectus declared the policy of
the company to be the development of its
Yenangyaung well sites. The Yenangyaung field
was well known as an oi! producer, and it was from
that field that most of the oil in Burma had been
derived. Orders were placed both in this country
and America for the heavy machinery, tools, etc.,
for the work to be done on these sites. Like all
other companies during the year 1920 this company
had great difficulty in getting delivery of the
machinery and plant ordered by it, and in the
meantime the local staff were able to give more
attention to the company's outside areas,
particularly Yenanma and Padaukpin. As a result
of a detailed examination of these areas they
strongly urged the board to drill trial wells on them.
Mr. Davies, the company's geologist, agreed with
these recommendations while not in any way
receding from the opinion he had expressed as to
the value of the company's Yenangyaung well
sites. Information was also received from reliable
sources that the production from the Yenangyaung
field, as proved by recent drilling, had shown a
serious decline. After giving the matter the fullest
and most anxious consideration, and believing it to
be in the best interests of shareholders to get oil
at the earliest possible date, the directors authorized
work to be started at Yenanma. The first well
drilled came in with a production of 6J barrels per
day at 690 ft., against the prospectus estimate ot
3 barrels. Seventeen wells had been drilled in the
neighbourhood of No. 1 well, and the results were
set out in their technical adviser's report. Four
further wells were being drilled, and the results
might be received at any time. Oil had been struck
in every well, the six best giving results of 12, 14,
18, 25, 30, and 45 barrels per day respectively.
Results from three wells had been cabled since the
report was issued ; No. 20, which produced 1 1 J
barrels per day, No. 21 producing 18 barrels, and
No. 22 producing 30 barrels.
In the Padaukpin area, work was commenced in
No. 1 well in January, 1921, and in No. 2 well
some little time later. It was subsequently dis-
covered, as the result of a large-scale survey, that
the centre of the dome was situated on an area of
1-8 square miles contiguous to the company's
original area. This area was the property of a
Burmese syndicate, from whom the company's
managing agents obtained an option to purchase at
the price of £17,500, and they had now turned the
whole of this area over to the company at the price
Chairman), Lt.-Gen. Sir E. A. Althani. Gen. Sir Bindon Blood, H. G. Latilla,
Secretary : '^. J. Sneddon. Office: Finsbury Pavement House, London, E.C. 2.
Formed 192C. Capital Issued: /;i ,380,000.
Business : The development of oil lands in Burma.
they paid for it, subject only to the same royalty
as is payable in respect of the original area. Five
sites were located on that area, and No. 3 well struck
the oil at a depth of 1,414 ft., the yield being 63
barrels per day. No. I well was drilled to 1,950 ft.,
when on account of bad caving-in it was decided to
abandon it. No. 2 well had now reached a depth of
782 ft., No. 4 well a depth of 1,450 ft., and might
strike the oil at any time. No. 5 had reached
705 ft., and No. 6 100 ft. The rig was erected on
No. 7 well. This was very satisfactory and the
company was to be congratulated in owning a
property of such great possibilities.
The satisfactory results from the Yenanma and
Padaukpin areas fully confirmed and justified the
change of programme in making the development of
these areas the principal work of the company, but
the directors had no intention of allowing their
valuable well sites at Yenangyaung to lie dormant.
As, however, the Yenanma and Padaukpin
operations could be controlled easily and satis-
factorily from a central base at Thayetmyo, the
starting of work at Yenangyaung would have meant
the duplication of staff, stores, machine shops, etc.
The company had a short time before completed
negotiations with the Yomah Oil Co., Ltd., for the
erection of a joint refinery, and as the Yomah
Company were drilling at Yenangyaung, an arrange-
ment was made with them to drill a number of the
company's sites on a co-operative basis.
As regards the refinery, on making careful search
for a suitable site, it was found that the Yomah Oil
Company had already acquired the best site which
could be discovered anywhere in the neighbourhood
of Rangoon. That company had already ordered
a considerable amount of material, and eventually
it was decided to join with them in the erection of
a co-operative refinery. A separate company
known as the United Refineries Burma, Ltd., was
registered, two-thirds of the capital being found by
their company, and one-third by the Yomah Oil
Company, the profits to be divided in accordance
with the amount of crude oil passed through the
refinery by the respective companies. The first
unit of this refinery was nearing completion
Further money had to be found, particularly
for the company's share of the refinery, and an
issue of ;£250,000 ten per cent First Mortgage
Convertible Debenture Stock was made at the end
of September last. This was all taken up.
He was assured that taking a moderate view
the company could, beginning early in the New Year,
count on earning profits of ^^10,000 per month,
which sum would be progressively increased as
production increased. With regard to the future
programme, work would proceed with the present
plant at Yenanma and Padaukpin continuously.
The company's experts have the fullest confidence
in the future of the company, and so had every
member of the board.
Lt.-Gen. SirE. A. Altham seconded the resolution,
and it was carried unanimously.
31
nil. MINING MAt.AZlNl'
PREMIER OIL CO., LTD.
Directors- V. II. Il.imilton (C/;<i/V/«<J«), J. Fairbairn, C. IVikins, II. Auerlwch, H. G. Latilh, A. Wliitlakor,
E I'aix Sfcrrtarv: R. Stanley Williams. Oy/firr.' 62, London Wall, LoikIoii, K.C. 2. /•'oz-wfu' 1919, as a recon-
struction of the r'reniier Oil & Pipe Line Co., Ltd. Cipilal issimi: £i,\')1,bl\ 10s. in shares of 15s. each.
Business: Has large holding in a French company owning oil properties in Galicia and Czecho- Slovakia.
The first ordinary general meeting of the Premier capital upon wells, altho\igh they were advised that
Oil Company. Ltd., was held on December 9 at
River Plate House, Finsliurv Circus, London, F..C.,
Mr. F. H. Hamilton (Chairman of the company)
presiding.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report and accounts, said that when the present
company was formed the Germans, or rather
neutrals under German control, had physical
possession of the properties in Galicia, largely
through subsidiary companies or individual repre-
sentatives who wore entirely under their control.
The old Premier Company, of which this company
was the successor, was in debt to the extent of
considerably over /100,000 before the war to the
German groups. ~ Subsequently this company
succeeded in getting Polish sequesters appointed
to carry on the business of the company. At an
extraordinary general meeting of the company,
held in June of last year, certain proposals for
carrying through the sale to a French company
were "placed before shareholders, and were
unanimously adopted, and the directors reported
in a circular dated February 2 of this year that
the arrangements, as authorized at the meeting in
June, had been carried into effect, and that the
French company had entered into possession of the
prooerties early this year.
The reports upon the properties in Galicia,
now published, were of very detailed character
They included one report from Mr. Campbell
Hunter, who was appointed as the company's
representative to report independently of the
French company, and another from Mr. H. Vilter,
general manager of the French company.
Altogether they carried things down to the be-
ginning of October, and presented a clear and
detailed picture of the position and of the
progress that had been made during the first three-
quarters of the year. Broadly speaking, the record
was a highly satisfactory one, especially when it is
borne in m'ind that it was only during this year
that the French company assumed control. Pro-
duction was increasing, an active drilling programme
was being maintained, a large scheme of
electrification, which would effect important
economies, was making good progress, and for the
months for which the French company had com-
plete figures satisfactory profits were earned. The
difficult task of reorganizing the very intricate
machinery of the company had been tackled with
energy and intelligence, and to-day they had a
working organization absolutely second to none in
Galicia.
A question of great importance — namely, the
prolongation of leases — had been settled in a highly
satisfactory manner. As the report showed, a
certain number of the leases, the most important
of which was that of the State Land Territory,
had but a short time to run. In the case of the
State Lands between five and six years remained —
far too short a period to justify the expenditure of
the ground was rich. Owing to energetic repre-
sentations made to the Polish Government, which
were strongly supported by the representative of
the French Government in Warsaw, the leases had
now been extended for a further period of twenty
years from the date of the expiration of the original
lease, against a cash payment of 1,000.000 francs.
Favourable arrangements had also been made with
regard to the other leases, but the contract with the
Polish Government regarding these State lands
was of the greatest importance and should secure
to the French company a large and increasing
production from this source alone for many years
to come. Of course, the extravagant and almost
grotesque variations in the Polish exchange was a
disadvantage, but this might easily be exaggerated.
.■\s regards the relationships between the com-
pany and the F'rcnch Premier Company, it might
be well to point out with some precision what they
actually were. They owned about 3,S% of the
ordinary capital and about 40°o of the parts de
fondateurs, or, as they might be termed, the
deferred capital of the company. The control of
this, the English Premier Company, was, of course,
vested absolutely in its shareholders. The control
of the French company was secured to the French
group?, not merely by the fact that they held a
majority of the shares, but specifically under clauses
in the agreement of sale. This company, however,
had four directors upon the board of the French
company, and the French company had two repre-
sentatives, Messrs. Auerbach and Paix, upon this
board. The relationships between the two com-
panies were therefore of necessity very intimate,
and during all the stress of the extremely difficult
time through which they had been passing, and the
complicated adjustments necessitated by the
transfer of the properties and various contracts,
the relationships had up to the present been of a
frank and cordial character.
It was desirable at this meeting that they should
consider very briefly the results of this transfer
to the French company, with all its advantages
and disadvantages in the light of the experiences
of the last twelve months. The present board was
responsible for it in a very special sense. They
advocated the policy, found the buyers, and finally
they conducted the very intricate negotiations, here
and in Paris, over a period of some eight months.
If the policy was a wrong one they had no one else
than themselves to blame. They could best answer
the question by asking what would have been the
situation to-day if they had preserved the previous
status. Obviously they would not have been in
possession of the properties. They would still
have been held by the sequesters representing the
Polish Government, and they would have had not
a shadow of right to control their policy. Govern-
ment representatives, whether Polish or British,
were not the ideal managers of any industrial
enterprise, and in this case the sequesters laboured
32
THE MINING MAGAZINE
under peculiar disadvantages. They could not
find the capital to carry out the reorganization that
was imperatively necessary-, and they were, more-
over, hampered by a rather dangerous political
movement which had for its object the expropriation
of the properties in the interests of Polish subjects.
Had they preserved the old status they would
have been deprived of the backing and influence of
the French Government, which was by far the most
important political factor in Poland to-day, and had
been in one way and another of great service to the
company, and they would not have obtained the
extension of the concession on the State Lands.
The only alternative way of terminating the regime
of the sequesters, with all its risks, was by means of
a litigation before the Arbitral Tribunal under the
conditions provided for by the Treaty of Peace with
Austria. There were a large number of cases still
awaiting decision by that tribunal, and it seemed to
them that it might well be years before their case
was heard. At the best it would have been a terribly
expensive process, and they would have been under
the disadvantage of fighting not merely Germans,
but powerful neutrals to whom the Germans had
nominally at least sold and resold the control.
Finally, they would at the best have been forced
to repay the money which the old Premier Company
owed, whicli would have necessitated a further
reconstruction of this company, and, above all,
there was only too good reason to fear that by the
time they gained possession of the properties they
would, in the absence of development and capital
expenditure, hai-e deteriorated enormously. Those
were the factors which influenced the board
in taking the line they did. It was not an easy
line at the time they took it, because, apart from
anything else, it necessitated negotiations in London,
Paris, Berlin, Warsaw, and Switzerland, and the
adjustment ot a number of complicated interests ;
but, looking back after nearly twelve months, they
had even less doubt than they had when they asked
the shareholders' sanction for it that it was well
worth the trouble, and that only by this means was
this company saved from another and perhaps
disastrous reconstruction.
The remaining question of practical importance
related to their future policy. Certain shareholders
had suggested to the board that as the Galician
properties had been sold an immediate distribution
of assets might be made. Even if that course were
desirable, which in their view it was not, it was
quite an impossible one at present, and, moreover,
it would not be possible in any circumstances for
two or three years. Under French law they,
as vendors, did not receive negotiable documents of
title, or, in other words, marketable shares, until
two years after the registration of the company.
In the meantime they were merely registered as
entitled to .receive certain shares in the French
company. They would not be absolutely handed
over to them until the end of next year. Moreover,
they obviously could not distribute their 20,000
parts de fondateurs and ordinary shares of the
denomination of 500 francs among their 12,000
shareholders. The only possibility was that they
should sell them and distribute the proceeds over
a certain term. As he had already said, that process
could not be commenced for another year, and in
dealing with so large an amount it would inevitably
take a long time. Their own view was decisively
against this policy of wholesale realization. For one
thing they had high hopes of the future of the French
company, and they considered that it had an
excellent chance of developing into one of the most
powerful and profitable combinations operating in
Central Europe. It had valuable oil lands, extensive
pipe-lines, a considerable portion of the refinery,
strong resources, energetic management, and a
strong financial and political backing. Even to
talk of wholesale realizations at a period of acute
depression such as they were now passing through
and at a time, moreover, when the company was
making rapid and substantial progress was a grave
mistake. At the same time they were not blind to
the advantage of some kind of capital distribution,
and although nothing could be done in that direction
at present, it did seem that if conditions were
favourable a fairly substantial distribution might be
possible, while still leaving this company with an
important holding in the French company, and
leaving it as an active organization apart from and
outside the French company.
They had the bulk of their money on deposit
at short notice, or on good security. The only
important exception to this was that they had
underwritten and purchased some £'80,000 of
10% debentures in tlie Indo-Burma Oil Company.
The exception was apparent rather than real,
because the debentures were redeemable in three
years at 110. They had no doubt either of the
soundness of the security or of the wisdom of the
transaction. Two of their directors — one of whom
was Mr. Perkins, who was managing director of the
company — were also directors of the Indo-Burma
Company. They went carefully into the question
of security, and they were convinced that the margin
for an issue of /250,000 was ample, that the con-
vertible rights carried by tlie debentures might
easily become very valuable, and, of course, the
return allowing for the underwriting commission
and the price of redemption, was an exceptionally
good one. Moreover, they had availed themselves
of the opportunity of securing free of cost an option
to acquire what were reported to be valuable
oil-bearing areas in Burma. So far nothing had
been done here, and no expense had been incurred,
but they proposed almost immediately to send out
the best independent experts they could secure and
get their own reports upon these areas. They
had reason to believe that the oil business in Burma
was only in its infancy, and they had knowledge that
certain important groups were actively engaged
in exploitation schemes in that country. Burma
had many advantages. Generally speaking, the
oil was of the highest grade, was obtainable at
shallow depths, and commanded a ready market.
Moreover, Burma was under the British flag. The
areas under offer had been taken up during the last
four years, as a result of much effort, and under the
best local advice available. Before embarking
upon any programme of development they would
send out their own experts and be guided by what
they told them.
Mr. J. Fairbairn seconded the motion, and after
the Chairman had answered questions from share-
holders it was carried unanimously.
33
nil MINING MAC.A/.INE
LUIPAARDS VLEI ESTATE AND GOLD MINING CO.. LTD.
Dirutors : Sir Lcisli Iloskyns {CAairman), VV. Dereliixin. !•'. II. Il.->mill<m, K. Turk. .Scrilaiy : \V. Siiiiih.
Ojliy: lOniul II, Aiisliii Kiiiiis, London, K.C. 2. />»vw(i' 1888, rcoonsliuctc-d 1896. Citpila! /ssiicti: ^472,01.';
debentures uutstandinij ;^,S,S.90,S.
Business: Operates a jjold niijie in tlie Western Rand.
The ordinary general meeting of the Luipaards revenue. The rc-cstimato m.adc by the manager mi
VIoi Kstate and Gold Mining Co., Ltd., was held June 30 last showed fully-developed pay ore in
on November 30 at Winchester House, London, the mine amounting to 624,766 niillipg tons, of an
K.C, Sir Leigh Hoskyns, Bart. (Chairman of the average value of 520 dwt. per ton, and partially-
company), presiding. developed ore amounting to 84,.S64 milling tons of
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the pay ore, of an average value of .S-7I dwt. per ton.
report and accounts for the year ended June 30 Although there had been crushed during the year
last, said that the improvement in the profit and nearly 2U7.lt()() tons, the ore reserves showed a
loss account over the two previous years was con- reduction agamst the previous year of only
siderable. There was a net profit of £22,960, com- 77,081 tons. The board were inclined to attach some
pared with a loss during the previous year of importance to the acquisition which was made
£'2,596, and a loss of £'5,316 during the year before. some nine months ago of twenty-two claims
This result was partly due to the effect of the price adjoining the property on the western side. Those
which was obtained for the gold, the average for the claims would add some 260.000 tons of pay ore to
year having been /5 Vis. l'07d. It was further the reserves not included in the above-mentioned
due to the fact that they had virtually suspended figures, and adding those twenty-two claims to the
development from July 1, 1920, and it was further ore reserves in other jiarts of the mine they had a
due to the retrenchment scheme, which, in agree- total reserve representing nearly four years'
nient with the mine workers, was instituted in May crushing. It was the intention to give increased
of last year, and which had brought about a con- attention in the near future to the development
siderable reduction in the number of white men of the Battery Reef sections of the property. This
employed in the mine. The gradual reduction of company, together with all the low-grade mines on
working costs, both as to labour and stores, might the Rand, had been passing through several years
be regarded as permanent, but development could of acute depression, but there was ever)' reason to
not, of course, be suspended indefinitely, and, in think that the clouds were passing.
fact, they had already, since July 1 last, resumed Mr. W. Dereham seconded the motion, and the
development, and were paying for it out of monthly report and accounts were adopted.
WITBANK COLLIERY. LTD.
{Incorporated in the Transvaal, )
EXTRACTED FROM THE ANNUAL REPORT
for the Year ended August 31, 1921,
Issued Capital, £350,000 in 350,000 Shares of £1 eac^.
Directorate : Sir I larrv Ross .Skinner, Kt., M.Inst.C.E. (Chairman), Sir Evelyn Wallers, K.B.E., E. V.. Izod,
M.B.E. iMana:;in^ Director], Major C. S. Goldman, P. Dreyfus, Sir -\be Bailey, Bart., K.C.M.G., M.L.A.,
J. Jeppe, C.B.E., H. A, Rogers.
£ s. d.
Total profit for the year ... .. ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 155,952 9 3
Balance unappropriated at August 31, 1920 ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 97,751 0 10
Making a total of ,. ... ... ... ... ... ... 253,703 10 1
This amount has been dealt with as follows : —
Expended on Capital Account less Sale of Township Stands and Freehold Property (£7,765
ISs. Id.) ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... £14,034 9 1
Government Taxes ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 17,217 2 8
Dividends declared during the year ;— No. 32 of \1\ *?o and No. 33 of 15 % ...
Leaving a balance unappropriated of
Diiring the year 1,117,680 tons, including 105,277 tons of duff, were despatched from the Colliery, being an increase of 122,091
tons as compared with the previous year.
31,251
11
9
£222,451
113,750
18
0
4
0
£108,701
18
4
The full Report and Accounts may be obtained from the London Secretaries, A. Moir & Co.,
1, London Wall Buildings, London, E.C. 2.
34
THE MIXING MAGAZINE
NEW MODERFONTEIN GOLD MINING COMPANY, LIMITED.
Directors: Sir Evelyn Wallers (Chairman), J. R. I.eisk, Sir H. Ross Skinner, J. G. Currey, C. S. Goldman,
S. C. Black, R. W. Ffennell, W. T. Graham. Secretaries : Rand Mines, Ltd. Head Office: Johannesburg.
London Office: 1, London Wall Buildings, E.G. 2. Foimed 1888. Capital: /1,400,000.
Business : Operates a gold mine in the Far f^ast Rand.
The twenty-fourth ordinary general meeting of directe.-l attention to the encouraging values which
New Modderfontein Gold Mining Co., Ltd., was
held in Johannesburg on November 4, Sir Evelyn
Waiiers, K.B.E , presiding.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report and accounts for the year ended June .'50
last, said that the position must have given share-
holders the greatest satisfaction. The scale of
operations and the total working profit derived from
those operations were the greatest ever obtained
by the companv. Thev milled during the year
1,0.S3.000 tons, yielding '9-741 dwt. per ton, repre-
senting an increase in tonnage milled of 114, .500,
and a decrease in grade of 0-58 dwt. per ton. The
latter point was a desirable feature of the year's
work, because, although the value of the ore mmel
was still somewhat above the avcage value of the
ore reserves, it was decidedly below the average
value of the tonnage developed during the year.
The number of fine ounces recovered was 527,477,
with a total extraction of just under 98%, which
constituted extremely good metallurgical practice.
The price obtained for the product was appreciably
higher than for the previous year, namely,
^5 12s. 7d. per fine ounce, as against £5 2s. .3d. for
1919-20. Obviously this factor had a very marked
effect upon the profit. Working costs increased by
Is. 6d. per ton milled, but notwithstanding this fact,
combined with the decrease in y-ield of 0'58 dwt.
per ton, the final working profit showed .an increase
of 7d. per ton. The total profit for the year was
£1,720,202 17s. 4d., of which £751,427 was obtained
from the increased price of the product above
standard price. The appropriation account showed
that they commenced the year with a credit balance
of £344,025 13s., and this amount added to the
year's profit and including a small amount of
/763 12s. 9d. in respect of forfeited dividends,
gave for disposal a total of £2,064,992, 3s. Id. The
distribution had been as follows : —
/ s. d.
Dividends Nos. 29 and 30 . 1,400,000 0 0
Government and Provincial
Taxes .... 297,950 9 5
Net Capital Expenditure
after allowing for Bewaar-
plaatsen receipts . . 60,193 3 7
Balance unappropriated and
carried forward . . 306,848 10 1
£2,064,992 3 1
Development operations during the year were
carried on with activity, and showed a substantial
increase as compared with the preceding year.
The total footage was 20,165, of which
approximately 14,000 ft. developed ore, and the
remaining 6,000 ft. was in the nature of dead work
and the various purposes connected with the
handling of the ore. 'The results achieved by this
work in all directions were entirely satisfactory as
to the values exposed. They had from time to time
were likely to be met with in the western and south-
western sections of the mine, and the work which
they were able to do j-ear by year confirmed in
a very gratifying way the opinions expressed. Thus,
on the 13th level west good values were disclosed
after passing through a dyke and were referred to
at the last annual meeting. These values had been
energetically followed up during the year w'hich he
was reviewing, and resulted in the development in
that locality of 302,800 tons of ore of a value of
9'7 dwt. over 82 inches. On the eastern side of the
mine the result of the work carried out was equally
satisfactory, and the final outcome of the year's
development operations was that all ore mined was
replaced, and, indeed, the ore reserves at 8,884,600
tons of a value of 8-4 dwt. showed some little increase
in tonnage when compared with the previous year.
The total available area of the mine was 1,264
claims. Of these, 361 claims were worked out,
but still contained a number of valuable pillars ;
378 claims represented the intact developed area,
and 525 claims still remained to be developed.
In other words, about 28% of the property had been
worked out, and 72% remained, which included,
of course, the developed area representing 30%.
The health conditions of the mine were in first-
class order, having been commented on by the
District Inspector of Jlines in very appreciative
terms, and he could say with the utmost confidence
that the general underground position was in most
excellent shape. On the surface a similarly
gratifying situation was met with. The increase to
the eastern reduction plant, which brought their
total capacity up to at least 10.5,000 tons per month,
was completed during the year, at the very-
moderate cost of £14,000 and was now running well.
The other items of importance on capital
expenditure were £22,000 expended in providing
additional houses for married employees, and
£16.700 for extension to their w-ater system. In
regard to this latter item they had had some anxiety
in the dry season owing to the fact that the number
of consumers, of whom they were one, drawing
water from the President Dam had appreciably
increased. They therefore considered it prudent to
spend this money on making the position secure,
by connecting up their storage reservoirs with the
Rosherville Dam. For the current year no capital
expenditure of any particular importance was con-
templated.
In order to bring the information up to date,
he would briefly review the salient features of the
work since the close of their financial year, that was
during the last four months. The native labour
force had continued to hold up well, and their
tonnage milled had steadily progressed. In July
the figure was 96,000 ; August, 100,000 ; Septem-
ber, 101,000 ; and in October they reached a total
of 107,000. W'orking profits had been respectively
£141,800, £153,100, £142,900, and £138,000. There
was naturally some decrease in profit, due to the
6—8
34.\
I 111-
IM.NG MAGAZINE
• ... ,uxiitial {all m the price of gol.l, but the
ellcct vil the rcvUiction in the price of their proihict
had been counteracted in a very satisfactory way
by the increase in the tonnage milled. Working
costs during the last (our months had shown an
encourai;iiis decrease ; the figures for the respective
months per ton milled were 22s 9d., 22s. 4d.. 22s 2J.,
and 21s., as compared with the average (or last year
of 23s. 5-.Sd. The development work since July last
had also been very energetically pushed, and they
had averased well over 2.200 ft. per month. The
values exposed on the whole had been of high
grade, both east and west. There were (our winzes
not yet very far advanced going down from the
14th' level and constituting their present lowest
working— two on the west side of the circular shaft
and two on the east side ; three of those winzes
were exposing ore of an average value of
approximately 1.000 inch-dwt. At the present
footage rate practically the whole of the mine above
the 14 th level would be completely developed in
about two years' time, and the scheme for the
development of the mine below the 14th level to
the southern boundary was already rcceivmg
attention, although there was ample time in which
to formulate their plans. In any case the problem
was one of comparative simplicity. Considerable
attention was being given to the cleaning up of the
old workings, and to facilitate tliis work a sand-
lilling scheme of some magnitude was now bein.i;
put in hand on the upper levels on the east
of the mine ; at (he same time ojiportunity would
be taken to further prospect a few isolated blocks
o( ground which h;ul licen le(t standing in the past
as of (loubKul payability.
At the last annual meeting reference was made to
the question o( the enemy shares vested in the Cus-
todian o( luiemy I'roperty. The company made an
otter for those shares, which was not accepted.
They, therefore, still remained in the hands of the
Custodian, but shareholders might rest assured
that the directors were care(ully watching the
situation, and i( there was any possibility o( acting
in their interests on a satisfactory basis, the
opportunity would not be lost.
All that he had said indicated again in an un-
raistakeablc manner not only the extraordinary
soundness and strength of position of the mine, but
also the excellence o( the year's work o( the general
manager, Mr. Miles Sharp ; the underground
mana.ger. Mr. Tillard, and the staff and employees
generally. Mr. Stuart Martin continued to act as
the consulting engineer with conspicuous success.
Shareholders would, he was sure, join with him in
recording their very keen appreciation of their
services.
Mr. S. C. Black seconded the motion, and it was
carried unanimously.
NOURSE MINES, LIMITED.
Directors: E. G. Izod (Chairman), W. T. Gr.iham, H. Nourse, A. V. Mullins W. Dereham, G. S. Kort,
Sir Evelyn Wallers, S. C. Black, E. J. Kenaud, F. Raleigh. Secrelarics : Hand Mmes, Ltd. Head Office:
Johannesburg, /-"o/wfrf 1894. Capilal Issued : i?>2',9,l\.
Business: Works a gold mine in tlie central Rand.
The twenty-fifth ordinary general meeting of from entering their workings, and they accordingly
\ourse Min4 Ltd., was held in Johannesburg, purchased for ;^5,500 the claims and water-right
on November 4, Mr. E. G. Izod, M.B.E., presiding, mentioned. By suitable attention to the surface of
The Chairman, m moving the adoption of the the ground so acquired, they had been able sub-
report and accounts for the year to June 30, said stantially to reduce the water handled by their
that the profit earned was /U8,347, a substantial pumping plant, and the saving m pumping costs
increase of /30,377 over the figure for the pre- had already been more than the expenditure on
ceding year In spite of a slight fall of 01 46 dwt. the acquisition of the claims and water-rights,
in the yield, working revenue increased from 33s. Id, The profits earned for July, -'\ugust September,
o 35d^6s. per ton milled, due entirely to the higher and October of this year totalled /34 274. Working
price obtained for the gold. Working costs increased costs at an average of 31s. 9d. per ton milled were
by Is 5d. per ton mUled, due very largely to the higher than the average for the financial year
increased cost of stores, the amount spent under covered by the report and accounts, and it was
this heading being /49,845 in excess of that spent only the maintenance of the high price obtained (or
for the previous ySar. In his last speech he referred the gold that had enabled them to make profits,
to the attention which was being given to the water Work on the programme in connexion with No 1
position. On a mine like the Nourse, ^vith what was shaft South bourse was poceeding satisfactorily
virtually an abandoned outcrop mine above it. This shaft reached the horizon of the 27th level i
the problem of dealing with water was always a July, and the 27th leve cross-cut had already
serious one. With the completion of the centrifugal advanced approximately 130 ft out of a total ot
pimping unit they were able to deal with all their about 800 ft. necessary to strike the ree . The
preT»nt water and have a substantial margin in 25th level cross-cut from this shaft had advanced
hand for emergencies. Realizing, however, that 80 ft. and was expected to strike the reef at about
Vurther precautions might be taken to minimize 350 ft from the shaft. The new large Ward-
the water danger, they investigated the surface of Leonard winder on the surface at this shaft had been
the New Heriot, which mine ceased pumping working satisfactorily. Development continued to
ooeraHons more than twelve months ago. They be promising. On the western side of the mine in
decided thaT if they could obtain cont?ol of the the No. 2 South Nourse section, the Main Reef
water-rioht on the New Heriot, to.gether with certain Leader disclosures were good,
stfrface daims, which were fo^ disposal, they could Mr S. C. Black seconded the motion, and it was
probably prevent a large amount of surface water carried unanimously.
34b
THE MINING MAGAZINE
CHINESE ENGINEERING AND MINING CO.. LTD.
Directors: W. Y. Turner (Cliairman)., F. Cattier, Edmund Davis, E. de Wouters, E. Francqui, L. Jadul,
Col. H. A. iMicklem, Lord Soulhborough. Ageitl and General Manager in China: Major Walter Nathan.
Secretary: A. W. Berry. Office: 22, Austin Friars, London, E.G. 2. Formed \')\2. Capital issued: £1,400,000 ;
debentures ;£1,008,000
Business : Operates coal mines in North China ; is also interested in iron deposits.
The ninth annual ordinary general meeting of the /200,000, paid on December 17, 1920, and the
Chinese F.ngineering and Mining Co., Ltd., was held
on Monday, December 12, at Winchester House,
London, E.C., Mr. W. F. Turner (Chairman of the
company) presiding.
The Secretary (Mr. Alfred W. Berry) having read
the notice convening the meeting and the auditors'
report,
The Chairman said : The distinguishing feature
of the report and accounts for the year ended on
June 30 last, which we submit to you to-day, is
that, while owing mainly to the fall in the average
rate of exchange, they deal with smaller figures than
those of the preceding year, the net result is equally
satisfactorj-. For the year ended June 30, 1920,
we paid a dividend of 30%, free of income tax,
on a share capital of ;£1, 000,000. The balance
dividend of 12% which we propose to declare to-day
will make, with the interim dividend of 10% paid
in May last, a total of 22%, free of income tax,
on the increased capital of £1,400,000, so that we
shall be distributing /30S,000 in dividends, against
£300,000 in the preceding year. It must be borne
in mind that the 400,000 new shares did not con-
stitute any addition to the working capital of the
company. It was merely the capitalization of
profits which had accumulated during past years.
The net profit of the Kailan Mining Adminis-
tration, after providing for interest on the 6%
Kailan bonds, redemption of bonds for the year,
reserve for depreciation, and the profit to which the
Chihli Government is entitled, was $7,313,448,
against a net profit of $8,917,456 for the preceding
year. This result, as you will have seen from a later
paragraph in the report, is due, not to any falling
off in the demand for coal, but solely to difficulties
in regard to railway transport, and it compares
very favourably witli the profit of about $6,000,000
two years ago.
Our share of the profit amounts to $3,850,012.
We were careful to point out to you at the meeting
last year that the profits of that year had been
largely increased by the high rate of exchange which
had prevailed throughout the year. The average
rate for the past year shows a reduction of about
2s. per dollar, and the amount brought to credit
of our profit and loss account therefore works out,
including interest in China, at £564,723. Interest
in Europe is £72,221, and there are some small
items which bring up the total to £641,469.
Expenses in Europe are larger than before, as
I told you they would be. There is a donation of
£5,000 to the China Famine Relief Fund, which was
reported at the last meeting ; exchange amounts to
£16,259, and there is a loss of £11,942 on the sale
of 5% War Loan. Two of these items, amounting
to nearly £17,000 will not recur. The net balance
of profit on the year is /587,994.
You will find a statement in the accounts showing
the disposal of the profit balance at June 30, 1920,
the chief items being the final dividend, which was
£400,000 which was applied in making fully paid
the 400,000 shares of £1 each allotted on May 12
last, pursuant to the resolutions of the extra-
ordinary general meeting held on January 4, 1921 ;
the £37,784 remaining is brought into the following
year. We have, therefore, a total credit to profit
and loss of £625,779. Income tax absorbs £1 12,316,
excess profits duty requires £122,304 to bring up
the reserve to the required figure of £189,000, and
corporation profits tax is £26,600. These three
items, making a total of £261,220, form our con-
tribution to the Inland Revenue, and, as you see,
they amount to almost exactly 45% of the year's
profit. The interim dividend of 10%, free of income
tax. paid on May 23 last, was £140,000, so that we
have a balance of £224,559 to deal with to-day.
I have already said that we propose to declare a
balance dividend of 12%, free of tax, payable to-
morrow, the 1.3th instant. The further remuneration
to which the directors are entitled under the Articles
of Association is £9,133, and we propose to write off
the whole of the expenses in connexion with the
increase of capital (consisting chiefly of stamp
duties), amounting to £25,685, so that there will
be a balance of £21,740 to be carried forward to the
current year. This result is more gratifying when
one bears in mind that the profits have had to bear
a charge of £122,000 for excess profits duty, and that
the company's liability to that impost ends with
these accounts. The company will have paid in all
for excess profits duty over £1,400,000.
As regards the balance sheet, there are only one
or two items to which I need refer. The first is the
increase of the share capital from £1,000,000 to
£1,400,000. On the other side of the account you
will see that our loan account to the Kailan Mining
Administration has been increased from £50,000
to £152,000, a sum of £102,000 having been
provided by us and a similar amount by the
Lanchow Mining Company for further working
capital of the Kailan Mining Administration. It is
quite likely that we may very shortly ha .-e to con-
tribute another £100,000 of working capital.
The next paragraph of the report relates to excess
profits duty and the directors' remuneration.
There is a provision in the Finance Act of 1916 to
the effect that a company may recover from the
directors the amount of excess profits duty payable
by the company in respect of any increased
remuneration above a certain limit. The object
of the section was to prevent salaries or
remuneration of employees or directors being in-
creased capriciously for the purpose of reducing a
company's liability to excess profits duty. No
consideration of that sort arises here. The effect
of the section in our case would be to defeat, to a
certain extent, the object of the resolutions passed
by the shareholders last year, and it would operate
inequitably as between the individual directors who
are concerned. The amount involved is about
35
nil
MIMNU MAe-AZlNM
/2.000. It is therefore propose:! that the section
shall not be actctl upon.
The next paragraph deals with the business done
by the Kailan ^linin.t; Administration dnrinR the
year. The sales of coal amounted to 3,77.S.l)00 tons,
a reduction of 235.000 tons compared with the
preceding year. This is not due to any falling off
in demand for coal. It is entirely a question of
railway transport.
Major Nathan reports as follows : " The
reduction recorded in sales is duo to the following;
reasons : The internal troubles which occurred in
the latter part of the last financial year and the
beginning of this affected the transportation of
coal for nearly six months, military interference on
the railway. and movements of troops decreasing
the number of cars available for the coal traffic.
No sooner were the troubles due to these causes
overcome than the famine in Central China was
again responsible for a reduction in our coal traffic,
owing to the demands made on the railway for
the export of grain from Manchuria for the relief
of famine sufferers. These two reasons alone were
sufficient to cause the reduction in sales which has
been experienced during the year. The actual
carrying capacity of the railway has not been
greatly increased, the supply of trucks and loco-
motives having been practically stationary during
that period. At the present time conditions are
still unsatisfactory, although there is an improve-
ment on our experience in the early part of the
finan-ial year under review. Towards the end of
the financial year a great improvement was
noticeable, largely due to the use by the Peking-
Mukden railway of cars belonging to the Peking-
Hankow line, and for a short period we were able
to move by rail an average of about 15,000 tons per
day. As a result of a traffic conference between
the various lines the supply of these cars has
been much reduced and the average at the present
moment may be said to be about 12,000 tons per
day, including a traffic of about 1,000 to 1,500
tons per day carried by our own cars to
Hsnkochw^ang and Hanku, from whence the coal
is shipped by boat to Tientsin. We were enabled
to increase our traffic in this way by a purchase
of 200 small cars from the railway which they had
thrown out of use. The burden of my monthly
reports, as will have been noticed, has practically
always been the same, namely, the want of cars
and consequent inability to keep pace with the
demand. It has been my great endeavour to
persuade the railway to double the track between
the mines and Chinwangtao and to purchase
sufficient rolling stock to meet our demands for
transport facilities, and I am pleased to say that
I have at last been successful in inducing the
authorities to carry 'out the doubling of the track
and also the supply of further locomotives and
cars. The effect of the latter will be seen, I hope,
towards the end of the present calendar year, but
that of the former, I anticipate, not before the
end of 1922 at earliest."
Now as regards the prospects of the current
year. Major Natha!'. writes : " Sales of coal have
been limited only to our transport facilities, and
therefore no comparison can be made with former
years as to the possibility of increase if facilities
iiad been available for the transport of our coal
by rail to Chinwangtao to meet the demand. It
can only be said that we were obliged to neglect
or entirely abandon any attempts to develop our
overseas market. The same condition will ajiply
to a certain extent during the present yar, but
the quieter conditions now prevailing in the country
will undoubtedly have the effect of allowing of
a considerable increase in our sales compared with
last year. At the tnne of writing, in the first tiiree
months of the financial year 1921-22, our sales
have augmented by a quarter of a million tons
as compared with the same period in 1920-21.
Although these lig'ires are not likely to be main-
tained throughout the whole year, there is no reason
to expect that our sales will not be considerably
higher than in the year under review."
The stock of coal at the latest date we have was
about 370.000 tons. Our output capacity is
15.000 tons daily, and Major Nathan states that,
given fair labour conditions, he has every expecta-
tion of reaching a total production ot over four and
a half million tons during the current financial year.
The coal in sight at June 30 last is given as
24,435,000 tons. The yards at the port of
Chinwangtao have been extended to allow the
handling of 15,000 tons of coal per day and the
storing of 260,000 tons. The sales of coal during
the first twenty-three weeks of the current year
amount to 1,841,000 tons, as compared with
1,521,000 tons for the same ^jeriod last year, an
increase in round figures of 320,000 tons. The
average rate of exchange for the present financial
year, so far as it has gone, is approximately 2s. 9d.
per dollar, and does not differ materially from that
of the preceding j'ear. The business prospects,
therefore, are entirely satisfactory.
At the last general meeting we explained at some
length the position of matters in regard to the
project for the establishment of iron works at
Chinwangtao. The matter has been followed up
throughout the past year and considerable progress
has been made. Mr. David Roberts, of Cardiff,
wdio is a well-known blast-furnace engineer, went
out to China on behalf of Messrs. Riley & Horbord,
to inspect and decide upon the best available site
for the proposed works. A satisfactory site has
been chosen, and the necessary arrangements in
regard to it are in progress. Further investigations
are proceeding, especially in regard to certain
deposits of iron ore and the treatment of them. These
may still take a considerable time, and until they
are completed a definite scheme cannot be
formulated and adopted. In the meantime the
prices of labour and materials are falling, and it is
expected that there will be a saving of several
hundred thousand pounds in the ultimate outlay
for plant, compared with the figures which we
had before us a year ago. I now move : " That
the directors' report and accounts to June 30,
1921. be, and they are^reby, received and adopted,
and that a final divideftd be declared of 12%, free
of income tax, making 22% for the year, free of
income tax. payable on December 13, 1921."
Colonel H. A. Micklem, C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O.,
formally seconded the resolution, which was then
put to the meeting and carried unanimously.
The retiring directors (Mr. Felicien Cattier,
Colonel H. A. ilicklem, and Mr. W. F. Turner)
haying been re-elected, and the auditors (Messrs.
Annan, Dexter &■ Co.) reappointed, the pro-
ceedings terminated.
36
THE MINING MAGAZINE
SOUTH WEST AFRICA CO., LTD.
Diiectors : Ednuinti Davis {Chairman), Sir Henry Birchenough, F. Eckstein, D. O. Malcolm, H. P. Rudd,
Admiral Sir E. J. \V. Slade. Secretary: C. Launspacli. Office: 1, London Wall Buildings, London, E.C. 2.
Formed 1S92. Capital: £2,000,000 ; issued £1,750,000.
Business : Owns land, mining, and railway rights in Damaraland, South West Africa.
The annual general meeting of the shareholders in to-day's date. In those circumstances the directors
the South-West Africa Company. Ltd., was held on
December 6, at Winchester House, London, E.C.,
Mr. Edmund Davis (Chairman of the company)
presiding.
The Chairman, in moving the adoption of the
report, said that their original claim in respect of
amounts held on deposit in Berlin, and sums which
accrued to the company during the war period,
had been dealt with at various dates. Their con-
cession was a direct grant from the German Govern-
ment, and covered such e.xtensive rights that at a
later date the company agreed to some modifica-
tions, and, in exchange for the rights they waived,
were granted joint interest with the German
Government in the mineral rights of Ovamboland,
a territory covering about 20,000 square miles.
It was, therefore, impossible to understand how the
Union Government of South Africa, which held a
mandate over South-West Africa, could justify
their action in confiscating the mineral rights
covered by the company's concessions. As
shareholders were aware, the Government had
cancelled the whole of the company's rights with the
exception of its title to about 1,600,000 acres of
freehold land and a certain exclusive right in regard
to mineral areas. The accounts presented on that
occasion were up to December .31, 1920, but, of
course, they in no way reflected the position as at
desired to set out what would probably be the
position as soon as effect had been given to the
transaction relating to payments under their claim
and to the purchase of shares by the company.
In the first instance thev might take it for granted
that at any rate 1 ,200,000 of their shares would be
acquired by the company, though the actual
number might be slightly in excess of that figure.
Those shares had been acquired from the Public
Trustee at lis. 6d. per share, with a formal approval
of the Board of Trade, which was subject to passing
the necessary resolution adopting new articles of
association. Taking the figure 1,200,000 shares
as being correct, those would be added to the
unissued capital, thus reducing the issued capital
to £560,000 in .shares of £1 each. Against that
capital they would have their British, Colonial,
and foreign — other than German and Hungarian —
investments, which at to-day's market price were
worth about £516,000. To that should be added
other items bringing the total to £673,027. Of
course, due consideration would be given when
framing their next accounts to the land sales
account, which was really a reserve account, and
stood at £84,503, and their balance of profit
£95,238.
Mr. F. Eckstein seconded the resolution, which
was carried.
A Treatise on Petroleum
By Sir BOVERTON REDWOOD, Bart.,
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THK MIXINT. MAGAZINK
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c/o Broken Hill Associated Smelters Propy., Ltd.,
Collins House, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Code: McNeill. 190R.
GAHL, Rudolf,
Consulting Metallurgist.
801, Equitable Building,
Denver, Colorado, U.S.A.
GEPPERT, Richard M.,
Mining Engineer,
c/o The Miniiio Maqazine, T2i, Salisbury House.
London, E.C.*2.
Code: McNeill, both editions.
GRIFFITHS, Harry D.,
Mining Engineer,
Wolfram, Tin, and AUuvials,
63. Merchants Street, Rangoon, Burma.
Cables : Hargrif. Rangoon.
HALL, R. G.,
Mining and Metallurgical Engineer.
Complex Ores,
Address and Cables : Namtu. Burma.
Codes: Broomhall. A. B.C.. McNeill.
T. C- F. HALL,
p. E
RAINE.
Tel ■
HALL &
RAINE,
London Wall 5'229.
Consult
Pinners Hall,
Cables: Astatki,
ng Mining Geologists,
Austin Friars, London, E.C.2.
London.
Tel.:
Victoria 1707.
EDWARD RILEY A HARBORD.
HARBORD, F. W.,
Metallurgist.
16. Victoria St.. S.W.KV 6. Finsbury Square. E.G. 2.
Cable: Harbordlab. Code: Bedford McNeill.
HARRIS, C. M.,
Mining Engineer,
Bank N.S.W. Chambers. Box 294. Perth,
Cables: Western Australia. Code:
Homeric. Perth. Broonihatl's (Imp. Cnmb.l
BURCH, HERSHEV. & WHITE.
HERSHEY, Oscar H.,
Consulting Mining Geologist,
Crocker Building, San Francisco. California.
Cable: Hershey. Code: Bedford, McNeill.
HODGE, Edwin T.,
Consulting, Geological, and Mining Engineer,
Standard Bank Building,
Vancouver, British Columbia.
Tel.: London Wall 3700.
HOFFMAN, John D.,
Mining Engineer,
1, London Wall Buildings. London, E.G. 2.
Usual Codes.
HOFFMAN, Ross B.,
Mining Engineer,
228. Perry Street. Oakland, California.
Cable: SiberhofT. Code: McNeill, 1908.
'I'el. ; East 3.S4.
HOLLOWAY,Georg^eT.,&Co.,Ltd.
Metallurgists & Metallurgical Engineers.
13. Enimett Street. Limebouse. London. E. 14.
Cable; Neolithic. London. Code: Bedford McNeill.
HOOKE, A. W.,
Mining Engineer,
c/o The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy,
Cleveland House. 225. City Road. London. E.C.I.
■ ■.#•»..«•». K ■ ^ B-k ^-i ■ ■ Tel. : London
HOOVER, Theodore J., waii 3700.
Mining Engineer,
1. London Wall Buildings, London, E.G. 2,
and Mills Bdg., San Francisco, California,
Cahle : Mildalon.
HOWIE, A. S.,
Mining Engineer,
Gabilla No. 1507, Lima, Peru.
Cables: Howie, Lima. Code: Bentley's.
HUESTON, H. F., CaWe: Hueston,
Mining & Consulting Engineer,
.los. Nortbern Nigeria.
Representative in Nigeria of Alhivials Mining Machinerj
Codes: Broomliall's Imperial CoInI>illation an.l Bentlei
Jos.
Co.
HUNT, Bertram,
Metallurgist.
c/o The Dorr Company,
16, South Street, London,
E.C.2.
Till': MININT, M.U'.AZINI':
PROFESSIONAL
HUNTER, H.,
Mlnlni Engineer and Metallurgist,
ISI. ITphomimolii. S. Chonio,
IlilinsllL'Ku. (lankn. .l«imn.
HUSTON, H. L.,
Mlnlne Knglneer,
lai. Calilonuu Sticot. tfRii Fraiicieco, Cnl.
Cable: Hamston.
HUTCHIN, H. W.,
A>saycr,
Laboratory, TuckiiiBliiill, Camborne, Cornwall.
HUTCHINS, John Power,
Consulting Mining Kngineer,
Room 3700, 120, Broadway, New York City.
ILES, J. M.,
Mining Engineer,
c/o Rayfleld (Nigeria! Tin Fields, Ltd.,
Capel House, New Broad Street. London. E.C.2.
G. J. INDER. D. D. HENDERSON. J. T. DIXON. \v„l J ^.^n.VI
INDER, HENDERSON, & DIXON,
Consulting Engineers,
1, London Wall Buildings. London, E.C.2.
Cables: Inderdaml. fsiial Codes.
DUDLEY d. INSKIPP. JOHN A. BEVAN.
Tel.
INSKIPP & BEVAN, '^°'"'°" ^^*"
Mining Engineers, "■'™'
1, Broad Street I'lace, London, E.C.2.
Cable: Monazite. Usual Codes.
JANIN, Charles,
Mining Engineer,
716, Kohl Building. San Francisco.
Cable: Charjan. Code: Bedford McNeill.
JOBLING, Charles E.,
Mining Engineer,
Prestea Block A. Ltd., Prestea,
Gold Coast Colony. West Africa.
JOHNSON & Co., H. H.,
Consulting Mining & Mechanical Engineers,
51)60, Broad Street Avenue, London, E.G. 2.
riS, Sule Pagoda Road. Rangoon, Burma.
Cables: Frangema. London and Burma.
KEENE, Amor F.,
Consulting Engineer,
233, Broadway. New York.
Cables: Kamor. New York.
KING,
Ml
63,
E.
ning
Morst
S., Tel.: Hampstead
Engineer & Metallurgist,
ead Mansions. Elgin Avenue,
London, W.'.i.
8309.
DIRECTORY
KINZIE, Robert A.,
AllnliiK l:ntc)ncer,
First Niitional Bank UuildlnR.
Hnii I'lanciHCO. Ciilifoniift.
H. W. LAKE. H. E. NICHOLLS.
LAKE & CURRIE,
Tol. :
London Wnll fi3;i9.
Mining & MetnllurKical Hntrlneerd,
Ilnm.l Mrrti Av,-mn . lUmiillcia Hln-il. I.uiiduii, K.C,'^.
Cftbl(!» : CoHitiTlU'. l.omUin.
CihIi-x: nnwmliHll— liftdford McNeill— A H.C. fttli o<l.
H. W. LAWS. W. R. nUMBOLD. R. H. JOHNSON.
^ « _ Ti-I. : Lniidon
LAWS, RUMBOLD,&Co., waii 628L
Mining Engineers,
Cable: 052, Salisbury House, London. B.C. 2
Swnlmuronm. Cmles: Urooiiilinll A- McNeill. lilOH.
LEHMANN, Andrew W.,
Mlnin^r Engineer,
c'u Messrs. Pretot. I'tuitaine. & Co.,
Casilla ^2, Valparaiso. Chile.
LEWIS, Arthur E.,
Mining Engineer,
Ipoh. Perak. Federated Malay Stales
LEWIS, H. Allman,
iMining Engineer,
Cochabaiuba. Bolivia.
Code: McNeill, 190R.
LITTLE, M. C. H.,
Mining Engineer.
Merano, Trentino. Italy.
LORAM, S. H.,
Mining Engineer,
c'o Gibhs ct Co.. Valparaiso, Chile.
Tel.:
London Wall 3'JOO.
BEWICK. MOREING, & CO.
LORING, E. A.,
Mining Engineer,
62. London Wall, London, B.C. 2.
Cables: Ringlo. Usual Codes
LORING, FRANK C,
Mining Engineer,
Sun Life BuiMing. Toronto, Ontario. Canada.
LORING, W. J., Mining Engineer,
614, Crocker Bdg., San Francisco. California.
London Office: c/o Bewick. Moreing, & Co..
G2, London W'all, London, F,.C.2.
Cable: Wantoness. Usual Codes.
LOVELL, Gerard,
Mining Engineer,
10, Phayre Street, Rangoon,
Burma Finance and Mining Co., Ltd.,
Cables: Buflmicold. Burma Corporation. Ltd.
42
THE MINING MAGAZINE
PROFESSIONAL
LOW, V. F. Stanley,
Mining Engineer,
Choi-ry Oicliard,
Chorley Wood, Herts.
LUCKE, P. K.,
Consulting Mining Engineer,
Avenida Isabe" L,a, Catolica 25.
Mexico City. Mexico.
Cnhles- IiHcke.MexicoC.ity. Code: BedfnrdMcNeill.
LUSH & SON, C. G.,
Mining Engineers,
Speciality— Alluvial Mining.
2, Broad St. Place, London, E.C.2
Cable : Rosintin. ^
Tel. :
City 6743.
MACARTNEY, Ross,
Mining Engineer,
Broken Hill. Northern Rhodesia, South Africa.
Cables: Zincorons.
Codes: Broonihall Imperial Combination.
MACFARLANE, George,
Mining Engineer,
63, Broad Street Avenue. London, B.C. 2.
Code: Broomhall's Imp. Com.
MARSTRANDER, Rolf,
Mining Geologist.
Kulhuset. Teleniarken,
Norway.
MATHEWSON, E. P.,
Consulting Engineer.
Non-Ferrous Metallurgy.
42, Broadway, New York City.
Cables : Bigsmoke.
ROGERS, MAYER. & BALL.
MAYER, Lucius W.,
Mining Engineer,
42, Broadway, New York.
201. Devonihire Street. Boston
Cable: Alhasters.
MAYREIS, L. J.,
Mining Engineer and Metallurgist,
c/o Burma Mines. Ltd., JaniBhedpur. India.
Tel.:
London Wall 2;ni.
McCarthy, e. t
Mining Engineer,
10. Austin Friars. London, E.C. 2.
McDERMOTT, e. d.,
Mining Engineer,
Rakha Mines P.O., District Singhbhum,
Chota Nagpur. India.
MERCER, John W.,
Alining Engineer,
Mills Building. Broad Street, New York.
General Manaeer. South American Mines Co.
43
DIRECTORY
MERRILL, Charles W.,
Metallurgist,
Cable: 121, SecondStreet, San Francisco. Codes:
Lurco. Bodtoid McNeill. Moreing & Neal.
MILLS, Edwin W.,
Mining Engineer,
1. Nan Chin Tze, Peking. China.
Codes : Bentleys. Western Tiiioii 1.", letter Edn.). McNeill. 190H,
Telenranis : Milliiittiin. Pekini:-
MITKE, Chas. A.,
Consulting Mining Engineer,
Mining Methods. Mine Ventilation.
Bishee. Arizona. U.S.A.
MUNRO, C. H.,
Mining Engineer,
Ipoh, Perak, Federated Malay States.
Code: Bedford McNeill.
NEWBERRY, Andrew W.,
Mining Engineer.
2, Rector street. New York.
Cables : Awnbry. New Y'ork.
Code: Bedford McNeill
NISSEN, P.
M
New Broad
Cables : Nissenut
N.,
ning Eng
St. House,
. London.
ineer.
London
Tel. :
Central 6989.
. E.C.2.
PALMER, R. E.,
Mining Engineer.
3, Lombard Street, London, E.C. 3.
Cable: Cypalmeru. Usual Codes.
REGINALD PAWLE. HENRY BRELICK. LondOn iVall
PAWLE & BRELICK, 4825.
Mining Engineers,
4, London Wall Buildings, E.C.2.
Cable: Platoons. Code: Bedford McNeill.
_ _ 'i'el-:
PAYNE, F. W. & -R., London Wall 72;j6.
Dredging Engineers,
02, London Wall, London, E.C.2.
Cables: Panedrp.i. Code: Bedford McNeill.
PAYNE, Henry Mace,
Consulting Mining Engineer,
"Machinery Club." 50, Church Street. New York.
Cables: Macepavne. New Y'ork. Usunl Codes.
Tel. : London Wall 8003-
PELLEW-HARVEY & Co.,
Mining Engineers,
f)2, London Wall, London, E.C.2.
Cable: Abafada. Usual Codes.
Tel. : London Wall 0940.
PERKINS, Walter, G.,
02, London Wall, E.C.2.
Cables: Ochonidyelo.
Till-; MIM.NL. AlAi.AZlNE
PROFESSIONAL
OIRECTOftV
PICKERING, J. C,
CiMisiillint: MiiiiuK BnKincer,
Avcnida jRures SW, Mexico City, Mexico.
Crvhlcs: Kerinepip.
PITKIN, Lucius, Inc.,
XNclRhers. Samplers, and Assayers of
Ores and Metals of all descriptions.
47. Kulton Slrpet. Now York. N.V.
Cullies : Niktiii.
HOWARD POILLON.
C. M. POiniEH.
POILLON & POIRIER,
Mining Engineers,
42. Broadwny, New York City.
POPE, Wallington A.,
Mining Engineer,
Nitieria.
Specinlity: Reports Hnil ManaKenient.
c/oBninbri<ik'o. Seymour .V Co . Ltd.. 6415 Salielmry House. E.C.5
POWELL, Frank B.,
Mining Engineer,
Apartado 1%. Meilellin. Rep. de Colombia,
Soiitli America.
Cables: Powell. Marmato. Code : Bentley'!
PRICHARD, W. A.,
Alining Engineer,
Colomliia Corporation Limited,
Apartado 172. Medellin. Colombia.
PRISK, Thomas H.,
Mining Engineer,
"KinKSfield," Coleway. Coleford. Glos.
PROBERT, Frank H.,
Mining Geologist,
University of California, Berkeley, California.
PURINGTON,
c
w
■J
5
Cables :
Mining Engi
Sodomsky Pereulok
Fedora.
neer,
Vlad
vostok.
ROBERT H. RICHARDS.
CHARLES E. LOCKE.
RICHARDS & LOCKE,
Mining Engineers. Ore Dressing.
Tests for design of flow-sheets.
Pi9. Massachusetts Ave..Cambridce39,Mass.,U.S.A.
Tel. :
RICHARDSON, W.W., London WaI11276.
Mining Engineer,
4. London Wall Buildings. E.G. 2.
Code: Bedford McNeill.
RICKARD, Edgar,
Mining Engineer,
42. Broadway. New York.
Tel.: London
Wall 7K70.
RIDGE & Co., H. M.,
Alining Engineers.
Spornihty : Hiim> Mt-tals.
2. Hniat Winchoster Street, London, K.C.2.
Wire: Uidgonne. ITsual Codes
ROBINSON, Ray C. N., & Co.,
Mining Engineers,
K\nmiiiiition. Itcvi'loiuuciit. Hii'l .Muniiui-nit'Ut of ProuortinH.
62, Queen Victoria Street, London, E.G. 4.
Cnlil. K : Yendys, London.
CoJ^m: r.nioniliftll and Pcdfonl MpNoiU.
ROOEnS. MAVER. & BALL.
Cable: Alhasters.
ROGERS, Allen,
Mining Engineer,
42. Jiroadway, New York.
201. Devonshire Street. Boston.
ROGERS, John C, Mining Engineer,
Copper Clilt. Ontario, Canada.
Examination and lOxploration of Mining Properties
with a view to purchase.
Code: Bedford McNeill.
RUTHERFORD, Forest,
Consulting Metallurgical Engineer,
120, Broadway, New Y'ork.
Milling and Smelting of Ores, especially of Copper.
Ore Smelting Contracts.
SAUNDERS, T. Skewes,
Mining Engineer.
University Club.
Bucareli 35, Mexico D.P., Mexico.
SCOTT, Herbert K.,
Mining Engineer,
OR. Cheapside. London, E.G. 2
Cable : Jacntinga.
Tel.:
City 87iU.
SCOTT, Jas.,
Mining Engineer and Geologist.
Examinations and Valuations in B.E.A..
Uganda, and Tanganyika Territory.
P.O. Box (',22. Nairobi, Konya Colony. B.E..^.
SEARS, Stanley C,
Mining Engineer,
Reports, Consultation, and Management.
705, Walker Bank Building. Salt Lake City.
Usna] Codes.
SEGSWORTH, W. E.,
Mining Engineer,
103, Bay Street, Toronto, Canada.
Cable: Segsworth. Usual Codes,
SELKIRK, W. & GRAY, London Wall 906.
Mining Engineers,
4. Broad Street Place, London. E.G. 2.
Tel. & Cables : Code :
Mineralize. London. Bedford McNeill. 1908.
SHALER, Millard K.,
Mining Geologist and Engineer,
66, Rue des Colonies,
Brussels, Belgium.
44
THE MINING MAGAZINE
PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTORY
SIMPSON, W. E.,
Mining Engineer.
Amos. Quebec, Canada.
Fundicion de Los Arcos. Toluea, Mexico.
P.O. Box 160. Cobalt. Ontario.
SNELLING,
A- P
•J
Mechanica
Engineer,
Mongu IN
igeriat
Tin Mines Ltd.
Jos, Northern
N
geria.
STEVENS, Blarney,
Consulting Mining Engineer,
20. Nassau Street, New York City.
Cablts : Niinnstim-n. Lonaon Tel.: London Wall 2198.
STINES, Norman C,
Mining Engineer,
4. Moorgate Street. London. E.C.2.
Codes: McNeill (both editions) and Bentley's.
STRAUSS, Lester W.,
Mining Engineer.
Casilla 514. Valparaiso. Cbile.
Cable: Lestra. Code: Bedford JIcNeill
SUBBAIYER, A. S.,
Consulting Geologist
(Formerly of tbe Geological Survey of India).
25. KatchaleswaraAgraharain. G.T.Madras. India.
Tel
.: City 4214.
TAYLOR &
SONS,
John
G
Queen Street Place.
London,
E.C.4.
Cable ;
Rolyat.
BAINBRIDGE. SEYMOUR. & CO.. LTD. Tel, :
TEALE, J. W., London Wall 3667.
Mining Engineer,
645-647. Salisbury House, London Wall. B.C. 2.
Cables : Bascra. Usual Codes.
THOMPSON. O.,
Mining Engineer.
Amelia Mines, c/o Post Ottice, Abakalilii.
Southern Nigeria.
THORNE, W. E.,
Mining Engineer,
Santa Cruz, California.
Code: McNeill, lilOK.
Tel.: Bank 42'J.
THURSTON,
George
H.,
Electrical an
i Mechanica
1 Engineer.
». Old Je
wry. London.
B.C. 2.
Cable: Thermidor.
TITCOMB, H. A.,
Mining Engineer.
c/o A. Chester Beatty. 2.i. Broad Street. New York.
Code : McNeill, both editiona.
TURNER, H. W.,
Mining Geologist,
Cable; Mills Building, San Francisco.
Latite. Codes: Bedford McNeill, and Broomhall.
TYRRELL, J. B.,
Mining Engineer and rjeologist,
Speciality; Canadian Minitig.
534. Confederation Life Bdg., Toronto, Canada.
Cfthle : Tyrrfll. Usnal Codes.
VENABLES, H.
Consulting and
P.O. Box 210
Cable: Venables.
L.,
Mining Er
Oruro, Bol
gineer,
via.
Usual Cotles.
WITH GEORGE T. HOLLOWAY & CO., LTD. Tsl.:
WAGNER, William G., East 384.
Metallurgist,
13, Emmett Street, Liniehouse, London, E.14,
Tel.: London Wall 2860.
WEATHERBE, D'Arcy,
Mining Engineer.
14. Coptball Avenue. London. E.C.2.
Cable: Natchekoo. London. And Peking. China.
WESTERVELT, William Young,
Mining Engineer.
Fifth Ave. Guaranty Building. 622, Fifth Ave.,
New Y'ork.
Cable: Casewest, Code: Bedford McNeill.
HERSHEY, BURCH, & WHITE.
WHITE, Lloyd C,
Consulting Engineer,
Crocker Ruildiny, San Francisco.
TTfinal Code^.
WHITEHEAD, P. C,
Mining Engineer,
Gold and Tin. — Lode and AH
P.O. Jos. Northern Nigeria.
Calilft'j: Dnanieetin. Job. Code: B
uvial.
oomb
ill.
WILLIAMS, A. H.,
Mining Engineer,
c/o The Institution of Mining and Metallurgy.
225, City Road, London. E.C.I.
Code: A. B.C. 5th edition.
WILLIAMS, Gerard W.,
Mining Engineer.
c/o T. Lees Field. 24, Coleman Street. London. E.C.i
WISEMAN, Philip,
Mining Engineer.
1204. Pacific Mutual Life Bldg.. Los Angeles.
California.
Cable : Filwineman. Usnal Codes.
WITH JOHN TAYLOR & SONS.
Tel. : City 4214.
WOAKES, Ernest R.,
Mining Engineer.
6. Queen Street Place. London. E.C.4.
45
nil': .MINIM. MACAZINK
PROFESSIONAL
DIRECTORY
WOLF, Harry J.,
Mininti KnRlnccr,
IJ. liioivtUvuy. N*'w Vtuk.
Cables: Minowolf. Cuilu: Uudfoixl McNeill.
WRIGHT, Charles Will,
iM i n 1 II K 1: ii t; 1 n l* c r ,
IJ... Via Del ■rmuiK-, Uuiin*, Uiily.
C'odo : Hontloy'H.
POPE VKATMAN. COWIN 8. BERRV.
YEATMAIM & BERRY,
CunsulliiiK MiiiiiiK HnKint:ers,
l^xnniiiiiitioii. Development, and
^lanaKeinent of Properties.
Room ir.04, 1G5, Broadway. New York.
Cable: Ikoiia. Code; Bedford McNeill.
YOUNG, E. J.,
Consulting; (icnlu^lst and Kntflnccr.
OfTlcos ami Laboratory :
Story Bdg., Los Angeles. California, U.S.A.
Examinations and Reports on till Mineral
Deposits, Formations, and Processes
of I'jXtraction.
THE MINING ENCfNEERS' HANDBOOK
By Robert Peele.
9,3*0 iWKPs; lIliistititiHi FUxiMe ItimlinK
Price: JO shillini.'». i'osUnt' : liiliimi. l/-; Abroml. I'l.
TheTechnioal Book'^bop.7'24.Sali8huryHonse,F..C 2
20 years' experience in llie Western Slates,
Pacific Coast States. U.S.A., Mexico,
and Centriil America.
GERHARD & HEY Ltd. \T.'^?i
GREAT ST. THOMAS APOSTLE (off Cannon Street), 1 OIVOOM PP/t
Also Liverpool, Manchester, Hull, Southampton, &c. Lj VV ll L/ V_/ 1^ ^ t-.v^. 4
EXPERTS in TRANSPORTATION of DREDGERS and all MINING PLANT
Tel<-er»ms ■■Ct:KH.•\RDE^■.■• Telenl1n^p^: Central 3706 i8 linesl.
WATER TURBINES
PIPE LINES MONITORS
SALTERNS, LTD.,
PARKSTONE, DORSET,
ENGLAND.
SOCIETE GeNERALE PES MiNERAlS.
Head Office: —
1, Quai Marcellis, LIEGE (Belgium).
Felecrams : "Marlier. Livge."
C AP IT A L:-Fr. 25,000.000
NON-FERROUS METALS & ORES.
Speciality :
BELGIAN VIRGIN SPELTER,
ZINC SHEETS, KATANGA TIN, etc.
AERIAL
ROPEWAYS
Any System.
BRITISH ROPEWAY
ENGINEERING Co., Ltd.
7, Mincing Lane, London, E.C.3.
Telephone: Central 11250.
■COLO DREDGES I
Yuba Hydraulic Dredges
Yuba Centrifugal Pumps
Yuba Ball Tread Tractors
The Yuba Manufacturing Company
Marysville, California.
IG
THE MINING MAGAZINE
GEORGE T. HOLLOW AY & CO., LTD.
CONSULTING METALLURGISTS, CONSULTING CHEMISTS,
ASSAYERS, METALLURGICAL & CHEMICAL ENGINEERS,
13, EMMETT STREET. LIMEHOUSE, LONDON, E.14.
ORE TESTING WORKS: -- Crushing. Grinding.
Sampling, Ore Dressing. Magnetic Separation, Leach-
ing, Cyaniding, and Smelting Plant.
TRIALS & INVESTIGATIONS carried out on the
laboratory and COMMERCIAL SCALE. Treatment
charts devised.
Telephone .
hiland Tele^-ams
Cables
Codes
EAST 384,
" Neolithic, Pop, London.'
" Neolithic, London,"
Bedford McNeill's,
ZINC
SPELTER
ZINC DUST
<:Jha|>
and TEES
ZINC PRODUCERS' ASSOCIATION
Collins House, PTY. LTD. *-^' Austin Friars, /"VA
Melbourne. ' ' London, E,C,2. fA'Z j
Zinc Ores and Concentrate.. Electrolytic Zinc. V^'\.X
Spelter. Zinc Dust. Granulated Zinc. Brand.
AUSTRALIAN HIGH-GRADE ZINC.
— Containing 99-95% Metallic Zinc— quoli:d lor direct ship- Entirely
BRANDS ment to South Africa. India, New Zealand, the Far East, etc. British.
Contractors 7vitJt H.M. Board of Trade.
WfWAVrWfvfrfrffi
I •••••••••••••••••••••!
lif'*****^-*--^
G. A. HARVEY & CO. (LONDON), LTD.
WOOLWICH ROAD, S. E, 7.
City Office: 5, LAURENCE POUXTXEY HILL, E.C. .f.
METAL PERFORATORS & WIRE WEAVERS.
KERITE
Insulated Wires and Cables
Aerial, Interior
Underground, Submarine
for Power, Lighting, Telegraph,
Railway, Signal, Motor Ignition
and Service in Mines
^^"^ Kerite insulation is different
^®^ in its composition and char-
^feCP acteristics from the ordinary
rubber insulation. It is a qual-
ity product — not a first cost proposition.
Its continued and increasing use over
the past half century testifies to its
superiority and economic advantages.
KERITE ^Si^li^^COMPiafir
30 Church St., New York, U.S.A.
Cable Address: KERITE, New York
PRECIOUS METALS
Bought for prompt cash in raw and
" scrap " forms.
Assayed and Analysed.
Manufactured for all industrial pur-
poses— as metals, alloys or chemicals.
Write to
loKnSoiiVaittKevefS Itc
TH! WORLDS CLEAKINO HOUSE FOR THf PIlFCIOllSO HARF MtTAlS
HATTON GARDEN
l_ONDON. E.C.I
LONDON. MANCHESTER.
BIRMINGHAM .BURSLEM
47
THE MINING MAGAZINF-
Agitators
LXin Co.
BUYERS' DIRECTORY.
PACK
Ball Mills
Alien & Co., Ltd., Edgar
Fr,isfr & Chalmers Eng. Works
H.udiiige Co
Head. Wrishtson, & Co., Ltd. . .
M.irsdcn, Ltd., H. K
Sandycrott, Ltd
WiUley Co., Ltd
Bearlnes, Ball
Skefiio Ball Bearing Co., Ltd.
Bearings. I^oller
Hratt, Ltd
BlowinK Eneines
l-raser A; Chalmers Eng. Works .
Cementation . „ • .
Francois Cementation Co., Ltd. .
Cement Machinery
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edgar
He.id, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd. . . .
Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd.
Classifiers
Dorr Co
Sandycrott. Ltd
Coal Cutters
Atl.is Diesel Co., Ltd
Hardy Patent Pick Co., Ltd.
IngersoU-Rand Co
Sullivan Machinery Co
Compressors
Alley & MacLellan, Ltd
Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd.'.
Broom £: Wade, Ltd
Con. Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd.. .
Denver Rock Drill Mfg. Co. . .
Fraser & Chalmers Eng. Works
Holman Bros., Ltd
Ingersoll-Rand Co
Sandycroft, Ltd
Sullivan Machinery Co
Concentrators
Eraser & Chalmers Eng. Works .
Gutliridge, Ltd
Holman Bros., Ltd
Minerals Concentration Co., Ltd.
Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd.
Wilfley Co., Ltd
511
15
10
H
6
19
2
3
52
.5(1
25
15
3
24
52
12
12
t
Convertors
Eraser & Chalmers Eng. \\ orks
Conveyors
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd. .
Sandvcroft, Ltd
WUfley Co., Ltd
Cooling & Freezing Plant
Kirkaldy, John, Ltd
Cyanide Plants
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd.
Distilling Machinery
Kirkaldy, John, Ltd
Dredges. Gold and Tin
Bucyrus Co
New York Engineering Co.
Werf Conrad
Yuba Manufacturing Co. . .
Drill Sharpeners
Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd
Denver Reck Drill Mfg. Co.
Ingersoll-Rand Co
Sulhvan Machinery Co
Drills, Diamond and Core
Ingersoll-Rand Co
Sullivan Machinery Co
Swedish Diamond Dr'l'g Co., Ltd.
Drills, Placer Mining and i*'i
Prospecting
New York Engineering Co Ui
Werf Conrad lU
Orilis. Kock
Atl.is Diesel Co., Ltd 8
Climax Rock Drill & i;ng,Wks.Ld. (<l
Con. Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd 10
Denver Rock Drill Mfg. Co 2
Hardy Patent Pick Co., Ltd 23
Holman Bros., Ltd 52
IngcrsoU-R.'md Co 5U
Sullivan Machinery Co 15
Dryers
Electro-.Metals, Ltd '
Head, Wrightson & Co., Ltd. .. '.■
Electrical Machinery
Metro-\ickcrs Elcc. Co., Ltd 1
Electrical Supplies
Mctro-\'ickers Elec. Co., Ltd 1
Explosives
Nobel Industries, Ltd 2(i
Hlotation Process
Minerals Separation, Ltd 2*
Furnaces. Roasting & Smelting
Eraser & Chahners Eng. Works . . 6
Head, Wrightson & Co., Ltd. . . ;■
Oas and Oil Engines
Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd 8
Con. Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd 19
Metro-Vickers Elec. Co., Ltd 1
Grinding Pans
Hohnan Bros., Ltd .'2
Quarrying Machinery i"*r,it
Con. Pneumatic To.il Co., Ltd 11^
DtnviT Rwk Drill MIg. Ci 2
Hardy Patent Pick Co., Ltd 23
Ingersoll-Rand Co 50
M.arsden, Ltd., H. K 5
Sullivan Machinery Co 15
Kock Breakers
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edg.ar 11
Eraser & Chalmers Eng. Worlts . . 3
Hadfields, Ltd 28
Holman Bros., Ltd 52
Marsden, Ltd., H. R B
Sandycroft, Ltd 25
Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd. . 12
Rolls
Alien & Co., Ltd., Edgar 11
Hadfields, Ltd 28
Holman Bros., Ltd 52
Marsden, Ltd., H. I< 5
Sandycroft, Ltd 25
Stiu-tcvant Engineering Co., Ltd. . 12
Wilfley Co., Ltd t
Hopes. Wire
Cradock & Co., Ltd., George "
Wright, John & Edwin, Ltd U
Ropeways and Cableways, Wire
British Ropeway Eng. Co., Ltd. . . 40
Bnllivants' Aerial Ropeways, Ltd. 20
Cradock & Co., Ltd., George •
Kerite Wire and Cable Co 47
Ropewa>*s, Ltd 6
Head Gears
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd.
Hoists
Denver Rock Drill Mfg. C o.
Sullivan Machinery Co
Ice Making Machinery
Kirkaldy, John, Ltd
Magnetic Separators
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edgar
Eraser & Chahners Eng. Works .
Rapid Magnetting Mac. Co., Ltd.
Manganese Steel
Hadfields, Ltd
Metal Perforators
Harvey, G. A., & Co 47
Mining Tools
Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd 8
Denver Rock Drill Mfg. Co 2
Hardy Patent Pick Co., Ltd 23
Ore Bags
Low & Bonar, Ltd
Ore Dealers & Mineral Brokers
Bath, Henry, & Son, Ltd *
Johnson, Matthey & Co.. Ltd 47
Mond Nickel Co., Ltd 24
Societe Generate des Minerals 4i;
Ores, Testing of
HoUoway, Geo. T., & Co., Ltd. ... 4i
Pipe, Hydraulic »
Boviiig & Co., Ltd 7
Power Transmission
Cradock & Co., Ltd., George *
Prospecting Contractors
Swedish iSiamond DrT'g Co., Ltd. 21
Pumps
Alluvials Mining M'ch'y Co., Ltd. . •
Boving & Co., Ltd 7
Ingersoll-Rand Co .50
Ruston & Homsby, Ltd 41)
Wilfley Co., Ltd t
• November Issue, t October Issue.
Screening & Picking Plants
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd.
9
Sandycroft, Ltd 25
Wilfley Co., Ltd t
Shoes and Dies
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edgar . .
Hadfields, Ltd
Holman Bros., Ltd
Shovels. Electric and Steam
Bucyrus Co
Myers- Whaley Co
Ruston & Hornsby, Ltd
Slime Thickeners
Dorr Co
Spelter
Zinc Producers' Assn. Pty., Ltd. .
Stamp Batteries
Eraser & Chalmers Eng. Works .
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd. . . .
Holman Bros., Ltd
Sandycroft, Ltd
Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd.
Steel
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edgar
Hadfields. Ltd
Hardy Patent Pick Co., Ltd
U
28
52
17
16
40
20
47
52
25
12
11
52
23
Testing Works
Holloway, Geo. T., & Co., Ltd. . . .
Transport
Gerhard & Hey, Ltd
Niger Co., Ltd
46
22
Tube Mills
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edgar 11
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd 0
Sandycroft, Ltd 25
Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd.. 12
Water Turbines
Boving & Co., Ltd 7
Salterns, Ltd 46
Winding Engines, Steam & Electric
Eraser & Chalmers Eng. Works 3
Holman Bros., Ltd 52
Sandycroft, Ltd 25
Wire Weavers
Harvey, G. A., & Co 47
•iS
The mining magazine
ALPHABETICAL LIST OF ADVERTISERS.
Name
Allen & Co., Ltd., Edgar
Alley & MacLellan, Ltd
Alluvials Mining Machinery Co., Ltd
Atlas Diesel Co., Ltd
Bath, Henry, & Sod, Ltd
Boving & Co., Ltd
British Ropeway Engineering Co., Ltd
Broom & Wade. Ltd
Bucyrus Co
Bullivants' Aerial Ropeways, Ltd
Buyers' Directory
Climax Rock Drill & Engineering Works, Ltd
Company Meetings and Reports
Consolidated Pneumatic Tool Co., Ltd
Cradock, George, & Co., Ltd
Denver Rock Drill Manufacturing Co
Dorr Co
Electro Metals, Ltd
Francois Cementation Co., Ltd
Eraser & Chalmers Engineering Works
Gerhard & Hey. Ltd
Guthridge, Ltd
HadfieM's, Ltd.
Hardinge Co
Hardy Patent Pick Co., Ltd
Harvey, G. A., & Co
Head, Wrightson, & Co., Ltd
Holloway, Geo. T., & Co , Ltd
Holman Bros., Ltd
Hyatt, Ltd
Ingersoll-Rand Co
* November
Pace Name
U Johnson, Matthey, & Co., Ltd
10 Kerite Insulated Wire & Cable Cof
* Kirkaldy. John, Ltd
8 Low & Bonar, Ltd
* Marsden Ltd., H. R
7 Metropolitan-Vickers Electrical Co., Ltd
'10 Minerals Concentration Company, Ltd
6 Minerals Separation, Ltd
17 Mond Nickel Co., Ltd
20 Myers-Whaley Co
43 New York Engineering Co
ol Niger Company, Ltd
20-37 Nobel Industries, Ltd.
19 Professional Directory
* Rapid Magnetting Machine Co., Ltd
2 Ropeways, Ltd
20 Ruston & Homsby, Ltd
* Salterns. Ltd
U Sandycroft, Ltd
3 Skefko Ball Bearing Co., Ltd
4ij Soci6te G^nerale des Minerals
24 Sturtevant Engineering Co., Ltd
28 Sullivan Machinery Co
IS Swedish Diamond Rock Drilhng Co., Ltd
23 Technical Bookshop 37,
47 \Verf Conrad
9 Wilfley Co.. Ltd
47 Wright, John & Edwin, Ltd
52 Yuba Manufacturing Co
26 Zinc Producers' Association Pty., Ltd *«
50
issue, t October issue.
Pace
47
47
13
*
5
1
12
27
24
16
16
22
26
39-46
4
6
49
40
25
«
46
12
15
21
38,49
10
4-
14
4(1
47
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Specify RUSTON
EXCAVATORS
For all kinds o[ mineral deposits when
they can be open-worked or quarried,
such as iron, copper, tin, gold, etc., etc.
RUSTON & HORNSBY Ltd. |
Grantham LINCOLN Stockport |
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49
Till-: MlMNt. .MAGAZlNli
CAMERON PUMRS
stand rough xisage
The Cameron vertical Plunger
Sinking Pump for sinkmg mme
shafts is without equal.
Certain m operation.
Capable of handling gritty water.
Has no exposed parts liable to break.
Takes up the least room in the shaft.
Requires little attention.
Above all, it stands the roughest usage
without injury.
There are no more satisfactory Pumps.
Catalogue M.M. 7204 forwarded on request.
In^ersoU-Rand Company
Limited.
165 QueenVictoria Street, LONDON.E.C4
GLASGOW. 20 RenfrewStrecl. ^-i.'ii'.Oio.^, MAT<CHES7ER:i96Deansjate.
10
50
TN
1
M655
V. 2^-25
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